MARRIAGE VOWS

ELODIE'S POV

As I walked down the aisle with my father as my escort, all eyes fell on me. The heavy, pearl one-shoulder mermaid wedding dress brought out the elegance and boldness I wanted, unlike the plain ball dress that Eloise had ruined.

The entire Kingdom was present, the atmosphere buzzing with excitement. This marriage ceremony was the most anticipated of the century. Everyone was eager to see the woman who had finally won the Lycan King over.

With each step down the aisle, I felt the weight of the past and the future converging. My first gaze landed on Alastair with bandages around his head and bruises on his face. Did Khoas do this to him? No, I'm sure that isn't the case.

My mother and Eloise were both trying to keep poker faces, but I could already see and feel the anger eating them up on the inside. Eloise was on the verge of letting out a frustrating cry while my Mom tried to calm her down. My father wasn't an exception. As we got closer to where the King was, he muttered