Noah.
I was beginning to lose patience with the way Odion kept hesitating instead of answering directly.
Every pause from him only made the unease inside grow worse.
Would it kill him to simply say what happened?
"Odion!" I yelled through the mind link, my voice sharp with frustration as I felt the connection between us strain from the intensity of my emotions.
There was a brief silence again, and then finally, he spoke.
"Lady Sonia is in the room with you," he muttered quietly, to a point I could barely pick the signals.
And when I did, everything inside froze instantly.
For one terrifying second, I couldn’t even breathe properly.
My body reacted before my mind fully processed the words as I imdiately took a step backward, my gaze snapping toward the woman standing in front of .
The thick veil still covered her completely, making it too impossible to see through and her body remained hidden beneath the layers of ceremonial clothing.
I stared harder now, my heartbeat turning cold and uneven.
Then suddenly, sothing clicked in my mind.
She hadn’t spoken—not even once, not throughout any part of this.
A terrible feeling settled heavily inside my chest.
Then if this was Sonia...
Where was Maria?
"Forgive , Alpha Noah," Odion said again through the link, his voice filled with guilt.
But I didn’t let him continue, as I cut off the mind link imdiately, completely.
My chest tightened painfully as though an invisible hand had wrapped around it and squeezed without rcy.
For a second, I could barely breathe properly.
Everything around suddenly felt distant and distorted, like the world had shifted violently beneath my feet.
No.
No, this couldn’t be happening.
The thought repeated over and over inside my head, louder each ti, refusing to settle into reality.
I had just married another woman.
Another woman instead of the one who truly held my heart.
Instead of Maria.
The realization alone made sothing dark twist violently inside , sharp enough to leave feeling physically sick.
How did things even get this far?
How had I stood through the rites without realizing?
My jaw clenched tightly as anger, panic, and disbelief crashed together inside all at once.
No.
’The wedding rites were not fully completed yet.’
That single thought beca the only thing keeping grounded.
There was still ti—still a chance to stop this before it beca irreversible.
I would never acknowledge this marriage.
Never.
My breathing turned heavier as I slowly clenched my fists tighter by my sides until the tension began to ache through my fingers.
Yes.
The na written on the wedding card was Maria, and not Sonia.
Which ant this—this entire thing was a scam. A carefully planned setup, a deception designed to trap before I realized what was happening.
The more I thought about it, the colder my expression beca.
I could still feel the weight of the veil in front of —the silence and the stillness.
And suddenly, everything about it felt wrong.
Without allowing myself another second to think deeper into it, I turned around sharply and headed straight toward the door.
My movents were fast and decisive, driven entirely by instinct and urgency because right now, the only thing that mattered was finding Maria.
Nothing else.
The ceremonial rules echoed imdiately inside my mind as I walked.
As long as the veil remained unopened, the bride—whether real or fake—dared not move from her position.
That was tradition.
That was the rule.
And at this mont, it was the only thing preventing this entire disaster from completely collapsing beyond repair.
So long as that veil stayed in place...this marriage was not complete.
"Search for Lady Moon now!" I yelled at the top of my voice the mont I pushed the door open.
My voice thundered through the hallway, sharp and commanding, shaking the quiet atmosphere that had monts ago felt controlled and orderly.
It echoed harshly, bouncing off the walls as though the building itself was reacting to my anger.
Servants and guards imdiately stiffened at the sound.
Every head turned and every movent froze.
I didn’t care.
I didn’t care what anyone thought about this anymore—not the shocked faces, not the whispers that would inevitably follow.
Not the consequences of my outburst, because one thing was certain...
My bride and wife would only ever be Maria.
No one else.
The thought settled deep inside , burning with a kind of certainty that refused to be shaken.
And then, just as quickly, regret followed, heavy, bitter and unforgiving.
I shouldn’t have just gone to her room last night, I should have opened that door myself instead of assuming everything was fine.
I should have checked on her with my own eyes, regardless of protocol, regardless of whatever formalities I was trying to follow, because she believed it.
Who knew what could have happened in my absence?
Who knew if she had needed help...if she had called out silently while I stayed unaware?
My jaw tightened painfully at the thought, my teeth clenching as frustration built inside my chest.
A dull ache of guilt lingered beneath my anger.
Without hesitation, I signaled sharply toward two guards standing nearby, my hand cutting through the air with urgency.
They reacted instantly.
No questions.
No hesitation.
They rushed into the room and seized Sonia before she could properly react, restraining her arms firmly and securing her position before she had any chance to resist or speak.
I walked back inside slowly afterward, my eyes lingering on her figure again, as though I needed to confirm what I was already seeing for the second ti.
Still there.
Still hidden beneath the veil.
Still dressed like a bride, as though nothing in this world could disturb that fragile illusion she was clinging to.
A sharp wave of disgust twisted inside almost imdiately, tightening in my chest in a way that made my jaw clench.
Since she wanted this marriage so badly...
Then fine.
I would let her experience exactly what she had desperately fought for with all her stubborn insistence.
Without saying another word, I reached up and pulled the red ceremonial robe off my shoulders in one slow, deliberate motion. The fabric slid down with a soft rustle that sounded far louder in the tense silence of the room. I held it out briefly before handing it to one of the guards standing beside .
The guard looked montarily uncertain, as if trying to understand the aning behind my action, but he didn’t question it. He took the robe carefully, almost cautiously, as though it carried more weight than just fabric.
Then I bent slightly and removed the ceremonial shoes as well, one after the other, placing them neatly before stepping back.
The guard hesitated again, just for a brief second, before obeying my silent instruction. He slipped into the robe, adjusting it around his shoulders in an awkward but deliberate attempt to match my posture, my presence, my position.
I watched him coldly the entire ti.
Expression unreadable.
When he finally straightened, I observed how the robe sat on him, how the illusion could hold from a distance. With the veil still covering Sonia’s face, it was more than enough to complete the deception. Anyone looking in too quickly, too carelessly, would believe what they were ant to believe.
Perfect.
Almost too perfect.
I slowly cleared my throat, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the room like dust, before turning my gaze toward the other guard.
"Release her," I ordered calmly.
My voice carried no emotion. No hesitation. No softness.
Just authority.
The mont her restraints were loosened, I noticed the imdiate change in her posture. It was subtle at first—barely noticeable—but then it beca clearer as her shoulders shifted and her weight settled back onto her feet.
She relaxed completely.
Almost as though a burden she had been holding onto for too long had finally been lifted.
A bitter scoff almost escaped at the sight, but I swallowed it back down.
"Sonia, I know it’s you..." I said slowly, my voice dangerously calm now, each word asured as I signaled with my eyes for the guard wearing the robe to step forward.
The air in the room felt heavier at that mont, tighter, as though even the silence was waiting to see what would happen next.
"But I have no choice..." I continued coldly, my gaze still fixed on her veiled figure. "It’s for the best."
Then I gave another small, controlled signal.
The guard moved, slowly and carefully.
His hand lifted toward the veil, fingers pausing just slightly before making contact, as though even he understood the weight of what was about to be revealed.
The entire room felt painfully still now—so still it almost pressed against the skin.
And then, the very mont the veil was lifted...
Sonia jumped up excitedly.
"I won! We are now husband and—"
Her words stopped abruptly.
Completely.
The excitent vanished from her face instantly the mont she realized the person standing before her was not .
Her expression shattered in real ti.
And honestly, I laughed coldly without sympathy.
"Congratulations, Sonia," I said with irritation laced heavily in my voice. "He is your husband."
The color drained completely from her face.
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