CHAPTER FIVE

Chapter 5

The next morning, I rose early and washed up. A team of stylists quickly surrounded me, working on my hair and makeup with meticulous care.

Once I changed into the wedding gown and saw the dazzling woman reflected in the mirror, I was struck by a realization — how radiant, how striking I truly was. And yet, I had let myself be dragged into the mud for so long.

Under the lights, my wolf eyes shimmered with a cold gleam. My pride, once buried, had finally returned.

The door swung open. Alexander stepped in, his eyes flashing with stunned admiration as he blurted out,

"Freya… you’re breathtaking."

His wolf ears twitched slightly, and his gaze — hungry and possessive—devoured me, like a predator savoring its soon-to-be-captured prey.

Heidi followed behind, a flicker of jealousy crossing her face before she spoke in a soft, pitiful tone, "My sister had the top makeup artist and such an expensive gown... I really feel ashamed standing next to her."

Her wolf whimpered lowly, but it couldn’t hide the venom gleaming in her eyes.

Alexander, hearing this, immediately pulled Heidi into his arms to comfort her.

"Heidi, don’t feel ashamed. In my heart, you are the most beautiful girl. You’ll be the most stunning mate today."

Then, without hesitation, he called out to the makeup artists,

"Come here! Get Heidi styled immediately."

His wolf tail lifted high, as though declaring his dominance.

He cast a glance at me and added with a chilling tone,

"If any of you dares to mistreat Heidi just because she’s alone—if you purposely make her look ugly—you’ll walk away with nothing today. Heidi will be the most beautiful mate here." The makeup artists exchanged glances, then looked at me. I chuckled lightly and said,

"Go ahead. Do your best. If Alexander’s pleased, he’ll pay you double."

I turned to Alexander, my gaze sharp and steady.

He nodded right away.

"Don’t worry. As long as Heidi looks perfect today, I’ll pay you double."

Excited, the team jumped into action.

After all, these were elite artists I brought from Sylenis, charging $50,000 per appearance. Double that meant $100,000 each — half a million in total. Not an insignificant sum.

Sure enough, once Heidi donned the $300 million diamond-studded gown, she was utterly transformed. She looked like a fae descending from the heavens — shy yet smug, basking in Alexander’s adoration.

He stared at her in awe, grabbing her hand.

"Heidi, I knew it — you are the most beautiful girl. Like a goddess come to earth." He looped his arm around hers, smiling at the corner of his lips.

"Come, my most beautiful mate."

Arm in arm, they strolled outside together. Alexander seemed to have entirely forgotten that I was the one he was supposed to marry today — the official mate, chosen by the Moon Goddess herself.

When we reached the wedding car, Alexander was already seated in the back with Heidi. His wolf looked at her with uncontained excitement. He rolled down the window and said flatly,

"Freya, it’s bad luck for two mates to sit in the same car. Take the one behind us."

And with a snap, he rolled the window up.

I let out a soft laugh and turned to step into the following car.

At the hotel entrance, Alexander stood with Heidi, greeting guests like a proud groom. When he spotted me, his expression immediately turned dark. "Freya, I knew you’d cause trouble today! Why isn’t Heidi’s name on the wedding signage? Are you still trying to sabotage the bond ceremony?"

I walked over calmly and told the emcee to change the board, adding Heidi’s name.

Only then did Alexander’s face ease up. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his eyes caught the golden phoenix hairpin adorning my updo. His expression instantly darkened again.

"Freya, are you trying to outshine Heidi on purpose today? What’s with the phoenix? You think it means you’re nobler than her? That you’re the rightful wife?" Tears welled in Heidi’s eyes. Her wolf looked at me, pitiful and innocent.

"Sister, I know I’m lowly in status. But you don’t need to flaunt like this. You’re only putting Alexander in a difficult spot. People will say he looked down on me, an orphan, for not giving me a phoenix pin of my own."

Her delicate tears struck a chord. Alexander's heart ached. In a flash, he stormed over and tried to yank the pin from my hair.

"Take it off. Give it to Heidi. You’re too old to be this vain."

I quickly covered the pin with my hand, shielding it from him.

This was no ordinary accessory. It was the token Mason had driven hundreds of miles through the night to deliver — a hairpin said to once belong to the empress of the Tang Dynasty. It was a symbol of promise.

Alexander’s face twisted in fury when I resisted. He grabbed a fistful of my wedding gown and threw me to the ground. "Freya, once you marry into the Blackwell family, you obey me. Today, you learn what that means."

He stomped on my back, one hand forcing my head down as he reached again for the pin.

Other things I could let go. But this — this mattered. If that wretched woman wore it, I’d never be able to look at it again. And Mason… he’d be heartbroken.

I fought back, shoving Alexander away, refusing to let him take it.

In the struggle, he grabbed my hair and yanked with all his strength. Searing pain shot across my scalp as strands tore free. Disgusted, he tossed them aside.

When he lunged again, I turned and sank my teeth into his arm.

He cried out, slapped me across the face, then drove his foot into my chest.

The pain was blinding. I clutched my chest and curled on the ground, my wolf howling in rage.

Alexander snatched the hairpin and walked over to Heidi. "This would’ve gone to Heidi sooner if you hadn’t made a scene. You really need to be put in your place."

With nauseating gentleness, he placed the pin in Heidi’s hair.

Guests began to arrive. Seeing me crumpled on the ground, dress torn and face bruised, they rushed over to help me up.

My father’s car pulled up just then. When he saw my disheveled hair and swollen cheek, fury twisted his face and he charged forward.

But I stopped him.

We had planned and prepared for this day for so long. I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip away.

It was time to make sure Alexander would never rise again.

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