The Runaway Bride's Spare

My sister, Vivienne, ran off on the morning of her Mating Ceremony.

So I was the one who ended up married to Lucian, the Alpha King half the kingdom was terrified of.

Six years later, she came back.

She hadn't changed a bit. In front of the whole Elder Circle, she walked right up to Lucian and pressed her red lips to his collar, leaving a perfect print behind.

Lucian froze.

Then Vivienne turned to me, her eyes bright with amusement.

"Thanks for keeping my seat warm, little sister. I'm home now, so I'll be taking my Luna crown back."

The throne hall went dead quiet.

Nobody had forgotten what happened the last time she left. Lucian had nearly wiped out half a rival territory in his rage.

So what would he do now?

I wanted to know too. Would the Alpha King, the man no one could ever predict, lose his head over her all over again?

That night, back in our chambers, Lucian yanked off the shirt with her lipstick on it and tossed it aside.

I didn't say a word. I just picked up the quilt I'd slept under for six years and headed for the small side room.

Lucian stepped in front of me. "Where do you think you're going?"

I stopped. After six years in the same bed, maybe he'd just gotten used to that quilt. So I folded it and set it carefully back on the corner of the mattress.

"Relax, my King. I haven't forgotten our deal. I never once thought I could take my sister's place."

I tried to keep my voice even. It still came out scratchy.

"She's back now. The Luna's crown should go back to her."

That was what we'd agreed on six years ago.

Still, the words almost got stuck in my throat on the way out.

Six years ago, Lucian came home from war after breaking the Ironclaw pack and its allies. The first thing he did was ask the Elder Circle to arrange a Mating Ceremony between him and Vivienne.

On the day of the ceremony, she disappeared. She'd run off with a rogue.

My father panicked. That same night, he pushed me up to the altar in her place.

Lucian was wrecked on our wedding night. But the pack's honor was on the line, so he drank until he could barely stand and sealed the bond with me anyway.

For six years, I gave that marriage everything I had.

Being Luna sounded glamorous. In reality, every step felt like walking on broken glass.

While Vivienne was off seeing the world without a care, I was the one handling pack politics, keeping the big families in line, and taking hits meant for Lucian in the dark.

Once, his enemies grabbed me to find out where he was hiding. They locked silver cuffs on my wrists and let them burn. I never gave him up.

Three years ago, the Ironclaw survivors attacked the Keep in the middle of the night.

I didn't know it then, but I was eight weeks pregnant.

I fought beside the guards until Lucian's men showed up. Then a sharp pain ripped through my stomach. I curled up on the floor of the side room, bleeding, and waited for a healer.

None came. Every single one had been called to the King's chambers.

To save a pot of frost roses.

Vivienne had left those roses behind when she ran. They were dying, and Lucian had ordered every healer in the Keep to bring them back.

The only one with me was Tess, my maid, who knew nothing about babies.

By the time someone finally dragged a healer in, the bleeding wouldn't stop.

The baby, so tiny it hadn't even taken shape yet, was gone.

I lay there in my own blood, and something inside me went cold for good.

When he saw how broken I was, Lucian went to every temple in the territory. He set up a memorial stone for our baby and kept candles burning there day and night.

In front of the Moon Goddess's altar, he cut a lock of my hair and a lock of his, tied them together, and burned them in the altar fire. He swore we'd get our chance again.

After that, he took full control of the pack, fast and ruthless. Nobody could stand in his way.

Not long ago, he'd even asked the Elder Circle to give me their highest honor.

The decree wasn't sealed yet when Vivienne walked back through the gates.

Thinking about the baby who never got to open their eyes, my chest ached so badly I could hardly breathe.

Lucian must have seen it on my face. Back in the hall, he'd had Mother walk Vivienne out before she could say anything else. Now he reached for my hand.

"Maren, Vivienne's been gone a long time. She doesn't know what happened here."

"She's always been like this. She just says whatever pops into her head. Don't let it get to you..."

I slid my hand out of his and kept my eyes down.

"You're acting strange tonight, my King. You've never cared when the women of the pack squabble."

"But the minute Vivienne shows up, you're a different man. That's real devotion."

Lucian's eyes darkened. Hurt flashed through them.

"That's really what you think of me?"

"Maren... You still haven't forgiven me for that night, have you?"