Tessa’s POV

The wedding dress clung to my body so tightly that I could barely breathe. I stared at myself in the mirror, clad in white from head to toe. The corset was beautifully styled and so was every other part of the dress.

I dusted off the gown and smiled so widely that my cheeks hurt.

The stylist smiled back at me in the mirror.

“He must really make you happy, doesn't he?” she said and I couldn't help but blush as I twiddled with my thumbs.

“He is the best ever. I love him.”

I said those words and I meant them, I had never been so sure of anything in my life.

She patted my shoulder and we giggled together, teasing me more than often.

It was going to be a perfect day. Except for one thing.

My father was against this marriage.

I wanted him to be happy for me. To gush about how his daughter was getting married, to cry like all fathers did when giving their daughters away but instead, he frowned when I told him.

“I don’t approve.” Those sharp words stung that day, but I chose to defy my father. I would marry Kael.

I still remember the first day I saw him as it was still fresh in my mind.

I was running in the woods, branches tearing at my arms. The rogues behind me were already so close and I knew I couldn't outrun them.

Till I tripped and almost fell ungracefully but someone stretched out his hand and caught me.

It was Kael. I remembered how my heart began to race at how handsome he looked. Then his lips parted as he told me his name.

“Tessa.”

The familiar voice of Laura, my only cousin and closest friend, drifted from outside the door. She was more like a sister than anything else, the one person who had been with me through almost everything. From heartbreak and tear-filled nights to my days filled with utmost joy.

She poked her head through the door.

“It’s time,” she said, her tone teasing as she winked at me

I took in a deep breath, smoothed the front of my gown, and stepped out, ready to face the day I thought would be perfect.

*

“Do you, Kael, take Tessa Blackwood to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The man asked Kael.

He looked at me, smiled and took my hand in his, kissing it before replying.

“I do.”

I felt myself tear up as I returned his smile.

Mother was already dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. And there, my brothers, Alexander, Damien, Gabriel and Julian. Each of them caught my eye in turn.

Alexander gave me a small smirk, Damien’s smile was softer, mouthing that I was doing fine and Gabriel, the youngest of the three, looked like he was fighting back tears already.

My heart swelled, turning back to the priest as he opened his mouth to speak.

“And do you? Tessa, take Kael as your lawfully wedded husband?”

I looked at him for a second, taking in his handsome face, which was pulled into a knowing smirk before chuckling and answering.

“I do.”

"With the power vested in me by the goddess, I now pronounce you, married.” The priest said and the whole hall erupted into cheers.

Just then, a glass shattered to the ground, and the hall fell into silence as everyone turned their head to the noise.

"Father!” I screamed, as I saw my father on the floor, unmoving.

Julian lurched forward, coughing blood, collapsing beside him.

Mother's wails drew everyone's attention, her eyes full of tears as she fell to her knees, shaking my father and begging him to stop if he was playing a prank.

But then she suddenly paused and her hand flew to her mouth. Her eyes were wide in panic as she coughed and blood filled her palms. Her eyes found mine and she parted her lips slightly as if already accepting her fate.

“I’m sorry, Tessa.”

I read her lips and then she fell.

I watched in horror, my feet frozen to the ground, as Alexander, Damien, and Gabriel began to cough loudly before facing the same fate. The glasses of wine in each of their hands shattered, breaking the silence.

I didn’t know how or when my feet carried me to their side, putting them on my lap and crying my eyes out as I called their names.

“Father, father what’s wrong. Please answer me. It’s your baby's wedding. Please don’t do this to me.” I yelled but he didn’t respond. His pulse was gone.

Whispers and murmurs flew across the room as everyone looked around in confusion.

The guards rushed forward to help check for the pulses of my brothers, but they got nothing.

“This can’t be. No… no… no.” I muttered over and over under my breath.

My hands shook violently as I cradled them to my body, refusing to allow anyone else to touch them till Kael spoke.

“Oh no. What the hell is going on with my in-laws?” he said mockingly before bending over and slapping his knee while laughing. He didn’t look like the man I knew.

“Well. Well. I guess it was really strong wasn’t it?” Kael drawled, stepping down from the Altar.

“I have successfully claimed the Blackwood pack!” he yelled, his eyes gleaming with joy as he spread his arms and laughed.

I didn’t understand. What was he going on about?

“Kael, what are you saying?” I sniffled, tears and snot all over my face.

Then, Laura walked to his side and wrapped her hands around him, smirking at me.

Kael maintained eye contact with me as he brought his lips down to hers and kissed her passionately in front of everyone.

My head was blank and I still couldn’t think straight or believe what I was seeing. It was all a joke right? Kael didn’t mean what he just did… Right?

With a smack of the lips, Laura pulled away from Kael and smiled cunningly at me while holding his head in her hands. “We did it, baby,” she gushed.

She walked majestically over to me and then knelt down to my level.

“You always had it all… now look at you. You have nothing. Did you really think we’d let you keep it all?” she spat with disgust.

“Your father's love, your brothers doting on you. Your wolf-less self deserved none of those things you had.”

I coughed out blood and looked down at my stomach to see that she had stabbed me with one of the broken glasses on the ground.

She stared at me head-on as she twisted the broken shard deeper into my belly.

“Y—you will regret this,” I said through gritted teeth but she just narrowed her eyes to slits as her eyes grew darker.

“I don't think so.”

Just then, the doors slammed open and someone walked in.

Laura stood up from her kneeling position and went back to Kael. I was on the floor, bleeding, with my family around me.

Immediately, he stepped in, and my eyes found his.

Aiden Voss.

The illegitimate bastard and Kael’s half brother.

His golden-dark eyes glowed with danger and even in my injured state, fear filled me.

No one dared to move an inch.

His eyes looked around me, seeing the lifeless bodies of my family and all he could muster was a frown.

“Welcome. I thought you’d never come to see the show.” Kael said, haughtily.

My vision began to blur as Aiden said something I couldn’t make out anymore.

Oh.

Was this all his fault.

Aiden mauling wolves at the border flashed in my mind. I’d seen him in his cursed form once and ever since then I hated him. The look on his face was stained in blood as his eyes glowed with bloodlust.

He did this…

That was it.

He had manipulated his brother into doing this. Because there was no way Kael would have done this to me. He loves me, or did he?

Yet it was all his fault.

All his fault.

All HIS FAULT!

My body began to get hot with anger. I was just going to leave this world while my family’s murderers moved around in freedom?

And Laura?

I looked at her then at Aiden one last time and from the look in their eyes, I could tell.

Most especially, Aiden’s.

He had known.

He killed my family.

He let it all happen

Darkness surrounded me and the last thing I heard was Kael’s wicked laughter ringing in my head.

*

A gasp tore through me as I opened my eyes. Sheets were tangled around my legs and sweat clung to my skin.

My chest heaved as I clutched the sheets, taking as much air as I could into my lungs.

Didn’t I just die?