The Alpha’s Unwanted Bride

The following morning broke lazily, the sunlight spilling golden through the sheer curtains that drifted with the faint breeze. The villa courtyard smelled faintly of oranges and roses, carried from the garden, but the heavier fragrance of wine and sweat still lingered in the air from the night's revels.

Amara moved quietly, her steps measured, the silver tray balanced effortlessly in her hands.

Behind her, two other servants followed, each carrying platters stacked with roasted bread, fresh figs, goat cheese, and a steaming pot of spiced tea.

She led them out to the open patio where Coral and Cherry were waiting.

Cherry, already awake and looking radiant despite the decadence of the night before, lounged against a cushioned seat with her hair brushed into sleek perfection.

A silk robe of deep burgundy wrapped around her, sliding loosely over one bare shoulder.

By contrast, Coral sat stiffly across from her, her robe tied tightly, her dark hair messy, her expression one of perpetual irritation.

"Good morning, my Lady," Amara murmured, bowing her head as she placed the tray down. The servants fanned out, arranging the food elegantly on the carved wooden table.

Cherry's lips curled in a lazy smile as she picked up a slice of bread and tore it delicately.

She glanced at Coral, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"So, darling niece," Cherry drawled, "how was your night? Did you sleep as well as I did."

Coral grumbled, shifting in her seat as though the very cushion offended her.

"Awful," she muttered. "I heard people going at it all night long. Loud, shameless moans echoing through the walls, and the floors creaking as if they would give way. I couldn't sleep a wink."

Cherry chuckled, biting into the bread. "Why didn't you join them, then? A good threesome might've cured your insomnia."

Coral nearly choked on her tea, slamming the cup down with a clatter.

"Aunty that is very disgusting, ! I would never, never, do such a vile thing." Her face red in terror.

Cherry arched a brow, clearly enjoying her sister's outrage. "Oh, you're so terribly righteous, aren't you? Judgmental about other people's pleasures, and yet…" Her smile sharpened, cutting. "You still refuse to tell anyone who fathered that precious daughter of yours. What a hypocrite."

Coral's face darkened, her lips pressing together in a hard line.

She said nothing, deep down, Coral wished that she could strangle her aunt at that very moment.

But she was terrified of her aunt so she kept her mouth shut.

Cherry, satisfied by her silence, shifted her gaze toward Amara. Her tone softened, almost purring.

"And you, sweet one," she asked, "have you made your decision?"

Amara's heart thudded, but her face remained calm as she bowed her head slightly. "Yes, my Lady. I will come with you."

Cherry's eyes lit up, a triumphant spark dancing in them. She leaned back against her cushions, looking every inch a queen in waiting. "Wise girl. You've chosen the right side."

Amara forced herself to meet her gaze, her lips curved in a polite, controlled smile. "Thank you, my Lady."

Before the tension could thicken further, footsteps echoed from the hall.

Candy appeared, gliding into the patio with her usual flourish. She wore emerald silk, her hair swept elegantly back, though her eyes carried the faint shadow of someone who hadn't slept well.

"Well, well," Candy said brightly, her tone deliberately cheerful. "What a charming little breakfast gathering." She took a seat beside Cherry without waiting for permission, reaching for a piece of cheese. "How was everyone's night?"

Cherry's lips curved in a slow, sly smile. "Beautiful," she answered smoothly. She reached out to stroke Amara's hair with unsettling familiarity. "Especially because dear Amara here has agreed to join our little… arrangement."

Candy's smile froze for a moment, though she recovered quickly.

"That is good news indeed." She clapped her hands twice, sharp and commanding.

The remaining servants bowed and scurried away, leaving only Amara behind, standing uncertainly at Cherry's side.

The air grew heavier, quieter. Candy leaned forward, her eyes glinting as they fixed on Cherry. "Now that we are alone, perhaps you'll share with us your plan?"

Cherry's gaze flicked to Amara, and then back to Candy.

She tilted her head, her smile widening into something dangerous. "It's simple, really. Amara cannot follow me into the palace looking like this." Her hand tugged gently at Amara's dark hair. "She must be transformed."

Amara's brows furrowed, but she kept still.

Cherry continued, her tone almost playful. "With a little magic, I'll make her hair burn the shade of fire itself. Red like a flame, impossible to ignore." Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "And she will no longer be Amara. From this day forward, her name shall be Auburn."

The word rolled from her tongue like a spell, carrying the weight of a rebirth.

Amara's breath caught.

Auburn. It felt strange, unfamiliar, yet inevitable, as though her identity was already slipping into Cherry's hands.

She started to feel like this Auburn.

With her hair and new personality along with new name.

She was now Auburn.

Candy smiled faintly, though her eyes flickered with something Amara couldn't read. "Auburn," she repeated slowly, tasting the name. Then she looked at Cherry with a knowing little tilt of her head. "How very like you, my dear. Always remaking the world in your image."

Cherry only smirked, lifting her cup of tea in mock salute. "And why shouldn't I?"

The patio filled with silence for a heartbeat, broken only by the chirping of distant birds and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. Coral stabbed another piece of fruit with unnecessary force, muttering under her breath about madness and vanity.

Amara, standing at the center of it all, felt the weight of invisible threads tightening around her.

Threads spun by Cherry's ambition, Candy's schemes, and Coral's resentment. Whether she liked it or not, she was now "Auburn," a pawn on the board of women who would sacrifice anything for power, love, or revenge.