The Tyrannical Wolf King's Contract Bride-Chapter 101: Wedding of the Century

Lila’s POV

When the first rays of morning light pierced the clouds and fell upon the main plaza of the Hale family’s private island, the entire island had transformed into an ocean of interwoven silver and crimson-gold. This was more than a wedding; it was a meticulously planned coronation. For this day, the Hale Group had mobilized nearly all its global resources, turning this already secret and luxurious private domain into a divine palace, beyond the sight of mortal men.

The red carpet, fashioned from a single bolt of moonlit satin, stretched from the shoreline all the way to the chapel entrance. Every step taken upon it stirred a faint shimmer, like scattered stardust. Flanking the path were hundreds of ice-sculpted vases made of pure crystal. They held not ordinary flowers, but Star Night Orchids, air-freighted from the depths of the Amazon Rainforest. This species of orchid blooms only at night, its petals marked with natural silver veins, as if the night sky itself had been crushed and sprinkled upon them. To keep them in full bloom, the temperature of the entire venue was precisely controlled, filling the air with a cool, rich, and ethereal fragrance.

I stood before the mirror, my fingertips gently brushing the hem of the Star Dust Wedding Dress. I’d heard this gown was the culmination of three years of painstaking work by Paris’s oldest atelier. Woven from liquid silver thread and crushed moonbeam diamonds, the fabric shimmered with a galactic luster in the light. Every single stitch seemed to whisper an ancient vow. The veil, as thin as morning mist, cascaded over my shoulders, unable to hide the emerald pendant at my neck.

"Lila," Jasper’s voice came from behind me.

He was standing behind me, though I hadn’t noticed when he’d arrived. He wore a black formal suit with dark gold embroidery, the cuffs bearing a totem of a wolf’s head holding the moon. The wolf’s golden eyes glittered with a feral light under the sun, a stark contrast to his cold, handsome face. He didn’t take my arm like a typical groom. Instead, he simply rested his palm on the small of my back, his warmth seeping through the thin veil of my dress, as solid as a rock.

"Today, you’re the one in the spotlight," he said, his voice low and magnetic, leaving no room for doubt. "The whole world will know who you are."

I took a deep breath and nodded. I could feel the pressure from his palm—it was a declaration, and also a form of protection.

The ceremonial music began. It was no ordinary orchestral piece, but a live performance of "Variations on a Starry Sky" by a symphony orchestra concealed somewhere in the clouds. Every note seemed to strike the softest part of one’s heart.

The great doors slowly swung open.

The guests parted like a tide, lining both sides of the aisle. Dignitaries, tycoons, members of royalty... their gazes held a mixture of awe, scrutiny, and ill-concealed fear. I knew they weren’t looking at Lila, but at the new Queen of the Hale family. Jasper walked half a step behind me, his gaze sweeping across the crowd like a blade. His very presence was an invisible wall, shielding me from all potential prying eyes and any hint of disrespect.

I could even hear the faint gasps of amazement from the crowd.

"My God, is that the legendary ’Star Dust’ fabric? I heard its galactic pattern only becomes visible under moonlight."

"Mr. Hale is truly spoiling his wife. For this wedding, he even booked an entire satellite channel for a global live broadcast."

In the front row of the guests, Richard held a glass of champagne, his gaze hazy as he watched me approach. Thirty years ago, it had been another sunny afternoon just like this one. Isolde, dressed in an ivory wedding gown, had stood at the church entrance and turned back to smile at him. Back then, he had stood behind Thomas Bennett like a shadow. Later, she became pregnant with Lila, and he was only worthy of being her child’s nominal uncle.

An indescribable bitterness welled up in Richard’s heart as he looked at the breathtakingly magnificent wedding dress I wore. ’If only I had been braver back then, would I be the one giving my daughter away today?’

Richard gave a bitter smile and drained his glass in one gulp. The sour, astringent taste spread from his throat to the depths of his heart. ’Some regrets, it seems, can never be undone in a lifetime.’

Beside him, Martha appeared calm as she adjusted her skirt, but in reality, her gaze was sweeping over every security post and every unfamiliar guest’s face like a hawk. Derek was missing, without a trace. She didn’t believe he was simply dead. This wedding was the moment the Hale family brandished its sword to the world, but it was also when they were most vulnerable. She had to stay vigilant. ’What if Derek has blended into the crowd? What if he still has the Tear of the Moon God?’

Lilith, on the other hand, could no longer contain herself. She wore a vibrant red gown, her makeup exquisite, but her eyes were like poison-dipped needles, fixed squarely on Caleb.

’Now that the Goodrich family is bankrupt and even Penelope Vanderbilt has broken off his engagement, what right does he have to act so high and mighty?’

Looking at Caleb’s face, still handsome but etched with loneliness, jealousy sprouted in Lilith’s heart like wild weeds. ’If I can’t have him, no one else should have an easy time of it, either.’

"Tsk," she suddenly raised her voice, the sharp sound piercing through the lingering ceremonial music. "Some people are so full of themselves. Back then, you couldn’t even be bothered to accept the olive branch I offered. And now? You’re not even worthy of shining my shoes."

The surroundings fell silent in an instant.

Caleb stood at the edge of the crowd, his posture still straight and tall, but his back was subtly tense. He didn’t retort or even glance at Lilith. He just lowered his eyes, his fingers clenching into a fist at his side, knuckles turning white. He remembered the day the Vanderbilt family’s lawyer had pushed the engagement termination papers in front of him, their tone icy: "Given that the Goodrich assets have been frozen, we no longer see any value in this marriage alliance." The shame of being stripped of his dignity still burned in his very bones.

A few suppressed snickers could be heard from the crowd. Someone whispered, "I heard he was engaged to the Vanderbilt heiress, but the moment she heard the Goodrich family went bankrupt, she tore up the agreement that very same day..."

"How quickly people change when fortunes turn."

My heart clenched painfully.

Those words stabbed into my ears like needles. I couldn’t remember how Caleb had treated Lilith, nor did I recall anything about his engagement, but the thought, ’Caleb is my brother,’ was as clear as if it were carved into my bones.

I stopped walking.

In an instant, every eye in the place was on me.

I turned, looked Lilith straight in the eye, and spoke. My voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for everyone in the front rows to hear:

"Please respect Caleb Goodrich. He will always be my brother."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The smile on Lilith’s face froze. A flash of shock crossed her eyes, followed by humiliated fury. She opened her mouth but said nothing. In the end, she just bit her lip, shot me a venomous glare, and retreated back into the crowd.

I started walking again, my heart pounding like a drum, my palms slick with sweat.

Until a large, warm hand gently took my wrist from behind.

Jasper didn’t speak. He simply rubbed his thumb soothingly over the back of my hand. The pad of his thumb was lightly calloused, and the rough texture against my delicate skin brought a strange sense of calm. The gesture was feather-light, yet it allowed my racing heart to slowly settle back into place. But I could feel the air around him turn colder—the instinctual reaction of the Wolf King whose territory had been challenged.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze flashing like lightning toward the spot where Lilith had just been standing. Though no words were exchanged, a bodyguard immediately understood, discreetly moving to block any path Lilith might take.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly.

The officiant read the vows as the guests held their breath in anticipation.

When it came to the "I do’s," Jasper didn’t look at the officiant. Instead, he stared straight into my eyes. And in those golden depths, I could have sworn I saw a flicker of apprehension.