Riley didn't answer. His gaze darted to the left, locking onto Alex, who was striding toward them with a smug smirk plastered on his face. The look in Alex's eyes screamed mockery, like he was daring Riley to react. And beside him, just as irritating, stood Lila, arms crossed, her lips curled in amusement.
"Look who's now married," Lila taunted, laughing as if this was the joke of the century. "And to that." Her gaze swept over Caspian with thinly veiled disgust.
Alex clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he eyed Caspian like he was some broken thing left out in the rain. "Really, Riley? This is what you've been reduced to?" His voice dripped with mock sympathy. "A lunatic Alpha?"
Riley's fingers twitched at his side, his jaw tightening. He exhaled sharply, forcing a smirk onto his face as he tilted his head. "It's funny, Alex," he said lazily. "You say all that, yet you're still keeping tabs on my life. I must be really unforgettable."
Lila scoffed, her amusement flickering into annoyance. "Please. Don't flatter yourself."
Riley chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, but I should. After all, here you two are, at my wedding, wasting your time obsessing over me. What's wrong, Alex? Did dumping me not give you the satisfaction you wanted?" He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough to be heard by the both of them. "Or are you just mad that even after you humiliated me, I still got something you couldn't?"
Alex's smirk vanished. His jaw tensed, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. Riley knew that look—he had struck a nerve.
Alex moved before Riley could react, his hand shooting forward to grab him by the collar—
Only for Caspian to step between them.
The moment Alex's fingers barely brushed against Riley's suit, Caspian's large hand caught Alex's wrist in an iron grip.
Alex stiffened, his face contorting in pain as he tried to yank his hand away—except Caspian's hold didn't budge. His fingers dug into Alex's skin with effortless strength, his broad frame towering over him.
"You shouldn't touch Riley like that," Caspian said, his voice light and unbothered, but there was an unsettling weight beneath his words. He tilted his head slightly, his dark brown eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Why are you mad? Did Riley say something mean to you?"
Alex gritted his teeth, trying to pull away, but Caspian's grip only tightened. His strength was undeniable—an Alpha's strength.
"Let. Go," Alex hissed, his voice strained.
Caspian blinked at him, his expression filled with confusion. "Oh… are you stuck?"
Riley knew Caspian wasn't doing this intentionally. He didn't even look angry—just genuinely puzzled, as if he didn't understand why Alex was struggling so much. But to Alex, the humiliation of being overpowered in front of a crowd was unbearable.
Lila took a step back, unease flickering across her face. Even she wasn't dumb enough to provoke an Alpha who didn't seem to know—or care—how strong he really was.
"Caspian," Riley muttered under his breath, placing a hand on his husband's arm.
At the touch, Caspian's grip loosened immediately, as if Riley had flipped a switch. Alex stumbled back, face flushed with anger and embarrassment.
"You—"
"Enough."
The single word silenced the room.
Riley didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He could feel her presence.
Caspian's mother stood a few feet away, exuding nothing but quiet authority. Dressed entirely in black, she looked every bit like she had attended a funeral rather than a wedding. Her gaze was sharp, piercing, as she slowly took in the scene before her.
"You're embarrassing yourselves," she said coldly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. But there's a hint of something like she didn't really cared.
Alex swallowed hard, his previous arrogance faltering under her gaze. Even Lila, always so quick to throw insults, looked away, pretending to smooth out the fabric of her dress.
Caspian, however, simply smiled at his mother, as if he hadn't just crushed a grown man's wrist with ease. "Oh, Mother, you're here!" he chirped.
She gave him a look—one that was unreadable to everyone except Caspian himself.
Then, she turned to Riley. "Take your husband inside," she said smoothly, her gaze unreadable. "This circus is over."
Riley clenched his jaw but said nothing, grabbing Caspian's hand and leading him away.
As they stepped inside, Caspian hummed beside him. "Riley, did you see? I stopped him! Just like in the movies!"
Riley exhaled, dragging a hand down his face. "Yeah, Cas," he muttered, voice tight. "Just like in the movies."
But as he glanced back at Alex—at the rage simmering beneath his humiliated expression—Riley knew this wasn't over.
Not even close.
~~~
The large doors of the grand hall shut behind them, sealing them away from the murmurs and stares of the guests. The silence that followed was thick, almost suffocating.
Riley could still feel the weight of the confrontation pressing down on his chest, but Caspian…
Caspian seemed completely unaffected. He hummed to himself as they walked, swinging their still-intertwined hands like a child amused with a new toy.
Riley sighed, finally pulling his hand free. Caspian blinked at him, tilting his head in confusion. "You don't like holding hands?"
Riley exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "That's not it." He glanced at Caspian, who was now playing with his fingers, his expression thoughtful. "It's just… never mind."
Caspian suddenly grinned. "Riley, do you know where we're going?"
Riley frowned. "To the car?"
Caspian giggled. "Nope! To my house! Our house now!"
Riley froze. Right. The next step in this nightmare.
He hadn't thought much about what would happen after the wedding, but of course, they wouldn't just separate. He was now married to a Nightingale, which meant he had to live under their roof.
The thought alone made his stomach twist. "Are you excited?" Caspian asked, his eyes shining with an innocence that made Riley's heart clench.
He forced a tight smile. "Oh, thrilled."
Caspian laughed, completely missing the sarcasm.
As they walked down the grand steps of the church, Riley noticed a sleek black car parked at the entrance. A driver stood by the door, waiting.
Caspian practically skipped toward it, dragging Riley along. The moment they got in, the atmosphere shifted.
Caspian's humming died down, and he stared out the window, his fingers tapping against his knee. Riley watched him from the corner of his eye. There was something about him that felt… off.
"You don't seem as excited anymore," Riley commented, testing the waters. Caspian blinked and turned to him with a wide smile. "I was thinking about food! I want cake."
Riley stared at him. "...Cake."
"Yes! Chocolate cake! Do you like chocolate cake, Riley?"
Riley sighed, leaning back against the seat. "Sure, Cas."
Caspian clapped his hands together, looking genuinely delighted. Riley couldn't tell if this man was truly unaware of the situation or just really good at pretending.
He let out another sigh, closing his eyes for a moment. This was going to be a long ride.
—
The moment they arrived at the Nightingale estate, Riley was reminded of just how deep he'd been thrown into the lion's den.
The mansion was massive—practically a fortress. Tall iron gates loomed ahead, guarded by men in suits who barely spared them a glance before opening the way. As they drove through, Riley noted the vast, pristine gardens, the fountain in the middle, and the overwhelming silence.
This place was suffocating.
Caspian, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. He hopped out of the car as soon as it stopped, stretching his arms above his head. "Home sweet home!"
Riley followed reluctantly, his nerves on edge.
Before he could take another step, a sharp voice cut through the air. "You're finally here."
Riley turned, his entire body tensing at the sight of her.
Genevieve Nightingale stood at the entrance, her expression unreadable as always. Dressed in yet another black ensemble, she looked like she was attending a funeral rather than welcoming her son and his new husband home.
"Mother!" Caspian beamed, running up to her like an excited child.
Genevieve didn't return the enthusiasm. Instead, she turned her sharp gaze toward Riley.
"I trust the ceremony went well," she said coolly.
Riley met her gaze without flinching. "It was eventful."
Genevieve hummed, clearly uninterested in further discussion. "Caspian, go inside. There's something I need to discuss with your husband."
Caspian pouted. "But I wanna stay—"
"Inside. Now."
The air turned cold.
Riley barely caught the flicker of something in Caspian's eyes before he smiled and nodded.