Chapter 185: The ceremony
It was rare to see Eloise genuinely dumbfounded, but this was one of those rare moments. Her lips parted as though a response was already forming, only for them to close again when nothing came. No one had ever questioned her position beside the Ravencourt brothers so openly, much less in front of them. Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress while she searched each face for support, but none came.
A small smile curled at the corner of Yuki’s lips. She didn’t gloat. She simply looked away and settled into her seat as though the exchange had never happened. Turning towards Declan, she gestured towards the cathedral’s decorations.
"The flowers are beautiful," she remarked casually, deliberately shifting the conversation as though Eloise and the brothers weren’t sitting only a few feet away.
Declan’s lips curved into a subtle smile. "They are, although I think the dome has them beaten." His silver eyes wandered briefly towards the entrance before returning to her. "I’ve never seen this many moon lilies gathered in one place. Only Alpha Alexander could get his hands on that many."
Yuki glanced towards the pale flowers lining the cathedral. "You’ve never seen a moon lily before?" she gasped.
Declan shook his head. "Not until tonight. Before this, I assumed they were nothing more than an old myth."
Yuki’s brows lifted. "Really? I thought an Alpha like you would have seen one somewhere."
"Silverthorne has plenty of rare plants," he replied with a quiet laugh, "but moon lilies aren’t among them."
Something about his answer made Yuki pause. A thought suddenly surfaced, and she turned towards him. "By chance, do you know anything about Lunaria?"
The smile on Declan’s face faded almost imperceptibly.
"Lunaria?" he repeated. "The northern Lycan kingdom." Something flickered behind his silver eyes. It disappeared almost immediately, but Yuki noticed the change.
"There isn’t much reliable information about Lunaria," he answered carefully. "Most of what exists is contradictory. As far as I know, it’s a deserted kingdom."
Yuki frowned slightly. "That’s all you know?" she asked.
Declan gave a small shrug. "That’s all anyone seems to know."
Before Yuki could ask another question, the sound system crackled overhead.
"May I have everyone’s attention, please?" The murmur of the cathedral gradually faded as the master of ceremonies stepped towards the centre aisle.
"We are only a few minutes away from midnight. I kindly ask all guests to take their seats. The ceremony will begin shortly."
Yuki’s attention shifted towards the crowd. Most of the guests were already seated. Familiar faces stood out among the sea of nobles and pack leaders. Xavier was present, speaking quietly with someone near the front, while Estelle sat several rows away. Yuki’s eyes lingered on her. She hadn’t expected her to come.
After everything that had happened, she had genuinely believed Estelle would stay away from the wedding. Yet there she was, dressed elegantly and sitting among the invited guests as though tonight were simply another royal occasion.
A sudden hush fell over the cathedral. The massive doors at the far end opened. Everyone rose. Alexander stepped through. Yuki’s eyes widened slightly. The Alpha King wore immaculate white ceremonial robes embroidered with gold, the long fabric sweeping behind him with every measured step.
His dark hair was perfectly styled, and the sharp lines of his face seemed even more striking beneath the cathedral lights. Age hadn’t diminished Alexander’s appearance. If anything, it had refined it, giving him the kind of commanding beauty that made it difficult to look away.
A few paces behind him walked Reed, his Gamma and best man for the evening. Reed was several inches taller than Alexander, dressed in the official Gamma robes of Ravencourt, his posture straight and his expression solemn as he followed his king down the aisle.
The cathedral remained completely silent. Every head turned towards Alexander. He walked with the confidence of a man who had spent his entire life knowing exactly where he belonged. His footsteps echoed against the polished floor as he approached the altar.
But Estelle wasn’t looking at the altar. She was looking at him. Her eyes followed every step he took, her fingers slowly tightening around the fabric resting in her lap. For a moment, the years between them seemed to disappear. Their eyes met across the cathedral.
Estelle’s breath caught. Her eyes immediately filled with red as the wolf beneath her skin stirred, emotions she had spent years burying clawing their way back to the surface. Alexander’s gaze paused on her for barely a heartbeat. Then he looked away. The rejection was quiet, almost cruel in its simplicity. Estelle lowered her gaze.
At the end of the aisle stood the altar, positioned before a towering statue of Nyxoria. Beyond it, an enormous glass wall revealed the dark night sky, the full moon hanging above the horizon like a silent witness.
Alexander reached the altar and stopped. He released a slow breath, his shoulders rising and falling once before settling. The High Priestess offered him a small, knowing smile and dipped her head in acknowledgement. Alexander returned the gesture. Still, nobody sat. Everyone remained standing, waiting for the bride.
Yuki stared towards the enormous doors, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the bouquet resting beside her seat.
"Nervous?" The quiet voice beside her made her blink. She turned towards Declan. His silver eyes watched her calmly.
Yuki hesitated before slowly shaking her head. "No. I’m just..." She trailed off, unable to explain the strange knot tightening in her stomach.
Declan studied her for a moment before his expression softened. "It’s fine," he assured her quietly. "You don’t have to put it into words."
Yuki gave him a grateful smile. Then the cathedral doors creaked. Every conversation died instantly. Yuki’s brows furrowed. Was that Aevia? There was no music yet. The doors opened wider. A tall figure stepped through. Kieran suddenly let out a short laugh. Yuki’s lips twitched. Of course. Kaden. He was late. Again.
Unlike earlier, he was no longer wearing the clothes he had arrived in. He had changed into the formal navy-blue Ravencourt robes, the gold embroidery catching the light whenever he moved. His dark hair was slightly dishevelled, as though he’d run his fingers through it one too many times, and there was the faintest trace of cigarette smoke clinging to him. Alexander’s eyes narrowed.
The irritation in the Alpha King’s expression was unmistakable as his gaze followed his son’s unhurried approach. Kaden had a talent for testing his patience. But Alexander said nothing. His sons had already been reluctant enough to attend the wedding. He wasn’t about to push his luck minutes before his own ceremony.
Kaden knew exactly how far he could push his father. He walked down the aisle beneath the astonished gazes of the guests as though arriving late to a royal wedding were perfectly ordinary. When he reached their row, his gaze swept across the available seats.
There was only one. The middle seat. Between Yuki and Killian. Yuki’s stomach twisted. She immediately regretted not taking the seat at the edge. Kaden stopped beside the row. His sapphire eyes briefly met hers before shifting towards Declan. A knowing smile tugged faintly at his lips.
"You’re late," Killian murmured, his voice low enough that only their row could hear.
Kaden lowered himself into the empty seat, adjusting his robe with maddening calm. "I went for a late smoke," he replied casually.
Killian’s brow lifted. "It couldn’t wait?"
Kaden glanced at him. "I was either going to take a smoke and get my nerves under control or openly oppose the union." His mouth curved into a faint smirk. "I’m sure you prefer the former."
Killian stared at him for a moment before releasing a heavy breath. Unfortunately, he knew Kaden well enough to understand that it wasn’t an entirely empty threat. Kaden’s emotions had always been the most volatile among them.
"You’re unbelievable," Kieran muttered from the other side.
Kaden merely shrugged. Yuki kept her gaze fixed ahead, painfully aware of the man sitting beside her. This was going to be a long night.