My Alpha Gave My Mating Ceremony to His First Love

Ten minutes before my mating ceremony, my fated mate walked into the dressing room holding another woman's hand.

I was standing at the mirror in the Moon Temple, fixing the clasp of my mother's moonstone necklace. My ivory silk gown was embroidered with silver laurel leaves. I had chosen every stitch myself.

A whole year of planning. Seven years of loving Ronan, heir to the Blackthorne Pack.

And now he was here, his fingers laced through Vanessa's.

His first love. The girl who left the pack years ago.

"Brielle." Ronan's voice was soft, the voice he used when he wanted something. "We need to talk."

Vanessa hung back in a pale pink gown, her eyes rimmed red. She looked like she had been crying for hours.

"Talk about what?" I asked. "The ceremony starts in ten minutes."

"That's why I'm here." He squeezed Vanessa's hand. "I want Vanessa to take the mate blessing today."

I laughed. It came out short and wrong, like a glass cracking.

"You're joking."

"I'm not."

Vanessa stepped forward, pressing a hand to her chest. "Brielle, please don't hate me. I was forced to leave the pack. I never got to say goodbye to Ronan properly." Her voice trembled. "I just want one blessing from the Moon Goddess. Just a symbolic one. Then I'll never ask for anything again."

I turned to Ronan. "This is our ceremony. The only formal mating ceremony we've had in seven years."

He reached out and stroked my hair, gentle, patient, the way you calm a child.

"Sweetheart, it's only a ceremony. You're still my fated mate."

Only a ceremony.

My gaze dropped to Vanessa's wrist. A silver vow ribbon was tied there, the one meant to mark the future Luna.

My ribbon.

"Why is she wearing that?"

Ronan's jaw went tight. "She's borrowing it."

"Borrowing it."

"Brielle, don't start." He sighed, already tired of me. "She just got back. She's weak. She can't handle stress right now."

Vanessa lowered her eyes. Her thumb brushed over the ribbon, slowly, like she was memorizing how it felt.

Then the temple bells rang.

---

The ceremony began without me.

I stood at the edge of the aisle and watched Ronan lead Vanessa up the steps of the altar. The white roses I had picked framed her face. She took the place where the Luna stands.

My place.

Hundreds of wolves filled the temple. The whispers started at once.

"Isn't that the girl who left?"

"So what's Brielle, then?"

"A stand-in." Someone snickered behind me. "Something to keep him warm while his real love was gone."

My nails bit into my palms. I didn't turn around.

Harper did.

My best friend shoved past two guests and stormed straight toward the altar, her red hair flying.

"Ronan!" Her voice rang off the stone walls. "Have you lost your mind? You're spitting on the mate vow in front of the Moon Goddess herself!"

The temple went dead silent.

Ronan's eyes flashed gold. "Harper, step down."

"I will not step down! That's Brielle's ribbon! That's Brielle's altar! You..."

I caught her arm.

"Harper." My voice came out calm. Too calm. "Stop."

She spun to stare at me. "Bri, he's humiliating you!"

"I know."

I reached up and unfastened the silver shawl from my shoulders. It was the shawl of the future Luna. The elders had placed it on me that morning with a blessing.

I folded it once and laid it on the edge of the altar.

Ronan's brows pulled together. He came down two steps and lowered his voice so only I could hear.

"What are you doing? Don't embarrass yourself in front of the guests."

I looked up at him. At the man I had loved since I was nineteen.

"If this is only a ceremony," I said quietly, "why can't you give it to the woman you promised to marry?"

His mouth opened. Nothing came out.

For one second, I saw it on his face. He didn't have an answer.

Then Vanessa gasped.

She clutched her chest and swayed, folding into him like a wilting flower.

"Ronan, I feel dizzy..."

He caught her instantly. Both arms. His whole body turned toward her.

"I've got you. Breathe, Nessa. I've got you."

He never looked back.

So he never saw me walk away.

---

The reception was worse.

Vanessa had changed. She was wearing my toasting gown, the champagne satin I'd had fitted three times. She glided over to me with a flute in her hand and a smile on her lips.

"Brielle." She tilted her head. "I hope you're not upset. I'm only borrowing a day of happiness. You have a whole lifetime with him, right?"

Ronan came up behind her. He plucked the white wine from her fingers and handed her a glass of orange juice instead.

"Less alcohol," he murmured against her ear. "You're still recovering."

Orange juice.

I stared at the glass.

I'm severely allergic to citrus. One sip and my throat closes. I've told Ronan at least a hundred times in seven years.

He never remembered.

But he remembered she shouldn't drink wine.

Vanessa raised her juice toward me. "To you and Ronan. A hundred years of happiness."

Ronan smiled and slid a hand onto my shoulder. "See? Brielle's the most understanding girl I know. She won't get upset over something this small."

Harper made a sound like she was about to commit murder.

I lifted my champagne.

"I wish you both the happiness you deserve."

I tipped my head back and drank it all. The bubbles burned going down.

Then I set the empty glass on a passing tray and walked out of the hall.

Behind me, Ronan laughed.

"She's jealous," he told his friends. "Give her a night. She'll be fine by morning."

Someone laughed with him.

Then I heard him again, his voice gone soft and worried. "Nessa, sit down. Are you still dizzy?"

---

The hallway outside was empty. My hands were steady when I pulled out my phone.

I dialed the private registration line for the Pack Council.

A woman answered on the second ring. "Pack Council registry. How can I help you?"

"My name is Brielle." I kept my eyes on the open temple doors. "I want to cancel my mating registration."

A pause. Keys clicked on the other end.

"Miss, I see here that Ronan of Blackthorne has already submitted a formal bonding application for you both. It's under review." Her voice turned careful. "If you cancel your registration now, the application is void. To restore it, you'd both have to give consent again, in person. Are you sure?"

Through the doorway, I could see the altar.

Ronan was holding Vanessa against his chest beneath my white roses. Her fingers were curled into his shirt. My silver ribbon gleamed on her wrist.

He kissed the top of her head.

"Miss?" the woman asked. "Are you sure?"

I watched them a moment longer.

"Then let him find someone else to marry."

I hung up.

My phone buzzed almost at once. Not a call.

A message, from a number I didn't recognize.

*You finally did it. I've been waiting seven years for this, Brielle.*