1. A Wedding Nightmare

Avery’s POV

I lost everything on my wedding day.

The sun had just begun to set, casting an eerie golden glow across the room that was supposed to be my sanctuary. The delicate floral wallpaper, once a symbol of innocence and future promises, now seemed to close in on me with every relentless tick of the clock. I sat on the edge of the bed, my wedding dress, with its layers of lace and satin, felt more like a straitjacket, suffocating me with each breath. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional bursts of laughter and music from the reception below, mocking my turmoil.

Earlier, I had stepped outside for a breath of fresh air, only to stumble upon a sight that churned my stomach. My husband of just thirty minutes was locked in a passionate, almost grotesque kiss with Lila, my Beta’s daughter. The way he devoured her with his lips, it was as if he wanted to consume her whole. Their eyes glinted with a shared, evil satisfaction when they noticed me standing there, frozen in shock. Instead of feeling any shame, they smiled wickedly and continued their disgraceful display, forcing me to flee back to the room, my mind reeling to grasp whether what I witnessed was a cruel figment of my imagination.

The door creaked open, and there he stood—Nathan, my so-called husband. His eyes were cold, devoid of the love and warmth they once pretended to hold. He stepped into the room, his presence thickening the air with oppressive tension. Behind him, like a sinister shadow, was his mistress, Lila. Her eyes sparkled with malicious glee, her lips curling into a smirk that sent icy chills down my spine.

 “Sign it,” Nathan demanded, thrusting a document towards me. His voice was as cold as his eyes, brooking no room for argument. “Sign the document and forfeit all your rights to the pack. Leave everything to me.”

My hands trembled as I looked at the paper. This wasn’t just a document; it was the culmination of my father’s life’s work. He had devoted everything to this pack, and now they wanted to take it all away.

I was the only daughter of my father and after he passed away a few months ago, I had officially become the alpha of the pack.

“No,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper. Then, louder, “No! I won’t sign it. My father devoted his life to this pack. I’m not going to give it away like that.”

Lila laughed, a harsh, grating sound. “Your father’s gone, and so is your power. Just sign it, and save yourself the humiliation.”

Humiliation. The word stung, but I wasn’t going to let them see me break. I squared my shoulders, lifting my chin defiantly. “I refuse. Do your worst.”

Nathan’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer, his hand gripping my arm painfully. “You think you have a choice? You think you can defy us?”

I winced but didn’t back down. “I know I can. You don’t scare me.”

Lila stepped forward, her face inches from mine. “You should be scared,” she hissed. “We’ve planned this from the very beginning. From the moment we proposed Nathan as your husband, it was all to take control of the pack. You were just a pawn.”

Her words cut deep, but I refused to let them see my pain. “Choosing him was the worst decision of my life,” I spat. “Not to mention I gave up the love of my life for this sham.”

Nathan’s eyes shone with hot, raging anger as his other hand gripped my neck viciously. He growled, “You’ll regret that,” his voice low and dangerous.

“I’m already regretting it from the bottom of my soul, believe me. But you know what? Deep down, there was always something holding me back from surrendering myself to you. I could never be yours… because I always belonged to him, and him alone,” I said strongly, even though my breathing was getting labored from the suffocating grip of his hand.

Nathan’s grip tightened for a moment, his eyes blazing with fury. Then, with a sudden, cruel smile, he leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear.

“You think he can save you now? He’s nothing compared to what’s coming for you. You’ve sealed your fate, and there’s no turning back. You belong to me, whether you like it or not, and I’ll break you until you beg for mercy.”

His words dripped with venom, each one a dagger to my resolve. But I met his gaze with unwavering defiance, refusing to let him see the fear that lurked beneath the surface.

I tried to use the mind link, desperately reaching out to the few pack members I still trusted. But my thoughts felt sluggish, disconnected. Panic surged through me as I realized what had happened.

“You dosed my champagne with wolfsbane,” I accused, my voice shaking. “You cut off my connection with the pack!”

Nathan’s smile was cold. “Of course. We couldn’t have you calling for help while we deal with you.”

Lila laughed again, her eyes glittering with malice. “Now, be a good little girl and sign the document.”

“No,” I repeated, my voice firm despite the fear gnawing at my insides. “I won’t do it.”

Nathan’s face twisted with rage. “You’ll sign it, or you’ll die,” he hissed. “And I’ll tell everyone you were cheating on me.”

Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them away. “You’re a monster,” I whispered.

“And you’re a fool,” he retorted. “Now, sign it.”

He shoved the pen into my hand, but I let it drop to the floor. His eyes blazed with fury, and he lunged at me, pushing me onto the bed. “If you won’t sign, then I’ll make you regret it in other ways,” he snarled.

I struggled against him, my heart pounding in my chest. “Get off me!” I screamed.

He laughed, a sound devoid of any warmth. “This is your wedding night. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“Never!” I cried, thrashing against him. “I never wanted this!”

“That’s right! You never did!” His voice dripped with bitterness. “No matter how many times I bent over backward to please you, to establish a relationship with you, it was never good enough. It was never enough compared to that asshole. And you wonder why I betrayed you? It was because you were never going to love me the way you loved him. Now, I just want to take what is rightfully mine, what you owe me, just to watch you suffer bearing another man’s cum instead of his,” he said with twisted hunger.

His hands roamed over me, rough and invasive. His fingers dug into my skin, leaving marks of his brutality. He tore at my dress, layers of lace and satin ripping under his grasp. His breath was hot and foul against my neck as he forced me down, his weight pinning me helplessly to the bed. My screams echoed in the confines of the room, but they seemed to fall into a void, unheard and unheeded.

With a sickening grin, he slapped me hard across the face, the sting of it reverberating through my skull. Stars burst in my vision, and before I could recover, he sank his teeth into my shoulder, his bite cruel and deep. Pain shot through me, sharp and searing, as he drew blood. The metallic taste of it filled my mouth as I bit down on my lip, trying to suppress another scream.

I fought with every ounce of strength I had left, my body writhing beneath his. But his grip was iron, his intent clear and monstrous. The room spun around me, a twisted carousel of agony and despair, as I realized the full horror of what my wedding night had become.

I felt a surge of panic. I couldn’t let him do this. With all my strength, I grabbed the vase from the bedside table and smashed it over his head. The impact was jarring, and he collapsed, dazed.

I stared at my reflection in the mirror opposite the bed, the woman looking back at me a stranger. Her eyes were wide with fear, her face pale and drawn. This was supposed to be the happiest day of my life, but it had turned into a nightmare.

I heard a scream—a high-pitched, piercing sound. Lila stood in the doorway, her face a mask of shock and fury. “You’ll pay for this!” she screeched.