Chapter 33 Chapter 33

Chapter 33 Chapter 33
Ashley
“Do you, Ashley, take Alpha Lucien as your mate forever?” the priest asked.
His voice echoed in the large hall, filled with people I had never seen before. Faces everywhere, yet not a single one I recognized. It made everything feel even colder, more unreal. And yet, I stood there, expected to say vows I never wanted to say.
Lucien’s eyes were already on me. Telling me not to even think about refusing. My throat tightened. I swallowed, forcing the words out. “Yes, I do,” I said quietly, almost like a whisper. So soft the priest barely heard me.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the priest continued. “You may kiss the bride.”
A wave of confusion hit me. I was sure I wasn’t the only one surprised. There were no vows from Lucien, no marking. No bond being sealed the way it should be. Everything felt rushed and wrong. But no one questioned it.
Before I could even process it, Lucien stepped closer. I instinctively moved back, startled. His gaze darkened, and that single look was enough to freeze me in place.
For a moment, we just stared at each other. His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unreadable. Then he leaned in slightly and whispered, “You are now all mine.”
My breath caught. Before I could react, his lips crashed against mine in a fierce, claiming kiss. It wasn’t gentle, it wasn’t tender. It was demanding and controlling. And somehow, my body betrayed me, I responded just as intensely. As if I had forgotten that none of this was my choice.
The kiss lasted longer than it should have. When we finally pulled apart, the hall filled with applause. Cheers followed, and just like that, the celebration began. Music, laughter and Conversations.
Everything moved on like nothing was wrong. But I stood there, still, feeling out of place in my own life. Lucien had already turned away, greeting guests from different packs, speaking like everything was perfectly normal.
And I remained where I was like a stranger at my own wedding.
I looked around slowly, my eyes scanning the hall. The tightness in my chest eased a little when I realized something, no one from my former pack was here. Not a single familiar face.
I let out a quiet breath of relief. I guess Gerald wasn’t important enough to earn an invitation. Or maybe I wasn’t worth the trouble of inviting anyone connected to me.
Either way, I was grateful. I moved to a quiet corner, trying to stay unnoticed. From there, I watched Lucien. He stood among a group of guests, completely at ease, a glass in his hand.
A red-haired woman stood close to him, too close. They laughed together, leaning in, talking like they had known each other for years. His body language was relaxed, open and interesting.
My chest tightened again, the marriage wasn’t even up to an hour. And he was already disrespecting me.
“What a man,” a voice said behind me, dripping with mock amusement. “Married for barely a minute and already flirting with another.”
A soft laugh followed. “I wouldn’t blame him,” another voice replied. “He just got married to a wolfless woman. He needs someone stronger to match him, to handle what he is.”
Their words hit, sharp and deliberate. They knew I was here, that I could hear them but they just didn’t care.
“Heard she’s carrying another man’s child,” a third voice added, lower but just as cruel. “Probably bewitched him into accepting her and her bastard.”
A small pause. “Or maybe not,” another one said with a scoff. “He is the mad king for a reason.”
They laughed again, but this time, it felt colder. “You know the worst part?” one of them continued. “He is going to sleep with her every night and won’t even remember it after. No feelings, nothing. Just something to pass the time.”
Something inside me snapped. My fingers loosened, and the glass I had been holding slipped from my hand. It hit the floor with a sharp sound, drawing a few glances, but I didn’t care.
I couldn’t stay there, I turned quickly, my vision slightly blurred as I made my way out of the hall. But before I could get far, I collided with someone. The impact made me stumble back slightly. “Oh,” a soft voice said.
I looked up, Seraphine. Before I could react, her hand tilted ever so slightly, and the glass of wine she was holding spilled right onto my white dress. The deep red liquid spread quickly across the fabric, staining it.
I froze, staring down at it, the white ruined in seconds. “So sorry, I didn’t see you,” Seraphine said.
But the smirk on her face told a completely different story.
I didn’t respond, if opened my mouth, I wasn’t sure I would be able to hold back, and the last thing I needed was to create a scene in front of all those people. So I turned and walked away.
As I made my way out of the hall, I passed by Lucien. For a brief second, I slowed down just enough to see if he would notice me but he didn’t.
He was still there, completely absorbed in his conversation with the red-haired woman, laughing like nothing else in the world mattered. I forced my feet to keep moving.
The moment I stepped into the bathroom, the noise from the hall faded, replaced by a heavy silence. I walked straight to the mirror and stopped in front of it.
My reflection stared back at me. A bride dressed in white but nothing about me felt like one. This was the second time I was getting married and just like the first, it wasn’t my choice. It never was, every time, it was about something else. Someone else’s plan and gain.
My gaze dropped to my dress, the deep red stain had spread across the fabric, ruining the clean white completely.
Slowly, I placed a hand over my small bump, my fingers resting there protectively. “I’m doing this for you,” I whispered softly.
The bathroom door opened, the sharp click of its locking echoed loudly in the quiet space. My body tensed immediately, I turned around. Wanneka, Gerald’s mom.
My eyes widened in shock as she walked toward me like she owned the place. I thought no one from that pack was invited. So what was she doing here?
“I always knew you had it in you,” she said, her voice cold and filled with disgust. “A gold digger, a manipulator.”
She stopped right in front of me, her gaze sweeping over me like I was something dirty. “One night with the king wasn’t enough?” she continued, her lips curling. “So you trapped him with a bastard?”