Chapter 1 The Runaway Bride

Selene’s POV A loud bang against my door yanked me out of sleep. “Selene! Get up this instant!” My father’s voice was sharp, impatient, and filled with the usual irritation reserved just for me. I blinked against the dim morning light creeping through my cracked window, my body stiff from another night of restless sleep. The worn-out blanket I clutched barely provided any warmth against the cold air. Then, there came another bang, this time more louder. "Do you think I have all day? Get up and go make pancakes! And listen carefully, don’t cook any of your usual nonsense. Today is your sister’s wedding, and the guests need proper food.” I closed my eyes for a moment, willing the tightness in my chest to disappear. Today was Celeste’s big day, the perfect daughter and the golden child. The one who had everything handed to her while I was left with whatever scraps remained. Swallowing the bitter lump in my throat, I forced myself to sit up. I wouldn’t argue. It never changed anything. My feet touched the cold wooden floor, sending a shiver up my spine. I dressed quickly in one of my plainest dresses, ignoring the way it hung loosely on my frame. There was no time to dwell on hunger or exhaustion. Not when my father was waiting. The scent of fresh flowers and expensive perfume hit me as I stepped into the hallway. Outside, through the large windows, I could see the wedding setup, rows of white chairs, silk ribbons swaying in the breeze, golden lights woven through the trees. It looked like something out of a dream. A dream that didn’t belong to me. I entered the kitchen, the familiar scent of flour and butter greeting me. Stacks of unwashed dishes lined the sink, left for me to clean as always. The servants bustled around, too preoccupied with wedding preparations to acknowledge me. It didn’t matter. No one ever did. I pulled out the ingredients, flour, eggs, milk, a pinch of salt and set to work. My hands moved automatically, mixing the batter, heating the pan, pouring the first scoop. The oil sizzled, golden edges forming as I flipped the pancake with ease. Despite what my father thought, I wasn’t a bad cook. I just wasn’t Celeste. Footsteps approached towards the kitchen, I stiffened before I even turned around. My father stood in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes scanning the pancakes with that same familiar disappointment. "They better be perfect," he muttered. "Or you’ll regret it." I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. He lingered for a moment longer, then walked away, already forgetting my existence. I let out a slow breath, flipping another pancake. Today was Celeste’s wedding day. And I was just the shadow in the corner, the forgotten daughter making breakfast. The scent of butter and flour filled the air as I flipped another pancake onto the growing stack. My hands moved on autopilot, but my mind was elsewhere. No one except my father had come to criticize me in the past few minutes, which was unusual. That’s when I noticed it. The hushed murmurs and lowered discussions outside. Something was wrong. I glanced toward the kitchen door, half-listening to the hurried voices coming from the main hall. “She’s gone?” a maid stated, her tone dangerously low. “She left a letter! Can you believe it?” “What do we do now? The guests are already arriving.” A pit formed in my stomach. I set the pan down and wiped my hands on my apron before stepping closer to the doorway, trying to make sense of the whispers. “…she found out about the Alpha’s curse,” “The Alpha is impotent” one of the maids muttered. A cold chill ran down my spine. “Impotent?” another voice asked. “Yes! She couldn’t go through with the wedding, so she ran.” The words echoed in my mind. Celeste ran away. She left on her own wedding day. I didn’t know whether to feel shock, anger, or bitter amusement. She always had a way of slipping out of things she didn’t want. The perfect daughter; the one my father adored had abandoned the responsibility she was meant to bear. And now, all hell was about to break loose. I didn’t have time to process it further before the kitchen doors burst open. “Selene.” My father’s voice cracked like a whip, making me spin around. He stood in the doorway, his face red with barely contained fury, his fists clenched at his sides. “Get ready,” he ordered, his eyes dark and unyielding. “You’re marrying the Alpha.” The words hit me like a physical blow. My breath caught in my throat, my pulse pounding so loudly I could barely hear anything else “Do you even care about me?” I asked, my voice hollow. “Or am I just a tool for your ambitions?” My father's expression didn’t change. No flicker of guilt nor hesitation. "You are a daughter of the Blackwood Pack," he said simply. "And you will serve this pack however I see fit." I had always known my father was a ruthless man, but I had foolishly believed that somewhere, deep inside, he still saw me as his child. But in this moment, I understood the truth. I was nothing but a pawn to be traded. A veil flew towards me, landing at my feet. "Put it on," he commanded. "Your fate is sealed." “You are getting married to Alpha Kieran and that's final” I swallowed the bile rising in my throat as two maids stepped forward, their expressions carefully blank. One of them picked up the veil, the sheer white fabric pooling between her fingers like a symbol of my impending doom. My knees felt weak as the maids guided me toward the fitting chamber. They worked in silence, fastening the delicate lace of the wedding gown around my body, cinching the bodice so tightly it felt as if they were squeezing the air from my lungs. Finally, the veil was placed over my head, shrouding me in a ghostly white haze. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the girl beneath the fabric. My hair had been pinned into elegant curls, my pale complexion flawless while my lips painted a soft rose. But my eyes were full of sorrow and I couldn't voice. To me, this was not a celebration, it seemed more of a funeral. The door creaked open. "It's time," a voice announced. My heart pounded violently against my ribs as the maids took my hands, leading me forward, step by step, toward the fate I could not escape. And as I walked, a single thought echoed in my mind. “What if he finds out?”