[Evelyn’s POV]

Before I even had the chance to ask who it was my parents were choosing to give me away to, Isabella stepped forward with a wide grin on her face.

“It's Young Alpha Alexander from the Moonstone Pack,” she said.

My heart sank. Within seconds, the shock was beginning to sink in.

I wasn’t sure when I stopped taking in literal breaths. All I knew was that all the blood that was meant to be circulating through my system had rushed to my head, making me feel dizzy and disoriented.

I was waiting for my knees to buckle out from under me. I was waiting for my vision to grow tunneled and for my sight to black out.

...Alexander Kingston...

I didn’t know anything personal about him but I knew of his pack’s reputation. The Moonstone Pack was the current largest pack in the country. According to what I’ve heard through passing conversations amongst the staff, Moonstone Pack owed all of its success to its Alpha.

If it was three months ago, it was impossible for our packs to unite through marriage. Even if it happened somehow, Isabella would have saved the choice for Samantha.

The young Alpha had been praised for being handsome and highly skilled in battle. He had defeated many poorly managed or undeserving Alphas and had earned the title of War God. He was exceedingly intelligent and had expanded his territory through trade.

Our pack was truly no match for his.

However, three months ago, he’d been horribly injured in a major car accident. Now, word was circling around that he looked terrifying, was disabled, and his temperament had become violent due to his life’s changes.

Alexander’s pack had stopped expanding, and rumors that Alexander would never recover began to spread. And since then, he’d managed to turn down—rather frighten off two other previous matches. It seemed no one was able to handle this newly transformed Alpha.

“You see, it’s all been arranged through the King,” Isabella recounted.

“The King?” My brows pulled together in immediate confusion.

What does he have to do with something as trivial as this? Unless...

Rumor had it that because of Alexander’s striving popularity, he led the Alpha King to become rather wary of his ever-growing status.

The Alpha King, feeling threatened by Alexander's strength and constant pack expansion, was probably looking to further weaken him. That had to be it.

Setting him up with someone, like myself, who didn’t come from a necessarily large and influential pack, meant that Alexander wouldn’t be able to benefit from any future marriage. No doubt the other women came from smaller packs as well.

Perhaps, the young Alpha had come to that exact conclusion himself.

“Why me?” I asked bluntly. “Surely I had nothing more to offer him than the last two Luna’s he’s previously scared away.”

“It’s true, the Alpha King has tried arranging marriages for Alexander before—1 or 2 times, I believe,” Isabella went on with a dismissive wave of her hand.

I clenched my jaw at her impassive behavior toward the situation. “Yes, but they were always called off before the wedding due to his frightening appearance, confirming the rumors.”

My fear of the matter was evident, but my Stepmother merely went on to explain with a smile.

“The King is willing to offer us a large sum of wealth for this marriage. It’s an opportunity we should accept. I thought it over, and since Alexander is twenty-eight, he’s not a good match for your younger sister. You’re older, so it has to be you. It’s just that your sister likes Liam, so we’ve adjusted the marriage arrangements.”

Oh, for Christ’s sake. I knew that age was never the real issue here. Hell, I was only twenty-two, just four years older than my sister.

I didn’t bother to hide my sneer.

Yes, you’ve adjusted the marriage arrangements at the cost of everything I’d been building and held dear to me.

My relationship with Liam really held no hope. But from the clear look of things, he didn’t seem to mind the switch. Samantha remained happily wrapped around his arm while occasionally shooting me with a knowing grin.

My heart hammered within my ribcage so fiercely, that I was afraid it was going to break. The anger that was simmering beneath my surface was gnawing at my very bones.

I knew that was just some bullshit excuse for them to use rather than admit the real truth. Money. This all came down to the money the Alpha King was offering my family. The man had raised the stakes on this specific proposal and my parents were all too happy to jump at the opportunity.

I had always been an outsider in this pack, never receiving any privileges that the rightful daughter to the Elder Alpha should have. Now, they were trying to profit from my marriage?

“You can’t force me to do anything,” I said, intending to leave.

My father’s voice came out strong and unnerving. “Perhaps you ought to think about your twin brother, Edward.”

My heart tightened, and I turned back in disbelief to look at my father.

Alexander wasn’t the only one who suffered a traumatic incident. My twin brother, Edward, had also been injured in that car accident three months ago. He now needed various machines to survive.

Is my father seriously using my brother’s life as a threat?

“Edward is your only male heir. Do you want to stop saving him?”

“He’s been bedridden for three months, and Isabella is pregnant with a boy, the doctor says.”

My jaw dropped in shock. The tears I managed to blink back had come rushing forth.

Unlike Isabella, my father wasn’t hiding Alexander’s terrifying nature. He was blackmailing me with collective interests and my brother’s life. If I married Alexander and accepted the King’s reward, they would take care of Edward. Simple as that.

“Fine,” I could feel my voice shivered.

It pained me to no end. But I had no choice.

[Third-Person POV]

Alexander Kingston, stood tall and handsome, his face utterly flawless, in front of the large window in his private home office. Oliver, his loyal Beta, stood idly next to his desk.

“How come there's another woman agreeing to marry me?” he asked darkly.

Oliver spoke plainly. “Perhaps it's because of the king’s reward,” he answered. “I heard it was rather substantial.”

The Alpha blew out an impatient breath and bit back a sneer of disdain. “No matter. She’ll run like all the others.”

He turned to glance over his shoulder. “Everything else should proceed as usual, and we must respect the king's arrangements. But just like before, prepare those things for me. I want to teach this young girl a lesson about her recklessness.”

Alexander was out to disprove the famous phrase, ‘third times the charm’. He was willing to ensure that this marriage did not take place.

[Evelyn’s POV]

I hadn’t wanted to get out of bed that morning. The moment my eyes peeled open, I was instantly filled with horrible regret and an overwhelming sense of anxiety.

This wasn’t how I was supposed to be feeling—Not on the day of my own wedding.

I kept wondering if I had made the right choice in my response to the Alpha King’s proposition. However, no matter how long I allowed myself to dwell on the issue, I always found that I was led to the exact same conclusion. My brother.

This marriage is not about me...It’s about Edward.

All that mattered was that with that money from the King, he would be able to continue the medical care that was needed.

I didn’t exactly come to any sort of happy resolution on this whole matter. I just came to the realization that I didn’t have a choice.

Might as well, get up so we can get this whole thing over with then.

Without wasting any more time, I rolled out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom. I threw my hair up into a loose bun on top of my head and grabbed for my robe. Once I secured the soft belt around my waist, I made off toward the living room for breakfast.

My mind felt hazy. Of course, everything around me came into clear, painful focus the moment I got to where I was going. I stood frozen in the doorway of the living room while Liam was already present.

He was sitting at his usual spot with a mug of coffee and the latest copy of the newspaper clutched in his hands. I hated how he acted like nothing had changed. How he hadn’t literally torn my heart from my chest by allowing this ridiculous switch to happen.

If he had stepped up to deny my parents the chance of selling me off to this unknown Alpha, perhaps things would have turned out a lot differently. Then again, this was the same man who stood awkwardly silent through the entire ordeal.

What was he even doing in here?

Everyone had been told that this was where the new bride-to-be was meant to be getting ready before the ceremony.

Liam spotted me in the doorway and lowered the paper down. I curled a brow upward in question

“Why are you here? Come to give me some pointers on how not to treat my future spouse?” I asked, my voice dripping in sarcasm.

He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it into a firm line. I narrowed my eyes at him, wanting to make him disappear from my sight.

My stomach spun with sickness from the notion that we were once together. After being told that my future was being bought and sent away, our relationship felt like it had happened decades ago.

Yet, it still hurt me to simply look at him.

“My, my. Why the long face?” Samantha asked with a delighted giggle. “This is your wedding day, shouldn’t you be happy or something?”

“Shut up, Samantha,” I muttered.

My stepsister burst out in laughter while Isabella came into the room.

“You know, you really ought to be getting ready,” she remarked. “We’ll be heading over to Kingston Hall very soon.”

Samantha wrapped her arm around Liam and beamed at me with fake enthusiasm. “Yes, we’re all looking forward to your ceremony.”

Oh, wonderful. Was she really dragging Liam along?

“So the wedding is going to be taking place there?” I questioned dully.

“Yes. Since Alexander can’t travel far, the wedding will be held in one of his many rooms instead,” Isabella explained.

“No doubt it will be a simple wedding,” Samantha pointed out roughly. She turned to glance at Liam, giving him a flirtatious smile. “Remember, I’m expecting a grand wedding with dozens of flowers and shiny, white satin.”

*Knock. Knock. Knock.*

The gentle knocking on the door had us all turning our heads to find that the wedding stylus team had arrived. Isabella graciously allowed them all in and the team began setting up each of their designated stations.

Claire, the team leader, led me over to one of the chairs and placed a large ipad in front of me. The screen showed several gorgeous, one-of-a-kind wedding gowns. As I scrolled through, each one of them was more expensive and beautiful than the one before it.

I had no idea how my family was going to afford such a luxurious dress and setup.

“Alpha Alexander has already ensured that today’s preparations have all been financially covered,” Claire told me. She gave me a knowing wink, giving my nerves a chance to calm down.

Damn, could this woman read minds too?

Looking at the screen, Samantha folded her arms over her chest and wore a bitter expression on her face.

“You shouldn’t rely on money to make this marriage work,” she said tightly, as if she was persuading herself. “Money isn’t everything, you know.”

“Whatever you say,” I replied while I decided on a hand-embroidered, off-the-shoulder gown with a long, lacy train in the back. I would personally prefer simpler ones, but this is what I imagined to be appropriate for the Luna of an Alpha like Alexander. Elegant, noble, exquisite.

The stylist team pulled out the dress I’d chosen and immediately helped me get into it. Within the hour, I had transformed into a completely different person it seemed like. My hair had curled and loosely pinned back with pearl-studded pins. My makeup was light but impactful.

As soon as the final touches were made, I stepped out of the living room where I was met with dozens of wide eyes and opened mouths. Nearly the entire pack was there to see how I turned out. They were all graciously taken aback by my otherworldly appearance.

Even my family had very little to remark on. What amused me most of all was the engrossed, star-struck look Liam wore on his face. Samantha was quick to swat at his arm and pout at his reaction.

As I was preparing to leave, I had one of the staff grab the bag I had pre-packed the night before.

After the ceremony, I wasn’t likely to return to this place so I made sure to pack the things that were most important to me—just the clothes I wore most often, along with my mother’s keepsakes, which I always carried with me. One of which was a handcrafted, sea-blue aquamarine necklace.

Normally, I would keep it in my side pocket. However, this dress didn’t come with any sort of place for me to store the keepsake; so, I made sure to safely stow it in my bag.

While my family headed out to their own vehicles, I secretly snuck away to visit my brother. The only sound that greeted me was the representative echo of the machines that were keeping him alive. It used to break my heart, but over time, I found them to be a comfort, knowing that they were keeping Edward alive.

I gently bent down to press a soft kiss on his head. “I’m going to miss you so much. But I’m going to make sure that you’ll be taken care of, okay.”

Making my way outside, each of the staff members grasped my hand and wished me luck on the new chapter of my life I was undergoing. It made my heart swell with sadness, seeing they were all reluctant to see me go.

“Hurry up, Evelyn!”

“That’s right, we don’t have all day.”

One of the staff members leaned forward and gave me a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll make sure that your brother is well-looked after.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

I turned back to face my family and to no one’s surprise, they were all seethingly impatient. My father couldn’t have looked any less interested in what was going on. The only look Isabella really had in her eyes was eagerness—no doubt for the money that the Alpha King was promising them. Samantha was still relishing in the childish tantrum she’d thrown earlier while I was getting ready.

Then there was Liam. The man seemed to look at me with loss and an unspoken solemness. Was he possibly feeling regret?

It shouldn't matter what he’s feeling! It’s too late. He’s clearly made his decision and he’s not going to speak up now.

Nevertheless, I felt deeply helpless. It was hard to think that the pack members seemed to care more about me than my own family.

I made my way over toward the car but was stopped by Samantha holding up her hand.

“You know that our car is too small and your dress is likely to get wrinkled,” she said with a cold smile.

Claire suddenly rushed to my side. “No worries. Alpha Alexander also arranged for multiple large limousines to pick up you and your family. He wanted to ensure that your dress stays wrinkle-free.”

“Really?” I asked with a hint of disbelief.

It was hard to believe that this was all coming from the same man who was known for having a mean temper. Perhaps it was to show the King that he respected the arrangement that had been made.

Claire nodded her head and smiled.

“Yes, the cars will arrive in just a few moments, and also a delicious lunch will be served on board, so you can eat should you get hungry.”

I caught Samantha’s newly soured expression out of the corner of my eye. Truly, neither one of us expected Alexander to make such a grand show of this arrangement. Either way, it left Samantha sneering with irritation. She folded her arms over her chest and pouted like a child.

I could feel my face flushing under her words. I wasn’t used to being treated with such extravagant care. Having never been lavished with so much attention before, I wasn’t sure how to handle it.

The journey to Kingston Hall was long and I hadn’t officially arrived at Alexander's pack until that afternoon. All I felt was nervousness.

[Evelyn’s POV]

When the cars pulled onto the Kingston Estate, my eyes were instantly drawn to the vast landscapes that surrounded the massive manor.

The place was surrounded by gorgeous, tall pine trees that bordered the property like a natural wall of defense. I knew the Moonstone Pack was known for their trading, but nothing would have ever prepared for the amount of various crops and resources that the estate single-handedly provided.

I was truly captivated.

There were orchards and organized sections of fruit-bearing bushes and vegetable patches—all of which were being tenderly attended to by numerous groups of pack members.

Each one looked determined, focused, and well inept to work in such rigorous conditions. As the limousines pulled through, some of the pack members glanced up from their work to steal a quick glance at what was going on. I wondered if any of them knew about what was going on today. Everyone seemed busy at work and there wasn’t any other real indication that there was a wedding about to take place.

My heart leaped into my throat for the hundredth time since this morning when the car finally came to a stop. The actual house looked like something out of a fairytale.

As far as I was concerned, Silverwood Manor had always been a place of beauty and high social standing. However, nothing could have prepared me for the architectural majesty that was Kingston Hall. The place was massive, likely three times the size of my own home.

Its light red brick structure was adorned with white marble and numerous carved statues overlooking the massive grounds. It was elegant but cold. Maybe it was because Alexander technically lived alone.

I took a few steady breaths in, hoping to mentally prepare myself for the event that was about to take place. The driver got out and came around to open the door for me. With the much-needed help from a few of the maids, I was able to gracefully get out of the car without too much fuss.

An older woman with a formal-looking uniform came out to greet us with a soft smile.

“You must be Miss Evelyn,” she said. “I’m Nina, the housekeeper here.”

“Hello, Nina. It’s nice to meet you.”

“And these people must be your family,” she greeted. “If you will all kindly follow me, I will take you to the living room.”

My family and I were led into the front hall where I was pleasantly surprised to find lightly decorated for the occasion. Small bundles of freshly clipped and arranged flowers were placed throughout the place along with delicate ribbons of white lace.

The living room was large and decently spacious with high ceilings. The decorations were gradually carried throughout the place. It all looked unexpectedly respectable, given the circumstances. I really thought that for a brief moment, things were going to be alright.

Maybe I wasn’t going to regret this marriage, after all.

However, those hopeful thoughts vanished from my mind within seconds. The moment I turned my head to glance down the small, make-shirt aisle, I noticed that beside the altar, on the right side, was a wheelchair, a mask, and half a prosthetic limb.

It was a terribly eerie sight but it begged the question. Where on earth was Alexander?

“Um...”

Where was he? Did Alexander somehow forget that today, he and I were supposed to be getting married?

I doubted it. Although I didn’t personally know Alexander, something was telling me that he would never forget something as vital as this. And Alpha like him wasn’t prone to making careless mistakes. So where the hell was he?

Nina cleared her throat. She appeared a bit sheepish as she spoke. “Alpha Alexander will not be making an appearance, and these items are here to represent him.”

I raised my brows in shock. “Are you serious?”

She nodded his head.

“What about his family?” I asked.

Again she shook her head. “They couldn’t make it today.”

What the hell kind of wedding was this?

Nina gestures for the rest of my family to kindly take their seats while she goes to greet the priest. As soon as she left the room, Samantha broke out into endless cackles. Her face was turning redder by the second and she was gasping for air.

“Oh, this is absolutely hysterical,” Samantha laughs. “Your fiancé didn’t even have the decency to show up to his own wedding. Clearly, he’s not looking for a wife, but someone else to take care of him.”

My cheeks flushed with deep embarrassment.

Liam lightly cleared his throat. “Samantha, perhaps you shouldn’t—”

Samantha ignores him. “Come on, am I the only one seeing this setup here? Just think how well you'll fit in here, Evelyn,” she went on. “You were practically a servant in the last house, now you’ll be a caregiver to a horrible disabled man in this house.”

My heart sank into my stomach while an awful feeling washed through me. Samantha had always been obnoxious, but I never knew just how little control over her behavior she had. For Christ’s sake, we were literally standing in Alexander’s home and she was utterly bad-mouthing him.

What bothered me all the more was just how useless Isabella and my father were at that moment. Neither one of them even batted an eye at my Stepsister’s appalling attitude.

I turned and glared at the younger girl with anger behind my voice. “Shut up, Samantha!” I hissed. “Even if Alexander is disabled, he still deserves your respect. These things here are just normal tools that allow him to be able to function.”

But Samantha merely smirked and shook her head. “Wow, you’re not even married and already you’re defending him. It’s both sweet and pathetically sad.”

Right as I was about to go off on her again, another voice spoke out.

“May I beg your pardon?”

The tone was calm yet authoritative, sending chills down my spine.

All of us turned our heads to see a man, sitting in a wheelchair while wearing a half-formed mask over his face. There were two staff members standing behind him along with another man who I assumed to be his close assistant.

Oddly enough, my father was the first to react.

“Alpha Alexander.”

Was this really him?

Although he was sitting in a wheelchair, the man was physically fit and strong. His posture exuded confidence, giving off an oppressive aura as someone in a higher position.

His sapphire-like eyes, sharp jawline, tan skin, and sensual lips—combined with the mask and his expensive attire—gave him an air of mystery and nobility. It made one wonder how striking his face must be underneath the mask, which is in stark contrast to the terrifying rumors that surrounded him.

But everyone knew that underneath the mask, his face had likely been severely burned, making me feel twinged with pity.

“S-Sorry,” Samantha meekly apologized.

My father turned to give my Stepsister a weak look of disapproval for her earlier behavior.

“Samantha, you ought to keep better control over your words and know if and when it’s appropriate to say such things,” he reprimanded. “Perhaps, you should go and wait in the car.”

I fought back the urge to roll my eyes at the scene. Of course, even at a time like this, my father would be going easy on Samantha.

With the one half of his face that was still visible, Alexander raised a brow.

“Is that all?” he asked casually. “For someone with such a loose tongue, I think you deserve to have it removed.”