Chapter One: The Wedding

Zira’s POV

A sharp look at the table full of make-up for my wedding made me uncomfortable. “We don’t have to use so much, right?” I asked Sandra softly.

She rolled her eyes dismissively. “From today onward, you will be the luna of our pack. You have to look like the luna.”

Killian and I had been together for so long that I didn’t see it necessary to go all out for my wedding. But Sandra was insistent. With her skills, though, it only took an hour.

Once she finished, I had to admit she had been right. Looking in the mirror made me want to squeal with delight. Before I could express my appreciation, though, there was a knock on the door.

“Father!” I said excitedly as he poked his head in, despite that our relationship was mediocre, at best; he was too obsessed with ensuring I became luna. But as his only child, I understood.

What made me excited to see him that day, though, was that he had promised me a surprise. I’d been trying to get him to tell me what it was all week, but he had been tight-lipped, insisting I would find out on my wedding day.

Sandra excused herself as Father entered the room. “Call me if you need anything else, Zira,” she said on her way out.

“How is it going?” Father asked.

“I’m ready,” I said, referring to both his surprise gift and my wedding.

He smiled. “Eager, aren’t you?”

I bobbed my head.

“Well, she’s right outside!” he said. In a louder voice, he called out, “Come in, Leah.”

She? Leah? This woman must be carrying something for me.

As I watched the door open with bated breath, and a young girl about a year or two older than me entered the room—empty-handed. I looked at Dad, confused.

“Zira, some time back, you said you wanted a sister. Since then, I’ve been looking for her.”

I peered at him with wide eyes.

“Leah is your sister; I had her before your mother and I got together.”

I held onto the arms of my chair for balance, unable to make out the rest of my father’s words.

Sister? How did I get a sister out of thin air?

Yes, I had always wanted a sister; I’d watched Sandra and her sisters bond and do things together. But…

“Sister, don’t you want me?” Her soft voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked at the pretty girl, who had Dad’s eyes. The more I looked at her, the more she resembled him.

She stood with an arm stretched out, and I finally stretched mine out as well. “No, no... I was just a little surprised,” I said hurriedly, afraid I had made her uncomfortable. I stood and pulled her into a side hug. “I’m Zira; it’s nice to meet you... I hope we get to bond after my wedding.”

She smiled. “I agree! We should totally bond. Father said I could have your room since you are going to be moving into your husband’s home,” she said with excitement.

I felt a little uncomfortable with her taking my room, but I pushed the thought away. Who knew what kind of life she had been living previously? If having a room could make her so happy, then I was more than okay with letting her have it.

“It’s such a relief to see you two get along,” my father said. He addressed Leah. “Remember, I told you your younger sister is one of the sweetest girls you would meet.”

I looked away slightly. Despite trying to handle the situation with grace, I couldn’t help but remain surprised. My dad had a child before he met my mom? And he searched for her for me? To give her to me as a wedding gift?

I was already a little nervous about the wedding and the luna crowning process, and a newfound sister just added to it all.

“Sorry to interrupt, but the pack members are starting to wonder where Zira is,” Sandra said with urgency as she raced into the room, changing the room’s atmosphere. She rushed to touch up my make-up and add my hair brooch.

As I pondered how I would eventually accept Leah as my sister, my dad and Sandra walked me out of the side room toward the main hall. Leah trailed behind us.

“Chin up; let everyone see that the future luna doesn’t cower,” Sandra whispered to me as we walked into the main hall entrance where all the guests were waiting. I chuckled and then did as she said.

“Zira, why don’t you let Leah be one of your bridesmaids?” Dad suggested. “That way, you get to bond.”

“W–what?” I asked, stunned and unsure if I had heard right.

“I think your sister being your bridesmaid would make it perfect,” father said. “Your family walking with you on one of the most important days of your life.”

Sandra looked at me, her gaze full of questions.

I didn’t think having a surprise sister would make things perfect, but what choice did I have at that point? So as the main doors opened for me to enter, Leah fell in place on my right side while dad stood on my left, arms linked with mine at the elbows.

My heartbeat sped up as I spotted Killian standing at the end of the hall in his black tux. Seeing him was like an echo of the first time I fell in love. He turned as the music changed, his gaze locking with mine.

However, for a split second, his gaze shifted to my right, and he looked still. Then he made his way to me in a rush, not something we had rehearsed. But I was used to him being spontaneous and aggressive at love. So I removed myself from my father and Leah and hastened forward, wanting to meet him on the way.

With his long strides, Killian reached me in mere seconds. But he didn’t stop. Instead, he hastily brushed past me, slamming into me hard enough that I lost my balance and tumbled to the floor, breaking my heel.

What the hell?

After I recovered, I turned just in time to watch Killian pull Leah into his embrace. I tried to process what I was seeing. Did Killian mistake me for my half-sister? Impossible. Leah had a different build—some two feet shorter, with a lot more flesh.

“Killian?” My voice cracked as I spoke.

He embraced her, and she reciprocated without hesitation. But it didn’t end there. In the time it took me to absorb their embrace, they had started kissing. Passionately.

I stood, staring. Dumbfounded. Barely able to believe my eyes.

Dad rushed to help me stand, and I kicked the stilettos Sandra had made me wear off my feet.

“Mate,” Killian growled, loud enough for everyone in the dead-silent hall to hear.

The world fell apart around me. Fated mates? Fated mates were rare enough, but they had to have found themselves at a wedding. At my wedding?

The hall erupted, with everyone exchanging loud whispers.

Killian finally pulled away from Leah and addressed everyone. “The moon goddess has blessed me with a fated mate; she will be my bride and Luna of the Blood Moon Pack.” He took Leah into his arms again, embracing her lovingly. Then they walked out of the hall hand in hand.

After eight years of dating and promising to spend forever together, everything had shattered in a matter of moments—on the day we were supposed to tie the knot forever. Just like that!

“Wait here, let me make sure your sister is all right,” my father said in a rush, releasing his hold on me and racing after Leah and Killian.

Everyone turned their gaze to me, and shame flooded my bones as I stood there alone and jilted.