Chapter 1

"Prepare yourself; tonight is the night," my father said. After three grueling years, the much-awaited crimson moon will finally illuminate the night sky, signaling the arrival of my fated mate.

I am convinced that Prince Giovan is my true love. He's not just strikingly handsome, the senior alpha of the royal family is also well-known for his snobbish and pompous manner.

I have only seen him in passing, but even from those few moments, I can tell he is attractive. He has the charisma and charm of a well-respected performer in our culture. He has a powerful build, which makes me feel secure in his arms. It's undeniable that I've grown attached to my partner. However, my feelings toward Prince Giovan seem more human than wolfish. My folks say that during this developmental period, it's normal to not feel a strong connection with my intended mate.

"Indeed, father. I will be ready, as anticipated," I responded, my excitement barely concealed. It may come across as unladylike to be so eager about tonight's proceedings, but I can't suppress these emotions. My fellow Lunas find it odd, as most of them would rather not be bound to their fated partners prematurely. Maybe my anticipation springs from my infatuation with my mate.

"I'm glad you are pleased with your mate; we didn't have to convince you," my father looked at me and said.

"Dad, what do you mean? Shouldn't I be excited that my mate is an Alpha too? You should be happy for me, dad, because this is what being a Luna is all about. Just think about our future together, including our kids," I responded.

"Absolutely, sweetheart, I'm thrilled that you'll finally meet your mate on this special night. I'm especially grateful that you, unlike some in the past, don't oppose our tradition of choosing your mate. Your acceptance of the arranged engagement means a lot."

I smiled at my dad, gave him a big hug, assuring him that I had no regrets or questions. He hugged me back, giving my shoulder a comforting pat before turning me over to my mom, who was waiting to help me dress. The arrival of Alpha Giovan's family was imminent.

"Marriage isn't easy, but the only advice I can give you, my girl, is to stick with it and stay calm. There will be times when you'll want to quit, but always remember that your relationship with Prince Giovan means a lot to him. We arranged your marriage when you were young," my mom said.

Just as my mom was about to ask me something, Janine cut in. We hadn't noticed she was standing behind us. Meanwhile, my mom, sitting with her back to the door, watched as the maids got me ready.

"Oh, what's going on?" I left it to my mom to fill Janine in on the upcoming events, as I had no interest in engaging with her. Knowing that my parents disapproved of Janine's behavior after finding out about my arranged marriage to Giovan, my mom had deliberately kept the meeting under wraps from her.

"Why is everyone so quiet? Is there some big event later? Why does it seem like there's so much preparation happening? Look, the servants are having a hard time making Crema look decent... Ugh! It's tough to make someone who isn't naturally attractive look good."

Once again, my cousin was ridiculing me. It was true that she was beautiful. Janine and I were polar opposites; she was always impeccably groomed and wouldn't step out unless she was pleased with her looks. She was polished, while I was modest and rarely put on airs for social events. Maybe that's why the men in our kingdom, both alphas and omegas, were more drawn to her.

"Janine, I don't appreciate your tone. We'll be meeting with Giovan's family later tonight to discuss the marriage between him and your cousin. I have one request for you, Janine. I hope you can comply during this time. Please, don't provoke me; I've had enough of your obstinacy. Don't do anything that could jeopardize the event," my mom addressed her sternly.

I quickly turned to face Janine, curious about her reaction. She was smitten with Alpha Giovan, and now that my mom had spilled the beans about the meeting, I knew she'd do everything in her power to sabotage it.

Janine seemed flustered, and I could sense her disappointment. She let out a long sigh before responding to my mom.

"Aunt, it's fine, but I'm happy for Crema because she's finally getting married. Congrats, cousin! Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the meeting as I have a previous commitment. You didn't let me know about the meeting earlier, so I'm not sure if I'm considered family in this house," she smirked and added, "Alright, I'll be on my way. Bye!"

"Janine!" My mom called after her, but she didn't stop and just kept walking.

"Stubborn!" my mom grumbled, but I chose to ignore her. I was thankful that my mom was just and didn't tolerate her niece's arrogance.

My mom gave me a once-over, dismissed the maids, and we retreated to the living room to await our guests. Even though I wasn't entirely sure if I liked my appearance, I tried to settle my nerves and trusted my mother's judgement.

My simple dress hugged my slender figure, and my hair was pulled back into a ponytail, secured with a butterfly ribbon. I wanted to look beautiful, not heavily made up.

"They're here," my father's voice echoed, sending a wave of anxiety coursing through me. I felt tense and stressed.

My mom took my right hand in hers and whispered reassuring words, reminding me that it's normal to feel nervous. I smiled gratefully at her. She was always there for me, and I appreciated that.

As everyone gathered, I noticed Giovan was absent. Fear seized me. What if he decided not to go through with the union? What if the king was here to tell us the union was off? I tried to soothe my racing heart, but the fear persisted. All I could do was wait and see how things would unfold.

One of the greatest things about our pack is that there's no hierarchy when it comes to marriage. Even though King Dior is the ruler, they followed the tradition and freely visited our home because in our pack, the man travels to the woman's house.

After some time, King Dior, Giovan's father, spoke in a voice that resonated like thunder. "If Giovan refuses to comply, bring him in."

At the king's words, I felt an urge to laugh. Not a laugh of joy, but one filled with self-pity. Just from the king's statement, I could already sense that Prince Giovan didn't care for me. However, my mom quickly nudged me, attempting to prevent me from revealing my true feelings in front of the king and his family. But was it my fault for laughing if my future husband was openly showing his reluctance?

Soon, Prince Giovan entered our home, his face etched with annoyance, clearly upset that he hadn't been able to avoid me. Sadly, all my preparations felt futile, even though I looked my best tonight.

But despite his demeanor, I still found him incredibly handsome. His semi-casual attire accentuated his muscular chest. To compensate for the embarrassment he caused me, I decided to focus my gaze on his physique right in front of me. After all, he was standing, allowing me to take in his entire form!

Suddenly, I felt like all my efforts tonight were wasted, so I stayed silent and waited for King Dior to speak.

"Everything is set, so when the blood moon emerges, the wedding will proceed." The king's declaration left everyone stunned. Even my parents exchanged surprised glances. We hadn't anticipated such a sudden decision from the king. We thought we were merely going to discuss the details of the wedding ceremony.

"Pardon me for asking, my king, but your decision has caught us off guard. This isn't what we expected. Might we know the reason for this change of plans?" Finally, my father found his voice. The king always maintained a formal demeanor, never cracking a smile, which added to my discomfort. Why did this marriage seem so forced?

"I'll be straightforward with you. My son is being misled by a woman I don't even recognize, someone without any standing in our kingdom. That's why we need to hasten this wedding, or else my son's path will surely go astray."

A woman? Who could she be? These questions whirled in my mind at the king's revelation.

My attention pivoted between King Dior and Prince Giovan. I was keen to know who this woman the king referred to was. I also harbored reservations about this marriage. Who would want to marry a man who was infatuated with another woman?

"Have you nothing to say?" The king's gaze turned to Giovan, but he remained mute. He just stared at me, scrutinizing me from top to bottom, as if signaling that I didn't meet his expectations.

Just like that, the king announced that the wedding would take place in a few hours, and that was it. They stated that the ceremony would be held in the palace, and everything required was already prepared, including my wedding dress, which had been delivered to our house. After that, the king and his entourage departed. Even Prince Giovan left hastily, not sparing a backward glance.

What Crema didn't realize was that there was more to the situation than met the eye. It was uncertain whether her parents were privy to the whole truth.

Unknown to her, Giovan had fallen for her even before their arranged meeting. She was undeniably attractive, but Giovan had to keep up his pretense of indifference towards her.

Her long hair, secured in a ponytail with a butterfly ribbon, paired beautifully with her minimalist makeup. She had a natural elegance about her. Her bright eyes, a blend of green and light blue, were captivating. Every look she cast at Giovan stirred in him a desire to claim her instantly.

Standing at 5'7", her physique was perfectly balanced. She was slim, but her well-rounded hips and ample bust added to her allure.

Everyone congregated at the venue in the evening, eagerly awaiting the bride's entrance. However, as time passed, there was still no sign of Crema.

"Janine, please stop this. You're ruining everything. What are you doing? What have I done to deserve this?" Crema struggled with Janine inside the dressing room, who was trying to rip away her wedding gown.

"I can't accept this! I met Prince Giovan first, and he was with me first! I had him first, so why did you agree to this marriage?" Janine screamed in frustration. "Stop it, Janine! We both know what happened here, and you're well aware that you pursued Giovan intentionally, knowing he was my arranged partner."

"That's a lie, Crema! I was first!" Crema was in shock as Janine wrestled her wedding gown away. Janine's envy towards her cousin was spiraling out of control, and she was doing everything she could to derail the wedding.