Chapter 2 - The Woman Behind the Cathedral Door
The woman standing outside the cathedral whispered: "Arthur... you were never supposed to see that veil."
Arthur froze.
The voice was impossible.
Because he had heard it every night for five years.
In his dreams.
In his memories.
In the moments when the world became too quiet.
"Kora?"
The woman stepped forward.
The guards immediately raised their weapons.
The guests screamed.
Beatrice covered her mouth.
And Arthur felt the entire world stop moving.
The woman standing in front of him wore a simple dark cloak.
Rainwater dripped from her hair.
Her face was partially hidden by shadows.
But Arthur knew.
He knew before seeing her completely.
Before hearing her heartbeat.
Before his wolf recognized her.
Because some bonds were stronger than death.
"Kora..."
This time, he said her name louder.
The woman looked at him.
Her eyes filled with tears.
But she did not run toward him.
She did not call his name.
She only looked at him like someone who had been waiting five years for this exact moment.
"Arthur," she whispered.
The cathedral exploded into chaos.
"Impossible."
"She is alive?"
"That can't be her."
The voices surrounded him.
But Arthur heard only one thing.
Her voice.
The voice he thought he had lost forever.
He moved forward.
One step.
Then another.
The guards looked at each other.
Nobody knew what to do.
Because nobody had ever seen their Alpha King look afraid.
But Arthur was afraid.
Not of an enemy.
Not of a battle.
Not of death.
He was afraid because the woman standing in front of him was everything he had buried.
"Kora..."
His hand slowly reached toward her face.
But before he could touch her, she stepped back.
That hurt more than any wound.
Arthur stopped.
"Why?"
His voice cracked slightly.
"Why are you standing here?"
Kora looked at the blood-stained veil in his hand.
Then at Beatrice.
Then at the man standing behind Arthur.
The same man who had received the warning.
The same man who had helped Arthur bury her.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Not sadness.
Fear.
"Arthur..."
Her voice became quieter.
"You need to leave this place."
Arthur frowned.
"What?"
"Right now."
The entire room became silent.
Arthur looked around.
"This is my wedding."
Kora shook her head.
"No."
Her eyes locked onto his.
"This was never your wedding."
A cold feeling moved through him.
"What does that mean?"
Kora looked toward the walls of the cathedral.
Toward the cameras.
Toward the guards.
Toward the people watching.
Then she whispered:
"Everyone here was invited for a reason."
Arthur felt his jaw tighten.
"What reason?"
Before she could answer, a loud sound came from the cathedral entrance.
A guard had closed the doors.
Locked them.
Arthur immediately turned.
"Who gave that order?"
Nobody answered.
The silence was enough.
His instincts changed.
The Alpha inside him awakened.
"Open the doors."
No one moved.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"I said open the doors."
The guards looked uncomfortable.
Then his closest friend finally spoke.
"Arthur..."
Everyone turned.
The man's face was pale.
"You need to listen to me."
Arthur slowly faced him.
The same man.
The man who had stood beside him when he lost Kora.
The man who had held him back from destroying entire territories searching for answers.
The man whose name Kora had written on the veil.
"Why should I listen to you?"
The man's expression changed.
Pain.
Guilt.
Fear.
"Because I know what happened five years ago."
Arthur's heartbeat stopped.
The room went silent.
Kora closed her eyes.
Like she had been afraid of this moment.
Arthur stepped closer.
"You knew?"
The man looked away.
"You knew she was alive?"
No answer.
Arthur grabbed the man's collar.
The guests gasped.
"Answer me."
The man looked at him.
"I thought she was dead."
Arthur released him slightly.
"Thought?"
The man's breathing became heavier.
"Arthur, you don't understand."
"Then explain."
The man looked at Kora.
"Kora was never supposed to survive."
Arthur felt his anger rise.
"What does that mean?"
Kora finally spoke.
"It means someone wanted me gone."
Arthur turned toward her.
"Who?"
She looked at the crowd.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then her eyes stopped on one person.
Beatrice.
Arthur noticed.
And his expression changed.
"Beatrice."
The bride looked shocked.
"What?"
"Kora is looking at you."
Beatrice stepped back.
"I don't know anything."
Kora stared at her.
"You know more than you think."
The words made the entire room colder.
Arthur looked between them.
"Someone explain."
Nobody answered.
Then the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
The cathedral went dark.
People screamed.
Arthur immediately moved toward Kora.
His hand found hers.
For one second, everything disappeared.
Five years of pain.
Five years of questions.
Five years of believing he had lost her.
She was real.
She was alive.
Then the lights returned.
But Kora was gone.
Arthur stared at his empty hand.
Impossible.
She had been there.
He had touched her.
"Kora?"
No answer.
He turned around.
The cathedral doors were still locked.
The windows were too high.
No one could have escaped.
Except someone had.
Arthur looked at the floor.
A small object was lying beneath the altar.
A black envelope.
His name was written on it.
Arthur Pendleton.
He picked it up.
The room became silent.
Inside was a photograph.
His hands tightened.
Because the picture showed Kora.
Alive.
Five years ago.
Standing beside someone.
Someone Arthur recognized immediately.
The man who had told him she was dead.
The man who had helped him bury an empty coffin.
Arthur slowly flipped the photograph over.
Five words were written on the back.
"Ask him where I was."
Arthur looked up.
Everyone followed his gaze.
The man behind him had gone completely pale.
Arthur took one step forward.
"Where was she?"
The man said nothing.
Arthur's voice became colder.
"Where was my mate for five years?"
Still nothing.
Then the cathedral doors suddenly unlocked.
Slowly.
From the inside.
Everyone turned.
Because no one was standing near them.
The doors opened a few inches.
A voice came from the darkness beyond.
A voice Arthur had never heard before.
But it knew his name.
"Alpha Pendleton..."
May you like
Arthur moved toward the opening.
And on the other side of the door was a woman holding a file with Kora Hastings' name on it, waiting to reveal...
