Alison’s POV
The morning sunlight streamed through the sheer curtains, painting golden streaks across the ornate walls of my room. It should’ve been the happiest day of my life. a milestone that marked the beginning of something I had dreamed of for years. Yet, as I sat on the velvet stool while the castle staff meticulously tied ribbons into my hair, an unsettling weight pressed against my chest. It was the kind of heaviness that didn’t belong on a day like today.
Simone’s words echoed in my mind, as vivid and haunting as they had been when she first said them. You are special… but the obstacles on your way will try to halt it. She had spoken with the voice of the Moon Goddess, a voice I couldn’t ignore, even if I wanted to.
My thoughts spiraled back to that moment, her glowing eyes, her voice no longer her own. It wasn’t just the message that haunted me; it was Simone’s revelation afterward.
“I’m not like you,” she had said, her voice trembling. “I’m a witch. That’s why I isolate myself. I see things… even as a blind person.”
The truth had sent ripples through me, shifting everything I thought I knew about her. She wasn’t just the quiet, kind-hearted woman I had grown close to. She was something more… something ancient and mysterious.
A soft knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. My mother swept in, her presence commanding yet gentle. Her green dress billowed slightly as she moved, the fabric shimmering under the light. She was elegance personified, the perfect picture of an Alpha’s wife.
“How’s my beautiful daughter getting along?” she asked, her tone light but her eyes sharp, taking in every detail of the scene before her.
I forced a smile, the corners of my mouth feeling stiff and unnatural. “I’m getting there,” I said, glancing at the staff who were now adding finishing touches to my hair.
Her eyes lingered on me for a moment, as though she could sense the storm brewing beneath my calm exterior. “Well, you’ll want to hurry. Xander, his mother, and two of the elders have arrived. They’re waiting in your father’s chambers.”
Her words struck like a lightning bolt, momentarily scattering the shadows in my mind. Xander was here. My Xander. My heart lifted, and for a fleeting moment, the unease I’d been drowning in dissipated.
“I’ll be ready soon,” I said, my smile more genuine this time.
She nodded, satisfied, and turned to leave, her emerald earrings catching the light. As the door clicked shut behind her, I took a deep breath. For now, I would push aside the lingering dread. Today wasn’t about fear or uncertainty… it was about love, family, and the future I was building with Xander.
My mother led me down the winding corridor to my father’s chambers. The air was rich with the scent of polished wood and leather, familiar and comforting in a way that reminded me of childhood. As we approached the heavy double doors, my pulse quickened.
Inside, the room was abuzz with conversation. My father sat at the head of the table, his broad shoulders radiating authority. Katherine, Xander’s mother, was seated to his left, her regal poise a mirror of my own mother’s. Xander stood beside her, his presence magnetic as always. His deep blue eyes met mine, and a warmth spread through me, chasing away the remnants of my earlier unease.
“Alison,” Katherine said, rising to embrace me. Her hug was firm and maternal, a silent reassurance that everything was as it should be.
I turned to Xander, bowing slightly in deference to his rank. “Xander,” I said softly, my voice tinged with a mix of affection and formality.
He stepped closer, his hand brushing against mine in a brief but electric touch. “You look radiant,” he said, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks as I took a seat beside my mother. The conversation resumed quickly, focusing on the final plans for the mating ceremony and Luna crowning. My father and the elders discussed logistics while Katherine chimed in with her insights, her voice calm and authoritative.
I listened intently, the details forming a vivid picture of the ceremony in my mind, an event that would unite not just Xander and me but also our packs. It was a symbol of unity, strength, and love.
Then, the doors burst open.
A guard stumbled in, panting heavily, his face pale. “Alpha, I… ”
Before he could finish, two imposing figures strode in behind him. The air in the room shifted, growing heavy with tension.
Alpha Cedric. And Felix.
Cedric’s presence was as domineering as ever, his silver-gray hair slicked back, and his piercing eyes scanning the room like a predator surveying its prey. Felix followed close behind, his smirk a venomous slash across his face.
“Alpha Cedric,” my father said, his tone laced with barely concealed irritation. “To what do we owe the honor of this… unannounced visit?”
Cedric ignored the question, his gaze settling on my father. “I’ve come to deliver an important message personally,” he said, his voice booming. “You are to prepare for the mating ceremony of my son, Felix, and your daughter, Alison. It will take place in two days.”
His words hung in the air like a poisonous cloud, choking the room into silence. My heart stopped, a cold wave crashing over me.
“What?” My father’s voice was sharp, his anger barely contained.
“What’s the meaning of this?,” Xander growled, stepping forward. The energy radiating off him was almost tangible, a fierce blend of anger and protectiveness. “Alison is my mate. The ceremony has already been planned. You have no right-”
“I have every right,” Cedric interrupted, his voice a thunderclap. “Alison was promised to my son. That bond cannot be broken by some trivial ceremony.”
“Trivial?” Xander’s voice rose, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “The bond between Alison and me is sacred. She is my fated mate if you didn’t hear me well, More over you cannot force her into something she doesn’t want.”
My father stood, his chair scraping against the floor. “Cedric, you are out of line. My daughters future is her choice, yes I made a promise because it was a condition imposed on me by you when I was desperate but the moon goddess has chosen Xander for her hence you son has no claim to her, the moon goddess’s will supercedes our wishes as human beings.”
Felix chuckled darkly, his smug expression making my blood boil. “Damn this fated bullshit,” he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Alison belongs to me. Not to anyone else and I’d be damned to let her be Mated to someone else”
His words sent a shiver down my spine. I wanted to scream, to tell him he was wrong, that I would never be his. But the room was already a cacophony of raised voices… Xander, my father, Cedric all clashing in a storm of anger and dominance.
The noise was deafening, a whirlwind of sound that seemed to close in around me. My vision blurred, and the walls felt like they were closing in.
Felix’s smirk was the last thing I saw before darkness enveloped me, and I felt myself falling, the voices fading into a distant echo.