Chapter 97

I woke up with an inexplicable weight pressing down on my chest as though the air itself was holding a secret it refused to share. Shaking off the unease, I reminded myself that this was my wedding day. Nothing could ruin it—not even the horrors we had faced this week. With no answers to where the wolf's head had come from we just decided to pretend like it never happened but keep alert.

The morning sunlight poured through the window, bathing the room in a warm glow. I glanced at my wedding dress hanging elegantly on the closet door and smiled. The thought of finally being Brax's true mate killed any worry that I had. I looked over to where he normally slept, his spot empty since he had spent the night out hunting, a family tradition they did in his family before their mating ceremony.

As I slipped out of bed, a knock on the door pulled me further out of my thoughts. Pearl poked her head through the doorway, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Good morning, Bride-to-Be!” she chirped,