I watch as my mate and fiancé, Alpha Miles, kisses his childhood friend, Nichole, in front of me.

“That was fun!” she chirped, as if I, the bride-to-be and her future Luna, wasn’t in the same room as hers. “If Gayle wasn’t here, would you make me your Luna instead?”

I pretended I wasn’t stunned; I acted as if I wasn’t even in the room. I know each pack has their own traditions. And in the Wolf Moon Pack, the groom-to-be has a free choice to kiss and spend time with a woman the night before the wedding as a means of saying goodbye to their singlehood—on a full moon.

There’s nothing wrong with that. But my problem?

My Alpha Miles chose his childhood friend—and rumored ex-girlfriend—Nichole Wolff. Her father was the previous Alpha so she definitely still has some sort of power in this pack.

“I would.” Alpha Miles’ answer shook my core. I swallowed, forcing my tears to remain on the leash. “I would make you my Luna, Nichole,” he breathed.

The room silenced. Their eyes bore at my soul, mocking me—questions swirling in their gazes.

But I no longer care. I raise my two hands to clap with a sickly sweet smile plastered on my face; I was the first one to do it. Slowly and surely, I clapped and let my hands be heard by the entire pack.

“May the Moon Goddess bless your union,” was all I voiced out. I did not stop clapping nor smiling.

***

An Hour Earlier...

Being in love with Alpha Miles for eight years was the greatest treasure of my life. The full moon is minutes away from shining down at us, my white dress is already anticipating it.

As part of the before-wedding tradition, I was the only female wearing white along with my Alpha and fiancé who wore a white tuxedo.

Three girls in red dresses in varying lengths and shades will be the lucky ones who can kiss the Alpha before he’s bound to me tomorrow. They are the fortunate ones who can spend their night with the groom.

After waiting for a long time without talking or moving as if I’m not the bride, I heard a burst of cheers from the crowd. “The full moon is now out. Kiss! Kiss!”

Alpha Miles blushed and waved an idle hand to the crowd. But the pack continued cheering, their voices getting louder.

The silver moon above set our white attires in glowing bright light. All of their eyes are upon me and Miles.

There’s nothing wrong with this tradition. Not really.

But Nichole Wolff is here. Worse, she’s one of those three red girls.

A male saying goodbye a day before he becomes a man by spending time with a girl of his choosing is quite absurd in my opinion. Well, aren’t traditions supposed to be absurd?

I sighed at my own thoughts. Looking up, I knew Miles would immediately choose Nichole. Her body-hugging, v-neck, and knee-length bloody red dress is surely stunning and eye-catching even to the Betas and Omegas.

“Nichole.” As soon as he uttered his name, Nichole squealed in delight, ecstatic to be chosen. The other two females barely pay attention as if they were only summoned there for decoration purposes.

As if they had all the time in the world, Miles didn’t rush in lowering his head to Nichole’s.

I didn’t look away. I wasn’t that much of a coward.

But their lips and tongues were in frenzy, the sound it made was surely no simple kiss.

The full moon hovered above them. And for once, they look like the fated mates instead. It took them a whole ass fifteen seconds before their mouths parted from one another.

Their cheeks turned rosy, their lips bright with the kiss they just shared—swollen yet still ravishing for more.

Everyone in the room turned to look at me and there was no kindness in their eyes.

Sighing without showing an ounce of emotion, I returned that blank gaze at the pack.

“Wow.” It was a genuine reaction of a bride to her groom being kissed by the maid of honor. But guess what? That’s not even the most shocking this day.

Nichole dragged her hand from her side around Miles’ waist as she lifted her gaze at me. As if I was the stranger, there was no trace of guilt or remorse. In fact, her posture screams as if she was challenging me.

As far as I know about the Wolf Moon Pack’s tradition, it should be just a kiss on the cheek and the groom and the female of his choosing aren’t allowed to be alone all on their own. It’s what my Alpha father, the Alpha of the Snow Moon Pack, has told me.

Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Surprisingly, there was no hint of anger or fury crossed my heart and mind. For all I care, I felt a sense of relief instead—like I was alleviated by a heavy burden after all this time.

Seeing me silent, Miles obviously and instantly assumed I was angry. “Gayle? Don’t tell me you’re jealous again. How many times I have told you that Nichole is just like a sister to me! Nothing more.”

I gave him a lazy smile and shrugged, “I'm not mad, Miles. You’re the only one drawing conclusions.”

My calm response may have stirred nothing in Miles but it did with Nichole.

She quickly grasped the Alpha’s arm and asked tenderly.“If Gayle wasn’t here, would you make me your Luna instead?”

He froze as if the question caused a shiver down his spine. But his eyes shone with emotions that he never showed me instead. “I would.”

The crowd’s delight was as nauseous as much as it was wondrous and they all slowly turned to me.

I started clapping, “May the Moon Goddess bless your union and gift you with a dozen children.”

I offered the words genuinely as if I was happy that Miles ended up with Nichole instead of me. Of course, I’ll celebrate the fuck out knowing he’ll no longer be my problem and burden.

Alpha Miles squinted his eyes, his fury was evident in his posture. "We're not even married yet but your possessiveness is already out of control. You suffocate me, Gayle. You’re a control freak!” Saying that, he yanked the door open with a force that could tear it from the doorframe. "Get out if you’re not comfortable with my pack’s traditions. Your jealousy has no room in this hall nor in my life! I can’t even laugh or have fun with you around for eight years!"

I let the room become quiet when he finished giving that glorious speech.

I shrugged, “Okay, fine. I’ll go outside. You guys enjoy your orgy.”

Everyone’s gaze as I walked to the doors spoke like I was the pathetic and ridiculous and mean one. But everyone can think what they want to think.

I’m tired and I don’t even want the wedding to happen tomorrow—and I’ll make sure it won’t.

“You should set that room on fire.” Celia, my Beta and bestfriend, snarled beside me.

“No need for violence when their kissing is already violently against the ethics of to-be newlyweds.”

“It seems Nichole doesn’t know what boundaries or respect are.” Celia huffed, “And yet you’re fine with that?”

I shrugged and sighed, lowering my gaze to the floor as I massaged my forehead.

In the past, I would have screamed at everyone and become the jealous violent monster Miles described me to be. It would have ended in an ugly pre-wedding party and an even uglier argument between me and Miles.

“It seems I’m the only one who doesn’t know that Nichole and Miles are more than just friends—opposite to what he constantly growled at me.”

Celia scoffed, “You see the pack’s reaction. All of them know what’s between the two. You’re just the one being fooled by your Alpha.”

Indeed, in the past years, Miles would often call me out for having dirty thoughts between him and Nichole. He would be utterly disappointed in me and then began his litany of saying that I don’t trust him and I’m ruining his life because of me being ‘jealous’.

“I’m not being jealous. I’m just being cautious,” I replied but those words seemed to be directed at me.

I’ve seen it all now, how much of a fool I’ve been. My betrothed would often give me the silent treatment because, according to him, I’m a jealous monster. And yet he keeps meeting Nichole to ignite that jealous side of me over and over again.

And then she’d returned him and I’ll be kneeling before him, begging for his forgiveness like some lunatic saint. I have no choice but to admit I’m the control freak in this relationship, that I am possessive and jealous just to gain his attention again.

The whole pack’s reaction to the dismissal of Nichole and Miles’ flirting is already a shred of evidence that I am just being used and manipulated.

I may sound like I was overthinking things. But deep down, I knew it was them who were wrong and it was time to stand up for myself.

“You've been humiliated like some piece of shit and you still want to marry that bastard?” Celia’s frustration echoed in her words but I could do nothing but shake my head.

I looked at Celia beneath my hooded eyes and whispered, “Then I won't.”

She gasped, but I reiterated myself. “Then I won’t be getting married today and certainly not to an Alpha like him.”

***

I slammed the door behind me as I stepped inside the hall again. All this kissing and clapping on the night before the wedding is no longer a pack tradition—this is public humiliation.

The laughter and giggling died out in an instant as soon as they beheld who had returned.

“This is just too much, Miles! If you’ll just be kissing and fucking another woman in front of your entire pack, then what’s the purpose of this wedding happening anyway?!” But any more of my words were quickly swallowed by Miles' shriek.

“GAYLE!”

I gasped, but I closed my mouth again. The Wolf Moon Pack glanced in my direction. I can see the disgust in their eyes. That the audacity of me to charge at the groom and their Alpha when it was me who begged Miles to marry me is outright disgusting behavior.

But no—it was Miles' idea, but he made it look like I had begged for it.

Oh, how my father would tear him apart if only he knew what Miles had been doing to me. The Wolf Moon Pack and my father’s pack may be somewhat equal in power. But my father is more notorious for greeting everyone with violence if ever they breathe at him in the wrong direction.

That’s what Nichole is manipulating Miles to see: that I am my father’s daughter, hungry for blood and gore.

Nichole should be the one they’d be looking at with disgust!

When Miles said he wanted to marry me as soon as possible, I agreed in a blink. At that time, I told myself that eight years was enough for us to consider strong and unbreakable. That there is a very, very slight chance for us to break up given the years we’ve invested in each other.

“I was finally going to get my happy ending!” I once told Celia.

But looking at Miles today...my happy ending only relies on leaving him.

One by one, I took off the pieces of jewelry and hairpins. I removed the gloves and the makeshift veil, even tearing the lower part of my white dress.

Miles was startled and ordered Celia to quickly stop me. Both me and my friend didn’t budge.

“Are you crazy?” he yelled at me as if we were the only ones in the room, as if I wasn’t standing in front of the whole pack.

For eight years, I lived each day in immense anxiety, constantly fearing that someone would steal my Alpha Miles away from me, or that he would leave me.

Miles held Nichole tightly, the pack’s expression radiates approval at them and dismay at me. Seeing the opportunity, Nichole subtly tightened her grip on the Alpha’s hold.

His face darkened like a moonless night. “Who told you to disobey me like that?”

But I just dug my feet on the floor, silent and refusing to move. His scolding was nothing on me now. My broken heart no longer looks up to him.

“Really, Miles? You still thought you had done nothing wrong while I, your fiancé, was always wrong even in the way I look at you?” I chuckled mirthlessly, crossing my arms as I did not hide my scowl.

Before I knew it, Miles grabbed my wrist with a force that could crush my bone into pieces.

His glare could shatter the moon. "You don't want to marry me, do you?” His mouth quirked up. “Tell me, who is your other man?!”

“Really, Alpha? You’re still pinning on me what occurred today?" I raised my voice more than usual. “If only you stick to the pack traditions and didn’t cross your respective boundaries, then none of this would have happened!” I pointed at Nichole with a dainty finger and huffed, “She’s a manipulative slut, can’t you see that?”

“You bitch—”

Alpha Miles didn’t waste a breath and lunged at me to strike my face.