SIENNA'S POV
It was the eve of the wedding. The night before the day I would officially become a married woman.
The day Edward would become fully mine.
I stood by the bed, folding clothes into my luggage with care, though my hands trembled slightly with anticipation. Tomorrow would change everything. Tomorrow, I would no longer be just Sienna, the human girl from the slums. I would be Edward's wife. His mate.
I pulled one of the dresses from the hanger and laid it carefully inside the suitcase. The soft rustle of fabric filled the room. Mara, my best friend, sat on the edge of the bed watching me instead of helping, her chin propped on her hand.
"You know," I said, glancing at her, "you could help instead of staring."
The next thing I pulled from the wardrobe was a neatly wrapped lingerie set. I barely had time to tuck it away before Mara let out a low whistle.
"Well, damn," she said. "That's a sexy little number. I'm very sure you're going to put that to good use on your honeymoon."
My face heated instantly. "Mara!"
She laughed at my reaction, clearly enjoying my embarrassment. "What? You're getting married. You're allowed to be prepared."
I shook my head, chuckling despite myself, but my thoughts betrayed me. Tomorrow night. Edward. The way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't watching. The way his voice softened when he called my name.
I loved him. Deeply.
Not just because we'd known each other since college, or because fate itself had bound us together. Edward was kind—or so I believed. He was dependable. I trusted him completely. He was my fated mate, and the thought of finally giving myself to him filled me with warmth and excitement.
Thinking of him made my heart swell.
"But I worry," Mara said suddenly, her tone shifting.
Her words cut clean through my bubble of happiness.
I raised an eyebrow.
"I know you love Edward," she said carefully. "And I know he's your mate. But this is a human–werewolf marriage, Sienna. Things like this don't come without complications." She hesitated before adding, "And Neve… she's been everywhere around him lately."
I sat beside her, taking her hand gently. "I worry sometimes too," I admitted. "But I trust Edward. He loves me. He wouldn't let harm come to me, even though I'm human."
I squeezed her hand. "Besides, this marriage will change everything. My father will finally have access to werewolf medical care. He'll get better treatment. We won't be stuck in the slums anymore."
Mara studied my face for a long moment before sighing. "Alright. If you believe in him that much… then I'll trust your judgment."
Not long after, she fell asleep.
Sleep, however, refused to come to me.
My thoughts raced, excitement and nerves twisting together in my chest. Eventually, I slipped quietly out of our hotel suite. I told myself I just wanted to check the venue one last time. Maybe, if I was lucky, I could catch a glimpse of Edward—even though tradition forbade us from seeing each other before the ceremony.
The venue was breathtaking. Everything was set perfectly for tomorrow.
Then I noticed the light. The backstage lights were on.
My steps slowed. The venue was supposed to be empty at this hour. My heart began to pound as I made my way toward the source, wondering if it was a thief—or perhaps one of the event planners working late.
Then I heard it; a soft moan. Followed by a low, masculine grunt.
My blood ran cold.
That voice… it sounded far too familiar.
I moved closer, my body moving before my mind could stop it. I hid behind a wall just as the sounds grew louder, more frantic. A gasp nearly tore from my throat, but I clamped a hand over my mouth.
Neve was pressed against the wall.
Her arms were wrapped around a broad shoulder, strong hands gripping her hips.
Edward.
But that wasn't the worst of it. Neve was wearing my wedding dress.
My wedding dress.
Their movements were wild, desperate—driven by consuming lust, not a momentary lapse or careless mistake. There was nothing hesitant about the way Edward thrust into her, nothing restrained in the way she clung to him.
My eyes burned.
"Yes, yes!" Neve cried. "Goddess, Edward!"
"I don't want her," Edward panted. "I don't want Sienna. I'm only marrying her because she's my fated mate."
Each word felt like a blade.
"Being tied to her strengthens me," he continued, fingers tightening around Neve's throat. "It keeps my image perfect in front of my father. I need that if I want a higher rank."
"I know," Neve gasped.
"She's just a bloody human," he scoffed. "Worthless. She probably can't even feel the mate bond snap when I cheat."
My chest constricted painfully. I bit down hard, fighting the urge to sob.
"But… you love her, don't you?" Neve asked softly.
Hope flared stupidly in my chest.
Edward hesitated, and for half a heartbeat, I clung to that pause.
Then he laughed. "Love? Love who?"
Whatever remained of my heart shattered. I couldn't take it anymore.
As they reached their climax—ejaculating on my wedding dress—I stepped forward.
Their heads snapped up.
"Sienna… it's not-" Edward stammered, shock flashing across his face.
Neve only smiled, slow and smug, as she peeled my wedding dress off her body. "Honestly," she said sweetly, "this was very satisfying." She stood beside Edward, wrapping her hand intimately around his arm.
Edward's gaze suddenly hardened—not at her, but at me. "What you saw changes nothing," he said coldly. "The wedding will proceed. In return, your father gets his medical care, and you give me an heir."
I stared at him.
This wasn't the man who kissed my forehead when I was afraid. This wasn't the man who brought me chocolate ice cream during my cycle or promised me a future.
The love twisted inside me, turning sharp and cold.
Before I could stop myself, I slapped him. The sound echoed through the space.
I turned and slapped Neve as well. She cried out but didn't fight back.
I picked up the ruined dress from the floor and threw it at them, then stomped on it. "You're disgusting," I said, my voice cracking. "Both of you."
Edward took a protective stance before Neve, shoving me away, harder than he meant to.
My back hit the ground. I groaned in pain.
For a brief moment, guilt flashed in his eyes, then vanished as quickly as it came.
I rose shakily, pulling the engagement ring from my finger and hurling it at him. It struck his face and fell to the floor.
"I'm so disappointed in you, Edward," I said. "I swear on my father's life—I will never love you again."
He reached for me. "Sienna—"
I yanked my arm free. "Find a replacement bride," I said with a hollow laugh. "Because you won't find me at your sham of a wedding tomorrow."
I turned and walked out of the venue of betrayal, my heart in ruins.