chapter 3

His deep, oceanic blue eyes bore into the depths of my soul,

causing my breath to catch in my chest. The tension in the air was palpable,

weighing heavily upon me, as if the atmosphere itself held its breath. My feet

felt as though they were anchored to the ground, struggling against an

invisible force that refused to release its grip.

His authoritative, cold voice cut through the silence once

more, demanding an immediate answer. "Who the heck are you?" His words were

sharp, punctuated by the simmering rage in his eyes, a warning of the

consequences awaiting my response.

Nervously, I swallowed hard, my throat dry with fear, before

mustering the courage to meet his gaze. His eyes, deadly and unwavering, bore

into mine, sending shivers down my spine. With trembling lips, I managed to

stutter out, "I… I am Isabella." Each syllable felt like a struggle, as if the

weight of his presence threatened to crush me entirely.

"Speak!" His voice boomed, echoing through the air and

sending a jolt of terror coursing through my veins. I couldn't help but feel as

though I had reached the precipice, teetering on the edge of oblivion. Perhaps

it was time to reunite with my late parents, for death seemed to loom ever

closer with each passing moment.

Alpha Damian's eyes blazed with fury, a tempest of anger

swirling within them as he prepared to speak. In a sudden burst of desperation,

I cried out, "I'm Isabella!" and instinctively shut my eyes, bracing myself for

the inevitable pain that I anticipated would come with his retaliatory strike,

his razor-sharp claws poised to strike.

But to my astonishment, there was no pain. Slowly, I dared

to open my eyes, peering cautiously at Alpha Damian. His expression was a mix

of confusion and cold detachment as he repeated my name, almost as if

questioning its validity. Lost in his own thoughts for a moment, Alpha Damian's

icy gaze returned to me, piercing through me like a knife.

With a contemptuous sneer, he uttered, "Isabella? Never

heard of that name before." Before I could utter a word in response, he

snarled, "How dare you attempt to deceive me!" In one swift motion, he seized

me by the neck, lifting me effortlessly off the ground. My legs flailed

helplessly as I struggled against his iron grip, desperately trying to free

myself from his grasp.

As the world around me began to blur and fade, I felt

consciousness slipping away, Alpha Damian's vice-like grip tightening around my

neck with each passing moment. His voice boomed with intensity, echoing through

the hall, yet no one came to my aid. The silence was deafening, contrasting

sharply with the chaos raging within me.

Summoning every ounce of strength I had left, I weakly

tapped his hand, a desperate plea for mercy escaping my lips. "Please," I

managed to choke out, the words barely audible as my lungs struggled for air.

With each passing second, the precious oxygen dwindled, leaving me gasping for

breath, my vision darkening around the edges.

"Do you even comprehend the gravity of your actions?" Alpha

Damian's voice cut through the haze of my fading consciousness, his words a

cruel reminder of the perilous situation in which I found myself. Despite my

struggles, his grip remained unyielding, crushing any hope of escape as the

darkness closed in around me.

As I gazed down at Alpha Damian, his eyes blazed like fiery

embers, seething with unbridled rage. A single tear escaped my eye, tracing a

path down my cheek and landing on his hand, a silent plea for mercy in the face

of imminent peril. But instead of relenting, he tightened his grip around my

neck, his intentions clear: to snuff out my life without hesitation.

Just as the darkness threatened to consume me, a voice

pierced through the chaos. "Damian." The elderly woman's voice echoed through

the room, accompanied by the sound of her approaching footsteps. Hope flickered

within me as I prayed for intervention.

At the sound of the woman's voice, Alpha Damian's demeanor

shifted abruptly. His eyes, once ablaze with fury, softened slightly, a flicker

of recognition crossing his features. With a sudden release, he let go of my

neck, and I plummeted to the ground, the impact causing a sharp pain to shoot

through my leg. Gasping for air, I coughed violently, the taste of freedom

mingling with the stale air of the room.

Alpha Damian's voice sliced through the tense air like a

blade. "Quickly wear the veil back on," he commanded, his tone urgent and

commanding.

Confusion and fear gnawed at me as I struggled to comprehend

his sudden demand. "Why?" I managed to croak, my voice barely audible as I lay

on the ground, feeling utterly vulnerable.

Without a moment's hesitation, Alpha Damian stormed towards

me, his footsteps heavy with determination. He gripped my arm with a force that

sent a sharp jolt of pain shooting through my body, eliciting a pained yelp

from my lips. "Listen to me," he growled, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"Never question me again if you want to live." With a swift and forceful

motion, he hoisted me up from the ground, his strength overwhelming.

The impact of being thrown onto the bed knocked the breath

out of me, leaving me gasping for air as I struggled to regain my bearings.

Alpha Damian's gaze bore into me, his expression unwavering in its severity.

"Will you put on the veil, or do I have to make you?" he demanded, his voice

tinged with a dangerous edge that sent shivers down my spine.

Feeling the weight of his expectations pressing down on me,

I hesitated, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and apprehension. Despite the

searing pain in my hand, I slowly reached for the veil, each movement

deliberate and calculated, as if tiptoeing on a tightrope between obedience and

defiance. The burning sensation served as a harsh reminder of the consequences

of disobedience, urging me to comply, even as uncertainty lingered in the air

like a heavy fog.

Alpha Damian's hiss sliced through the air like a viper's

warning before he strode purposefully towards the discarded veil on the ground.

Snatching it up swiftly, he closed the distance between us in determined

strides. "Here," he snapped, his tone sharp as he roughly placed the veil over

my head, his actions more a command than a gesture of care. Despite the rough

handling, I remained silent, a mixture of fear and curiosity holding me captive

to his will.

Just as the veil settled over my face, a voice pierced the

tense atmosphere from behind. "What's going on, Damian?" The voice, tinged with

concern and authority, demanded an explanation.

Alpha Damian's response was swift and uncompromising. "Not a

word," he muttered to me, his gaze penetrating and firm, leaving no room for

defiance. With a slow nod, I acquiesced, my heart pounding in my chest as

uncertainty clouded my thoughts.

Turning to face the source of the voice, Alpha Damian's

demeanor shifted slightly as he addressed the middle-aged woman standing in the

doorway. "Mother," he acknowledged tersely before striding towards her, leaving

me to grasp the edges of the veil tightly, ensuring my face remained concealed

from prying eyes.

The woman whom Alpha Damian addressed as mother wasted no

time in questioning the unfolding events. "I mean, your bride just left the

altar during the wedding. Do you have any idea how bad it was for the face of

the Blue Moon Pack?" Her words dripped with a mixture of confusion and

annoyance, echoing the sentiment that hung heavy in the air.

"I understand, mother," Alpha Damian responded, his voice

steady as he attempted to appease her. "But I assure you, it has been taken

care of, and the wedding will continue." Despite the veil obscuring my vision,

I could sense his gaze on me, his presence a constant weight in the room.

"That's good," his mother conceded, the tension in her voice

easing slightly. "Now, can we proceed with the wedding? Time is running out."

With that, she excused herself from the room, leaving behind a palpable sense

of relief mingled with lingering apprehension.

"Let's go," Alpha Damian declared, his tone clipped as he

motioned for me to follow. Tentatively, I moved towards him, my steps faltering

under the weight of uncertainty. With a scoff, he closed the distance between

us, wrapping his arm around me in a gesture that felt both protective and

possessive.

As we made our way back to the hall, the murmurs and

whispers of admiration followed us like a shadow. Girls squealed with envy,

expressing their desires to trade places with me, oblivious to the turmoil

raging within me. I couldn't help but wish I were anyone else in that moment,

escaping the weight of expectations and deception that hung heavy over my head.

Amidst the clamor of well-wishers and onlookers, my mother's

voice cut through the noise with a sigh of relief. "Good, you guys are back,"

she remarked, her tone betraying a sense of reassurance that eluded her

knowledge. If only she knew that Alpha Damian was well aware of the truth.

"Let's get this over with," Alpha Damian muttered, his voice

devoid of emotion as he guided me to the altar, his grip firm yet impersonal.

The words of the Moon Goddess washed over me, a solemn

reminder of the charade I was now a part of. "Do you, Amanda Williams, take

Damian Collins as your husband?" her voice echoed through the hall, each

syllable carrying the weight of a heavy burden.

With a deep breath, I uttered the words that sealed my fate.

"I do," I replied, the weight of the lie settling like a stone in my chest,

suffocating and inescapable.

"You are now officially bonded, may your marriage last for

eternity" With the Moon Goddess's declaration, the hall erupted into

celebratory howls and congratulations, the sound of joy masking the turmoil

within me. Hours passed as we received the blessings of the elders, my face

still hidden behind the veil, a symbol of the deception that had unfolded.

As the crowd began to disperse, Alpha Damian's mother

approached, her presence commanding attention. "Now it is time to see our

beautiful bride," she announced, her words laced with expectation. Turning to

my mother for support, I found only avoidance in her gaze.

"Remove your veil, my dear," the woman insisted, her tone

firm yet tinged with anticipation, leaving me with no choice but to reveal the

truth hidden beneath the fabric.

As I removed the veil, the air seemed to thicken with

anticipation, and a collective gasp swept through the room. The woman, Alpha

Damian's mother, spoke first, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Who are

you?" she demanded, her eyes wide with confusion.

"Isabella," Alpha Damian answered without hesitation, his

gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. The

revelation left everyone in the room stunned, including my own mother, whose

shock was palpable as she struggled to comprehend how Alpha Damian had known

the truth.

"What?" his mother exclaimed, her voice laced with

incredulity.

"It's complicated, Mother. I will explain later," Alpha

Damian interjected, his tone firm and unwavering as he addressed the room.

Turning his attention to me, his expression hardened with resolve.

"We are married now and officially bonded, and it can't be

changed," he declared, his words ringing with finality. But his next words

pierced through me like a dagger, leaving me reeling in disbelief.

"I will never accept you as my Luna," he continued, his

voice carrying a weight that seemed to echo through the room. As thunder

rumbled ominously in the sky outside, a chilling breeze swept through the hall,

causing my hair to dance in the air.

Alpha Damian's decree hung heavy in the air, casting a

shadow over my hopes and dreams. "To the outside world, you are known as Alpha

Damian's Luna," he proclaimed, his words cutting through the silence like a

blade. "But in here, you will be treated worse than a slave. You shall not be

given any respect or rights of a Luna."

The weight of his words pressed down on me like a

suffocating cloak, leaving me gasping for air as I searched desperately for

reassurance. But as my eyes met my mother's gaze, she looked away, her

avoidance leaving me with a sinking feeling of dread.

In that moment, I couldn't help but wonder: what have I

gotten myself into?