Fabio's POV
"Where is she?" I had asked, clenching my fists in thinly veiled rage.
The woman in front of me met my eyes, lips trembling, and I knew in an instant something was wrong with her scent.
The celebration was a blur after that. An endless mirage of laughter, wine, forced toasts and hollow congratulations. I smiled when expected, danced when obligated, and pretended not to see the stranger sitting on the throne beside mine.
My true bride and I grew up together, planning the future we would have someday. My true bride had the laughter of a thousand wind chimes and fire in her gaze. The woman veiled and draped in jewels beside me had a different heartbeat. I'd felt it the second our lips met and as if it weren't enough, the accursed bond that now tethered me to her confirmed it.
Soulmate, my wolf cried within me.
But not her, I retorted, fighting my instincts.
Not this woman.
I barely waited for the last guest to disappear before I stood, and left for the throne room, fury tightening my jaw.
"Summon the Duke and Duchess of Vonteguarde," I barked to my steward. "Bring her, too."
The steward blinked, startled by the venom in my voice, but obeyed.
Within minutes, the three traitors stood before me in the private council room—heavy doors closed, stone walls echoing the silence. The woman, Giselle, stood between her parents, fingers trembling against her white dress, eyes wide with something like guilt… or shame. It didn't matter. What mattered was that a stranger wearing the skin of my beloved Genevieve had managed to sneak her way to the throne deceptively.
"So, Sir Gilbert, you dare trick the King of Montegnera?" I growled, rising from my throne.
"Your Majesty I—" her father began.
"Spare me," I snapped, stepping down, now face to face with the traitors, "Do not insult what remains of my patience. I know who she is. She is not Genevieve."
Silence. Giselle flinched, eyes fixed on the throne. A throne I will never let her claim a right to.
Her mother paled. "We had no choice."
"There is always a choice!" I roared. "And you chose deception! You married me to a…a stranger in front of the Goddess and all the Court!"
"She's your soulmate, Fabio," the Duke said carefully. I pinned him a glare, for the first time hearing the truth I hoped to be false, "Yes, she told us what happened at the altar. You know that a bond like that cannot be forged."
I stilled.
That truth settled in my bones like ice water.
I wasn't some inexperienced pup, of course I knew it was real. I'd felt it ignite like wildfire. The cruel irony of it all, I'd waited my whole life to feel the tether of a soul meant for mine, and the Gods gave it to the wrong sister.
"She's a placeholder," I spat, turning to Giselle. "That's all you are. A stand-in for the Queen I should have had."
Her lip quivered, but she didn't speak.
"I reject the bond," I snarled. Someone gasped; the Duchess? The girl? I certainly didn't care. "Do you hear me? It means nothing to me. You mean nothing to me."
The Duke stepped forward, voice firm, "You know as well as I do, your Majesty, you can't just reject a soulmate. Wolf law is binding. Besides, mate-ship is created by the Goddess so the bond will grow whether you want it or not."
I sneered at him, teeth clenched, "Then I'll break it another way."
"Genevieve ran away of her own accord, we had nothing to do with it-"
"Then why did you lie?! Why didn't you say something, you just went ahead and…" I sighed, already exhausted, pacing the velvet red carpet beneath me, "Look I've known Genevieve since we were pups and I love her with all my heart and if she doesn't want me, she can say that to my face."
Giselle, quiet all this while with a thoughtful glint jn her eyes, finally spoke. "Your Majesty, if I may—"
"No you may not! You think I'll let your family keep their titles after this betrayal?" I hissed, even the sound of her voice was repulsive to me, "You've made fools of the royal line."
"No!" the Duchess cried. "We meant no harm, we just didn't know how to tell you-"
"From this moment forward," I said coldly, not allowing her to finish, "the titles of Duke and Duchess of Vonteguarde are revoked. Your lands will be absorbed by the crown. Your name will be stricken from noble records. You are nothing."
"No…wait, your Majesty, please!" Giselle shouted, rushing after me as I stormed toward the door.
Her voice cracked, quivered, "Don't punish them for my sister's mistake, please, just listen, I'll do anything—"
I opened the door and paused, looking back at the woman whom the universe deemed it fit to bestow on me. Her fiery hair cascaded like fire from her scalp and wide green eyes the most expressive I'd ever seen. There was no denying it; she was beautiful, alluring even. But she was no Genevieve. Even now I could make out little differences that at first glance, one may not be able to tell. Genevieve had lighter, sandy coloured hair and hazel eyes, nothing like the shade of green that started back at me. Her skin was pale, almost like porcelain and I often held my hand on top of hers to admire her glassy complexion. Giselle's was like honey, tan and sun-kissed. Even their personalities differed—where Genevieve was proud, sometimes even spoiled, Giselle seemed humble, reserved.
This was no Queen, I couldn't help but think, she was no different than a lowly peasant.
"Anything, you said?" I retorted, a rush of glee at the sight of her begging.
"Yes, please…just spare my parents…"
"Fine. We are well and truly married are we not?" She nodded in affirmation but I could read her confusion, "Then you and your parents have gotten what you wished for—access to Montegnera's throne. It is unfortunate, however, you will never be crowned Queen consort, you will never be my mate and lastly, you will never have any rights granted to you as my wife. So enjoy stay at the palace, Lady Giselle, everything is yours by title alone and you don't get to even breathe without my approval."
With that final verdict, I turned and left her there on the bare floor, still kneeling.
My bond pulsed once again—hot, painful, unwanted.