~Hazel’s POV~
I stood frozen before the grand ceremonial hall, my fingers trembling against the soft fabric of my dress. The towering door covered everyone from my sight. My breath caught in my throat as Selene, her pale fingers cold on my arm, gently pushed one door open with a slow creak.
A wave of murmured voices faded into hushed silence as every pair of eyes in the hall turned to us.
I could feel Father’s steady presence behind , a wall of pride and expectation. Selene remained at his side, her gaze sharp as glass. Ariel moved closer to , her arm brushing mine, offering a sliver of comfort. I took a single step forward. The soft click of my heels against the polished marble echoed through the tense air.
Ariel walked at my side, while Natasha followed just behind us, her posture arrogant and head held high. Sophia and Lilian flanked her, graceful as shadows.
I looked up at the aisle and saw the two brothers who had been waiting for .
Caspian.
Cayden.
One smiled. One frowned.
Caspian’s eyes glowed the mont they t mine. I had always wondered how the infamous mating bond truly felt, how it drew two souls together. Now, I didn’t have to wonder anymore the warmth that blood in my chest was undeniable. We hadn’t spent much ti together, hadn’t spoken of love or life or dreams. Yet, the bond between us is sothing I’ll never get used to.
Then there was Cayden.
A storm. A wildfire. A shadow that haunted my life.
He reminded of the hell I had endured, of the nights spent trembling and the days swallowed by fear. Yet... that sa fire burning in his eyes was mirrored deep inside , no matter how I tried to smother it.
A single breath.
I stepped onto the aisle.
Caspian reached out, his palm open, steady, inviting. Cayden mirrored the gesture beside him — but not for . Natasha’s eyes glead with triumph as she slid her hand into his. He handed her a bouquet of crimson roses, his jaw clenched but his posture relaxed. The sight burned through like acid.
Rage clawed at my heart.
Caspian gently took my trembling hand and raised it to his lips, pressing a warm kiss to my skin. A soft shiver raced through , igniting a slow heat bloom in my stomach. I curtsied, barely able to keep my knees from buckling. He leaned in close, his breath brushing my ear.
"You look ravishing," he whispered.
I couldn’t stop the small blush that rose to my cheeks. I caught a flicker of sothing dark in Cayden’s eyes across the aisle — his fists tightened at his sides.
Elder Gina, robed in deep blue, stepped forward. Her silver hair cascaded down her shoulders, eyes sharp with ancient wisdom. She addressed Natasha with a cool tone.
"Please step down for now. This is the ti for the couple."
Natasha’s face twisted, but she complied with a huff, stepping back with venom in her gaze.
Elder Gina turned to . "Take their hands."
I swallowed, my throat tight, and reached out. Caspian’s hand was warm and sure; Cayden’s was cold and rigid. Elder Gina whispered the vows softly, her voice weaving through my dazed mind.
I turned to Caspian first, my voice steady despite the whirlwind inside .
"I, Hazel Gilbert, vow to be your wife, to uphold my duties as your partner, to rule beside you and beco the mate of your dreams."
The words settled in my heart like a fragile promise.
Caspian smiled, his voice rich and true.
"I, Caspian Salvatore, Beta of the Blue Moon Pack, vow to beco the husband of your dreams, to rule by your side, to fill your life with happiness and joy."
Elder Gina nodded solemnly. "So shall it be, in the na of the Goddess."
She drew a line of cool ointnt across our joined hands, and a wave of chills swept through , deep and strange. My body trembled. But there was no ti to linger — I turned toward Cayden.
The cold grew sharper. My breath caught. His gaze pinned in place, searing through my soul.
Elder Gina whispered the words, but suddenly my voice faltered. My stomach twisted, my head pounding.
"C-Co on, Hazel... you can do this," I whispered to myself.
"I... Hazel Gilbert, vow to protect you and be the mate of your—"
Before I could finish, Cayden lifted his hand in a sharp wave. "That’s enough. I don’t do vows. Let’s get this over with," he said, voice harsh and unyielding.
I stood frozen, heart sinking.
"Any vows for ?" Natasha called sweetly from behind.
Cayden smiled, a cruel twist of his lips. My heart plumted. He moved away from without hesitation, standing before Natasha. The elder’s words repeated coldly from his mouth:
"I, Alpha Cayden, vow to be your legal protector and ensure you bear my children — the future heirs of this pack."
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the hall. I couldn’t move. Selene and her daughters bead with satisfaction; I nearly broke under the weight of sha. How foolish I had been — expecting even a sliver of respect from him. After that night, when he had marked , when his eyes had burned with hunger, when he had touched as if I were the only thing that mattered...
It had all been a lie.
Cayden returned, shoving slightly toward Caspian as though I were dirt beneath his boot. Caspian caught with a gentle hold, entwining our fingers. His smile held a quiet strength, as though he understood the storm brewing inside .
"You may kiss the bride," Elder Gina declared.
Natasha, emboldened, strode toward Cayden. Caspian intercepted her smoothly. "You’re not the bride," he said coolly.
Cayden’s eyes darkened. "You don’t make decisions for , brother." He grabbed Natasha by the waist and kissed her deeply before the entire pack.
A sharp stab twisted in my chest. Tears burned behind my eyes.
Caspian turned gently toward him, his sky-blue eyes soft and unwavering. His hand cupped the side of my neck, pulling close.
"Breathe," he whispered. Then his lips t mine.
Warmth surged through , filling every hollow space I hadn’t known was empty. The kiss was slow, deliberate, reverent. My heart stilled, then soared. The world narrowed to this mont his mouth on mine, the steady strength of his hold, the unexpected tenderness.
As the kiss deepened, heat coiled in my stomach, until my breath ca in short gasps. Caspian broke the kiss reluctantly, cheeks flushed.
The hall buzzed with awe, but beside , the air thickened with a dangerous aura. I turned ....Cayden. His jaw was clenched tight, fists trembling with restraint.
Then sothing sharp pierced through .
An invisible blade. A burning coil in my chest.
"Hazel!" I heard Ariel’s frantic voice.
Selene’s cruel laugh rang out. "See? She can’t handle both marks. She’s dying already."
The room swayed. Caspian caught as my legs gave way, worry etching deep lines in his face.
Pain blossod through my body, heavier, sharper. My vision blurred, faces lted into shadow.
I reached for breath. Couldn’t find it.
And then darkness.
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