The Alpha Detour: I Said Yes to Someone New

A week before the marking ceremony, my fiance, Alpha Mason Wallace, suddenly switches the venue to Firefly Grove.

His friends tease him. "You changed the venue just because Serena wants to see fireflies? And you didn't even tell Cora? What if she shows up at an empty site?

"Besides, Cora's the one who picked Moonlight Bay. Do you really think she'll go along with this?"

Mason says casually, "She burned her skin saving me. She won't fight me over a venue change. Besides, she planned every detail herself. She'll notice the update."

I stand outside the doorway, listening in silence. Then, I slip away without a word.

When the day finally comes, Mason calls from Firefly Grove, panic in his voice. "The ceremony's about to start. Where are you?"

I stare at the shimmer on Moonlight Bay and answer calmly, "I'm already here. My ceremony is about to start too."

A week before our marking ceremony, my fiance, Alpha Mason Wallace, changed the venue from Moonlight Bay to Firefly Grove because of a single comment from his childhood sweetheart, Serena Lowell.

When the day came, I went to Moonlight Bay alone and began my ceremony by myself.

…

Moonlight Bay was where Mason and I had first met, and where I nearly died for him. It held meaning for both of us. I never thought he would change the venue so casually, just because of Serena.

I stood frozen outside the private room, listening to Mason with his friends. My teeth chattered from the shaking, and I pressed my hand to my mouth to stop the sob from slipping out.

One of his friends tried to talk sense into him. "This is a big deal. You should at least talk it over with Cora. If she finds out you changed it without telling her, she'll lose it."

Mason sighed. "That's exactly why I didn't tell her. You know how Cora gets. She's about to be my Luna and still fusses over everything. If I told her, I'd have to waste the whole night soothing her.

"Besides, Cora loves me. She let herself get burned just to save me. Compared to that, changing a venue is nothing. She'll agree."

The group burst into laughter, praising his charm and marveling at how deeply I devoted myself to him.

Someone finally said what they were all thinking. "Come on, Mason. We know you chose Firefly Grove because Serena wanted to see the fireflies, right?"

Another chimed in, snickering. "No wonder you changed it for Serena. She's gorgeous and comes from a rich family. Honestly, we thought she'd be the one you married. Why stick with Cora? She wasn't much to look at before, and now she's scarred."

Mason's face went cold. "Enough! Like it or not, Cora is my future Luna. Watch your mouths! If she hears that, I won't spare you!"

They all nodded in a hurry.

Just then, Mason's phone rang. Seeing Serena's name flash on the screen, his friends exchanged looks.

Mason ignored them and answered softly. "What's up?"

Serena's voice floated through the speaker, sweet and coy. "I got the necklace. It's gorgeous."

"I saw it at an auction. I thought it would suit you, so I bought it. Hope you love it," he said.

She said brightly, "Of course, I love it. But it must have cost you a lot."

"Not really. It's just three million," he said casually. "If it makes you happy, it's worth it."

"I'll wear it to your ceremony," Serena giggled.

"I'll get your gown ready too," he promised. "You'll turn every head that day."

He hung up and immediately called the top designer in the pack. "I need a gown, and it has to be perfect. Show me the design in three days. Money's no object."

After a pause, he added, "I'll send you the Blue Moonstone. Put it on the gown."

His friends gaped. "The Blue Moonstone? The only one of its kind? That's the stone from Cora's engagement ring. You'd really put it on Serena's gown?"

Mason said dismissively, "Cora has plenty of rings. She won't miss this one. The gown has to be flawless to match that necklace."

I looked down and let out a bitter smile. My ceremony outfit consisted of a cheap veil and nothing else.

When he'd given it to me, he had said, "You're about to be Luna. You should set an example and keep things simple. Besides, your skin grafts aren't finished. A veil suits you better than jewels."

The Blue Moonstone was his promise to me after I almost died saving him. In the end, the thing I earned with my life became a decoration on Serena's gown.