Page 12 of Losing My Siren Luna
She looks away, towards the congregation. The music is bellowing a joyous wedding march, but this moment feels any but. Her hand is stiff as I lead her back down the aisle to the waiting room at the end. The pack and attendees are cheering for us, waving ribbons and banners, but her face remains passive and cold.
As the doors close behind us, I try to explain myself.
“Lira, I’m sorry. I-”
SLAP!
“You will not ever touch me again. Don’t even show yourself to me after tonight. I don’t know what that was, but I’m as uninterested in this union as you are.”
I grip my throbbing cheek, but the pain doesn’t compare to the pain in my heart. “Lira, I’m not-”
“I know,” she whispered in a dangerously low voice. “I know what you think of me and this marriage. I know you’re not invested in this, and neither am I. Let’s just bide our time, and annul the moment the terms on the alliance contract are up. I will stay out of your way. You can live your life as before and I will live like the dead, being sure to never cross your path.”
No…..No, no, no.
I reach for her, taking a step in her direction, but then the doors behind me reopen and people begin to pour out to offer us their congratulations.
She sends me one last death glare, then turns towards her handmaid, Niomi, who comes out ahead of the crowd. Niomi is looking between the two of us with concern. Many of the guests are looking at us with concern or confusion, but still offer their commendations. We must have put on quite a show there at the end. Niomi accepts all the praise aimed at Lira, then begs their pardon so she can assist Lira in changing her dress.
Together they walk off down the corridor to change her from her gorgeous wedding gown to the simpler dress for the reception, leaving me to receive all the congratulations on my own. A task I feel unworthy of and sick doing.
“Alpha Lachlan,” Alpha Wayne, her uncle, greeted me with a handshake. “I look forward to hearing good news soon. My men and I have a long journey ahead, and will have to miss your reception. Tell my niece I look forward to hearing from her in the near future.”
This. This right here is why I was so suspicious of Lira. I know now that Wayne was just trying to use her as a pawn, and she really wasn’t in a conspiracy with him. I nodded, not trusting my voice to not show my malice and hatred for the man.
He grunts, then he and his men walk toward the front of the manor to set out on their journey, which I know from before is not to their home, but to the brothels and bars in town. It was quite embarrassing running into him and all his men there last time. Luckily, he thought I had enough of my wedding night with my wife, and had come to town to celebrate more rounds without her. He is that sick of a man who thinks nothing of having multiple partners in one night, and that it was normal to cheat on your wife.
Tonight, we will not come upon that awkward situation. I will be loyal and faithful, even if she remembers and hates me.
Elelira POV
The reception went much the same as the first time. Many of the pack members came to congratulate us as we sat at the head table, but we didn’t speak to each other again.
I was polite, even pasting on a smile at times, but inside I felt numb. I knew what tonight would hold for me, and I thought I was ready, but then he went and kissed me.
What was that? That didn’t happen the first time. It stirred up Val, and it took me so long to get control of her again.
She felt it. Fully. The bond, the sparks. It was….exhilarating. It made me feel alive for a few moments….then reality hit me. As I was walking down the aisle hand-in-hand with Lachlan, the reality of what was to come if I succumbed to my bond felt like it was choking me. Momentary elation would mean nothing by tonight.
Out of anger for my Lycan, fearing what the ugly strands of hope he just fed her would do to her tonight, I slapped him. I slapped Lachlan, and spewed my venomous words all over him, not fearing at all what his reaction would be.
I won’t tolerate it. I won’t tolerate him hurting Val like that.
After changing into a lighter, simpler dress for the reception, I went back down with Mimi and was led over to my seat by Nilo, who told me myhusbandwould be joining me shortly with a snicker.
When Lachlan did show up, he sat quietly beside me, and I continued to sip wine and accept greetings numbly from his pack. We didn’t speak or acknowledge each other again.
There was one difference in the reception. The first dance. I was dreading it, but when Nilo gave a short speech, snickering as he wished us a happy two-year alliance, he didn’t end his speech by welcoming us to our first dance like he did before.
No. This time, by the end of the speech, his eyes glazed momentarily and he started to sweat. He looked nervous as he stared at Lachlan, then finished the speech with “To the bride and groom,” as a toast. That was it.
I wouldn’t have to let Val suffer from his torturous and tempting touch again, so I was grateful.
Lachlan chugged his champagne, then pushed himself from his seat, leaving with the mumbled excuse of needing to speak with his Beta.
I was happy to see him go. With him gone, it was acceptable for me to step out as well, and there was only one place I wanted to be.
Grabbing an open but nearly full wine bottle from the beverage cart, I slipped out of the hall while everyone was distracted with their meals that were starting to be served. The bride and groom were served first, while Nilo was speaking, so no one would notice my absence for a while.
