Page 51 of Fated to the Enemy Alpha

But then I caught sight of Stephen, standing tall and utterly gorgeous in his tailored suit and tie, his dark hair slicked back perfectly. I caught his emerald eyes for a fleeting moment, as vibrant as the spring shoots beyond, and my chest filled with warmth.

And for a moment, it felt again as if I was right back where I’d been years ago, my heart twisting achingly, my wolf howling with want at his presence. After all, I was once more standing beside Magnus while the mate bond squeezed tighter, threatening to choke the breath from my lungs, begging me not to go through with this. With each passing moment, doubt threatened to overtake my resolve, but I pushed it back.

I pushed back the treacherous doubt nagging at me. My own plan was finally coming to fruition. I kept smiling, a shield against the storm brewing within, reminding myself to play the part of the blushing bride and be what the Silvermoons and Blackthorn wanted, a dignified luna they could be proud of.

Elder Cyrus’s voice began the ceremony. “We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Alpha Magnus Blackthorn and Lina Silvermoon.”

Magnus had opted for the most perfunctory ceremony, and Elder Cyrus barely paused for breath before he launched into the vows, “Do you, Magnus Blackthorn, take Lina Silvermoon to be your mate? To have and to hold in sickness and in health, to honor and protect until death should part you?”

“I do,” Magnus intoned.

Dread prickled along my skin as I prayed that the plan was underway and would prevent this ceremony from coming to a close in time.

“And do you, Lina Silvermoon, take Magnus Blackthorn to be your mate? To have and to hold…”

My thoughts scattered as a loud ring from a cell phone pierced the air, shattering the quiet.

For a moment, my right hand fell from my bouquet, going to the hidden pocket in my gown, one of the few things I liked about this dress. But I quickly returned my hand to my flowers. Emily and Matthew wouldn’t call until Magnus had been alerted by his men to what was happening at his warehouse.

“In sickness and in health—”

One of Magnus’s men, Carson, slunk out of the room, leaving the door ajar.

Carson’s voice competed with the Elder Cyrus’s, “What? How many?”

“To honor and protect—”

My heart hammered as I caught Carson’s raised voice echoing through the hall, “Fuck!”

Packmates began to murmur, causing Elder Cyrus’s words to trail off. My heart hammered in response, a rapid beat echoing in my ears.

In a moment, Carson reached Magnus, speaking urgently, “One of our warehouses has been attacked. It’s Boden again.”

I watched, feeling an unpleasant twist in my stomach as Magnus’s countenance hardened.

Magnus turned toward me, his eyes cold and sending a jolt of dread through me.

He suspects me.

Terror pounded through me. Was my chance over? Was he going to bid me to come with him?

“I’m sorry, but this is urgent,” he said simply. “We’ll finish this when I return.”

I nodded. “Of course.” I tried to arrange my expression so that I looked suitably worried.

I wished Mira hadn’t used so much blusher. I was sure that beneath I was looking as pale as a ghost, which might add to the look of worried bride.

But Magnus barely looked at me. Instead he commanded his men. “I want everyone with me.”

A good half of the male Blackthorns left their seats, including Carson and Finn, who usually patrolled the lower floors of the villa.

I congratulated Emily, Matthew, and myself for planning to use as many of our shifter contacts as possible in this attack. We’d sent in all the firepower we had—some twenty shifters—to attack Magnus’s warehouse under the ruse of being after one of the ingredients he used in the production of one of Blackthorn’s drugs, Lenidex. Seemingly, we had attempted to sabotage Magnus’s new deal he’d brokered with Haldon, the client we’d previously poached.

Only Stephen hung back at the front of the room with me, and for the first time, as my nerves climbed, I was pleased he remained with me.

But as if Magnus had heard my thought, he turned back around and ordered, “Everyone with me, Stephen!”

Stephen went with his father, and my stomach bottomed out as I watched him stride out the hall.

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