Chapter Four

Cecilia's POV

Lucas immediately let go of my hand and fumbled for his phone. He dialed a number, his voice trembling with excitement.

“Mom, it’s me. Lucas. Yes, call everyone in the family and tell them to meet us in the VIP room at the Grand Hotel right away. Yes, prepare the mating ceremony. I found my fated mate!”

After hanging up, Lucas took my hand again and pressed it against his burning cheek.

“My family is ready to welcome you as their new lady.”

The car stopped in the underground parking garage beneath the Grand Hotel.

Lucas took my hand and led me into the elevator. It carried us all the way to the top floor.

As soon as the doors opened, a wave of noise and heat rushed toward us.

The main ballroom was nearby. I could clearly hear the orchestra, the clinking of glasses, and guests chatting with one another.

“Look at Derek and Lilith. They’re perfect for each other.”

“They really are. Lilith is leaving to study abroad soon. This party might as well be her grand send-off.”

“I heard her blind sister is still waiting in one of the side rooms. How pathetic. It’s almost funny...”

I could even hear Derek and Lilith’s footsteps as they danced in the center of the ballroom. Lilith’s overly sweet vanilla scent mingled with Derek’s sea-salt scent and drifted toward me.

My parents were there too, moving through the crowd with drinks in their hands and accepting everyone’s congratulations. They sounded so happy, as if their blind eldest daughter didn’t exist.

“Don’t listen.” Lucas gently covered my ears with his warm hands, shutting out those disgusting voices.

“I’m fine.” I lowered his hands, a cold smile touching my lips. “Come on. Let’s go meet your family.”

Lucas led me down a long hallway to the VIP room next door.

The moment he opened the door, I noticed how different it smelled inside. The air carried the warm scents of freshly baked cookies, hot tea, and something faintly warm and sunlit.

“Oh my God! Is this Cecilia, the girl you’ve always loved? She’s adorable.”

A woman exclaimed in a gentle voice. A second later, a pair of soft arms wrapped around me.

“Mom, don’t scare her,” Lucas said helplessly beside us.

“Oh, hush. That brat finally came to his senses. I’m allowed to be excited.” Lucas’s mother released me and took my hand, her voice full of affection. “Sweetheart, Lucas has been talking about you since he was a boy. He finally brought you home to us. You don’t have to worry anymore. No one in this family will ever hurt you.”

After that, I met Lucas’s father and several of his siblings.

None of them treated me with pity or looked down on me because I was blind. Instead, they welcomed me with genuine warmth.

It had been so long since anyone had shown me such kindness that my eyes began to sting.

“It’s almost time.” Lucas’s father checked his watch. “Let’s go, kids.”

Lucas held my hand as his entire family accompanied us to the stage in the center of the room.

The moment we stepped onto the stage, the doors suddenly opened. The orchestra in the main ballroom came to an abrupt stop.

The noisy crowd fell silent. Every eye turned toward us.

I could feel their shocked and confused stares.

“Cecilia?”

Derek’s stunned voice came from the doorway.

He immediately strode toward the stage.

“What are you doing?” Derek stormed onto the stage and lowered his voice, barely containing his anger. “I told them to take you to the side room. Why did you come out here and embarrass yourself?”

He glanced at Lucas beside me and frowned.

“And who the hell are you? You weren’t one of the stand-ins I hired.”

Lucas stared at him coldly. He stepped forward and placed himself between us, releasing a powerful wave of werewolf dominance.

Derek was forced half a step back, his face darkening.

At that moment, Lilith and my parents rushed into the VIP room.

Lilith quickly took in the scene and immediately put on a hurt expression.

“Cecilia, are you mad at me? I know today is supposed to be your mating day, and I shouldn’t have stolen the spotlight. But... this was only a game. You didn’t have to bring some stranger here and put on a show just to upset Derek.”

“That’s enough, Cecilia. Stop making a scene!” my father shouted. “So what if you have to make one small sacrifice for Lilith? Get off the stage and take this man with you. Stop embarrassing this family!”

They naturally assumed that everything I was doing was nothing more than a show meant to provoke them.

I stepped out from behind Lucas and faced Derek and my family.

“This isn’t an act.”