The Crippled Wife They Tried to Erase - Chapter 15: Chapter 15
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The next few days flew by in a blur of careful planning. If Celeste wanted to steal my life, she'd have to go through me first.
Before I knew it, the wedding day was here. Standing before the mirror, I pulled up my hood with trembling fingers, my reflection staring back at me with determined eyes.
"This is it," I breathed.
Zephyr's warm hand settled on my shoulder. "I've got your back, Lyra."
The grand hall fell silent the moment we entered. Every head turned our way. Zephyr stayed close, his steady presence the only thing keeping me grounded as the enormity of what I was about to do threatened to overwhelm me.
The ceremony was already underway. There stood Xavier at the altar, looking every inch the arrogant alpha in his designer suit. And beside him—me. Or rather, my stolen body. Celeste floated in a cloud of white silk, that trademark smirk playing on lips that should have been mine.
"Stop this wedding!" My voice cut through the room like a knife.
The crowd erupted in gasps. Celeste's mask slipped for just a heartbeat before she recovered, her face morphing into perfect confusion.
"What's going on?" she asked, all wide-eyed innocence.
I yanked back my hood. "Cut the act, Celeste. We both know who I am."
Murmurs spread through the pack like wildfire.
"That's not me!" I pointed at my own body standing at the altar. "That's my sister—she stole everything from me!"
Snickers broke out among the pack. "She's finally lost it," someone muttered.
"Pathetic," another voice added.
Celeste's lips curled, but I saw the panic in her eyes. "You're insane! Everyone knows I'm Lyra. You're just some jealous nobody!"
"Prove it then," I challenged. "Use the healing power."
Her confidence wavered. "Fine."
The crowd watched as she approached a wounded warrior. Celeste placed her hands over his injury, face scrunched in concentration.
Nothing.
She tried again, sweat glistening on her forehead. Still nothing. The pack's murmurs grew louder, doubt creeping in.
"See?" I stepped forward. "The power only answers to me—the real me."
Celeste's face twisted in rage. "You're ruining everything!"
Before she could continue, Xavier finally spoke. "Enough." His calm tone sent ice through my veins.
"Xavier, you know the truth," I pleaded.
His smile made my stomach drop. "Of course I do. I've known all along."
Dead silence.
"What?" Celeste and I said together.
Xavier shrugged. "Do you really think I care which sister's in that body? I just want that renewal power. Desperately."
My blood turned to ice.
"The mate bond," he continued smoothly, "is the perfect transfer method. Once we're bonded—whether it's you or your sister—the power will be mine. I'll be unstoppable."
"You're sick," I spat, hands shaking.
Celeste looked like she'd been slapped. "You... you used me?"
Xavier gave her a cold smile. "Don't act surprised. You thought you were playing me? I've been playing you this whole time."
Celeste snapped. "You bastard!" Her perfect facade shattered as she launched herself at him. "I gave up everything for you! Stole her body, her power—everything!"
The pack recoiled in disgust.
"You're a pathetic fraud!" she screamed, voice breaking.
"And you're a desperate whore," Xavier hissed. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out that baby you got rid of wasn't even mine?"
Chaos erupted, but through the shouting, I found my voice. "ENOUGH!" The command rolled through the hall with supernatural force.
All hell broke loose. Xavier's wolves charged, but Zephyr's hidden warriors burst through the doors in perfect sync.
"Protect Lyra!" Zephyr's battle cry shook the walls.
A wolf lunged at me—Zephyr intercepted mid-air, slamming the attacker into stone. His burning eyes found mine. "Stay with me!"
But I wasn't hiding anymore.
Dodging another attack, I scanned the battlefield—and froze. Celeste stood on the altar, my stolen hands glowing with unstable energy. The power flickered wildly as she raised them.
"Celeste, don't!" I shouted.
She laughed hysterically. "Why stop now? If I'm going down, I'm taking everyone with me!"
The energy pulsed dangerously—she was losing control.
Before I could react, Xavier broke through the fray, coming straight for me. His hand shot toward my throat—
Zephyr intercepted with a bone-shaking impact. "Touch her and die!" he roared, slamming Xavier to the ground.
Before I knew it, the wedding day was here. Standing before the mirror, I pulled up my hood with trembling fingers, my reflection staring back at me with determined eyes.
"This is it," I breathed.
Zephyr's warm hand settled on my shoulder. "I've got your back, Lyra."
The grand hall fell silent the moment we entered. Every head turned our way. Zephyr stayed close, his steady presence the only thing keeping me grounded as the enormity of what I was about to do threatened to overwhelm me.
The ceremony was already underway. There stood Xavier at the altar, looking every inch the arrogant alpha in his designer suit. And beside him—me. Or rather, my stolen body. Celeste floated in a cloud of white silk, that trademark smirk playing on lips that should have been mine.
"Stop this wedding!" My voice cut through the room like a knife.
The crowd erupted in gasps. Celeste's mask slipped for just a heartbeat before she recovered, her face morphing into perfect confusion.
"What's going on?" she asked, all wide-eyed innocence.
I yanked back my hood. "Cut the act, Celeste. We both know who I am."
Murmurs spread through the pack like wildfire.
"That's not me!" I pointed at my own body standing at the altar. "That's my sister—she stole everything from me!"
Snickers broke out among the pack. "She's finally lost it," someone muttered.
"Pathetic," another voice added.
Celeste's lips curled, but I saw the panic in her eyes. "You're insane! Everyone knows I'm Lyra. You're just some jealous nobody!"
"Prove it then," I challenged. "Use the healing power."
Her confidence wavered. "Fine."
The crowd watched as she approached a wounded warrior. Celeste placed her hands over his injury, face scrunched in concentration.
Nothing.
She tried again, sweat glistening on her forehead. Still nothing. The pack's murmurs grew louder, doubt creeping in.
"See?" I stepped forward. "The power only answers to me—the real me."
Celeste's face twisted in rage. "You're ruining everything!"
Before she could continue, Xavier finally spoke. "Enough." His calm tone sent ice through my veins.
"Xavier, you know the truth," I pleaded.
His smile made my stomach drop. "Of course I do. I've known all along."
Dead silence.
"What?" Celeste and I said together.
Xavier shrugged. "Do you really think I care which sister's in that body? I just want that renewal power. Desperately."
My blood turned to ice.
"The mate bond," he continued smoothly, "is the perfect transfer method. Once we're bonded—whether it's you or your sister—the power will be mine. I'll be unstoppable."
"You're sick," I spat, hands shaking.
Celeste looked like she'd been slapped. "You... you used me?"
Xavier gave her a cold smile. "Don't act surprised. You thought you were playing me? I've been playing you this whole time."
Celeste snapped. "You bastard!" Her perfect facade shattered as she launched herself at him. "I gave up everything for you! Stole her body, her power—everything!"
The pack recoiled in disgust.
"You're a pathetic fraud!" she screamed, voice breaking.
"And you're a desperate whore," Xavier hissed. "Did you really think I wouldn't find out that baby you got rid of wasn't even mine?"
Chaos erupted, but through the shouting, I found my voice. "ENOUGH!" The command rolled through the hall with supernatural force.
All hell broke loose. Xavier's wolves charged, but Zephyr's hidden warriors burst through the doors in perfect sync.
"Protect Lyra!" Zephyr's battle cry shook the walls.
A wolf lunged at me—Zephyr intercepted mid-air, slamming the attacker into stone. His burning eyes found mine. "Stay with me!"
But I wasn't hiding anymore.
Dodging another attack, I scanned the battlefield—and froze. Celeste stood on the altar, my stolen hands glowing with unstable energy. The power flickered wildly as she raised them.
"Celeste, don't!" I shouted.
She laughed hysterically. "Why stop now? If I'm going down, I'm taking everyone with me!"
The energy pulsed dangerously—she was losing control.
Before I could react, Xavier broke through the fray, coming straight for me. His hand shot toward my throat—
Zephyr intercepted with a bone-shaking impact. "Touch her and die!" he roared, slamming Xavier to the ground.
End of The Crippled Wife They Tried to Erase Chapter 15. Continue reading Chapter 16 or return to The Crippled Wife They Tried to Erase book page.