I was told that being in front of the Moon Goddess' altar with your mate was supposed to be the most joyous moment of your existence. It was said to elevate you to the highest summit of a mountain, impervious to any natural calamities that might occur.
"Lord Severin de Rosa, do you take Lady Kasumi Azai to be your wife, to share in all of life's joys and sorrows, to be your faithful and loving companion, now and forevermore?"
But how did I end up in a circumstance where I had to marry someone who wasn't my mate?
"I do, Your Eminence."
Gripping the flower bouquet too tight, I recoil from Severin's reply to Priest Paule's question, shattering my whole being. It was as intense as a hurricane that destroyed a whole town and as impenetrable as the brick wall.
"And to you, Lady Kasumi Azai..."
As my name was being called, my heart beat furiously in my chest as though it wanted to break free, or burst into pieces.
How did I end up being used as a pawn in a political marriage to bring an end to the cold war between my pack, the Red Sun, and the opposing Blazing Winter pack?
"Do you take Lord Severin de Rosa to be your husband, to share in all of life's joys and sorrows, to be your faithful and loving companion, now and forevermore?"
Why did I become the bridge leading me to a doom of misery and agony? Why couldn't I run from this responsibility?
How did I end up in this situation? Where did it all begin?
"I do, Your Eminence," I said, breathless.
I hid my emotions under my eyelids, thanks to the veil that helped me to shield this despair that would gradually poison me.
It was irrevocable, with no salvation to be given.
"You may now kiss the bride."
Severin lifted the veil with slight hastiness, piercing me with a gaze of spitefulness, silently indicating that he and I would never get along.
I almost scoffed at that sight. If he was disgusted with my presence, then so I was.
"Let's get this over with. Tsk."
It was a very low whisper from him, but I caught on to it with my sensitive hearing, one of the advantages of being a werewolf. I almost thwacked the bouquet to his arrogant, handsome face, but it took a lot of courage not to do so.
"Bastard..." I muttered.
When his face was slightly close to me, I heard a faint growl that staggered me. A slight growl came from the aisle.
It came from the audience as I felt a penetrating gaze from that direction while my wolf whispered a word that still startled me every time I heard it echoing.
I did not get a chance to look back when Severin pinched my chin using his forefinger and thumb, forcing me to look at him before his rosy lips plummeted to capture my lips. My eyes widened, clutching his wrist to pull his hand away from me.
I thought that he would compel me to deepen the kiss, but Severin, as fast as a lightning bolt, stepped back as if he was burned from me. And I was in disbelief when I caught him wiping his lips with the back of his hand.
"Congratulations to our newlyweds, Lord Severin and Lady Kasumi de Rosa!"
That distracted me when I almost confronted Severin by acting so disgusted at our kiss, and I should be the one who had done that.
Severin and I faced our guests, who were bestowing us a round of applause. On the right side of the aisle, my chest tightened and squeezed to the maximum when I met my uncle's gaze with a smirk plastering on his lips.
Meeting his gaze was enough for me to recall everything he did—killing my father, Hideyoshi Azai, who was the former Alpha of the Red Sun pack, taking over our pack with cruelty, stripping my rights as the heiress of the Azai Clan and as the next Alpha of our pack, and marrying off to the son of the hostile pack.
Him...
Hajime Azai...
He was the reason why I was being tormented like this.
My uncle... My blood relative... He betrayed my father's trust.
"Run, sugarplum..." Father's meek words harked back to my mind. "Run..."
I could still remember the hoarseness of his voice with a faint firmness, pushing me away while he was bathing with his blood. I remembered how useless I was, how my body was heavy, aching in every corner.
I only found myself being dragged away from his cadaver while pouring my hopelessness and regret. I did not do what he promised. I was... incompetent.
Father, please forgive me, for I did not heed your wishes. I was still hoping I could take back what truly belonged to me.
"Long live the newlyweds!"
I snapped back when the crowd cheered again for the wedding of Severin and me. With the tension in my stomach about to burst, I could feel a series of spine-chilling tingles as my wolf whispered a word.
'Mate.'
My eyes instantly looked for that person since my wolf kept resounding 'mate' in my head. I looked for my mate and met a pair of sapphire blue eyes belonging to a familiar man in his 30s sitting near the front aisle who had firm, intense eye contact with me.
My heart sank upon seeing that familiar sculpted, robust build and pursed rose-colored cupid lips scream power and dominance that I almost fell to my knees. It almost took my breath away just by seeing him.
It was him.
Thaddeus de Rosa, Severin's father.
He was not like any man I had ever encountered before. There was something about him that made my skin crawl. I tried to convince myself that he was just a nobody, but deep down, I knew that wasn't the case.
He was the Alpha of the Blazing Winter pack—the same pack that had terrorized our pack for years.
And then, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Thaddeus was not only the father of my husband, but also my father-in-law.
But that wasn't the worst part.
It was a harsh realization that Thaddeus de Rosa was destined to be my mate, but I had already been promised to his son.
And this was the cruel twist of fate orchestrated by the Moon Goddess.