CHAPTER 1

AURORA’S POV.

“Thank you very much for coming, Mrs. Thomas, I hope you enjoy yourself.” I wave the woman goodbye and proceed to make my way to the dais where I stand straight and admire the multitude of people in the room who have been gathered here today to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.

The day I finally get my freedom to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do.

When my father said he was going to throw me a party, I didn’t think it was going to be this grand. It’s like he invited all the pack members.

“Aurora.” A familiar voice calls my name from a distance. Excitement blooms in my heart like rose petals when I see my father approaching with a cheerful smile on his face. He left a while ago to talk to a few friends of his.

“Dad.” I walk into his outstretched arms and he wraps me in a warm, fatherly hug. “You’re here.”

“Yes.” He breathes and takes a step back. “There’s something you need to know.” He announces calmly. A ridge forms between my brows as I give him a serious look.

“What do I have to know, dad?”

“It’s about your sister, Rhea.” It’s at the mention of Rhea’s name that I noticed I haven’t seen her around here. She has not been present for my birthday party.

“What about her, dad?”

“Today is her wedding day.” He announces and my lips part in silent surprise. My jaws drop to the floor, eyes widen in disbelief and I'm momentarily stunned.

“Rhea is getting married?” I ask, aghast, almost raising my voice. His words are ricocheting in my brain like bullets. I’ve never seen my sister with a boyfriend and now they are telling me she’s getting married.

“Yes, she is.”

“And why am I only hearing this now?”

“Because she didn’t want to draw any attention to herself. You have been excited for this day to come and she wanted you to enjoy the spotlight, alone. And also, she wanted to have a pretty simple wedding with very few guests, that’s why she put it on this day. To divert the attention of the masses.” He explains calmly and I really appreciate Rhea for doing that, but still, I feel like I’ve robbed her of her big day.

“Dad I…” I breathe, hard. “I don't even know what to say. Did the ceremony already take place?” I ask with a worried look masked on my face. I will be completely heartbroken if I miss my older sister’s wedding.

“No.” He shakes his head. Relief floods my veins. “The ceremony is still to take place and she asked me to get you. She needs you. And now…” he stops and looks at the busy crowd in the hall before looking back at me. “… now that the main activities are over. The guests are getting refreshments so you are no longer really needed here. If you could sacrifice some time to go be with your sister on her wedding day, that will make her very happy.” A wide smile spreads across my face.

“Of course, I can do that, dad. I wouldn’t want to miss my sister’s wedding for the world!” A small chuckle follows that statement.

“Your ride’s waiting for you outside. I will join you girls in less than no time.”

“Alright dad. See you later.” I give him another brief hug before walking out of the hall through the main door. My insides are melting with excitement as I walk towards the black hummer that’s parked a few meters away from the porch and my designated driver opens the passenger seat door for me to get in. Once settled, a text message chimes in my phone. My face lights up when I see that it’s a text from my boyfriend, Crew. I quickly unlock my phone and head to his dm to look at the message which reads;

“I have a gift for you.” A love emoji sits beside the last word. Blood rushes up to my cheeks, making them turn red. Just a while ago, I heard my sister is getting married and she wants me there with her and now, I just got a text from my boyfriend telling me he has a gift for me.

The day keeps getting better.

The ride to the wedding venue takes less than twenty minutes. As I alight from the car, I am stunned to see my sister waiting for me by the entrance to the hall with a beaming smile on her face. A smile that reminds me so much of our mother.

“Rhea!” I call as I approach her. “Rhea, dad told me about your wedding. Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”

“I’m sure he told you why, Aurora.” She leads the way into the hall and takes a right turn that leads us into a hallway which has got rooms on either side.

“Even so, Rhea. You should have told me.”

“But now you know, so…” she winks, slightly pushing me into what seems like a dressing room. “Let’s get you changed.” Confusion masks my face. I spin around to look at her.

“Get me changed? Why?”

“Because you are the only bride’s maid I have and you can’t play that role dressed in that.”

“Oh… I see.”

“Yeah.”

“So, what will I be changing into?” She walks over to the closet and takes out a glistering, long white dress which is strapless.

“Into this.” She holds it out my direction and I walk closer, but not daring to touch it.

“Rhea, this looks like a wedding dress.”

“No, it doesn’t!” She flatly denies it. Her brows furrow as she takes a careful look at the dress for a brief second before looking back at me, shaking her head. “It’s just a simple white dress.”

“Exactly. It’s white.” I chuckle in frustration. My heart is doing back flips in my ribcage. “I can’t wear white to your wedding. And look, it seems to be even more sophisticated than your own wedding dress you have on.” I say, pointing at the simple dress she’s wearing. She groans and waves a dismissing hand at me.

“So what? You are my sister. You can wear anything for my wedding.”

“But I…”

“No buts!” She points her index finger at me. “Today is my big day. I decide what happens. Now, except you want me to be unhappy on my wedding day, you stay quiet and put on this beautiful dress our father bought for you. Or do you want me to be sad on my wedding day?” She pouts her lips and fakes a crying face. My guard crumbles. I lift both hands in the air and let them free-fall by my side, sighing heavily.

“Fine. If that’s what you want you.”

“It is what I want!”

In less than no time, I'm settled in the dress. It’s a fitting mermaid dress with intricate hand-sewn beading. I stare at my reflection in my mirror, smiling. I look stunning!

“This dress was made for you, Aurora. You look stunning.” I flash her an uncomfortable smile.

“Thank you.” I’m still not comfortable with the fact I’m wearing a white  dress with her, but it’s what she wants. She guides me to sit on the nearby chair so she can do my make-up. “Rhea.” I call, looking at her.

“Yes.” She’s trying to sort out which make-up products to use on my face.

“Have you seen Crew today?” She freezes for a heart beat before picking up her phone from the vanity table. I watch her manipulate it for a while and bring the screen to my view. It’s a picture of a very good-looking young man dressed in a tuxedo. I look at her, confused.

“Who’s this?” I ask. Her smile widens.

“My groom.” My eyes dart back to the image in-front of me. My mouth hangs open as I take the phone from her and carefully examine his perfectly sculpted face.

“Holy spirits, Rhea. He's a good looking chunk of man!” She howls with laughter as she seizes her phone from my hand.

“I know right.” She winks at me. “He’s everything.”

“He’s not only good looking, but he seems to be a really nice person. He’s definitely going to treat you right. I’m so happy for you, Rhea.  I look forward to this wedding and Crew’s surprise for me.” She smile on her face fades as she puts the phone back on the table.

“Let’s get on with your make-up. It’s almost time.”

The make-up takes another solid thirty minutes. Right now, I'm staring at my full image in the mirror, smiling from molar to molar as I admire my sister’s handwork.

Another message chimes in my phone and my heart skips a few beats when I see Crew’s name on the notification bar.

“I’ve got a message from Crew.” I tell Rhea. She quickly looks away. I check the message which says;

“I’m at the wedding venue. See you soon.” Another heart emoji adorns the text. Excitement makes my body vibrate like I’ve touched a life wire. I feel like I'm floating. I turn to Rhea who now has a bouquet of red roses in her hand.

“Crew said he just…”

“It’s time!” She cuts me off with an uncomfortable smile. I swallow my words and clear my throat.

“Right.”

“They are ready to receive us.” I want to ask who’s “they” but she’s already walking out of the room so I have no choice but to follow her. She stops at the entrance of the hall whose doors are now closed. My heart is hammering in my chest for reasons I do not know. “You seem nervous.”

“I am. I’ve never done this before.”

“Here, take this.” She shoves the bouquet of roses into my hands. My eyes widen in shock as I gape at her.

“Why… Why are you giving me this? This is your bouquet as the bride. You’re the only one who has to hold it.”

“Says whom?” She asks, carelessly, giving me a side eye. I search my mind for answers, but it’s blank. I go mute.

“Hold the bouquet so everyone doesn’t notice your trembling hands. I’ll take it back when it’s time to throw the bouquet.” She gives me a gentle pat on my cheek and I almost lose my balance when the doubled door is pulled open by two men dressed in suits.

A slow, wedding sound ricochets throughout the hall to where we are standing.

“It’s time for us to go in. Walk by my side.” She instructs.

I obey. As usual.

I follow her steps all the way to the podium where there are three men waiting for us. My father, an elderly man dressed in a white garment whom I presume to be the wedding officiator and a young man I recognise to be the same man Rhea showed me in her phone back at the dressing room.

Her groom.

I flash him a small smile, but his expression remains stoic.

I expect Rhea to go stand by his side, but she stands in the other direction where my father is and shoves me to take her place by the man’s side. The man turns to face the wedding officiator and both my sister and father gesture to me to do the same.

Reality slaps my face like a hundred hands.

My knuckles turn white.

The wedding is on the same day as my birthday. The fact that I wasn’t informed. The wedding dress I have on. Rhea personally dressed me up and did my make-up. The bouquet of roses. This is not Rhea’s wedding.

It’s mine.

The entire universe stops in place and spins in another direction.

“No!” I release the bouquet from my hold. It drops to the floor and there are gasps from the few guests in the hall.

“This can’t be happening.” I look at my sister and father with utter betrayal in my eyes. My father has a blank expression while my sister is smiling weirdly at me. They both tricked me into coming to attend an arranged wedding.

“No!” The scream finally escapes my lips and the moment I turn around, I run!

I run along the aisle, not sparing a single second to look back. The walls of this building seem to be closing in on me with each step I take. My eyes are foggy with tears and my head is spinning like a roller coaster.

They tricked me.

They want to marry me off to a complete stranger. Someone who isn’t my mate.

Strong hands grab my left hand tight, stopping my fleeing motion and pulling me hard in the opposite direction of my tracks. My body crashes into a hard pile of masculine muscle. My face grows ashen when I look up and see that it’s Crew who just stopped me from running away.

“Crew. What are you doing?” I ask in horror, my eyes not leaving his face. He looks the least bothered about my current predicament.

“I’m stopping you from fleeing your wedding.”

My soul leaves my body.