Seduced by Fate, Bound by Desire

"She is beautiful...like an angel."

"That dress was made for her alone. So slim and elegant..."

"I wish I had subtle curves like that. Why does she have to be pretty, slender and smart at the same time? She got a degree from Cambridge at nineteen!"

"Shush...it's her wedding day. At least try to be happy for her. She's such a saintly girl. I hope my own daughter gets to snag a handsome specimen like she has."

Despite how much she was trying to suppress a smile, her lips still twitched from the happiness bubbling up inside her. Yes, it was her wedding day. She was getting married to the most handsome, kindest and esteemed man in the world. Her knight in shining armor. Her prince charming.

As she walked down the aisle, dragging each step to match the crescendo coming from the live orchestra of the church, she could feel the eyes of everyone on her. Some were happy. Some were envious. Some were shocked.

Audrey Holland did not care. Her eyes, green eyes covered by contacts instead of the huge glasses she normally wore, were fixed on her man. Nickolas looked breathtaking always, but in a smart black suit and his dark hair all curled up like that, he was heartstopping. He was staring at her too, as if she was the only person that existed in the world.

Finally, she reached the altar. Nick grinned down at her as he took her hand. He stood tall and welcoming before her, his face achingly entranced by whatever he was seeing.

The sound of music faded into the background, the cheers of the crowd a faint murmur in the distance, everything got pushed aside, as Audrey placed her head on his chest.

"You are lovely, Audrey." His deep voice resonated through her, causing her heart to explode with warmth.

She smiled too, despite the red blotches creeping over her cheeks. "Thank you, my love. As for the dress, all compliments belong to Marissa."

"I wasn't talking about any of that." Placing a finger under her delicate chin, he tilted her face up so that their eyes could lock on each other. "I mean you. Not the dress, though it's quite captivating. Not your hair, though for once you found some way to tame it a bit." They chuckled before he went on. "No, you are lovely."

The flutter in her heart travelled all over her body, threatening to lift her up in one powerful outburst of wings and wishes. How could a man like Nickolas be hers alone? If this was a dream, she hoped it would never end.

Hand in hand, they continued the rest of the way up the altar. The priest, a fatherly old man with a knowing grin spread over his face, glanced at both of them in turn.

"I thought you two would get to the 'kiss the bride' part even before we started."

Though her face flushed beet red, she smiled sheepishly, not missing the happiness on her groom's face too.

Nick, ever the gentleman, apologized to the priest. "I'm sorry for the brief delay, father Reynolds."

Father Reynolds waved it away. "Ah, it gives me joy to see a couple so attuned to each other climb the steps up the altar to say their vows. We don't get that often. Now, let's begin."

He said the last part loud enough for everyone in the chapel to hear, causing them to chuckle in their seats. Everyone who mattered, human and werewolf alike, in Frostone was here. This was thanks to Nick's status in the city as a capable lawyer who represented the werewolves in the human community.

As for Audrey, she had just her aunt Marissa as her relative present. The others were the friends she made at Cambridge university. Two of her best friends in the world, actually. Though most of the faces present at the wedding were not familiar to her, she was thankful to have all of them here.

Father Reynolds cleared his throat and continued. "We are gathered here today, before God, man and werewolf, to witness the union of love and destinies of Nickolas Lannister and Audrey Holland, a werewolf of the Frosting wolf pack and a young woman born and bred in Frostone city."

Audrey's eyes were fixed on Nick's, staring into the brown pupils ringed by gold, a gold that seemed to come to life when he transformed. He had been upfront and honest about his nature from the beginning.

His actual werewolf mate had died in an accident a decade ago when they'd been teenagers, and Audrey was the first woman who'd plucked the strings of his heart and turned the waters of his soul since then.

Love brought them together. Theirs was a union based on mutual comfort, companionship, care and understanding.

"Now, to fulfil all righteousness, I must pose a rhetorical question to our lovely audience." Father Reynolds glanced around the room, his face offering a radiant smile that no one could stop themselves from returning. "Whoever objects to this marriage should speak now or forever hold their peace."

Nick grinned, causing warmth to travel through Audrey's chest. He was so handsome, her first and only love, a perfect gentleman about everything. And she loved him beyond words.

She couldn't wait to finally give what remained of herself to him, to wake up in his arms everyday and sleep with him by her side at night. To be his closest friend and his anchor in times of peril. To bear his children and...

"I object."

No one seemed to hear the voice, the rich masculine voice that travelled over the silence of the room. Audrey was too caught up in happy thoughts to dwell on it. That was until a cold frown clouded Nickolas's face as he stared down at the audience.

Audrey, her heart pounding so hard that her body trembled, followed his gaze. And gasped.

Someone stood tall, poised and confident among the crowd of family, friends, acquaintances and relations. The man pushed gorgeousness to a whole new level, into something entirely dangerous and seductive.

Tall, lean muscled and absolutely attractive in a fitting black suit, long lashes framed dark eyes that seemed to burn with a fiery fire.

Father Reynolds recovered from his shock quickly but couldn't seem to understand what was going on.

"Alpha Tristan?"

"I object, as well." A second voice, this one deeper in timbre but equally as sonorous and velvety, declared among the audience before the owner stood up.

Audrey thought she was hallucinating. Surely this couldn't be real. Surely there wasn't two men, so alike in every way possible, on their feet now to show their opposition to her marriage.

Because, yes, the second man was a stark replica of the first. But where the face of the first bore a hint of humor and the sense of mischief, the second man's face was stone-cold, as if carved from hard marble by a highly skilled sculpture.

His shoulders were broader and his stance a lot more commanding thanks to stormy eyes, but there was no denying the fact that he was related to the first man by blood.

Two of them, standing there like that, caused a ripple of fear, confusion and shock to travel through the room, seemingly all combining to fill up Audrey's lower belly.

Father Reynolds shook his head. "Alpha Deckard?"

Fluidic and with a swagger that could intimidate even a king, they ambled towards the altar. Ignoring both the priest and Nickolas, both of whom had their heads down in reverence, they stopped in front of Audrey.

With those fiery pairs of eyes fixed on her, they made their intentions known.

"We object to this marriage because you belong to us, Audrey."