Lyra's POV
Alpha Kaelen's voice sliced through the morning air like a blade. The sharp command made every guest freeze in their seats, fear rippling through both packs gathered on the lawn.
The wedding should have started fifteen minutes ago. My sister Daphne was nowhere to be seen.
Neither was Cyrus, my mate. He was supposed to help coordinate everything, make sure the ceremony ran without a hitch. But I had only spotted him briefly near the parking area before he vanished completely. My texts went unanswered, and the sick feeling in my stomach grew worse by the minute.
"Miss Sinclair."
I spun around so fast I nearly knocked over a flower arrangement. Alpha Kaelen stood just feet away, and I hadn't heard his approach. His dark suit was immaculate, but the muscle jumping in his jaw told me he was barely holding back his rage.
"Have you seen your sister?"
"She's probably just putting on final touches. You know how brides can be..." My voice faded as his expression darkened.
"The ceremony was scheduled for nine sharp." He checked his watch with sharp, agitated movements. "It's nearly nine twenty."
My throat went dry. The dangerous edge in his tone made my skin crawl with warning. "I'll find her right away."
I didn't wait for permission. Grabbing my skirts, I ran toward the house as fast as I could manage.
"Daphne! You're late! Everyone's waiting!" I shouted the moment I burst through the front door.
Silence greeted me.
I rushed to Daphne's bedroom without bothering to knock. "Thank goddess, you need to hurry before Alpha Kaelen—"
The room was empty except for my stepmother Helena. She stood against the wall like a broken doll, her face drained of all color. Her hands shook as she held a piece of paper.
I closed the door behind me with my heart hammering.
"Where's Daphne?"
Helena held out the paper wordlessly.
I recognized my sister's handwriting immediately. Those oversized loops, the way she always dotted her i's with little circles.
Dear Mother and Father,
I'm gone by the time you read this. Cyrus and I left together because I can't marry someone I don't love. My heart belongs to him, and we've been planning our escape for weeks. I know this will cause trouble, but I refuse to live a lie. We're going somewhere far away where no one can find us. I'm sorry, but I had to choose love over duty.
Love, Daphne
I read it twice because the words refused to make sense. They couldn't mean what I thought they meant.
But Daphne's wedding gown hung untouched on the door, price tags still attached because she'd been too superstitious to remove them. Her shoes sat beneath it with tissue paper still stuffed inside. Her makeup bag remained sealed, and her jewelry box was closed tight.
My fingers dialed Cyrus's number before I realized what I was doing.
"Lyra." His voice came through after several rings.
The way he said my name cut through me like glass. He sounded guilty, defeated, like he already knew why I was calling.
"Please tell me you're not with her," I whispered, tears burning my eyes. "Please tell me this is some sick joke."
Silence stretched between us.
"Cyrus! Tell me my sister didn't run away with you on her wedding day!"
"I'm sorry." His voice was soft, which somehow made everything worse. "I never wanted to hurt you."
The world tilted sideways. I grabbed the nearest chair to keep from falling, my nails digging into the fabric.
"How could you do this? Today of all days? What about us? What about our bond?"
"There is no us anymore, Lyra."
The words hit me like a physical blow. "What are you saying?"
"I'm rejecting you. I'm severing the mate bond. Daphne and I... this is real. This is what I've always wanted."
Agony exploded through my chest, white-hot pain spreading through every nerve ending. The mate bond stretched between us like a wire pulled too tight, then snapped with an almost audible crack. I gasped and doubled over, pressing my hand against my chest as if I could hold the pieces together.
"The pack," I managed through gritted teeth. "Alpha Kaelen will—"
"I'm just a sentinel. My life is mine to live."
"You selfish bastard! He's going to slaughter everyone! Do you understand what you've done?"
"We're already hours away. Don't try to find us, Lyra. I mean it."
The line went dead.
I stared at my phone, waiting for it to ring again, for him to tell me this was all a nightmare. It stayed silent.
"Lyra." Helena's voice sounded hollow and distant. "Look outside."
I stumbled to the window, still clutching my phone. The guests were abandoning their seats, clustering together in worried groups. The Ironfang wolves had pulled away from the ceremony space, forming tight circles with their heads bent in conference. Our pack members looked small and vulnerable among them, like prey surrounded by predators. Alpha Kaelen stood near the altar speaking with his warriors, his shoulders rigid with barely contained fury.
"When he realizes what she's done..." Helena's voice cracked. "Lyra, when he finds out..."
"We'll explain everything," I said desperately. "We'll tell him we had no idea, that we would never allow such disrespect—"
"Explain?" She laughed bitterly. "His pack traveled all this way. They brought contracts, agreements, ceremonial gifts. And we're supposed to explain that the bride ran off with one of our own sentinels? That we let this happen under our own roof?"
"There has to be something—"
"They'll execute your father for breach of contract. It's pack law, Lyra. The Alpha bears responsibility for his family's dishonor. The penalty for breaking a marriage alliance is death."
The words hit me like ice water. "Father didn't know anything about this!"
"You think they care? Daphne just humiliated Alpha Kaelen in front of two entire packs. There are children here, Lyra. Little Sophie just turned six. Liam's twins are barely walking. When the Ironfang wolves decide we've insulted them beyond forgiveness, what do you think happens to those babies?"
I couldn't breathe. The room felt like it was shrinking around me.
"We have to warn Father. Maybe he can negotiate, offer compensation—"
"Tell him what? That his daughter destroyed everything he's built? That he should write goodbye letters?" Helena moved to the wedding dress and lifted it with trembling hands. "We have to fix this before it's too late."
My blood turned to ice. "What are you doing?"
"You're the same size as Daphne. Same height, same build."
"That's insane! You can't possibly think—"
"You could walk down that aisle right now. Finish the ceremony. The veil is thick enough to hide your face until it's too late for them to back out without losing face."
"Alpha Kaelen knows what Daphne looks like!"
"They've only met a few times, always with chaperones. He doesn't know her well enough to tell the difference." She grabbed the veil and shook it out. The heavy lace would obscure most of someone's face. "Lyra, please. Your father will die. I will die. Every person in this pack will be murdered because your sister chose some boy over all of us. Your father raised you, protected you, gave you everything. Won't you do this one thing to save him?"
"This will never work—"
Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway, stopping right outside our door. A sharp knock rang out.
"Mrs. Sinclair?" Alpha Kaelen's voice carried through the wood, and patience had completely left his tone. "I need to see my bride. Now."
Helena thrust the veil toward me, her hands shaking so violently the lace trembled. "Please, Lyra," she whispered frantically. "Think about the children. Could you really let little Sophie die because you wouldn't put on a dress?"
I stared at the veil in her trembling hands, then at Daphne's abandoned gown, then back at Helena's tear-streaked, desperate face.
"Put it on me," I whispered.