I Married The Villain Alpha

The ballroom was far grander than I could have ever imagined. Gilded chandeliers cast golden hues across the polished floors, and the air buzzed with the sound of idle chatter and polite laughter. Men and women, adorned in finery, clustered in small groups, their conversations tinged with a superficial charm.

As Vincent and I stepped inside, my muscles tensed under the weight of their eyes. Side glances and whispers rippled through the hall like an invisible current, and I couldn't help but feel their judgment pressing down on me.

My gaze drifted across the lavishly lit hall, searching for solace among the sea of unfamiliar faces. None offered comfort, only amplifying my anxiety. Then, my eyes landed on a single familiar figure—Duke Edward. His presence sent a jolt through me, but I quickly looked away, unwilling to meet his gaze.

Vincent halted abruptly, his grip tightening on my hand as the crowd fell into a hush. The sudden silence was deafening, and my heart pounded against my ribs.

"The King and future Queen of Estoria!" a voice announced, ringing through the grand space with an authority that demanded attention.

Every head turned toward us in unison, and the crowd bowed deeply, a wave of reverence washing over the room. My breath hitched, caught in my throat like a snare.

They were all looking at me.

The weight of their collective gaze was suffocating, dragging me into a spotlight I had never sought. My chest tightened, and I gripped Vincent's arm, steadying myself against the overwhelming pressure of their silent scrutiny.

I was exposed, completely and utterly seen.

"Don't be nervous," Vincent said, his voice low and an attempt to be reassuring, but his words did nothing to calm the whirlwind within me. My hands trembled slightly as I clenched them together, wishing the earth would open and swallow me whole.

We were led to the seats prepared for us, two grand chairs on a raised dais overlooking the entire ballroom. As I lowered myself onto the plush cushion, I managed to catch a shaky breath, but the weight of countless eyes on me remained suffocating.

Vincent stood to give a toast, his commanding presence drawing the room's attention. "To the victory of Estoria against the Silver Rose Kingdom!" he declared, raising his goblet high. Cheers erupted from the crowd, their voices echoing through the hall. My heart sank further with each passing moment, dreading the possibility that he would announce our wedding.

But he didn't—at least, not yet.

The orchestra began to play, and Vincent extended his hand toward me. "Shall we?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for refusal. With reluctance, I placed my hand in his, and he guided me to the center of the ballroom.

The first dance began, and I stumbled over my own feet despite Hannah's countless lessons. Vincent's grip tightened, steadying me, but his frustration was evident in the tense set of his jaw. The gazes of the crowd bore into me like daggers, and I couldn't bear it any longer. Abandoning all pretense, I pulled away and hurried back to my seat, my face flushed with embarrassment.

Roselle, Selene, and Hannah hovered near me, their presence a small comfort amidst the sea of unfamiliar faces. Vincent, meanwhile, was swarmed by nobles vying for his attention, leaving me momentarily forgotten.

A group of women approached, their smiles sharp and insincere. "Good evening, Lady Iris," one of them began, her voice dripping with honeyed politeness as she raised a lace fan to her lips. "You've turned down all our invitations to tea. Have we offended you in some way or is it perhaps because of your failing health?" another asked, her expression neutral but held contempt in them.

I froze, unable to respond. My mouth felt dry, the words lodged in my throat. Before I could even attempt a stuttered reply, Hannah stepped in, her practiced charm doing its best to smooth over the tension. I remained silent, my heart pounding in my chest, anxiety tightening its grip on me with each passing second.

The time came for me to address the gammas. The script Hannah had drilled into me echoed in my mind, but it felt as though it were someone else's words, not mine. I recited them, my voice strained and shaky, barely audible above the hum of the crowd. Applause came, but it was distant, as though I were hearing it from under water. The weight of their gaze felt unbearable, and I shrank further into my seat, desperate to disappear.

Minutes stretched into hours. I kept my eyes on the floor, trying to avoid any more interaction, but my mind was fixated on one thing. One person. Where was Atlas?

I scanned the hall, my eyes darting over every face, every unfamiliar face, desperately seeking him out. But he was nowhere to be found.

"How much longer?" I whispered to Roselle, my voice barely audible above the chatter of the ballroom.

"A few hours, Your Grace," she answered, but the words offered no comfort.

I clenched my hands in my lap, my nails digging into my palms. "Where is he?" I muttered under my breath, the desperation clawing at me. My breath came quicker now, a slight tremor in my chest as I fought the growing panic.

Then, as if on cue, the noise in the room died down a bit. The crowd directed their attention, all eyes turning toward Vincent, who stood at the center of the hall, his presence commanding the attention of every single person in the hall. The air thickened, the weight of it crushing down on me as Vincent raised his hand.

"Dear subjects of Estoria!" His voice rang out, smooth and thunderous, reverberating in my chest like a drumbeat. I froze, unable to move, my entire body stiff with dread. His eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel the weight of his gaze pinning me in place.

I didn't move. I couldn't move. His hand stretched toward me, but I remained frozen, rooted to the spot. My skin felt tight, the fabric of my gown suffocating me. Vincent's lips curled into a slight frown, and his frustration seeped into his voice as he took a step toward me. He grabbed my hand, his grip so tight it almost hurt.

His voice dropped, low and ominous. "As you all know, Iris Valenhart is my fated mate, bestowed upon me by the glorious Moon Goddess," he proclaimed, his words drawing a ripple of gasps from the crowd. My breath hitched in my throat, panic welling up inside me as my stomach churned with nausea.

"Atlas, please… where are you?" I whispered, my eyes frantically scanning the crowd for him, but the sea of faces was unrelenting.

"In two weeks' time, Iris and I will marry, completing our sacred bond," Vincent continued, his words echoing like a death knell in my ears. The crowd's murmurs of surprise rippled through the air, but I barely heard them, the ringing in my ears drowning out everything else. "And Iris shall be crowned the new queen of Estoria."

The applause was deafening. But it felt like a storm crashing down around me, the noise disorienting, the weight of it all unbearable. My hands shook, my chest tightened, and I wanted to scream, to run. But I was trapped, and the walls of this gilded cage were closing in on me.

Bang!

The large oak doors that led to the entrance of the room flung open with a force that seemed to crack the very air. With a dominating aura, commanding authority that rivaled Vincent's, the King of Alphas himself, Atlas strode in.