Kiss Of An Alpha King

VENUS

Weddings were supposed to be a joyful time, a time to rejoice, to wear elegant clothes and of course, to try dancing without crushing anyone’s toes.

However, as I hid behind the last pew in the great Memorial Hall of Alphas, watching the lovely pair standing before the officiator, joy was the last emotion I was feeling. It was ironic though because the beautiful bride mopping away tears as her mate started reciting his own vows. She is my two year elder sister, Ansley Vinley. She and I had been close once before she became a part in the scheme to cheat me of my happiness.

My hands shook lamely as I drew the corners of my favourite shawl closer around my head and examined the hall. Seats were filled to the brim by numerous guests from various packs, far and near. Decorations of lilac and cream hung from pillar to pillar.

I was not supposed to be there. Father had warned me with strict orders to stay away from the ceremony. According to him, I was bad luck, a stain on his reputation and his greatest regret.

The officiator was the oldest wolf in Clawride Pack. He smiled at the couple before him, joining his hands in a solemn clasp. “You may now kiss your mate,” he proudly announced, his voice a bit thick with emotions.

He innocently called them mates, a lie spread to cover up the injustice against me. I bit down on my lower lip to stop myself from screaming. I choked on a whimper, forbidding myself to cry over a lost cause. I had been happy once, when I was to be mated to Wren. He had been only two years older than me but was to be our future Alpha.

I had not known then but it turned out that he had known about us being mates two years ago and had kept it from me. But I was too happy when I turned 18 to find out we were mates, happy enough to forgive his deliberate silence on the matter until my world came crashing to my feet.

Every wolf naturally shifted for the first time at age thirteen and mine was no different except for one thing. My wolf was a ferocious looking animal with inky black fur and sharp talons that I had no control over. In the midst of grey wolves, brown ones, even ash furred wolves, my wolf stood out, huge and awkward. It had taken tranquilizers and the pack’s strongest men to keep me down. I thought the shame of that day was forgotten until it came up again to ruin my life.

Father had come home some days later with a message from Alpha Keller. Wren had refused to have anything to do with me but would take another daughter from our family.

“At least, he did not turn his back on our entire family,” Father had reasoned selfishly, frowning at my uncontrollable tears. “He has chosen your sister, Ansley, as the new Luna for Wren instead. You must do your duty for our family’s sake. You must forget about Wren.”

And I did what he said, stepping aside for my sister to take what was mine. Father was a general in the Alpha’s army and in my family, his word was law. Mother never tried to challenge him and preferred to keep to herself. Despite the fact that the he always favoured Ansley over me, he and I had the same forestgreen eyes, mysterious and cool.