Rejected, And Became A Heiress (Cara)
Chapter 36

My breath hitches at a flash of bright red. Is it her?!

I look again and realize it was just a noble she-wolf's red scarf. My shoulders slump the slightest bit.

Not Cara.

"It's time, sir. We need you at the altar."

Still no sign of her.

It's too on late.

Lilia's POV

This is the moment I've been dreaming about for my entire life. I'm going to become Luna. I'm going to lead the most powerful pack in the world!

Well, I guess Alaric will be there too, but that's a minor detail.

Victory is so close I can almost taste it. The throne is almost mine.

Now, if only I wasn't surrounded by idiots. No one can do anything right today, apparently.

Alaric just looked really terrible. But I'm about to be his wife; how dare he treat me like this?

Thank goodness he'll have me to mold him. I'll turn him into the perfect then, obedient Alpha King, or a husband. He'll do everything I ask, and the pack will be under my full control. "Any sign of Cara Wilson?" I ask my handmaiden for the tenth time this morning.

"No ma'am. No one has seen her all day," my servant replies.

2/4

3.29

Chapter 23

"Marvelous!" I can't contain my gleeful smile.

At least one of my plans must have worked, then. I had several plots against her going at the same time. One can never be too careful.

George is supposed to sabotage Cara's car then "accidentally" cause a wreck. Just in case she somehow turned up at the wedding anyway, my brothers were assigned to watch the door and intercept her. I found a nice broom closet she could be shoved into until the wedding was finished.

15

I put up with that pathetic and annoying Cara. I pretended to care about the useless DarkWooll low-borns. I humored Alaric by pretending to give a shit about that stupid free kitchen he's setting up. I've paid my dues, and now it's time to collect on what's mine.

I snatch the bridal yeil out of my handmaiden's hands and place it atop my own head.

"It's time, ma'am." The woman tells me meekly.

I smile at her, drunk with the idea of how much power I'm about to have. "Let's go get my crown!"

As I walk down the aisle, I pass nobles and elders, all gazing at me with approval and admiration. They would kill to take my place; I can smell their envy.

"Oh...the beautiful daughter of the Arbun family! She's elegant and noble."

How perfectly that wedding gown complements her..."

"The Alpha King's marriage to her must be the best one ever!"

Of course, they should envy me! Who wouldn't want to be me right now?

I deserve this. I've earned this.

I was born to enjoy all of this.

When I look into Alaric's blue eyes at the altar, I picture the blue gemstones I'm going to have put on my new Luna crown. The smile I give Alaric might be the most genuine one he's seen from me yet. The officiant blathers on with the ceremony, talking about silly things like love and commitment and loyalty.

Whatever.

Those things are for suckers.

And I'm no sucker.

"Do you, Alaric, take Lilia to be your wedded wife?" The officiant asks him.

I play my part and give Alaric the most charming, most endearing, sweetest look I can possibly deliver. I bat my beautifully long and thick eyelashes at him.

Just say 'I do' and get this over with! I mentally scream at him. Just say 'I do!'

But he doesn't.

He's not saying anything.

Panic starts to rise within me the longer the silence goes on.

3/4

15:29 Wed, Jan 1

Chapter 23

...What the fuck is he doing?

Alaric's POV

"A-HEM!"

I hear Lilia clear her throat in a comically annoyed manner.

The sound draws me from my distracted thoughts. I look at the officiant, who is staring at me expectantly.

This is my and Lilia's wedding.

Lilia and I are tucked in together under a beautiful canopy of red roses, pink peonies, and lush green vine tendrils.

The wooden pergola is covered with warm golden fairy lights that gently flicker, almost like the stars at night. Tucked in all around are miniature wooden and gold carvings. There's wolves and the moon, and that forest. They tell the story of our pack, of our people. I can't help but remark that Cara's really outdone herself this time. I thought the proposal setting she made was wonderful, but this... This is... This is a wedding fit for a King.

I lean in closer to the officiant, trying to look contrite, "Apologies What was that?"

C

Lilia makes a very upset little sound and her face falls. "Alaric! Are you kidding me?!" she hisses in a whisper.

Hook at Lilia and she's just beautiful.

C

Strands of pure gold have been woven into her hair, into her dark red braid. Diamond jewelry covers her throat and her wrists.

Her face, aside from the very alarmed look, would make any man or wolf stop in his tracks. Blood red lips, warm pink cheeks, big round eyes... she's stunning to be sure.

Whatever her faults, whatever her harsh nature, Lilia makes a ridiculously gorgeous bride.

"Do you, Alaric Grant, take Lilia Auburn to be your wedded wife He repeats patiently.

I stare at him, furrowing my eyebrows. I do, I'm sure I do.

Don't I?

Regardless, I must. I must take her as my wife, for the good of the pack.

I look back at the crowd and see hundreds of eyes looking back at me, waiting. Waiting for Pack DarkWood's new Luna to be made official.

But I don't see the pair of green eyes I'm searching for.

Cara's.

"This isn't right without her." My wolf, Grey, repeats in my mind.

The seconds are slowly, painfully ticking by, and I can see the bead of sweat forming on Lilia's forehead the longer I stall. She doesn't look upset, she looks pissed.

I look into the crowd again and my eyes meet Eamon's. I expect to see the same amount of anger as reflected in Lilia's face,

but it's not there.

1/4

15.29 Wed, Jan

Chapter 24

Suddenly, the entrance doors fly open and crash into the walls of either side. The crowd jumps.

It's my butler.

He's racing down the aisle towards me yelling, "Alpha King! Sir! Urgent news!!"

His face is a round red, and he's in a panic, I can't recall ever having seen him this way.

"Not now, you imbecile!!" Lilia shricks at him, garnering more than a few shocked glances from the crowd.

"Hush!" I say to her sternly. I turn back to my butler, who's nearly all the way up to the altar by now, "What is it?"