Page 16 of Abandoned By My Alpha Husband

Her attitude made my throat tighten. After she left, I stood there and realized I needed to breathe.

Anxiety grew from the bottom of my heart, nearly strangling it. No, I must be overthinking. My mother wouldn't speak to me with such coldness, like I wasn't her daughter but just a chess piece.

Over the next few days, I kept hearing things about His Majesty. He had an illegitimate son. A woman around him who was "complicated," constantly caring for the child... This was clearly a trap. Noble werewolves didn't want to marry their daughters off to him.

Except for my mother.

I bit my lip. It's fine, Elena, I told myself. This is a transaction. To find your child.

The doors to the wedding hall opened before me.

Crystal chandelier light blazed, blinding. Red carpet stretched between rows of guests—every notable werewolf noble in Silver pine Kingdom. Their eyes landed on me, scrutinizing, assessing, whispering. My mother sat in the front row as my family representative. Next, I had to walk down that red carpet, step by step, all the way to the end, to my future husband, Lucifer Hale.

But wait.

Cedar. Amber.

My steps faltered. I thought I'd never smell it again. Then Lucifer turned, and the instant our eyes met, my fingers nearly crushed the bouquet. Those deep gray eyes—my heart nearly leapt from my throat.

Mine! My wolf jolted awake from its daze, crying out in excitement.

The bond stirred in that moment. Something frantically connected us. I couldn't control my legs—I almost ran to him. Mate, my wolf crooned. My heart must have been pounding because I could hear it, until—

Until I saw Lucifer's expression clearly.

He wore a black suit, his face impassive.

My heartbeat suddenly calmed.

He didn't recognize me.

I looked at my mother. She wore a formal dress, gently waving her fan, smiling tenderly just like in my memories. But now, that smile looked pasted on. She'd taken my scent. Mates were critical to werewolves. No way my mother didn't know that. But she'd still cruelly sealed off that path.

In that instant, all the doubts I'd suppressed exploded. Was she really my mother? The one who said she'd make it up to me?

A cough sounded nearby. I turned. Lucifer was looking at me. Sunlight refracted through the window behind him, casting shadows across his features, making him look even more perfect. He hadn't changed—still that man from the hotel that night, beautiful enough to steal my breath.

But he'd never know his mate stood right in front of him.

After that night, had he looked for me? Did he still think about me now? And that woman caring for his child—would he fall in love with her?

Countless questions spun and churned inside me. My chest felt so tight. The officiant began reading the vows. I couldn't hear a single word. My ears buzzed; all my senses focused on him. Cedar and amber flooded over me in waves. My wolf let out weak whimpers inside my body.

"I do," Lucifer said.

"I—" I opened my mouth while telling myself urgently, quietly: It's okay. It doesn't matter that he doesn't know. I'm marrying him. Starting today, I'll be beside him every day. I'll let him slowly discover who I am. Magic always breaks eventually. Sooner or later, he'll smell the lily and bay leaf again. Maybe we can find our child... I can wait.

I took a deep breath and smiled at him. His expression stayed impassive, but his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he hadn't expected me to smile at that cold face.

"Daddy!"

A child's voice exploded from the side door, detonating like a bomb in the hall. Several Hale elders shot to their feet.

"Get him out of here!" The eldest raised his staff. "Guards!"

Murmurs spread around us. I heard someone lower their voice.

"See? That's the adopted son."