Tonight, the Alpha King would take his Omega bride.

But as he stood at the altar, clad in robes of red and gold, the king felt nothing.

No excitement. No curiosity.

Only resentment.

The vision of the river beauty haunted him, a cruel ghost lingering in the corners of his mind. And yet, here he was—trapped in an unwanted ceremony, bound to an Omega whose face he could not even see.

The hush in the room was deafening as the grand doors finally opened.

The Omega bride entered.

A vision in red.

His robes were exquisite—deep crimson embroidered with golden thread, flowing like liquid fire with every step. Delicate chains of pearls and rubies draped over his arms, shimmering under the dim light. A translucent veil, adorned with intricate gold patterns, concealed his face entirely. Only the soft curve of his lips and the shadow of his features were visible beneath it.

"Caelum," the priest announced, his voice echoing through the silent hall. "Omega Prince of Evermere."

The king’s golden eyes narrowed.

So, this was his mate?

Something twisted inside him. Caelum was breathtaking, that much was undeniable. But it didn’t matter.

Because it wasn’t him.

The priest stepped forward, his voice solemn.

"We gather here under the blessings of the gods, uniting the Alpha King of Solvencia and the Omega of Evermere in sacred matrimony. May this bond be eternal, unbroken by time or fate."

Caelum stood before him, head bowed, silent and unreadable.

"Do you, Alpha King, accept this union?"

His fingers curled into fists at his sides. His instincts told him to reject it, to turn away.

But duty was not something he could escape.

"I do."

A soft whisper followed, barely audible.

"I do."

And just like that, the ceremony was complete.

The hall erupted in cheers, but the king barely heard them. His golden gaze remained locked onto his bride—this mysterious, veiled figure who now belonged to him.

He did not speak to him. Did not look at him again.

Not yet.

Because the words he had to say to his new mate… would be spoken in the privacy of their first night.

Where no one else could hear the rejection.