Chapter 1 The Wedding Dress

FIONA

The needle suddenly slipped against my finger and I hissed when blood appeared at the tip. I quickly shoved my finger into my mouth before the blood could drip onto the white wedding dress spread across my lap.

“You’re going to ruin it.”

I looked up immediately and saw Shania standing by the doorway of my tiny room above the bakery. She was already wearing her lavender maid-of-honor dress while I was still sitting on the bed trying to fix mine like an idiot.

“The seamstress didn’t finish the hem,” I muttered while pulling my finger from my mouth. “I’m trying to fix it before tomorrow.”

“You’re only making it worse.” She walked into the room and took the needle from my hand before sitting beside me. “Move.”

I shifted slightly while watching her fingers work against the fabric quickly and carefully. We had grown up together at St. Mary’s Orphanage ever since we were little girls, and after everybody else eventually left, Shania was the only person who stayed close to me.

Even after she got adopted by one of the most influential men in Creeklaw.

“There,” she finally said after biting off the thread. “It's done.”

I stood from the bed and took the dress from her before holding it against my body while staring at myself through the cracked mirror leaning against the wall nearby.

The dress was simple. There was no expensive stone or lace, just a plain white beautiful dress.

“You look beautiful,” Shania said softly behind me.

I laughed quietly. “You don’t have to lie.”

“I’m serious.” She stood behind me and placed both hands on my shoulders while smiling through the reflection. “Bale is lucky to have you.”

My chest tightened slightly at his name.

Tomorrow, I will be getting married to the love of my life.

“Are you nervous?” she asked.

“Honestly?” I sighed softly. “I feel like throwing up.”

Shania laughed immediately. “That’s normal.”

“I don’t know why I’m this scared.”

“Because it’s a big thing,” she assured, patting my back.

I stared at my reflection quietly.

Everything had been feeling strange lately, like something was waiting for me somewhere I couldn’t see yet.

Before I could say anything else, Shania suddenly pulled out her phone after it buzzed inside her pocket. Her expression shifted for a second while staring at the screen before she quickly hid it again.

“I need to go,” she said while standing up quickly.

I frowned. “Now?”

“Maid-of-honor problems.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “The florist is complaining again. I'd better be there so that everything will be perfect.”

I sighed tiredly. “Do you any need help?”

“No.” She leaned down and kissed my cheek quickly. “You stay here and rest. I’ll handle everything.”

Then she smiled again. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Before I could reply, she already walked out of the room.

I stared at the door quietly for a moment before my phone suddenly buzzed beside me on the bed. My heart fluttered immediately the moment I saw Bale’s name across the screen.

I answered quickly. “Hello?”

Bale's deep voice came from the other end of the call. “Hey, baby.”

I smiled automatically at the sound of his voice.

“Can you come over?”

I blinked. “Right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Bale, we’re not supposed to see each other just a day before the wedding.”

He laughed softly through the phone. “You actually believe that superstition?”

“A little.”

“Come on.” His voice softened. “I miss you.”

Something about the way he said it made my resistance disappear immediately.

“Fine,” I sighed softly. “I’ll come.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

The call ended afterward.

I changed quickly before grabbing my jacket and heading downstairs. Since Bale’s house sat near the edge of Creeklaw territory and I didn’t own a car, I ended up taking a taxi there instead.

The driver barely spoke during the ride, which I honestly appreciated because my thoughts already felt loud enough.

All I could think about was—by this time tomorrow, I’d officially have become Bale’s wife.

The thought made me nervous and excited at the same time.

Eventually, the taxi stopped outside Bale’s house.

The first thing I noticed was the music. Loud bass echoing through the entire property hard enough to vibrate inside my chest.

I frowned immediately. “A party?”

But Bale never mentioned a party.

I paid the driver before stepping out slowly and staring at the large modern house sitting alone among the trees.

Something suddenly felt wrong.

I didn’t know why.

I walked toward the front door slowly before pushing it open.

The smell of alcohol and sweat hit me instantly.

Music blasted through the speakers while empty bottles and crushed cups covered almost the entire floor.

“Bale?” I called out loudly.

There was no response, only a loud music blasting through my eardrums.

I slowly walked through the living room while staring at the mess around me. Furniture had been shoved carelessly against the walls while liquor bottles covered almost every surface.

It looked like a storm passed through the house.

I moved toward the stairs afterward.

Then I heard a chilling sound—soft moaning.

My steps slowed immediately.

The closer I got to Bale’s bedroom, the clearer the sounds became until my chest started tightening painfully.

The bedroom door was slightly open.

My hand shook while pushing it slowly.

Then I saw them.

Everything inside me stopped instantly.

Bale was on the bed.

Shania was underneath him.

Her fingers tangled inside his hair while his mouth pressed against her neck. Her lavender dress was pushed up around her waist while both of them looked completely lost in each other.

“What the fuck?!”

The scream ripped out of my throat violently.

Shania turned toward me first, but she didn’t look shocked, didn’t even look embarrassed. She just stared at me calmly while breathing heavily as she kept grinding against Bale.

Bale pulled away from her slowly before glancing toward me. “So you actually came.”

Shania laughed out loud. “Told you she’d fall for it.”

My brain couldn’t process his words properly. “What?”

Bale climbed off the bed completely naked without even trying to cover himself. “You really thought I wanted to see you?”

My chest tightened painfully. “We’re getting married tomorrow…”

“No,” he said coldly. “We’re not.”

The room suddenly felt like it was spinning.

Shania calmly adjusted her dress while sitting up on the bed.

“Bale is mine, Fiona,” she said casually. “He marked me two months ago.”

I stared at her blankly.

At my best friend.

At the girl who grew up beside me.

I could barely get the word out. “T-two months?”

“You really thought someone like me would ever be friends with a wolfless orphan?” she asked with a laugh.

Something inside me snapped immediately. I lunged at her before I could think properly. My hands grabbed her hair violently before dragging her off the bed hard enough to make her scream when we hit the floor together.

I slapped her once.

Then again.

Then again.

Shania screamed and clawed at my arms while shouting at me, but I couldn’t hear anything properly anymore because rage completely drowned everything else out.

Suddenly, Bale grabbed my arm violently and threw me backward using Alpha strength.

One minute, I was airborne. The next minute, I was stumbling through the stairs.

A short gasp escaped my throat as my body slammed against the first step painfully before tumbling downward violently. Wood crashed against my spine while my head hit something hard enough to make my vision explode white.

Something snapped painfully inside my neck.

Then everything stopped.

I landed at the bottom of the stairs twisted painfully against the floor.

Pain exploded through every inch of my body.

I couldn't move or breathe properly.

Seconds later, footsteps slowly approached me.

Bale crouched beside me before pressing two fingers against my neck. “What the fuck… I think she's dead.”

The next thing I heard was Shania's voice.

“We better fix it then.”

A brief silence followed, then Bale sighed heavily. “Go get the shovels from the garage.”