DIANA'S POV
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Five years ago, I left this pack with nothing but shame burning in my chest.
Today, I returned—not as the trembling girl they mocked, but as the woman they could never forget.
The hall glittered with gold. Crystal chandeliers poured light over silken gowns, tailored suits, and polished shoes. Weddings were always a spectacle in this pack, one no one dared to miss, not even the Alpha.
The doors swung open with a low groan. For a heartbeat, the music faltered, conversations died, and the room fell utterly still. Every gaze turned toward me.
I stepped inside without apology, shoulders squared, my arm linked with Aj's. He smiled at them, calm and noble, brown eyes steady as if daring anyone to speak.
I had imagined this moment for years, but nothing came close to the silence that followed me into the room. Gasps rippled like waves. I felt them crawl across my skin, felt the weight of stares trying to pierce through my calm.
"Oh my god, is that Diana? The one Alpha Elijah rejected?"
"No, it can't be. She looks… different."
My lips curved at their whispers. Yes, I'm different now. I'm no longer the weak, trembling girl they remembered.
My silken blue gown clung to every curve, the front slit revealing long, olive-toned legs. Silver hair spilled in loose waves over one shoulder, and my hazel eyes met theirs, not once did I lower my gaze.
I stood tall and unbothered. For the first time, it was them who cowered, eyes dropping to their feet as I walked past.
"Diana…" The name hissed in disbelief through the crowd.
There was only one person with that deep voice. I felt his gaze on me before I saw him—a familiar burn that made my skin prickle. I hated that I still felt it, that fire low in my belly.
But I didn't let it show on my face. Slowly, I let my eyes wander across the hall until they locked with those ocean eyes.
Elijah.
His dark tousled hair gleamed under the light, and the tailored suit he wore made him even more handsome, almost boyishly so. His eyes stayed fixed on me with a force that nearly stole my breath, but I didn't look away.
This time, I let him see. I let him see how he threw me away, how he denied me in front of everyone, how he never fought for me. I let him see exactly what I had become—
a woman he would never dream of having again.
Inside me, my wolf stirred faintly. She was silent, only watching, while his clawed and hissed, snarling and hungry, fighting him hard.
Mate.
The word ripped across the bond in a desperate plea, the same word I'd heard five years ago before I left.
My heart lurched, heat burned through my legs, but I forced a smile.
Beside me, Aj's grip on my waist tightened, reminding me I had people who loved me. Across the room, Elijah's eyes burned.
"Ignore them," Aj murmured at my ear. "You shine brighter than all of them tonight."
I smiled at his brown, steady eyes and soft grin. Adjusting his navy-blue tie, I whispered, "Thank you… for coming."
"Anything, my señorita." He grinned.
Across the room, I spotted Mariah staring at me, mouth open, clutching her glass so hard I feared she might shatter it. Her lips twisted in ugly fury, like she couldn't believe I was standing here.
For five years, I'd expected them to look for me, not even my father did. But what was I expecting? They only ever cared about themselves. They wouldn't have cared if I were dead.
I lifted my glass to her with a satisfied smile. It burned her pride; her eyes blazed with such fury I thought she might march over and treat me as before. Instead, she turned and walked toward her mother, who now noticed me with wide eyes.
The crowd murmured louder, questions buzzing in the air as eyes swept toward Aj, wondering who he was and why we stood so close. Finally, someone dared to ask, "Who… who is she with?"
Before I could answer, Aj met my gaze, smiling proudly. His voice carried through the room: "My fiancée."
The word struck like thunder. Gasps rippled, eyes widened, and whispers spread faster than fire.
I didn't miss the way Elijah's body went rigid, his wolf hurling in fury, a growl vibrating through me though his lips never moved.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
Damn the moon goddess. After all these years of working on myself, why did I still feel the bond, the heat, crawling up my feet?
I forced a smile and sipped my wine casually. Aj's arm was firm around my waist as we walked, and that's when I spotted Sarah—the bride, and my friend of one year.
"Oh, Diana!" she exclaimed, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a corner. "You came! I was so afraid you wouldn't." Her grin stretched wide, her chubby cheeks flushed pink. In her white wedding dress, she looked radiant.
"After I RSVP'd yes? Of course I couldn't miss it for anything," I grinned back.
Aj joined us after snagging a drink from a waiter's tray, a soft smile on his face. Sarah was more his acquaintance, and I had only gotten to know her through him.
"There she is, the lady of the moment," Aj teased.
Sarah rolled her eyes. "Don't start now, Aj." Then she glanced between us, and her smile faltered. "I couldn't stop the Alpha from coming… Diana, I hope you're fine after..."
"Come on," I scoffed, waving a hand. "You really think I'd still be affected by him after all these years? And besides…" I laced my fingers with Aj's and grinned at him. "I have Aj, the best thing that's ever happened to me. And you, Sarah."
Sarah blushed, but her eyes suddenly widened as they swept past us. "Oh no."
"What?" I asked, following her gaze. When I saw who it was, a sigh swept through me. He couldn't possibly…
Elijah began walking towards us, his eyes pinned on me. The music had long stopped, the hall had grown silent, and every gaze swung between us.
When he reached us, he barely glanced at Aj. His eyes stayed on me as he spoke in a low, dangerous tone.
"Fiancée?" His jaw flexed. "Over my dead body."