“You look beautiful, Lana. You're the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen,” Raya smiled as she walked in on her sister all dressed up.
“Thank you. I wish Mum were here today of all days,” Lana’s eyes looked sad now.
Raya walked over to the vanity set and leaned on her sister. “I promise she's watching over us.” She said in a subtle tone.
Unlike Raya, Lana was their mother Regina’s carbon copy. While she was by her father's side, running the family farm as one of the strong wolves in the pack, Raya was just a lowly Omega who no one paid attention to.
“Now let's go. You don't want to keep your Alpha Prince waiting.”
“I'll be right there,” Lana replied to her sister, who walked out of the room.
It was her wedding day. She was getting married to the love of her life, Arian, the alpha prince. They were not fated mates but had fallen in love at first sight.
Both her father and the Alpha King were close friends. And when they discovered that their children were deeply in love, they decided to merge their families.
The union was going to be beneficial to the Alpha King because her father, Gerard, was the largest farmer in the Kingdom. And of course, she would also be the next Luna.
Lana placed her hand on her gorgeous necklace. It was a gift that Luna Laura sent to her this morning. She got up, ready to meet everyone at the reception, when she felt a striking pain in her chest.
Just a few feet away from her sister's room, Raya forgot why she had gone there in the first place. She turned back on her steps.
“Lana! Can I please borrow your silver earrings…” Raya froze at the sight of the bride lying cold on the bedroom floor.
“If you are trying to mess with me, it isn't going to work, Lana,” Raya said with a little bit of hope in her eyes. Her voice was shaking.
She lowered herself to the ground where her sister lay.
“Lana! Lana, are you okay?”
“Lana, wake up! Everyone is out there waiting for you. It's your wedding day.”
Raya’s eyes welled up as she placed two fingers on Lana’s neck and wrist.
That was when she realized this was no joke.
“HELP!”
***
“No, Father! This isn't right.”
“Since when did you know what was right and wrong, Raya,” Gerard gripped his daughter's hand firmly.
“Now, you will do as you are told, young lady.”
“Lana was supposed to be the bride's father, not me. Your daughter just died, and now you want to marry off the second one in a heartbeat.”
Raya challenged her father.
“Do not rub salt in fresh wounds, Raya!” Gerard scolded.
“This wedding must go on. Both our families would not be put to shame. Today is an auspicious day for this marriage.”
“And the bride is dead!” Raya shot back, her blue eyes holding her father's cold gaze.
“You are her sister,” Gerard responded. The tension in the tiny hallway grew.
“What does Arian have to say about all of this, Father? He loves Lana with all his heart. Why would you want to put me in that situation? A lowly omega like me.”
“Arian understands, and so should you.”
Gerard bowed his head, knowing fully well what he was putting his daughter into.
“Now, do not waste any more time. Remember, we need to bury your sister after the ceremony.”
Those were his last words before storming down the hallway.
Crying her eyes out didn't change anything. In her rumpled and unflattering dress, Raya walked to the wedding ground.
Everyone was still seated, like they had no clue what had just happened to Lana.
Her eyes trailed on the red carpet to the altar till they met a man's dark cloudy gaze.
She knew that look. His stomach nutted twice. Arian's green eyes filled with sadness, rage, and disappointment. She was so scared at this point.
The music came on. Her father nodded towards her. She spotted Alpha King Rue and Luna Laura.
Where these people are serious about this whole thing. She got her answers merely by looking at their expressions.
Raya slowly pulled herself to the altar. It was with the help of the gods that she wasn't wailing by now.
She stood next to Arian who had a rigid expression on his face.
The priest was ready with his handbook, to do what he was asked to.
“We are gathered here…” he started.
But Raya couldn't care less what he was chanting.
“Will the bride and groom exchange wristbands?” The priest asked, pointing towards the gold bands on the table.
Arian's hesitation said it all. Lana had gone on and on about how beautiful their wedding bands were. She remembered her sister saying it was all she had ever dreamed of.
Just when he reached for her hand to put it, the mark appeared.
This can't be happening. What did the elders say about finding your mate at the age of 18? 20-year-old Omega Raya stood there in front of her mate.
Arian's eyes widened. Other than being his wedding day, this day had a lot in store for him. This lowly omega was his mate.
He and Lana, the love of his life, were never fated mates in the first place, but they had decided to give up their fated mates because of their love.
Getting married to her invisible little sister was never the plan, but he had a duty according to his father.
“Fated mates, destined by the moon goddess. This marriage is indeed blessed.”
The whole crowd went crazy.
Raya put the wristband on Arian. He didn't even flinch at her touch.
“Do you take Prince Arian to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
How could one question have a series of answers? Raya looked over to her father. His stern gaze pierced through her.
“I do.”
“And do you take Raya to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I do.” Arian quickly replied. He couldn't be more uninterested in this wedding.
This was the first time he said anything since she stepped on the altar. Now she wished deep in her heart that he saw how beautiful his first bride was.
Maybe in another life.
“This union is blessed.”
And even before the priest could end the statement, Arian stormed off away from everyone.
Raya's eyes welled up. What a wedding indeed.