Elera pov
Please say I do. Please,say I do . Don't abandon me too please .
I repeated the desperate plea in my mind like a prayer.. looking at the man whose answer will determine my fate .
Alpha Adrian silverclaw stood before me at the altar , but he wasn't looking at me.. he was looking at anywhere but me.
Elder Thorne's voice echoed through the sacred grove.
"Alpha Adrian Silverclaw, do you accept this woman as your mate, your partner in all things, until the moon calls you home?"
Please say I do.
"I reject you as my mate and Luna , Elera"
Six hours earlier.
The wedding dress fit me perfectly .. I hardly recognized the woman looking back at me.the ivory silk wedding gown was simple but elegant.
My silver braid was swept into an intricate braid on top of my hair woven with flowers. Even my purple eyes didn't look so intimidating.
Today my marriage to Adrian would earn me the respect I never had since I was a child . Today everything would change .
I was born into the strongest werewolf pack in the territories.. the chosen moon-shadow park ..
We were known as the moon blessed and said to have an affinity to the goddess Selene more than any other wolf. Our blood line was secured and legendary ..
Well except me I was a stain in our family name.
I was born without a wolf.It's quite shocking I even got to be twenty one .
I expected to die much earlier.What is even more shocking is that I felt a pull towards Adrian .
It wasn't like the normal mating bond but it meant something to me .
It gave me hope. I am getting married in the same grove my mother got married in twenty three years ago .. she would have been here if not for me..
The shame of giving birth to a wolfless child had been too great for her causing her to kill herself
"You are stunning Elera."My twin sister Celestia stood at the door looking like a princess .
Her golden hair cascaded in waves down her back.'Her brown honey coloured eyes were warm .
She was everything I wasn't..
"Are you sure?"
"Of course now,everyone is waiting for you."
I wish I didn't take her hand. I wish I didn't. I should have stayed back.
The words brought me back to the present.
"I reject you as my mate and Luna Elera."
I stood frozen, my brain was finding it hard to process what I just heard.
"Why?"
He ignored me completely, extending his hands to my sister Celestia.
My sister stepped slowly from her place behind me coming to stand by my side.
She placed her hands in Adrian's hands without any hesitation standing by his side.
"This woman has a wolf" Adrian announced loudly she can stand beside me as a Luna , she is worthy of our respect as a park"
The bouquet slipped from my fingers . He is right, I wasn't worthy.
The crowd erupted in cheers …as they shouted their approval.
"Of course he rejected her .."
"How could a wolfless thing ever be Luna?"
"He should have done this from the start,although I'm glad I got to see her publicly humiliated"
"Her sister is so much better"
I couldn't breath , the gown suddenly felt too tight around my waist.
I turned around searching for the one person that could help me.
"Father"… my voice sounded broken but he would help me. I was his older daughter, his heir …he would help me.
He rose from his seat walking towards the stage .
For one moment I felt a glimmer of hope he would demand an explanation and protect me. That is what fathers do.
He stepped forward grabbing my hand violently and pushed me from the stage like some kind of shameful secret.
"No father please, I whispered clutching his robe"
"The union between Adrian Silverclaw and Celestia Moonshadow will proceed as planned," he declared, his voice booming with Alpha command that forced every wolf in the grove into immediate submission .
The world tilted sideways , I thought I would pass out
He continued, saying each word felt like a blow.
"Furthermore, I hereby name Celestia Moonshadow as my heir and future Alpha of Silvercrest Pack."
Everything inside me shattered.
"No!" someone shouted from the crowd…I didn't know who. "This is wrong! Elara is the eldest!"
"She has no wolf !" another voice countered. "She cannot lead !"
"Look at her…she's pathetic !"
"The sister is clearly the better choice…"
"Finally someone dared to do what should have been done at birth…"
The insults rained down like blows, each one finding its mark, and I couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but stand there while my father announced my replacement.
"Father?" My voice was barely a whisper. "Why? I don't understand…"
He finally looked down at me, and his eyes were cold.
"You have no wolf, Elara," he said it explained everything. It justified this public execution. "You cannot be Luna. You cannot be my heir. You are a stain on our bloodline, and I will not let you drag this pack down with your weakness."
Each word was a knife between my ribs.
"But I'm your daughter…"
"You are a disappointment." He turned away, dismissing me as easily as one would dismiss a servant. "Elder Thorne, continue the ceremony. We have a true union to celebrate."
The grove erupted in cheers.
They were cheering for my replacement. Cheering for Celestia.
Elder Thorn looked at me with pity before turning to continue the ceremony.
I couldn't watch while they got married inmeront of me .. they took everything that should have been mine.
I stumbled through the crowd ,they created a path for me as if I were a disease.. a contagious disease.
"Poor alpha Adrian forced to consider marrying that thing"
The insults followed me all the way to the park house .
I made it to my room and slammed the door, pressing my back against it as I finally, finally let myself break .
This was my wedding day.my twenty-first birthday.
And I was utterly alone .
Hours passed in a blur of tears and numbness.
Outside my window, I could hear the celebration continuing .
I stayed indoors until the sound of the music died down until everywhere was dark.. I still didn't move.
I should have stayed indoors .. but I decided to go look for my father.. I needed an explanation .
I walked through the empty halls .. passed celestia room except the doors were unlocked and Adrian was there with her.
his hands were tangled in her golden hair, his mouth on hers with a hunger I had never seen directed at me.
And Celestia…my sister, my twin, the only person who'd ever been kind to me…kissed him back with equal fervor.
Then she looked at me as if sensing my presence and smiled .
I couldn't be here. Couldn't stay in this house, in this pack, in this life that had been stolen from me. I pulled my ruined wedding dress up , and ran.
"Elara!"
A hand caught my arm, spinning me around.
Adrian.
He looked panicked, his amber eyes wide with something that might have been fear. "Where are you going?"
"Away from you," I spat, trying to wrench my arm free. "Away from all of you…"
"Listen to me." His grip tightened. "You need to leave. Now. As soon as dawn is here, leave this park."
I stared at him, not understanding. "What?"
"You need to run, Elara." He glanced over his shoulder like he expected someone to appear. When he looked back, his expression was haunted. "Run far away if you want to survive. Please. Before it's too late."
"Too late for what? You already destroyed me! What else could possibly.."
"I'm trying to save your life !"He released my arm and stepped back, his hands shaking. "I can't explain, but you have to trust me. Leave this pack.. Don't tell anyone where you're going. Just… run."