Chapter 37
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” You look so pretty” Brittany cooed as she fixed the tiara properly on Diana’s head. She took an angle brush and added another layer of conceal under Diana’s perfectly trimmed brows. Diana only gave her a stiff smile that resembled more of a grimace in return. She didn’t say a word. The entire room felt like a suffocating airbag with no way of escaping or getting in new air. And she wished Brittany would just stop probing her face with those torture devices also known as makeup brushes.
She maintained a straight face that hid her true emotions. She wasn’t sad but she wasn’t happy either. It was the morning of the day that was supposed to be the happiest of her life but was the opposite instead. In the next few hours, she was going to be mated to another man while her mate still lived.
The white dress she was dressed in was a total contrast to her dampened mood. Leonard had given her their mother’s wedding dress and had it fitted to her figure for the glorious occasion as he had called it. The dress was beautiful and it could have been more beautiful if Diana was having a mating ceremony with Darryl. Everything could have been perfect and she felt sorry for wearing her mother’s treasured outfit for such a pathetic occasion.
Her brother had thrown a small party at the dining hall to celebrate her wedding Eve, he was too happy that his sister was getting mated to his Beta and best friend. If he noticed his sister’s discomfort, he either ignored it or passed it as the new bride’s nervousness or something. She was anti-social throughout the party and left early before anyone would ask her to kiss Howard. She took an excuse saying she was feeling sick and needed to sleep well so she would look good on the wedding day.
Her bloodshot eyes went unnoticed by everyone including her intending groom. She woke up early feeling nothing on her wedding day because she blocked every emotion and reaction out. She was nervous not about the wedding but about what was to become of her fate if everything went wrong.
To Howard, she was just feeling helpless and sad because of her mate who she will soon forget once she drinks the soul potion. She will be happy again once she becomes his. ( Sorry I needed to say this. Can someone give this guy a punch for me?) In his own twisted and fucked up way of reasoning he loves her or he tried to make himself believe so. He didn’t mention a word to Leonard about her remembering her memories or remembering her mate because Leonard might harm her or do something unimaginable to her, he was close to killing her before and he might do it again. He kept her secret to protect her and marked her against her will so Leonard wouldn’t force her to mate with a random wolf. Everything he did was for her benefit because he loved her more than anything. But he was only angry because she still chose her mate and refused to even give him a chance.
” You are so beautiful,” Howard said entering the bridal room for the first time. He was dressed in a black suit with a golden bow tie. His hair was blow-dried and brushed to the back instead of his normal messy curls. He looked so handsome as a groom if he wasn’t trying to mate with a woman that wasn’t his.
Diana’s bloodshot eyes shot him a full glare, he noticed her eyes but only thought her eyes were red because she couldn’t sleep at the thought of marrying and mating with him.
She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes on and she would soon be his in a few hours. She placed her banquet on the white table before angling her head to Brittany who wanted to add final touches to her makeup. She would pick the torture devices over having to listen to Howard’s delusional statements.
” Come on don’t be like that. I’m only appreciating the work of the moon goddess” He said with a shit-eating grin that Diana desperately wanted to knock off his face so much her palms hurt from digging into them with her nails.
“Howard, Can you do me a favor and fuck off?” Brittany growled out loudly. Closing the lid of the mascara.
” Watch your tone, Brittany.”
“I’m trying to work here. Unless you want mascara smeared on your bride’s face on your wedding day then I would suggest that you stop making her move her head too much” Brittany glared at him ignoring his threats. Even though Brittany was a lying two-faced bitch who ratted her out to her brother and also connived with him to set a trap for her to confirm that she was going to free her wolf, she was happy that she also found Howard’s presence in the bridal room annoying. It took Diana every ounce of strength not to rip both of them apart with her bare hands but she she promised Darryl she would wait.
” Since today is the happiest day of my life, I’ll let this slip don’t you think my princess” He said with a wink at Diana who only glared at him in return. The bell rang from the grand hall signaling the beginning of the ceremony.
” it is time”
The grand hall was decorated with red and gold tapestries. Floral decorations were kept to the barest minimum, every pack member of the Redmoon pack was seated dressed in their best to witness the wedding of their Beta and their Alpha’s younger sister. It was the second wedding they would witness in the Redmoon pack after the wedding of their former Alpha and his Luna, Diana, and Leonard’s parents.
At the end of the aisle stood a large statue of the moon goddess and in front of it was a stone that looked like a makeshift table and on top of it was a small ceramic bowl that contained the soul potion. The Alpha was dressed in a crisp black suit with a bow tie, his Auburn hair was slicked to the back and a golden patch adorned his blind eye.
He smiled, flashing his pearly white teeth as the bride and the groom walked down the aisle together accompanied by the melodious wedding band performed by the talented pack orchestra. Claps and cooing accompany them from the pack members who were cheering them on.
For the first time, Diana smiled perfectly giving her brother the show he deserves as the wedding band continued playing. He grinned from ear to ear as he saw the smile on her face. She was the most beautiful thing that ever happened to him. He was glad he separated her from the king of those wretched creatures, if not he wouldn’t have lived to see this happy and beautiful day.
The bride and groom stopped in front of the statue of the moon goddess right where the soul potion was. The Alpha stood up from his seat and walked towards them and stood in their middle. He asked them to now to the moon goddess three times before asking them to say their vows before pouring out the purple liquid out of the bowl in front of the statue into two ceramic cups. He handed one each to both of them.
Howard went first and started telling tales of how he met Diana five years ago.
” Ever since I met you Diana, I have loved you with every fiber of my being and I will continue to do so forever. You mean the world to me my princess and I will never do anything to make you cry” He said before downing the soul potion at once. Diana Scoffed inwardly at his cheesy and ridiculous vow. Raising the cup, she brought it to her mouth before Leonard stopped her.
” The vow first, then you can drink after,” Leonard said with a smile that she gladly returned to him through her bloodshot eyes.
” Actually” She started.
” I’m just curious, what will happen if I don’t drink this?” She released her grip on the cup and a loud shatter followed as the ceramic cup made its way to the floor suddenly. Everyone in the hall gasped audibly while Howard clutched his chest in pain. The pain of rejection coursed through him, he should have insisted she drank the potion first. What a stupid move on his end, he had underestimated the length she would go to be with her mate again.
” I was hoping you would do that but you see, my dear sister you will have to drink it even if I have to force it down your throat” Leonard seethed in anger as he watched the shattered cup on the floor. He signaled to the head of the pack warriors and two pack warriors advanced them, they were about to force Diana to her knees when a loud voice echoed from afar.
” Bow and listen to the command of the Alpha king!”