Page 6 of Alpha Bride

I let Marian lead me back to the stage, my heart pounding so hard in my chest that I’m sure everyone can hear it. The crowd naturally seems to part for Marian, and we reach the stage far quicker than I was able to retreat from it. I linger back with Ava and Sarah, deliberately avoiding eye contact with anyone else. Marian heads over to talk to Callum and Aiden, but I stillcan’t see Tristen. Seconds seem to turn to minutes, and then the waiting just becomes painful. My skin feels like it’s being flayed under the scrutiny of the crowd.

After what feels like forever, Marian claps her hands, causing a hush to descend over the clearing. “It is decided,” she declares. “The ceremony will begin.”

My legs feel numb as I take the steps with Ava, who then goes to stand by Callum’s side. I don’t miss the look of apprehension that lingers behind her encouraging smile, but I don’t have long to wonder what she’s thinking before my heart almost gives out as Tristen climbs back onto the stage. I'd be sorely mistaken if I were hoping for any kind of encouragement from him. His expression is thunderous.

I take a deep breath as he approaches, forcing myself to lock eyes with him. He’s just as imposing as ever. It’s hard to look away. His golden eyes glint in the moonlight, muscles tensing beneath his shirt. All I feel is the onslaught of memories as he towers over me. His rejection still stings as much as it did that night. It shouldn’t. It was such a brief encounter, but it still weighs me down, no matter how much I try to overcome it.

He stops directly in front of me, and Marian stands with their healer next to us. They instruct him to take my hand, and he does, but there's no warmth in his touch. Despite that, I still feel the flicker of what was between us. I think he feels it, too, because his eyes suddenly snap to mine, almost causing me to stumble back. But it’s not reverence or desire in his eyes now. It’s pure malice.

The bond ritual begins awkwardly, his fingers barely brushing mine as he traces the pattern on my skin with cool fingertips. It feels like he’s going through the motions instead of bonding us together, and I can’t help but shiver under the harshwind that whips through the clearing. The trees creak as if they are just as unsettled by this union. Tristen doesn't even meet my gaze. Instead, his focus is entirely on the process.

I try to concentrate on what I know about the ceremony from watching others over the years. There's supposed to be a kiss at some point—a symbolic joining of mates for all to see—but there's nothing about this that is normal. This isn't how it should be.

Finally, the moment comes when he traces the last mark and leans in close to my ear. His warm breath sends shivers down my spine as he whispers, "You're mine now, aren’t you?"

It's not a promise or a claim of love; it feels more like a threat. It makes me want to run away, but there's nowhere to go—not with the eyes of the entire crowd fixed on us.

He pulls back abruptly, breaking the contact between us before stepping away without even bothering to look at me. My heart feels like it's been ripped from my chest as I watch him casually walk back to his brothers. The new bond between us sizzles with tension, but that’s the only thing connecting us. I can feel a cold chasm growing between us, separating us further with every passing second.

I try to push past my fears as Marian announces, “The mating ceremony is complete.” The crowd murmurs with anticipation. As far as spectacles go, I’m sure a lackluster ceremony between a witch and an alpha will be remembered for a long time to come.

I keep my head high as Ava approaches to give me another hug, whispering in my ear, “Whatever his problem is, let me know if you need Callum’s or my help. It will be okay.”

I refuse to let Tristen see that I’m affected by any of this, so I keep my head held high as I return her embrace. “I will be fine,” I tell her, my voice far stronger than I feel.

Various groups break away from the crowd, and discussions and plans are made for both defense and offense, where Malik is concerned. I feel almost cut adrift, left on the stage as everyone talks around me. The sun seems to have disappeared behind the clouds suddenly, and a cold wind whips around me.

I look around just as Tristen strides toward me, his expression unreadable. “I’ve been told to take you back to the pack. My beta will stay for the rest,” he says. “Yoursisterswill send your things later. Come on.”

Without waiting for a response, he walks off, and I’m left to trail after him toward his truck. Thank goodness Aiden held the council meeting close to Tristen’s border, because the drive is excruciating and would have been so much worse had it gone on any longer.

We drive through the town. I’ve been here before, but never thought I’d one day have to live here. It’s cute. It's a small mountain town with a main square that has some benches and lawns, and a large general store, cafe, and bakery. Tristen doesn’t seem to notice or care about our surroundings or me as he drives in complete silence, his jaw set as he stares straight ahead.

The alpha house is set just off the main square; I’ve only seen it from a distance before, as I made a point of avoiding being anywhere near Tristen on the few occasions I had to come here. The cabin is admittedly beautiful, a perfect blend of modern and traditional, with a wooden exterior that has beenstained a deep brown to match the tree line, and steel-framed windows that reflect the sun.

Inside, it's just as impressive. The floors are made from dark wood, the walls are painted neutral off-white, and the minimal Scandinavian decor gives it an airy feel. I notice straight away there are no personal items anywhere; it feels like I've stepped into a magazine spread rather than a single man’s house.

After a half-hearted, brief tour, Tristen points down one of the halls. “That’s my room and office down there, " he tells me, leading me in the opposite direction and pushing open a door.

“And this is where you'll be staying," he says as I walk into the sparsely furnished room.

Under normal circumstances, I’d think the room felt quite calming, almost like a hotel room, with a queen-sized bed, a nightstand with a single lamp on it, and a small dresser in the corner. A large window looks out over the wilderness beyond the pack lands—the view is beautiful, but also isolating. Just like Tristen himself, really.

I sit down on the edge of the bed and take a deep breath to steady myself. This is my new life now—a life I never wanted or asked for.

Tristen hovers by the door for a moment before letting out a breath. “I’m going for a run,” he finally says. “Don’t touch anything you don’t have to. No spells. I have cameras.”

I shouldn’t be stunned by his words, but I am. I’m not sure he cares, though, because he simply shuts the door on me. I listen to his footsteps receding down the hall before I finally allow myself to break down. Away from Marian and my coven’s disapproval, away from Tristen and his coldness, I allow myself to take a moment and let out all the emotion that threatens todrown me. And then I’ll put it all back in the box I keep locked away in my mind, and I’ll prove to Tristen and everyone else that nothing and no one can hurt me.

Chapter 3 - Tristen

“So, dare I ask?” Ryan begins. “How’re things going with your new mate?”

I know he’s just trying to get a reaction from me; he’s asked me the same question almost every day for two weeks now.

“She seems fine to me,” I reply, deliberately keeping my voice neutral, not to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much all this is driving me crazy. “I haven’t seen her much, but she’s worked with the witches on some of theirdemands,and I’ve okayed a couple of new initiatives. The union appears to have quelled the dissent.”

Ryan chuckles, “Well, it’s a good thing they didn’t down tools…or, rather, runes,” he says, looking out over the section of forest where we discovered a rogue base. We’re out here fortifying the area with a new batch of the runes. “You must be keeping her happy.”

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