JAMIE’S POV

As I open the door to my bedroom, I immediately sense that something is wrong.

The room is dark and cold, not the warm and inviting night I was anticipating on my wedding day.

My eyes adjust to the shadows and I find the reason why barely three feet away. It is none other than my wife, Lucinda.

She stands silently, holding out a silver knife, ready to attack me as soon as I step in.

This is interesting. In fact, the entire day has been interesting. I hold back a smile as I step into the room and, just like I expected, my dear wife lunges at me, aiming for my throat.

I let her think she is in control for all of three seconds before dodging her attack at the end, grabbing her hand and twisting it until the knife drops into mine.

“You know,” I smile as I shove her to the bed, pinning her down with my body before she can move. “This isn’t what I had in mind for a wedding night.”

“Jamie I… I can explain I…” she stammers, clearly stunned at her failed attempt.

“Oh honey,” I press the knife to her throat. “You don’t have to lie to me,” I say, watching her chest heave uneasily.

She doesn’t even look scared of me, just angry, and I can not explain why that appeals to me.

“Let’s stop pretending, shall we?” I smirk at her before my face turns serious. “I know that you are not Lucinda, so tell me, where the hell is my mate?”

If I had stunned her before, she looks completely shocked now as her face turns white and her green eyes widen.

“Wha—what are you talking about?” she asks, but even her tone betrays her shock.

“Stop playing stupid with me and tell me the truth right now unless I will end your life right here, or better yet, reveal your identity to the pack,” I warn her, and she sighs in resignation, closing her eyes for a moment before looking up at me again.

“How long have you known the truth?” she asks calmly, like she isn’t under a knife.

“Since I saw you walk down the aisle.”

“But if you knew the truth, then why did you marry me?” she seems genuinely shocked.

“Because I thought that this was just an elaborate prank from Lucinda, I had no idea that you were going to try to kill me. Now tell me who the hell you are before I lose my last shred of patience,” I press the knife harder at her delicate skin, drawing blood.

Her eyes dart around my face like she is thinking of what to say to me, but nothing prepares me for what she does next.

“I AM SO SORRY PRINCE JAMESON!!” she suddenly starts to cry heavily, with tears falling down her face like she wasn’t calm a minute ago.

“I... Lucinda ran away.” Her voice is surprisingly steady. “She had cold feet. She begged me to take her place so no one would notice she was gone.”

I raise a brow at her, removing the knife from her neck. “Is that so?”

She nods vigorously, “and when I realized I’d have to... fulfill my duties as your wife, I panicked. I thought it would be better to kill you and then myself rather than go through with it.”

What an actress, I think to myself as I watch her.

“Please, I am so sorry Prince Jameson,” she continues to beg, with tears still falling. “If you report me to your father, I will be executed.”

I haven’t been this impressed by a woman before, and maybe if I was any other man, I would probably believe her.

Her story is believable, especially for someone that was taken by surprise a minute ago.

But it is still a lie.

And I don’t mind the imposter’s lies. What I mind is the fact that she thinks she can tell them to me.

She really thinks that I am that easily manipulated, and that pisses me off.

I saw through her guise the minute she reached me in the aisle, her face was so glaringly different from Lucinda’s that I thought everyone else could see it too.

But I was the only one who could see past Lucinda’s golden hair and blue eyes to find red curly hair and enigmatic green eyes.

She arouses my curiosity, even more than the woman who is supposed to be my mate.

Truthfully, my curiosity isn’t the only thing she arouses.

I open my mouth, about to say something to her when a knock at the door cuts me off.

“My lord?” a maid calls from outside, and I roll off her.

“What is it?” I ask, heading towards the door as the impostor stands up.

“We require confirmation cloth,” the maid announces, and my fake Lucinda stiffens, her eyes widening as they reach mine.

The confirmation cloth had to be stained with her blood, to prove that we had consummated the marriage. But as you can see, we clearly hadn’t.

“Give us a minute,” I reply to the maid before turning back to her.

“So what now?” I ask as I walk closer and closer to her. “Should I call them in and tell them you were about to murder me?”

From the rage in her eyes, I expect her to grab the knife and try to stab me again, instead she falls to her knees and grabs my legs.

“Please Prince Jameson, spare my life,” she begs, clinging to me desperately.

Sighing to myself, I took out a handkerchief from my pocket and pull her wrist towards me before slicing a thin line across her palm.

She winces but doesn’t cry out as I press the cloth to her hand firmly.

“There,” I murmur, as I hold out the bloodied cloth. “Problem solved.”

The maid takes the cloth from us, and moments later, cheers erupt from downstairs. The pack rejoices, believing the marriage to be successfully consummated.

“Clean up and get some rest,” I instruct my supposed bride. “We’ll talk more in the morning.”

She doesn’t argue. Instead, she walks away calmly, but I can still see the tension in her posture.

She isn’t at ease.

Good.

As soon as she disappears into the washroom, I step out of the bedroom and into the hallway.

I have barely reached downstairs when I spot my father talking in hushed tones to Jona.

The moment they see me, they go silent.

That’s odd.

“Ah my son,” my father greets me with a warm smile, “how was your night?”

“Eventful?” I reply with a smirk.

“That’s expected,” Reginald chuckles, “This is the first step toward you taking my place someday. And Lucinda will be a fine Luna, a good mother to your pups.”

I smile in response, but my eyes are on Jona, who is watching me too closely.

There is something between them and I don’t like it one bit.

After small talk with my father, I excuse myself to receive fresh air outside. To everyone else, I seem alone.

I am not.

“What were they talking about?” I ask my shadow in the pack, whose face is hidden in the darkness.

“They suspect Lucinda for some reason, they think something is off,” he replies, and I smile to myself. I guess I am not the only one who suspects her.

But if my father is already suspicious, it can only mean trouble.

“Is there something off?” he asks.

“There is,” I reveal, staring into the night sky. “But I plan to use it.”

I am not going to expose the impostor. From everything the girl has shown me tonight, it is clear that she is going to be more useful in the long run.

I will keep her close, observe her, learn her secrets and, when the time comes, I will decide whether to destroy her... or use her as a pawn in my own game.

Either way, this is just the beginning.