Chapter 6

CASSIAN

Aida's voice was barely a whisper, but the venom was unmistakable. "You don't understand, Cassian. She is going to be your wife. That means you'll have to... you'll have to mate with her."

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration clawing at my chest. "It's just a formality, Aida. It’s not real."

"Not real?" she repeated, her voice trembling now, but not with anger—no, this was something else. Vulnerability. "She will carry your mark, Cassian. She will be bonded to you in more ways than I will ever be. And what about me? What am I supposed to be then? Just the mother of your child? Your forgotten girlfriend?"

"You're not forgotten," I said, my voice softer now, reaching for her. "You're everything to me. But you know how the curse works. If I don't do this, we lose him. We lose our son."

Her gaze turned to the floor, her lips pressing into a tight line. "And what happens after, Cassian? After the curse is broken and she’s still here? What then?"

"She won’t be here," I said firmly, my words sharp. "I already promised her. Once the curse is lifted, and our son is safe, I will let her go. She doesn't want to stay any more than we want her here."

Aida turned back to me, her eyes searching my face, as if trying to find a lie in my words. "And you think the pack will be okay with that? You think they’ll just accept you tossing her aside after everything?"

"I don't care what the pack thinks," I said, the words coming out colder than I intended. "This is my decision. And it’s final. I’m doing this for my family. For you. For him."

She sagged, her body deflating slightly. The fire in her had dulled. "I hate this," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I hate that you've put us in this position. I hate that she’s here."

"I know," I said, stepping closer to her, my hand reaching for her. "And I hate it too. But this isn’t forever, Aida. Trust me. Trust that I’m doing this for the right reasons."

She didn’t answer right away, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if trying to shield herself from everything I’d said. But finally, she looked up at me, her eyes glistening. "You promise me, Cassian? Promise me that this doesn't change us?"

I placed my hands on her shoulders, my touch firm but gentle. "I promise," I said, my heart aching with the weight of my words. "You're the one I love, Aida. You and our son. This... this is just a means to an end."

She stared at me for a long moment before finally nodding, but the tension remained, thick between us. I knew it wasn’t over. This wasn’t the last time we’d have this fight. And there was something I hadn’t told her yet, something that made this even harder than she could imagine. I hadn’t told her that Wren was my mate. If she reacted this way over the wedding, how would she handle that? It felt like a betrayal, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Not yet.

As Aida turned to leave, she paused at the door, casting one last look over her shoulder. "You’d better keep your word, Cassian. Because if you don’t..."

The unspoken threat lingered in the air as she walked away, leaving me with a pit in my stomach. I sank into the chair behind my desk, burying my face in my hands. I had made my choice, but the weight of it was heavier than I’d ever imagined.

..................................

WREN

The pack house felt suffocating, a constant hum of whispers and glances that I tried to ignore. Everyone was talking about the wedding, about me, and I couldn’t escape it. I stayed in my room, avoiding the noise, hoping it would all somehow go away. But of course, it didn’t.

Sybil knocked on my door early one morning, her usual cheerful smile a stark contrast to the weight of everything else on my mind. She stepped inside with a basket in her arm and a gleam in her eye.

"Good morning, Wren!" she chirped. "Today, we’re going to find you a wedding dress."

I blinked at her, caught off guard. "A wedding dress?"

"Of course!" Sybil replied, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "You’re marrying the Alpha, after all. You can’t just wear anything. We’ll go into town and find something beautiful."

My stomach twisted at the idea of leaving my room, of facing the pack again. "Do we have to?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sybil tilted her head, her smile softening. "I know you're nervous, but trust me, it'll be fine. The Alpha said you’d be safe, and I’ll be with you the whole time."

I looked down at my hands, twisting nervously in my lap. I hated feeling so small here, hated how out of place I felt. But Sybil's kind eyes made me feel just a little braver.

"Okay," I finally said, my voice quiet and uncertain.

"Wonderful!" Sybil clapped her hands together. "Let’s get ready then."

I dressed in what felt like the safest clothes—a faded pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt. I braided my long black hair and kept my face bare, hiding behind a cap that Sybil handed me. I knew it was to shield me from the pack's stares.

Even so, as we moved through the pack house, I could feel their eyes on me, hear their murmurs. They didn't do anything, but their glances still stung. Cassian was right when he said they'd leave me alone, but it didn't make it any easier.

The town square was a stark contrast to the tension I felt. The air smelled of fresh bread and the sound of bustling shopkeepers filled the space. I kept my head low, the cap pulled over my face, trying to blend in. But I couldn’t ignore the murmurs.

"That's her, isn't it? The fox?"

"What's she doing here?"

"She's going to marry the Alpha? Unbelievable."

Sybil looped her arm through mine, offering a gentle squeeze. "Ignore them," she said softly, her voice a reassuring anchor in the sea of hostility. "They don’t know you like I do."

I nodded, but the weight of their stares pressed on me like a physical force.

We entered a small boutique, the scent of lavender and polished wood greeting us as we walked in. The shopkeeper, an older woman with sharp eyes, looked me over and then forced a tight smile. I could feel the wolf in her before I even scented her. Half the town was made up of wolves, and the only reason they weren’t hunting me was because I was under Alpha Cassian's protection.

"How can I help you?" the woman asked, her tone cold.

Sybil, ever oblivious to the hostility, beamed. "We’re looking for a wedding dress."

The shopkeeper’s smile faltered for a moment, but she led us to a rack of dresses. Each of her movements felt stiff, and I could practically feel her judgment pressing down on me.

Sybil picked out a dress, her excitement palpable. "This one’s lovely," she said, holding up a gown with delicate lace sleeves. "Oh, and look at this one—it has the most beautiful beading!"

I tried to smile, but it didn’t feel real. "I don’t think it matters much," I said quietly.

Sybil frowned, her hands still holding the dress up. "Of course it matters. This is your wedding day, Wren. You should feel beautiful."

"It’s not even a real wedding," I murmured, my voice barely audible.

Sybil placed a hand on my shoulder, her expression softening. "Maybe not, but it’s still your day. Don’t let anyone take that from you."

For the first time, her words reached me. Maybe it wasn’t real, but I could still make it mine. I tried on several dresses, settling on a simple gown with flowing chiffon and delicate embroidery. It wasn’t extravagant, but it felt right—light and free, like my fox spirit.

"You look stunning," Sybil said, clasping her hands together. "The Alpha won’t know what hit him."

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips.

As we walked back to the pack house, the whispers followed us.

"Look at her, look at how she walks like she owns this place!"

"She doesn’t belong here!"

"Our Alpha’s making a huge mistake. The other packs will make fun of us. This is a disaster!"