Substitute Bride To The Alpha

Breathe Clara, Breathe. 

   This dress made me feel like I was trapped in a tube. 

    I guess that's why it's called a tube–dress, my sister had insisted that the bridesmaids all came dressed in the attire for her wedding. It was quite hard being in the dress, almost to the same degree the meticulous task of actually putting on the dress.

A tight sleeveless dress, hugging my body in the right places and showing off my curves. It was for this singular reason Cassandra had opted for the tube dresses, she said the dress was capable of bringing out the sexiness in everyone, and she wasn't wrong. 

It was a flowy satin, with a sleet that went up above my knee and a sweetheart neckline that dipped low enough to show an appropriate amount of cleavage.  

"Clara, you better be down in a minute! The limousine leaves for the ceremony in fifteen minutes!" A loud yell from my mother shot from downstairs, her tone thoroughly dipped with urgency. 

"Yes, Mother!" I responded and then returned my attention to the mirror, gazing at my flattering reflection in the mirror as an excited grin lit up my face. I was stunning, beautiful, and ready to serve as the chief bridesmaid at my sister's wedding. 

     Cassandra was getting married to the wealthy and feared Alpha of the Navarro Red Mood Pack, Roberto Blackwood. It was an arranged marriage in which The Alpha had paid a huge sum of money over Cassandra's head. My mother was never in support of this, but my father's desperate quest for money and power shut down her protests, and she was forced to go along with it. 

The occasion had been rooted on the lips of everyone in our pack months before this, it was the talk of the town and the ceremony had been highly anticipated. Everyone was excited for it, especially my father who was elated and proud to be the in–law to an Alpha like Roberto. 

A lot of preparations had been put into it, and a lot of money as well. Great Alphas from all over the territory would be in attendance, it was going to be rich and full of class courtesy of Alpha Roberto. I was bursting with excitement. 

I was living my shiny, golden blonde hair one last brush before I went downstairs and that was when I first heard the voices. I stopped brushing, narrowing my eyes as I listened closer, it was the panicked voices of people arguing.  

I sighed, "Not again." I said, rolling my eyes. 

People had been fighting all day about the littlest of things today. From the flowers, the food, the sitting arrangement, the decorations — you just name it and someone would pin the slightest fault on it. 

Most of the arguments usually involved my father, who was an utter perfectionist who wanted everything and everyone to be, well. . perfect. 

The Alpha has assigned a lot of maids and helpers to come over to our house and help us prepare for the wedding. However, I was sick and tired of my father constantly nagging and rebuking them all day like it was HIS wedding. 

I sometimes pitied them, the poor helpers unfortunately’ straddled with the Herculean task of satisfying my father. 

    I was done brushing my hair and ready to head downstairs before another yell came from my mother again. I dropped the brush on my chair and was heading out of my bedroom when my door shot open, nearly knocking me down, and my mother rushed in. 

There was a worried look etched on her face, staining her expression with confusion and a slight hint of fear. 

"Mum, is anything the matter?" I asked as I regained my balance, the look on her face had also creased my forehead with a bit of worry. 

Her eyes darted about my room as though she was searching for something, "Is she here? They said she was here." She spoke as her eyes came back to me, staring at me in panic. 

" Who are you looking for?" I asked, my mind spiraling with thoughts as I wondered what was happening. 

"It's your sister. We haven't seen her in about two hours now." She revealed, her tone was hitched and a clear indication of how she was desperately trying to hold herself together. 

My brows furrowed immediately at her words, "What? Cassandra isn't in this house, how so?" I questioned, my mind streaming with numerous thoughts as the pacing of my heart increased. 

"I– I don't know, Clara." She sniffled, her tears fogging up in her eyes and threatening to fall. "I spoke to her earlier today and she expressed how nervous and apprehensive she was about the wedding. I encouraged her and told her to go along with it, and—" Mum paused her words abruptly, her tears withstanding being held back as she began to cry and she leaned into me. 

I embraced her, my hands on her back as I rubbed in pacification, "Mum, she's fine. Maybe she just had some pre-wedding jitters and is somewhere around the house. She couldn't have possibly disappeared on her wedding day." I soothed, trying to calm my crying mother but even I didn't believe my own words… 

My mother wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, "I thought she was here with you, you're her best friend and not only a sister to her. So I felt she was here for some words of encouragement. But since she isn't…" 

"She's fine, mum. Are you sure you've checked everywhere thoroughly? The garden, the balcony, the storerooms? Have you searched all the rooms?" I inquired as she stepped a foot away from me, breaking out of the embrace. 

She nodded in affirmation, "Yes. We've searched everywhere. However, her bedroom is locked. We can't access it." She narrated and my eyes widened in horror at that.