Moonfire Bride: The One they all betrayed...till she awakened

”You’re bleeding on the plates, you useless thing!!”

Della hurriedly picked up the broken pieces of the silver plate from the group as her stepmother yelled cursed and insults right behind her.

”I’m sorry,” Della murmured.

”Sorry?” Evangeline hissed, ”Two Alpha bloodlines stand beneath this roof today with one of them marrying my daughter, and you’re contaminating ceremonial silver with your filth?”

Music thundered through the estate above with deep ceremonial drums being beaten, wolf horns being blown and the familiar roar of noble laughter.

The wedding of Alpha Augustus Barrett’s daughter would begin before moonrise, and every noble pack across the territories had come to witness it.

One of the broken pieces cut deep into her finger, but that was the least of her worries.

”Do you know what those cups were for?” Evangeline asked mockingly, her silk robes dragging across the floor.

Della lowered her head even further, ”No, Luna.”

”Of course you don’t. Creatures raised in servant quarters rarely understand the value of noble things.”

Above them, another eruption of celebration shook the ceiling. The vow ceremony was probably underway, which means Alpha Leopold Astridge, the younger brother, getting married to Beatrice had arrived next to his bride.

”Look at you,” she hissed quietly with a disgusted scoff, ”Your sister stands beneath the Moon Altar draped in gold while you kneel in dirt like the miserable thing you were born to be,”

The girl kept her eyes lowered, still picking up the broken pieces. Her dark hair fell across her face, hiding the look in her eyes.

”That woman should have died before giving birth to you,” Evangeline continued coldly, ”Then perhaps this house would’ve known peace.”

The girl’s hands trembled slightly from hearing her mother being mentioned again.

”You infect everything,” Evangeline said flatly. ”That’s what Rotbloods do. The Moon cursed your veins before birth, and now this entire pack rots around you piece by piece.” Her gaze sharpened. ”The Moon Goddess probably let you live just to punish your father,”

Della looked up at her stepmother, her eyes holding back tears, ”I said I was sorry.”

”And even your apologies sound unpleasant.”

Just then, footsteps approached them, climbing down the stairs. Instantly, Evangeline straightened and her cruel demeanour from a second ago transformed into one of elegance and warmth.

”Oh, get up my dear,” She said gracefully, suddenly linking an arm around Della and pulling her up to her feet, ”And don’t worry about what’s broken. Let’s worry more about your injured hand, oh dear!” She looked almost genuinely worried.

Della was confused for a second, but the confusion cleared when the approaching person turned into the corridor and started walking toward them.

Black armour covered him from neck to foot, and the insignia of a black sun encircled by a ring of jagged, broken bones shaped like a crown sat moulded to his chest plate.

He was tall, cold-eyed and his presence had somehow sniffed out every warmth from the corridor.

Alpha Malachi Astridge, the commanding Alpha of the Eclipse Crown.

”Alpha Malachi,” Evangeline greeted smoothly, her voice now sweet as honey, ”Forgive the mess. My daughter is terribly clumsy!”

Della paused. Daughter?!

”She insisted on helping despite my warnings,” Evangeline sighed softly, shaking her head with practised disappointment, ”Even though she’s...wolfless and weak,”

Della felt the urge to yank her arm out of Evangeline’s grip, but what good would it do her? It’s not like anyone here was going to take her side, and what awaited her at the end was always sufferness.

”Even though she’s completely rotten and worse than filth at times, I do try to teach her properly. As difficult as she can be,” She continued warmly, ”She is still family,”

The hypocrisy burned hotter than the cuts in her hands.

The corridor fell silent, and for one brief moment, the Alpha’s gaze settled on the kneeling girl.

Servant clothing.

Blood dripping from her finger.

Bruises beneath her sleeves.

Evangeline noticed where his sights had fallen and added quickly with a small, natural laugh, ”She’s ashamed of being Rotblood,” She explained, ”So she throws herself into servant work whenever she can. Della believes if she works hard enough, perhaps people will overlook what she is,” A sad little sigh escaped her, ”It breaks my heart all the time,”

Malachi gave Della an even more intense once-over, before nodding, ”I see,” He didn’t sound sympathetic, and neither did it sound cruel.

And that was it. He continued his walk.

Only after he had vanished completely did the cruelty return to Evangeline’s face, and she quickly dragged herself away from Della, dusting the arm she had touched her with.

”You’ve spoilt my dress!” She spat.

Della remained quiet, but her gaze drifted in the direction of the stairs leading toward the Grand Hall.

”You smell like dust and kitchen smoke. Go bathe before returning upstairs,”

Della blinked slightly in surprise, ”I can still attend?”

Evangeline gave her a look filled with mock disbelief, ”Well, your sister specifically asked whether you’d be present,” Her lips curled faintly, ”You know how soft-hearted she is toward you.”

Della’s chest tightened painfully. Her sister had asked about her?

”She would be disappointed not to see you there,” Evangeline continued, ”And frankly, you should be grateful. She’s the only person in this estate willing to tolerate your existence,”

The girl lowered her gaze quickly, ”Yes, Luna Evangeline.”

”There’s already water waiting in your servant quarters,” The woman stepped aside dismissively, ”Bathe and change into the dress I had someone drop off for you. Then return before the ceremony feast begins!”

She started to move before Evangeline spoke again, ”Oh—and try not to embarrass any of us tonight.”

.

.

.

The door creaked as Della shut it close behind her, and she hurriedly walked to the side of the bed and leaned over.

Her little cousin, Lian, lay on the small, old mattress close to the window. The sheets covered him to the neck, and he looked pale and frail.

Sweat beads rolled down his temple, and his brown hair clung to his face from sweat. The moment she leaned over, Lian opened his eyes and gave her a weak smile.

”I think I’m getting better,” He murmured, his voice barely past a squeak.

Lian was her aunt’s son, who had died almost ten years back. The little boy had a very rare medical condition, and every healer who had examined him concluded that he wouldn’t live for many years. Every day, he worsened. Every day, he would smile at her and say he was getting better.

”I think so too,” She smiled back, keeping the tears at bay.

She always did everything she could to help him feel better. When he had been brought to this pack, they had tossed him to her and she could still remember Evangeline and Jaime’s words, ’That’s your problem. Honestly, could you and your family be any more filthy than this?’

She tried her best to feed him properly, and always took from the leftovers instead of the scraps they usually tossed at her.

Della softly ran her fingers through his hair. Lian was the reason she was still alive, the reason she hadn’t given up on this mad, cruel world and killed herself. He was her anchor. She couldn’t leave him. She was the only one he had left, and she wasn’t going to abandon him in this heartless family.

’Bathe and change into the dress I had someone drop off for you. Then return before the ceremony feast begins’

”I have to take my bath and leave for a few hours again,” She stated.

”You’re not done working?” He asked.

”No. I’m particularly busy today since it’s Beatrice’s wedding. She’s expecting me to be there,”

”Beatrice,” Lian said, ”She often comes to see me,”

”Yeah, I know,”

”Can I tell you something?!”

”Sure,” She leaned even closer.

”I don’t like her,” Lian admitted softly, ”She’s nice and sweet to me whenever she comes, but...I always wish she’ll go away,”

Della’s eyes broadened, ”That’s... surprising. Is there a reason you feel that way?”

”I guess I’m just not very comfortable around her. It kind of feels like... she’s forcing herself to be nice to me or something,”

”Oh, no,” Della cupped his cheek, ”Beatrice is not that kind of person, I promise you. Maybe you’re just overthinking it?”

He let out another smile, this time not as big as the last. Della gave him a small kiss on the forehead, then she headed for the bathroom. In a short while, she was standing in the dress for the occasion.

It was a very simple blue dress with just a few embroideries. Nothing as fancy as what everyone else would be wearing.

She was only ever allowed to wear something this beautiful when outsiders were present, and in this case - the Astridge.

To cover up their disgrace of a daughter as much as they can, although you can really hide something rotten that long.

”I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Della said, walking up to Lian.

”I know you will,” Lian said, ”You look beautiful,”

She sighed, ”Thanks,” Not quite seeing the beauty as she stared at her reflection through the cracks in her mirror.

Blonde hair with multiple streaks of red in it. Big doe eyes that had never had a single vitality in them, and a rather small and frail frame that looked like it was about to break.

Then, she left the quarters.

Della was headed for the Grand Hall and was just along the corridor leading there when she saw Jaime coming toward her.

She instantly lowered her head and made to step out of his way, but he suddenly grabbed her hand and called out urgently, ”We need your help, Della,”

Della looked up, puzzled. Jaime was Evangeline’s son and heir to this pack, and had always been far worse than Evangeline when it came to reminding her of her pathetic existence and making her life a living hell. She couldn’t count how many times he had raised his hands on her. A lot of the scars she had today were because of him.

”W...what?” She croaked.

His grip tightened, and instinct forced her to brace for impact. He might just throw her away like a ragdoll. But then, he didn’t have that evil glare in his eyes tonight.

He looked panicked.

”It’s Beatrice. She’s gonna die along with the rest of us if you do not do something about it!”