I stood at the entrance of the grand hall, my heart pounding like a drum against my chest.

As a wolfless Omega, my presence at the wedding of Edmond Nightshade, the Alpha prince of Nightshade pack, was as unexpected as it was unwelcomed.

What's more, I'm Edmond's ex-girlfriend.

Yet, here I was, Adelie Leclair, the wolfless deviant of Blackthorn Pack, the rejected omega, trying to hold my head high amidst the splendor.

The wedding was a display of power and prestige, a union of two influential families that would shift the dynamics of our world.

Edmond, the son of the alpha of the most prestigeous and powerful pack, and his bride, Seraphina Grayson, the proud princess of Gray Wood pack, was no less a force to be reckoned with.

As I walked through the crowd, I could feel the weight of their stares.

"Why is she here?" I heard a whisper.

"She's Edmond's ex, you know, that Omega he refused to claim."

"I heard she's still pining for him, maybe that's why she's here," a man chimed in.

"What a fool to think an Alpha like Edmond would ever look back."

"Haha. Does she still fantasize about being his bride, too?" The man chuckled.

"How pathetic."

I clenched my fists, the soft fabric of my dress bunching under my grip.

"Adelie," a voice called out, pulling me from my thoughts.

I turned to see Tristan, my husband, walking beside me.

His green eyes filled with concern and a weird sense of unease.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

I nodded, forcing a smile. "I'm fine," I said.

And that was a lie.

I was far from fine.

My heart was a battlefield of old wounds and fresh humiliations.

How could I be fine after my first and deepest love had cast me aside like a worn-out toy?

And now, I am expected to celebrate his union with another.

"Adelie, thank you for coming with me."

Tristan tried to smile to me but I can feel Tristan's unease and nervousness growing.

I also returned him with a smile.

He really worries about me that much? Did he already know that Edmond was my ex? I can't help but wonder.

Tristan and I had married out of a strange twist of fate.

As an Omega, I'm subject to heats—periods of heightened fertility and desire that only a mate can soothe.

So after Edmond rejected me, I was left heartbroken and vulnerable.

It was during one of such heats that Tristan and I crossed a line we couldn't uncross.

I didn't remember what happened exactly. But when I get back my conscious, Tristan already marked me, binding us together in the eyes of our pack.

It was an accident, but in our world, it was a binding contract.

Besides, Tristan, too, was rejected by his loved one and was dealing with his own love problems, and we found comfort in each other's company.

So, we got married soon after that.

I told Tristan that my ex, the one who rejected me, was a rogue wolf. He didn't know that it was Edmond.

Well, he never told me who his ex was either, so it's fair.

I shifted the topic and kept talking to Tristan.

Somehow, he seemed very anxious, and maybe, I should support him as he supported me before. I thought.

Buzz...Buzz...

Suddenly, Tristan's phone buzzed and he took it out.

As soon as he took a look at the screen, he stood up from the seat.

"Sorry Adelie, I'll be right back!" He left this word to me as he quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving me alone among the wolves.

Where is he going? The ceremony was about to start.

I felt a knot of worry in my stomach.

The minutes ticked by, and he didn't return.

The bride and groom didn't appear either, even though the beginning time had already passed.

"What's going on?" The guests shifted in their seats, casting glances at the empty bridal platform.

Does it concern Tristan?

Unable to shake off my worry, I slipped away from the crowd, following the path Tristan had taken.

"Sera..."

It was my husband's voice! 

Around the corner, I spotted him, my husband Tristan, whose arms wrapped around a beautiful girl with sleek blonde hair in a glowing white wedding gown.

Wedding gown? She's the bride, Seraphina Graywood?

My breath hitched.

"Tristan," Seraphina's voice was a hushed plea, "Please, take me away."

Tristan's brow furrowed."Seraphina, we can't —"

"I'm begging you, Tristan!" she cut him off desperately. "I can't marry Edmond! I can't...I need to get away from here, and you're the only one I trust."

Tristan sighed after a long pause.

Then, he ran his hand through her sleek hair. "You know I can't say no to you."

I stood there, stunned.

The scene that Tristan took the bride's hand and they hurried away, disappearing into the shadows kept flashing in my brain and I didn't even know what to think.

My husband Tristan, just ran away with the bride of my ex-boyfriend's wedding.

"Where's the bride?" someone shouted out.

Guests stood up, their voices rising in a cacophony of shock and anger.

The wedding became a complete chaos, and I was in the middle of it all.

Then I saw my ex, Edmond stormed onto the platform, with a face like a thundercloud. He frowned deeply and examined the whole place.

It's been a year since I last saw him. Or... Since he rejected me.

He still looks so handsome, but he's going to marry someone else. I smiled bitterly, but couldn't help looking at him.

He was a tempest, an untamed fire. His very presence was a storm that demanded attention.

His silver hair, once wild and untame, was now styled to fit his groom's suit. His deep blue eyes send a gaze that could freeze the boldest of hearts.

The groom's suit looked perfect on him. Just like how I imagined he would look like when I fantasized about our wedding.

After all these days and nights, I... I still haven't forgotten about him.

"We've found out that it was Tristan Blackthorn, the son of Blackthorn pack's alpha, who's taken the bride," A wolf reported to Edmond.

"I heard they've been childhood sweethearts," the guests started discussing, "It's no surprise they'd run off together."

Edmond's eyes blazed.

"Seal the venue!" he commanded. "Search every corner, every person here."

"Yes, prince Edmond!"

Edmond scanned the crowd with his piercing eyes, and suddenly,

In the midst of the chaos, his gaze fell on me.

He strode over, cornering me like a predator stalking its prey.

"Adelie?!" he growled, his hands clamped onto my shoulders. It hurt!

"Are you part of this fiasco? "

"This is what you wanted? To gloat over the ruin of my wedding? To avenge my rejection?"

"What? No, Ed... Prince Edmond. I had no knowledge of Tristan and Seraphina's relationship..."

"Then why are you here!?" He grabbed me even harder.

"I'm here because my husband was invited. I had no idea he would do this..."

His eyes flashed with anger, his fingers biting into my skin.

"Your HUSBAND, huh? Your husband's exactly the one causing this chaos! His doing reeks of your scheming. How could you not know?"

"I really don't know," I choked out. "I swear, I'm not part of this."

If I had known it earlier, I wouldn't agree, not to mention coming to the wedding with Tristan.

Tristan! What was he thinking? If he wanted to run away with his ex, why did he even bother asking me to come?

"I don't believe in such coincidences."Edmond scoffed."You, who once loved me so deeply, now stand here while my wedding crumbles around me. And you claim you know nothing?"

"Prince Edmond, please believe in me..."Tears streaming down my cheeks. I was completely freaked out.

But Edmond was beyond reason.

His anger was a storm, and I was the tempest's target.

"You're complicit, Adelie," he hissed, his voice low and dangerous.

"And for that, you will pay the price."