Chapter 57 STUCK BETWEEN TWO CHOICES
Varkos
The suit is choking the hell out of me.
That’s the first thought that runs through me as I stand at the altar, my shoulders raised, spine rigid, jaw locked so tightly it sends a dull ache through my skull. The black fabric presses against my throat like a noose—as if it’s trying to kill off every breath inside me.
“Control yourself, Varkos,” I mutter more to myself than anyone. I tell myself it’s just the wedding jitters, but more so I lie to myself that this has absolutely nothing to do with Ginnie.
Nothing.
The hall is overflowing with almost every living thing in Bleeding Rose Country. The elders were seated in their carved chairs, Alphas from neighboring packs standing in quiet authority, dignitaries whispering behind gloved hands.
The air is thick with judgment the moment their eyes all lock towards me. They see that which they only want to see—they see a perfect Alpha standing where he belongs.
What they don’t see is how violently every instinct in my body is screaming at me to run away from this fucking hellhole. I subtly roll my shoulders, trying to breathe past the pressure crushing my chest.
This is the right thing to do.
This is necessary and it’s damn right the choice I made. I refuse to believe the sick, crawling unease under my skin has anything to do with falling head over heels for Ginnie.
Because if I do—
“Oh my god! Our Luna is finally here!”
A murmur ripples through the hall the moment the towering double doors open. Kenna steps inside wearing a white wedding dress, radiant as a living symbol of the pack’s expectations. Her arm is looped through her father’s as he escorts her down the aisle, her chin lifted, her smile serene and victorious.
Every eye locked instantly on her alone as the hall collectively inhaled. Whispers echoed behind her with every step she took. She is beautiful.
Impeccably composed, every inch of the Luna that the Blood Moon Pack has demanded for generations. And yet—
My eyes don’t stay on her.
They drift away, scanning the crowd over bowed heads and rows and rows of guests dressed in the finest suits and expensive gowns. Searching for the one person I hated to admit that I wish was here.
I scan the left side first.
Nothing.
My gaze snaps to the right.
Still nothing.
Where the hell is Ginnie?
My heart stutters violently at the thought that she must have made good on her promise of leaving with Lily if I ever went ahead with this wedding.
Fuck!
My fists tighten unconsciously, nails biting into my palms as a cold, unwelcome thought slithers into my mind.
She left.
Of course she did.
Why wouldn’t she?
The image hits me with brutal clarity without warning—Ginnie sneaking away from the Villa right now while this charade of a wedding was going on. Taking Lily’s hand and disappearing beyond the borders of Bleeding Rose like I never existed.
Rage surges through me so suddenly that my wolf snarls beneath my skin, but I force my expression to calm as Kenna walks closer, and inside me, something dark and volatile coils tighter.
Ginnie wouldn’t dare leave without my permission.
Would she?
But before I can process the thought more, Kenna stops before me. Her father places her hand into mine. Her grip is warm. Familiar. Possessive. Her smile fades the moment she notices my gaze flicking once more toward the crowd rather than her.
“Well?” she whispers, leaning closer, her breath sweet and dangerous. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
“Uhmm…say what exactly?” I blink, dragging my attention back to her.
A soft laughter vibrates through her, clearly pleased at the tone of my voice. “Everyone is speechless at how beautiful I look,” she murmurs. “So why are you the only one not saying anything?”
I redress my features instantly, forcing my lips into something that resembles admiration. “You look…” I pause, choosing the lie with deliberate precision to sound believable even to Kenna. “Stunning.”
“I knew you’d notice,” she says quietly, her cheeks flushed, triumph flashing in her eyes, “I’m dressed up like this all for only you.”
For me?
You gotta be kidding me!
If only she knew the truth.
We turn to face the priest, and the ceremony begins. Ancient words fill the air—vows etched into history, pack laws forged in blood, promises meant to bind an Alpha and Luna together in marriage. I repeat them when only prompted, my voice steady.
But my mind isn’t here.
It’s roaming the corridors of the villa, searching for only one person. Still nothing.
“Who are you looking for?” Kenna’s voice shatters through my thoughts, her fingers tighten in mine, nails pressing into my skin. “You seem…distracted,” she whispers sharply, her smile never fading for the audience.
“No one,” I answer instantly.
She hums, unconvinced. But the ceremony continued anyways, each second stretching into agony as my wolf paced, restless and furious, snarling at every second I imagined going into Ginnie’s room and not finding her there.
“And now,” the priest’s voice thunders through the entire hallway, “It is time for the exchange of rings.” A Lycan steps forward, presenting the ring on a velvet cushion.
A symbol of unity.
More like a shackle!
I force my hands to pick it up from the cushion. The metal burns against my fingers. Kenna lifts her hand eagerly, her smile widening with every moment her eyes are locked onto mine.
The entire hall holds its breath.
This is it.
The moment this fucking lie becomes permanent. I raise my hand, the ring hovering inches from her finger. I stand there, unable to move an inch, my fingers trembling as though I was welcoming death with open arms.
I hear my own heartbeat pounding like a war drum. My wolf roars, slamming violently against my perfectly built-up walls.
Fuck! I can’t do this!
I shouldn’t.
I have to—
“Varkos?”
Kenna’s voice cuts through the tension, the triumphant smile on her lips has faded, turning into something darker now. “What the hell are you waiting for?” she snaps under her breath.
“….Put the ring on my finger.”