Aria's pov;
The morning I was dreading came far too soon. I hadn't been able to sleep a wink, not with Kael Draven's voice still lingering in my head and the emotions I felt when I had been with him kept rubbing on me.
Each time I closed my eyes, I was only reminded of his lingering touch; although fleeting, he had managed to leave a mark on the imprints of my soul.
And each time I managed to even sneak into a pending slumber, there was the soul-deep ache of what I now knew; He Was My Mate.
Every time this happened, I had to remind myself that I wasn't supposed to feel anything. I was just the decoy of Celeste's plan. A placeholder in a silk dress, painted in my twin sister's image.
This was what I had been asked to do; I repeatedly told myself.
I couldn't forget the look in his eyes as he stared at me the other night, like a part of him knew who I really was, like he knew the truth I was still struggling to believe.
To me, it hadn't been just attraction. It was recognition. One that none of us had planned or expected to happen.
And yet, he'd said nothing. Not like the rumors painted him. Not like he'd acted in the past.
A thought crossed my mind, filling the missing puzzle. Maybe he was playing along.
Maybe he was waiting.
But for what? Now, I couldn't help but have the feeling that it was now the hunter that was being hunted.
"You don't speak unless spoken to," Celeste snapped while adjusting the veil on my head. "You smile once, softly, and not like the idiot you've always shown yourself to be. And when it's time for you to be marked by him, you find an excuse, switch with me and that's it!"
Even with the task I had been given by her, Celeste didn't fail to make her hatred known for me.
Her voice dripped with so much ice and urgency. I watched her through the mirror, the usual ache and pain of how I was being treated swelling in my chest.
Celeste didn't look like someone giving up her place - it was never hers to begin with.
She looked like someone watching her prey take the bait.
"This is mine! He is mine! Do not forget that!" she muttered under her breath, her lips twisting into a blood curling venomous smile. "And If you mess this up for me…"
"I won't." I answered quietly, cutting her off before she'd say any more than she was already letting out. .
I wasn't just saying this to assure her. It was only because I couldn't afford to. This was more like my ticket to finally be free of my mother's accusations and it was like a dream come true.
I was also reassuring myself, because I didn't know what this was anymore. How could I tell Celeste that Kael Draven now had the reins of her plan?
Or, maybe I was just thinking too much about things. After all, he hadn't said a word of such yesterday.
With a huff, Celeste stormed out of the room, with my mother in tow, both of them too caught up in their plotting to notice the storm building inside me.
They didn't feel the bond. They didn't feel him. But I did.
Now, the only thought I had was how to hold myself till it was time for Alpha Kael to mark me.
The mating ceremony, held on the sacred land behind the packhouse, surrounded by ancient stones and the howling wind was the last place for me to be making such a plan.
Fear gripped my heart, squeezing it tightly while I walked towards the lunar arch Kael stood on, waiting for me.
Dressed in ceremonial armor, with the usual unique silver color he always had on. His broad shoulders and exquisite jawline wasn't hard to notice even as he stood silent.
His dark eyes were unreadable as I approached, but each step I took, I could feel the energy rolling off of him.
Now, as I stood in front of him, hoping to the moon goddess for her to have my back this time and for this plan to go well, I placed my hand in his outstretched one.
Sparks ran through every part of my body the moment our skins touched and everything seemed to have stilled.
The world faded in my sight and there was only him.
"The vows," his voice thundered in my ears like a beating drum. I snapped out of my daze, only for me to see he was speaking to the Elder in charge of the mating ceremony.
My head whirled with thoughts, immediately remembering that after the vows, I was to be marked by Kael.
My eyes scanned the little crowd below who had their eyes on us, eagerly waiting for this important part.
Finally, my eyes landed on a figure whose body was covered tightly, revealing only a pair of familiar eyes I'd recognise any day; Celeste.
A fierce glare from her and that was all I needed to know that the plan was still on board.
Kael Draven's tempting scent was the last thing I needed in my nose while I tried to decide on what exactly to do.
"Under moon's eye and earth's breath, Blood to blood, soul to soul…," The elder began chanting the familiar words I'd always heard but never paid attention to until now.
I closed my eyes, mentally reciting the chant in my head and waiting for the slight pause where I could finally excuse myself and let Celeste come in.
"And now, we wait for the silent prayer…," the elder said and on cue, I gently smiled at him, already feeling the makeup on my face starting to crack from having to keep a face that wasn't mine.
"I'd like to calm my nerves a bit, if I may," I smiled at the old man, not daring to look at Kael for fear that I'd crumble in front of him and not want to let go.
The old man smiled at me, already nodding his head in understanding while I prepared to pull my hands out of Kael's, not until he took a step closer to me, momentarily shutting off the Elder.
"I want your truth," he said in one breath as my eyes went wide in shock.
I opened my mouth, trying to form words but each time I tried to speak, flustered, I couldn't speak properly.
"What are you talking about?" I managed to say, swallowing thickly while avoiding staring into his eyes. I stared into the crowd but this time, Celeste wasn't there, probably waiting behind for me as according to the plan.
"I want your truth. Not her name. Not her face."
My lips parted in denial, but I couldn't speak. My chest felt too tight and my heart, too loud.
"Who are you?"
And before I could even respond, a sharp pain on my palm he had been holding drew me out of my state of shock.
My eyes widened, my body sizzling with fear and shock. In a daze, I watched him slash his palm with the sacred blade and he pressed our bleeding palms together.
His face drew closer while I watched his fangs extend. Without another word, my body responded to his, readily showing him my neck. I watched his eyes flash between colors right before his teeth broke into my skin, marking me permanently as his.
And the bond snapped into place.
I gasped, my knees buckling but strong arms held me from falling to the floor.
"You're mine now, young woman," he murmured , his lips brushing my ear in a tingling sensation.
His mark slowly settled in, pleasure and peace rocking my bones and like a missing puzzle piece I hadn't realized was missing.
The loud cheers of the pack members and then their roar of celebration was all it took for this reality to set in. The bond was sealed. Not with Celeste. With me- but he said her name.
But no one else knew about the switch. Not about Celeste's plans and not about the war I knew was coming for me because Kael Draven had marked me and not Celeste.
And I had let him. I should have fought against it but it wasn't like I even stood a chance against him in the first place.
My feelings settled in but the regret I was expecting to eat me up couldn't be seen. I didn't regret it but…I should have.
Because, the moment I returned to my shelter- not my home- later the next morning, to pack the little belongings I had, Celeste was waiting.
And her smile was made of knives.