15

15
I quickly scan the crowd, seeking out the face that's been glued to my mind for the past couple of days. My eyes catch Liam, who is already watching me with concern. Sometimes, I hate how well the idiot knows me. He has not said anything about Aurora being my fated mate since the first conversation, but I don't miss the look in his eyes.

I find my father watching me with a look that spells, "Do not embarrass me." I spot other familiar faces, most of them smiling and sending me little waves, but I don't see her.

Selene gets to the stage, and I offer a few compliments before the minister, usually the oldest man in the pack, opens the ceremony.

This part is usually for the wider audience and is a lot like a regular human wedding. It's for the view of the public and gives us the opportunity to celebrate with the human friends we've made along the way.

The main ceremony comes at night where the marking and exchange of oaths takes place. "You may now kiss the bride."

The statement comes to me as a threat. I had completely forgotten about this part of weddings. Dread washes over me as I lift Selene's veil, trying my best to keep my fingers from trembling. A cocktail of disappointment, self-loathing, and sadness burns my throat when I reveal her artfully made-up face.

I suck in a deep breath, leaning in to capture her lips. The sooner we do this, the faster we get it over with. Her lips are soft and thin, nothing like Aurora's luscious plum lips. It's tasteless and stirs no emotions in me. I want to pull away and wipe my lips, but I know what that will look like, so I deepen the kiss, trying to picture Aurora's face instead of Selene's.

It works for a while till someone lets out a wolf whistle, pulling me out of the act. I can almost swear I see Aurora's face flash through my eyes when I pull back. Guilt pools in the pit of my stomach, and I fight the urge to get off the stage.

We move to the reception, where I'm assaulted with congratulations from friends and business colleagues. My cheeks hurt from faking a smile, and every time I'm pulled aside for a brief conversation by some of my human acquaintances, I sigh in relief, glad to be away from the spectacle.

I won't stop searching for Aurora. Any time I sense a movement through the entrance, my eyes snap to the direction, and I'm doused in buckets of disappointment when another unfamiliar face waltzes in.

I don't know what I'll do when I see her, but I do know I need to see her. None of this makes sense without her. Nothing makes sense with her. I feel like a monkey parading in a circus and playing a part. I want to rid myself of this ridiculous tux, ask the guests to return to their homes, and forget this ever happened.

I've come to know why I never thought about weddings and the rest of it. When you already have a picture painted for you just the way you like it, you don't bother painting one for yourself. Aurora had everything planned out, giving me the luxury of being a passenger for the ride. What I didn't know was how much I internalized her plans as mine. How deeply her words are ingrained in my soul and how tangled our dreams and future have become.

The realization hit me like a blunt hammer, and I grip the table next to me for support, smiling at the guests in front of me while a cascade of chaotic events unfolds in my head.

The ceremony comes to an end, and I waste no time rushing out under the guise of unavoidable pack business. Reckless as it may be, I find myself driving to Aurora's house. I turn the house upside down, searching for a clue on her way about.

My mating ceremony is less than five hours away, and I am in the house of another woman looking through her things to see if I can find anything that'll point me to her.

You should've started sooner, my inner thoughts mock, and I let out a string of curses. How was I supposed to know it would come to this? When she ran off, I figured she needed some time to calm down, think things through, and come back when she was in a better state of mind. I couldn't exactly seek her out myself without raising suspicions, hence the commencement of a search for her. But as time went by, a new fear rose in me. What if she is truly gone?

The chances of that were next to zero, but it isn't completely impossible. What if this was the last straw, and she finally left? But where would she go without her belongings? She didn't take anything with her.

My phone vibrates for the hundredth time, and I finally pick it up to see a text from Liam asking where I am and how I need to start getting ready for the ceremony. I feel like a trapped animal. The feeling of helplessness and not being in control is alien to me.

I've always had total control of every part of my life, and now, one girl leaves, and I can't seem to find my bearing. I let out a frustrated yell, driving my fist through the wall. The pain is more intense than it should be, and my bones don't snap back in place fast enough. But it's also distracting me from the chaos in my mind, so I pay it no heed.

Deciding it's best to focus on the task at hand and deal with the others later, I make my way back to the pack house and prepare for the mating ceremony. Liam watches me the whole time, his eyes never leaving the bruise on my fist, but he doesn't say a word.

The full moon finally sets, and we move to the middle of the woods, a legendary spot said to host a balance of all the elements. It's a spot where the Moon Goddess and ancestors come to mingle with the living. It is the spot for sacred rituals and mating ceremonies.

The moon casts its silver light in the clearing, providing ample illumination to the spot. My father, Liam's family, and a few important members of the pack step into the clearing as core witnesses while the rest of the pack waits a few paces behind.