Chapter 8 The Final Betrayal

But his voice remained cold. "The past is gone. Cherish your life, Princess."

He summoned servants to care for me, then walked away without looking back. I watched him go, clutching the ruined tassel. His oath was just childish babble to him. My devotion, worthless superstition. Between us, it was truly over.

Three days later, the day of the Mate bonding ceremony. I awoke in a cramped servant's room, burning with fever. After my breakdown, they had moved me to this corner.

"Princess, you're finally awake." The maid's voice dripped with contempt, all respect long gone. "Today is General Kaelen and the Iron-claw Princess's sacred bonding day. Best you stay here. Don't shame yourself further."

This lowly maid dared speak to me like she was the mistress. After she left, I saw a magnificent robe laid on the bed—the one my mother had sewn by hand for my wedding to Kaelen.

"Remember, even after marrying into Kaelen's family, this will always be your true home. No matter what happens, you belong to this land." My mother's words echoed in my ears like a curse as I put on the robe.

I used cosmetics to hide the dark circles under my eyes, making myself look like a princess one last time. Deep crimson silk robe, exquisite ornaments. The reflection in the mirror almost resembled the naive girl I once was. I walked through every inch of the territory. Decorations celebrating the grand event were everywhere. The entire pack reveled for Kaelen's union. Horns blared, announcing the groom's arrival. Kaelen rode a pure white warhorse, clad in white robes, handsome as a god descended. I had dreamed of this moment countless times. Now, I could only watch from the battlements as he rode to claim another woman.

I climbed higher, letting the cold wind whip my robe. Marcus's words echoed: "I would rather you had died there than return alive to disgrace us all."

Then Selene's icy voice: "How dare you still live?"

Countless wolves' stares, the torn tassel...

Everything I protected, every life I saved with my body and dignity, now wished I would vanish from the world. I looked down at Kaelen on the white horse below. So handsome. So unreachable.

"You marry another today." I smiled through tears. "What a perfect ending." I stepped to the cliff's edge, my white robe blooming against the sky.

"Receive the bride—!" Below, the priest's voice boomed across the territory.

Kaelen urged his horse through the gates. Behind him, a thunderous impact tore the sky. He whipped around. A white figure plummeted like a fallen angel. Blood bloomed on the snow, beautiful as scattered petals. Kaelen's eyes widened, shock stripping all expression from his face. He desperately wheeled his horse around. Wolves surged like a tide towards the impact site. But the ceremonial music played on.

"General Kaelen! You must receive the bride!" The priest's voice cut through the chaos.

Kaelen gripped the reins, torn between duty and something else. Wolves crowded the pool of blood; he couldn't see within.

"Receive the bride—!"

He released the reins, turning towards Lydia waiting in her carriage. As he took her hand, the resplendent bride in her magnificent gown, the celebratory music swelled to its peak. Yet the joy felt hollow, false.

As the procession passed the bloody scene, whispers rose from the wolves gathered there: "Poor princess, choosing today of all days..."

"Jealous of the Iron-claw Princess's beauty, probably."

"Madness, jumping in her wedding robes."

Kaelen clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to look back.