The Unraveling Veil

Lara held the heavy, crimson veil, her hands trembling slightly as she raised it.

Her eyes, filled with deep worry, met mine. She knew what I was about to do. We both knew the great risk. My body felt like it was already failing, every muscle screaming from days without food. But my mind was focused. This was it.

"My lady," Lara whispered, her voice barely a sound, as she began to place the veil over my head.

Its rich fabric, thick with silver threads, fell around my face, covering me in a soft, red haze. It hid my pale skin and my tired eyes. It was a beautiful mask for a dying girl.

"Are you ready?" Lara asked, her voice tight with fear.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands. It was hard. My stomach was a knot of pain, and my head swam.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I whispered back. My voice was just a rough sound.

Lara opened the door. Aaron stood tall and unmoving, his face like stone. He looked me over quickly, his eyes seeing everything but showing nothing.

He turned without a word and began to walk, expecting me to follow.

I pushed myself forward, one foot in front of the other. Lara stayed close, but not touching me.

We walked down the long, quiet hallways of the Pack House. Every step felt like walking through thick mud. The stone floor felt cold through the thin soles of my shoes.

My legs were weak, threatening to give out with each movement. I tried to focus on the cold air on my skin, anything to keep my mind from the overwhelming pain in my body.

My vision was blurry, and black spots danced at the edges of my sight. I could hear Lara's quick, soft breathing beside me, and the slow, heavy thud of Aaron's boots ahead.

The silence of the hall was broken only by these sounds, and the frantic pounding of my own heart. I wondered if they could hear it, a drum beating a desperate rhythm against my ribs.

We got closer to the main hall, and I could hear a low hum, like a distant beehive. The sound grew louder, turning into a murmur of many voices. The air felt heavy, filled with the scents of many people, mixed with perfumes and the smell of roasting meat.

The Bloodmoon Pack was celebrating.

This was their big day. They didn't know it would be their humiliation too.

The enormous doors of the grand hall appeared before us. They were made of dark wood, carved with fierce wolf designs. Aaron reached out and slowly, grandly, pushed them open.

A wave of sound hit me. Murmurs and whispers all mixed together. The hall was bright, filled with hundreds of faces. They all turned to look at me. It felt like all eyes in the world were suddenly on me, judging and waiting.

I gripped Lara's hand one last time, squeezing it hard. Her fingers pressed back, a silent promise of support, a final goodbye. Then, I let go, walking down the aisle alone.

My legs felt like they didn't belong to me.

They were heavy, lifeless things. Each step was a struggle. It was like climbing a mountain without any strength.

The bright lights in the hall seemed to get brighter, then dimmer, hurting my eyes behind the veil. I knew I had to walk the long path to the altar. It looked miles away.

Faces blurred past me. People dressed in fine clothes with their faces curious or cold. The air was thick with their powerful scent, the smell of their Pack. It was overwhelming.

I felt a wave of dizziness so strong it almost made me fall right there. I clenched my teeth, digging my nails into my palms.

Not yet. Not yet.

The grand hall itself was a wonder. Even through my blurred vision, I could see the tall stone pillars reaching up to a high ceiling, painted with stories of hunts and battles.

Banners with the Bloodmoon Pack's sigil, a red moon over a snarling wolf, hung everywhere. It was a place built for power, for strength.

My weakness here would be even more noticeable, more shocking.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I reached the altar. It was a huge, carved stone platform, standing tall in the center of the hall.

Elias was already there looking as powerful as I remember. He looked at me as I slowly approached, his face showing nothing. He stood next to an old man, the Alpha Elder, whose face was lined with age and wisdom.

My body swayed, and I had to fight hard to stay upright. The cheers and whispers of the Pack started to fade into a dull roar. Everything sounded far away.

The Alpha Elder's deep voice started the ceremony. It rumbled through the hall, speaking old words about bonds and loyalty. He talked about two Packs becoming one, about strength and new beginnings. The words sounded hollow, a cruel joke given my state.

His gaze, heavy with tradition, first landed on Elias. "Elias, Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, do you take Seraphina, Princess of the Silver Sect, as your chosen mate? Do you promise to unite your Pack with her Sect, to honor her as your Luna, and to protect her within your lands, always?"

Elias's response was a low, quick growl, laced with an impatience that was clear to my ears, even through the haze of my weakening body. He didn't look at me, his gaze fixed on the elder, as if rushing through a tedious chore. "I do. I take Seraphina as my mate, to unite our peoples, and to uphold the terms of this alliance."

Then, the elder's ancient eyes turned to me, his gaze piercing through the red veil that shrouded my face. "Seraphina, Princess of the Silver Sect, do you take Elias, Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack, as your chosen mate? Do you promise to unite your Sect with his Pack, to honor him as your Alpha, and to stand by his side within his domain, always?"

I took a shaky breath, forcing my voice to be clear. My throat felt like sandpaper, and the words were a strained whisper, barely heard against the vastness of the hall. Yet, each one was delivered with chilling exactness, a hidden blade in every syllable. "I do. I take Elias as my mate, to unite our peoples, and to fulfill my duty as agreed."

The Alpha Elder then raised his hands, and the entire hall fell silent, waiting for the final, binding words. Elias reached for my hand. His fingers brushed against mine, cold and firm.

This was it. The very last of my strength left me. My legs felt like rubber, unable to hold me up anymore. The roar of the Pack, which had been a distant hum, suddenly became a deafening crash in my ears. The world tilted sideways, then spun completely out of control.

My vision went entirely black. My body dropped.