The Werewolf King’s Runaway Queen
Chapter 57

Alissa's

POV

I stood by the big doors as I listened to the piano music playing from the outside.

I was nervous and anxious. And so was everybody else around me.

It's been a while since I've been waiting here and I don't know what's happening outside.

I only have 2 helpers to attend to my needs if I had any and 2 guards to look after me and open the doors later on.

Earlier when I was preparing for the wedding, I was sure that I heard someone say that they haven't seen Luke yet. Flashback to earlier...

I sat comfortably as people around me fixed my wedding gown and took my pictures.

I was surrounded by a lot of people and for a second, a group of guards and helpers caught my eye by the corner.

"Is there any update on the King?" the helper asked.

"No. We've been trying to reach out to his highness but we can't seem to get to him" the guard said.

"Lady Alissa is almost done and the ceremony will start in an hour, he should atleast be here by now. Where could his highness be?" the other helper said.

"We don't know but maybe his highness is just doing something important and will be here soon" the other guard said.

"Something important? More important than his wedding with his mate?" the helper argued.

"It's the King. He'll be able to manage fulfilling his duties as King and as Lady Alissa's mate" the guard assured tge helpers.

I pursed my lips as I looked away.

Yeah right.

End of Flashback...

I haven't seen Luke either even after hearing that conversation among the helpers and guards.

And I don't sense him anywhere in the palace either or outside these big doors.

Still, everyone chose to push forward.

And I wait here.

Like an idiot.

Quinn was even more anxious than I was.

She's been trying to reach Luke's wolf to no avail.

My heart squeezed inside of my chest

Where is he?

Did something happen to him while he was out?

Or did he realize that he didn't want me after all?

I held the flower bouquet tighter.

He could've at least given me a heads up if that was the case.

But now that I think about it, isn't the past few days the heads up already?

Maybe that was why he refused to see or talk to me.

Maybe because he was already having doubts about everything.

I am too.

I shouldn't have agreed to this knowing it would be with someone like Luke.

That jerk.

I felt like there was something stuck inside my chest and I badly wanted to rip it out of my chest.

It felt heavy and I looked up because I felt like tearing up.

"Wow. The ceiling looks incredible" I commented out of the blue to hide the true meaning of my actions.

"Lady Alissa, are you okay?" a helper asked me still.

I faked a smile and nodded.

"Do I have wait longer?" I choked out.

The helper looked at me with pity and guilt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, milady. We've been told that you have to wait a little longer. There was...a problem outside" she said reluctantly.

I stood there like an idiot but I wanted to run.

I wanted to run away from there and never look back ever again.

My jaw clenched.

She wouldn't tell me directly what the problem was but I already knew what it was.

Luke wasn't outside or anywhere at that matter and without a groom waiting in the altar, what's the use of the bride walking down the aisle.

The wedding can't start without both man and woman.

I felt extremely embarrassed as the 2 helpers and 2 guards with me looked at me with guilty eyes as if it was their fault that I was in this pathetic situation.

Then the door slightly opened and Liana came inside.

She had the same anxious expression on her face like everybody else around me but I could tell just how much she was trying to hide it from me.

"There's some issues going on outside and we think it's going to take a little bit longer to resolve. Mom said you should go back to the guest room while waiting so you wouldn't get tired of standing in here by the door while it gets fixed outside" she said. "Hmm. Okay" I said and immediately turned around to head to the guest room.

I wanted to be alone.

I needed to be alone.

The helpers and guard followed me until we reached the guest room door and I stopped and so did they.

"Can you please stay here? I'd like to be alone in the room for a moment" I said.

They looked at each other and nodded reluctantly.

I forced a small smile and went inside on my own and closed the door.

I held my chest and clenched on my gown.

I felt like I was suffocating and anytime now I would explode.

I rushed to the bed and with my back facing the bed, I let myself fall back.

Ghad.

I felt so pathetic.

I stared at the ceiling and felt something wet slip beside my eye.

I chuckled in disbelief.

Why was I crying?

What exactly did I expect from all of this?

The mate bond must have messed with my head badly to let me think that this was going to go as smoothly as possible.

Of course, it won't.

First, I was forced to leave my pack.

Then, I was forced to go back to the last place I wanted to be in.

After that, I was forced into marriage and becoming royalty.

Now, I'm being ghosted in that same wedding.

I chuckled even more as my heart ached inside my chest.

Wow. The moon goddess must either hate me very much or is incredibly fond of me to the point that she wants to play with my life so much. I sighed.

Fck my life.

I got tired and ended up falling asleep until I felt someone shake me slightly.

I saw aunt Livi and she helped me sit up and she cupped my face.

"Hello, gorgeous. I have your team outside to do a quick retouch. You'll be out there in a few more minutes" she said.

I looked at her.

Has Luke come back?

It was as if aunt Livi knew what I was thinking and she nodded.

"I'll see you in a bit, beautiful. Unless..." she said.

I just looked at her.

"Unless you don't want to push through" she said.

I bit my lower lip as I fought back tears.

Aunt Livi held me.

"It's okay, Ali. Your feelings are valid" she whispered.

My heart ached as one tear fell after another.

Aunt Livi caressed my hair.

When I've calmed down, she looked at me again.

"I'll be fine, aunt Livi" I told her.

Aunt Livi smiled slightly and nodded before planting a kiss on my forehead and stepping out.

I sighed and my makeup team came to get me all dolled up again and I just let them.

I simply wanted to get this over with.

The team finished getting me all fixed uo when there was a knock on the door.

"Lady Alissa, it's time" the helper said.

I nodded as I stood up and gave a thankful bow to my makeup team as I went out.

I walked to the same spot I was in earlier and the guards and helpers bowed their heads at me and I gave them a small smile.

I took a deep breath.

Once this door opens, I can no longer go back.

This is it.

The wait is over.

The doors finally opened revealing the many people from all over kingdom.

I heard some gasp while the others smiled and others had a neutral expression on their face.

I walked on the red carpet and looked in front.

Standing ahead of me was the person who I was supposed to be fond of but I want to despise so badly.

Luke.

He looked at me and I could have sworn that I saw a sincere emotion in his eyes but I forced myself to think otherwise.

I continued to walk with an expressionless face as I reached the front.

Luke offered me his arm and I looked at it for a moment contemplating whether I should or shouldn't take it.

So I with my fingers, I held on to a tiny piece of the cloth of his coat and he sighed but didn't complain as we walked together to the altar.

The ceremony immediately started.

Part of me wanted to run away and get myself out of here.

Another part of me wanted to stay and see how things would progress.

In the end, I stayed.

From my peripheral vision, I kept noticing that Luke was glancing at me from time to time.

I felt extremely annoyed because of it.

The ceremony progressed until we reached one of the highlights of the wedding.

The officiant turned to Luke.

"Do you, his highness King Luke Alaric take Lady Alissa Ford to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?" the officiant said.

Luke looked at me and I looked back at him.

I wanted him to say no but at the same time I didn't want him to say that because how embarrassing would that be?

"I do" Luke answered.

I almost sighed in relief. I'm a step further from further humiliation.

The officiant turned to me.

"Do you, Lady Alissa Ford take his highness King Luke Alaric to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?" the officiant asked again.

I couldn't answer immediately and just stared at Luke.

Can I?

Can I love him after everything?

"Lady Alissa" the officiant called my name since I wasn't answering.

My jaw clenched as I sighed and avoided Luke's gaze.

"I do" I said in the in a forced tone.

I'm going to regret this.

Like a lot.

"By the power vested in me by the moon goddess and wolvesl, I pronounce you wife and husband; mates. What the moon goddess has joined together, let no ond put asunder. You may now kiss the bride" the officiant said.

Luke looked at me and before he could do anything, I stepped towards Luke, placed my hand on hid nape and turned both of us while pulling him closer to me.

I could tell that Luke was a bit taken back.

We were only centimeters apart when I stopped and closed my eyes for a moment to make ot look like a realistic kiss.

I felt Luke advance and I immediately tightened my grip on his nape.

"Don't even get an idea" I said and then opened my eyes while staring straight into his eyes.

Then, people started clapping for us.

I faced everyone with a fake smile so I could hide the fact that I wanted out here so badly.

"As per tradition, the King's mate shall be crowned after the wedding has taken place" the officiant announced as we all listened.

"But as for the former Queen and the most powerful wolf to ever lives's request, a separate coronation shall take place on a later date" he suddenly said.

I was shocked and confused.

What?

People started whispering because of the news.

I felt so confused.

I didn't know anything about it.

I looked at where my family and other loved ones were and they gave me an encouraging smile.

The guests were guided inside the palace for the wedding reception and even before Luke could talk to me, Liana came and basically shoved me away and held on to me.

"Let's go inside and change into something more comfortable, okay?" Liana said and I nodded as she clung onto me.

She pulled me away from there as we made our way inside so we could go to the room.

Part of me wanted to talk to Luke and get an explanation but another bigger part of me wanted to keep my peace. So I did what kept my peace.