The bonfire blazed high, licking at the night sky, its heat oppressive and cruel. The scent of burning cedar, sweet wine, and wolf musk rolled thick through the clearing.
The crowd was restless with excitement, faces lit in orange glow, eyes bright with hunger for the spectacle about to unfold. I stood among them, invisible as always, but this time the weight of my invisibility crushed me. My heart beat too loud in my chest, every thud like a hammer driving me further into despair.
Caius stood at the center, dressed in ceremonial black trimmed with silver. His dark hair gleamed in the firelight, his jaw proud, his shoulders squared. He looked like every dream I had once wrapped around myself like a blanket. But tonight, every inch of him belonged to her.
Liana.
She stepped forward in scarlet silk, the fabric flowing like blood down her perfect body. Jewels glittered in her hair, catching the firelight, her lips curved into that victorious smile that had haunted me since last night. She was radiant, untouchable, and completely aware of it.
I wanted to look away. I couldn't. Betrayal stung harder and more painful that a bee's sting, yet all I could do was stand and watch.
The elder priest raised his hands, calling for silence. His voice carried through the crowd like thunder. "Tonight, under the blood moon, the bond between Alpha Caius and Liana of the Greenstone pack shall be forged. May their union strengthen this pack and bless our lands."
The words hit me like a blade. Liana of the Greenstone pack. My stepsister. The girl who had taken everything from me. And I was forced to stand here and watch as if I were nothing.
"Step forward, bride and groom," the priest commanded.
They moved together, side by side, his hand brushing hers, their smiles matching. He had smiled at me once like that soft, reassuring, gentle. Now, I saw nothing but arrogance in his expression.
The ceremony began. Chants rose from the pack, deep and guttural, a rhythm I had grown familiar with hearing at every mating ceremony vibrated in my bones. My stomach turned with each verse, each step that brought them closer to sealing what should have been mine.
The elder dipped his fingers into a silver bowl filled with crushed moon herbs, smearing the paste across their wrists. "Tonight, you will mark each other. Bite to bond, blood to seal, and flesh to claim. Speak your vow."
Caius's voice was strong, commanding, proud. "I vow to protect you, to lead beside you, and to honor our bond until death."
Liana's was sweet, dripping with false humility. "I vow to stand with you, to serve beside you, and to honor our bond until death."
The crowd roared its approval. My ears rang with it.
Then Caius tilted his head, baring his neck. Liana's fangs glistened in the firelight as she leaned in. Her teeth sank into his flesh with a wet, tearing sound. He growled, deep and primal, holding her tighter as the bond took root. My stomach lurched, bile rising in my throat.
When she pulled back, blood trickled down his collarbone, and she licked it with a moan that made the crowd cheer louder.
Now it was his turn. He grabbed her neck, tilted her head back, and bit down hard into the curve of her shoulder. Her scream tore through the clearing half pain, half pleasure and my knees almost buckled. That scream was supposed to have been mine.
The bond was sealed.
The elder raised his arms again. "It is done. The union is blessed!"
The pack howled as one, the sound tearing through the night like a storm. Wolves shifted, their bodies shimmering with silver light as they celebrated. My father stood near the front, pride in his eyes, not a single glance spared for me.
I wanted to vanish into the earth.
But the ceremony wasn't over. A feast followed, tables groaning under roasted boar, venison, and honey wine. Liana sat at Caius's side, glowing in her triumph. Every time she laughed, her hand tangled in his hair while his lips brushed her skin, I died a little more.
I walked up to my father with the little courage I had left "Father…." my voice cracked, shaking, raw. "Please. Don't do this. Father, please. I can't—"
"Enough Rain!" He barked, loud enough that the people around us stopped to stare. " you are going with them, you will serve your purpose. And if ever you step your feet back here you will be severely punished"
The words hit harder than a hammer to a nail.
Liana's laugh slipped like venom into my ear. She pressed herself against Caius's side, her hand resting on his chest as she smirked at me.
"Don't worry, sister. I'll make sure you're useful. Someone has to lace my dresses, clean my shoes, fetch my water and tend to my cubs when I have them. And who better than you?"
Tears blurred my vision. My throat burned. "Please," I whispered, softer this time, broken. "Please don't let them do this."
But my father turned away, raising his cup, joining the cheer.
Their laughter filled my ear and my father's betrayal felt worse.
He loved me once. He cared so much that I was assigned every servant to tend to my needs.
Not until my mother died.
And Grace and Liana came.
The night dragged on, endless, suffocating. Eventually, the fires dimmed, the songs grew slower, and preparations for departure began.
We were leaving. Tonight.
The rule was clear. Once marked, the mate must be carried back to the Alpha's pack before the night ended, before the bond settled too deep to break, so the park members could officially welcome their Luna.
Caius's pack lay far beyond the forest to the east. The carriages were loaded with trunks of silk and jewels, gifts from my father to show off our pack's wealth. My own meager belongings fit into a single small bag an afterthought.
I climbed into the second carriage, the one assigned to servants. The wood was rough, the cushions thin, the air heavy with dust. Still, it was more than I deserved, at least in their eyes.
Liana and Caius rode ahead, their carriage lavish, curtains drawn for privacy I didn't want to imagine.
The wheels groaned as we set off, the night air sharp and cold against my damp cheeks. Trees blurred past, shadows deepening as the forest swallowed us whole.
What was the need that of spending so much time in the thing when all they could do was shift into their wolves and reach his pack faster than we could ever on the carriage.
But just again it was tradition.
It wasn't long before the carriage lurched suddenly, tilting to the side with a violent jolt. The driver cursed, pulling the horses to a stop. One of the knots holding the wheels steady had come loose.
"Damn it," the driver muttered, hopping down to check the damage.
Liana shoved open her curtain, her voice sharp as a whip. "What's going on? Why have we stopped?"
The driver bowed his head. "A knot came loose, my lady. It'll take a few minutes to fix."
Liana scowled, then turned her head, her gaze falling on me like poison. "Rain. Make yourself useful for once. Fetch me some water. I'm thirsty."
I hesitated, glancing at the dark forest that loomed on either side of the road. Her lips curled, mocking. "What's the matter? Afraid of the dark?"
Caius's chuckle joined hers, low and cruel. "Go on, Rain. You heard her."
My throat tightened, but I forced my legs to move. The cold air bit into my skin as I stepped down from the carriage. The forest was alive with sounds crickets, the rustle of unseen creatures, the distant echo of an owl. The night felt heavier here, thicker, like it was watching me.
I wrapped my arms around myself, my steps hesitant as I moved toward the trees in search of water.
The road behind me grew quiet. Too quiet
Then suddenly.....
I could run away.
The thought came bursting into my head like a wild hurricane that it almost made me dizzy.
If I was ever going to get the chance now would be the time.
But if I leave I would become a lone wolf, I don't know how to hunt, my wolf instincts were as good as dead and since I haven't shifted once I'll become prey.
But.
I could still leave. It's not like anybody would really care.
My feet stopped, planting me to the ground as i weighed my options, looking back I could still see the faint light from the lamp on the carriage but the forest in front of me was dark and unpredictable.
Yet, my heart thundered in my chest like it was begging to free.