Chapter 2

He froze for a second, then burst into a condescending laugh.

"Replace the groom? With whom? Do you think you're in a movie?"

"Everyone in the werewolf world knows you belong to me."

"Of course... if you actually have the guts to find someone who dares to marry you, I wouldn't mind letting you go."

He opened the car door and threw back one last, dismissive remark.

"Stop throwing tantrums, babe. Just wait for me to get back. I know what I'm doing with the girl on the side, okay?"

The groomsmen behind him exchanged uneasy glances.

Brian Clarke took a few steps after him. "Lucas, are you seriously leaving..."

"Just handle things for now. I'll be back."

Lucas closed the car door, his voice laced with impatience. "That little girl is too hard to handle. I don't want any trouble."

The car started and sped away.

I stood there, the wind whipping my veil.

The photographer stood awkwardly nearby, camera still in hand.

No one spoke.

I looked down at my bare left ring finger and slowly smiled.

Go ahead, Lucas.

Go mark your mistress.

As for this multi-million dollar ceremony... I'll gladly take it.

I lifted my skirts and walked into the grand hall.

The guests were already seated, and the wedding march was playing.

Everything was perfect, except for the missing groom.

Brian Clarke rushed over with a forced smile.

"Elena, Lucas has an emergency. He'll be right back. Just sit tight for a bit."

Another groomsman, Jason Miller, chimed in, "Yeah, exactly. Lucas always knows what he's doing. It's your big day, he'll definitely make it."

"Right, right. Lucas never screws up important things."

They rambled on, trying to make the groom's sudden escape sound like a quick trip to grab a package.

I looked at the clock at the front of the hall. It was 10:40 AM.

"Sure, I'll wait for him."

I dismissed them calmly.

Brian Clarke let out a visible sigh of relief and immediately ordered someone to bring me water.

I would wait.

But as for *who* I was waiting for, that was none of their business.

This ceremony had been hyped up for three months.

Most of the groom's prominent relatives were present.

I looked around, taking in every detail.

The cascading white roses by the French windows, the crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling...

Even the font on the guest name cards had been custom-designed by his order.

Lucas was a perfectionist in everything he did.

He was like this when he pursued me, and he was like this with the wedding.

He had turned this ceremony into the talk of the werewolf kingdom, making it the dream wedding of every female wolf...

Yet, he was just as extreme when it came to cheating.

No hesitation, no explanations.

In his mind, treating someone well and hurting them were never contradictory.

And I only had one option: to accept it.

In the dressing room, my best friend, Hailey Hart, helped me hold my train, her face twisted in rage.

"Is Lucas insane? Marking another woman on his wedding day? Did he lose his mind?"

She sat down angrily, tugging at her bridesmaid dress.

"I thought he was just talking trash... but of all days, he chose today?"

Her voice burned with frustration on my behalf.

"When you two were planning this wedding, he searched every florist in the city just for your bouquet. When you tried on your dress, he teared up faster than you did."

"I was so jealous of you back then. I even beat up my own useless boyfriend for not being romantic!"

She paused, her voice dropping. "Who would've thought he'd turn around and do something like this?"