< Serena >

I sat stiffly on my seat whilst looking down on the celebration in front of me. Every guest were laughing and lively and really enjoying the moment. I envied them. This was exactly what I envisioned my wedding reception to be, but unfortunately, I married the wrong man.

That aforementioned wrong man sat next to me, on his throne that looked very striking. It was literally an enormous head of an animal��a wolf most likely��with its mouth filled with serrated teeth and opened wide to accommodate my husband's royal butt.

Ever since the wedding ceremony ended, he had been sporting a rather unreadable expression on his face. It was not a scowl or a frown. Just a blank face. He would show a smile when needed, but I knew he was just faking it like I was.

I clearly remembered everything that went down on that ceremony. I remembered the bright light in the form of chains and how it left a wierd mark on both of our wrists. I remembered myself suddenly turning anxious and afraid; felt confused and clueless. A second later, a sense of completeness filled me and for an unexplained moment, I thought standing with the king felt right.

That wonderful euphoric feeling was gone in a snap. It was replaced with fear again and with that, my hands visibly shook. I wasn't sure what the markings on our wrists meant. I was hoping on the back of my mind it wasn't something serious.

King Aero saw my discomfort and just as expected, he acted like a loving husband-to-be, assuring me that it was alright. He probably thought I'd back down on our agreement.

Huh, like hell I would. I just needed to see through this day and I'd be gone in this realm forever. Never mind whatever my mark meant.

But 'seeing through this day' unfortunately included kissing the damn man. I knew I couldn't run away from this with all the pairs of eyes trained on us, so I did the only thing I could do at the moment and it was to curse.

"Shit."

The moment his mouth met mine, I wanted to gag. It was the coldest kiss I had ever received in my life. I had received kisses before in the form of my ex in high school, in college and the last one in the place I used to work at. Though they didn't look as godly as this man was, I should say they kiss better than him.

However, during the process, I found myself slightly parting my lips and an explainable urge to dive my tongue inside his mouth filled me. I was glad I was able to control it, but it was with difficulty.

For a moment, I thought I was safe, but I guess I was wrong. To my surprise, he reciprocated the gesture and even went as far as to really deepen our wedding kiss, inserting his tongue inside the soft walls of my mouth and violating me in every inch possible.

My heart pumped eratically, filling my whole body with a high dose of overexcited blood. I couldn't think straight at that moment. I heard the shouts and hollers of the audience. I heard the loud claps and the blaring trumpets around us. I didn't care all of it. All I cared about was how his mouth devoured me and I let him... I actually let him. I even answered his heady kisses with a hungry batch of my own.

Soon enough we were going at it like a real newly-wed couple would and I found myself eating up my words. King Aero was indeed a damn good kisser. He was better. So much better...

What broke our intense session was the loud fireworks in the night sky. I thought this realm didn't have one, but surprise, surprise, they actually had light displays that could contend with the ones on Burj Khalifa.

He pulled out first, effectively breaking our kiss. He looked at me with wide eyes and sporting a pair of red lips. My red lipstick smudged them in the process. It looked funny and sexy all at once. I was supposed to feel guilty, but it didn't cross my mind. I was too preoccupied with my stunned self too.

What just happened? My brain cried out.

Judging from the shocked look on his face, he didn't know what just transpired between us too.

"Get inside the coach, " he grounded, the muscles on his jaw tensing.

I looked around and was happy to see that nobody noticed our little drama. They were too busy watching the magnificent colorful lights ahead of us.

When I didn't budge, he grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me with him to the stairs conveniently stationed in front of where we stood. I acted as if I was giddy and excited, showing a bright smile while the spectators along the pathway lowered their heads.

When we reached the coach parked at the end of the pathway, he opened the door for me and with sharp eyes, silently told me to climbed inside. I did because I wanted to drop my acting already.

King Aero climbed up too and soon, the coach moved with us inside its interior surrounded by awkwardness and a whole lot of tense silence...

"What does these markings on our wrists mean?" I asked after a few minutes, wanting to cut the tension between us.

He was facing his side of the coach window; his expression hidden from my view but I could easily imagine a scowl on his face at that moment.

When I chanced a look at his reflection in the glass window, I realized I was wrong. His expression was unreadable. He was in deep thought, looking in the distance with blank eyes.

He didn't reply until a few minutes later when he plainly said, "I'll have my people look into the marks. Don't concern yourself with it."

I was surprised. Honestly, I thought he had an idea.

"You mean you don't know��"

"Not yet, but I'll know soon, " he interrupted, looking agitated.

My brows furrowed and I mentally grumbled. It seemed he was back to his rude attitude once again.

"Very reassuring to hear, " I stated, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Our agreement is still binding, woman, if that is what you're concerned about. I'll bring you back to your realm the soonest possible time, but for now, do as you are expected to do, act as my wife and my queen."

"Duly noted." I stared at the landscape outside my window with a deeper frown on my face.

His wife and his queen huh? I scoffed. What a total bulshit.

But as far as I hated admitting it, he was right. This was the reason why we underwent this fake wedding in the beginning, so I had to straighten up my spine and use the best acting skills I have.

Our travel to the castle took only a few minutes, but in that short amount of time, I was bombarded by the memory of the wedding kiss we shared: his supple lips on mine ravishing me, craving me and making me feel like I was the most desirable woman on his realm.

Despite myself, I bit the bottom of my lip and gulped hard. Hell, I shouldn't be easily misled by such an act.

Whatever happened to us that time, I think it was just because of the pressure around us. Certainly as plain and simple as that. Nothing more to add.

When we reached inside the castle, we were both ushered towards the throne room and that was where his subjects paid their respects on me as their queen.

I wasn't given a crown. It seemed they didn't use one if the king's absence of a crown were an indication. They showed an immense respect on both of us however; enthusiasm and excitement filled their eyes despite being crownless.

Back on the now, I glanced at my king husband on his throne with a newly filled chalice on hand. The night was getting older and little by little I was beginning to feel apprehensive.

The next hurdle to take was now surviving the night in one room together with the king.

< Aero >

I didn't wait for tomorrow. I had to know now, so I called for an emergency meeting with all of my council including the high priest that presided my wedding and the royal augur of my father, Sedsah. As one of the best augur in the realms, I needed to seek his thoughts regarding the magical event that happened earlier. I was that desperate.

As I sat on my seat impatiently, I stared at them when they entered the conference room. I could see the look of confusion in their eyes and saw the unexpressed question swirling in their heads. Why would I want to be with them when I was just married? I should have been on top of my new wife right now pounding her ass off.

I grumbled in my thoughts. Huh. They should know better.

Elijah who had been standing next to me remarked inside my head, 'Look at that. They are quite pissed off with your sudden call for a meeting. They were having a good time in your wedding reception you know.'

'Fuck off, Elijah, ' I sent him a glare.

"You called Your Highness?" my beta, William, asked once they all settled on their chairs. The oval table in front of us was large. On normal days, it would have been filled with spread papers and maps. Now it was devoid of them probably because the servants thought I'd turn this day into a holiday.

Not a chance.

"I'm sure you all saw what happened to me and my...bride earlier right?" I asked, keeping eye contact with each and everyone of them.

William lowered his head and visibly cleared his throat while the high priest flashed a toothy grin. The others, well, they broke into a proud smile, probably seeing the event a good sign.

"It was a wonderful sight to behold, my liege, " Hindall, the high priest, commented. He leaned closer against the desk and looked at me with bright eyes.

I took this as an opportunity to go straight to the point.

"Do you know what's the meaning of this mark on our wrists?" Holding my right arm up, the crescent moon mark protruded on the surface of my skin just slightly. They all looked at the mark and gasped. It must have been amazing for them to see such a thing made by the Divine.

"I...unfortunately have no idea, Your Highess, " Hindall lowered his head, looking partly ashamed. "All I know is that your union with Queen Serena is blessed by the Goddess."

I clenched my hands in frustration.

"Fuck the Goddess! What I want is an explanation!" I stood up and hit the desk with a heavy hand. "Anyone of you here could give me that?"

I watched them one by one again, but they remained silent and looked at each other like clueless pups.

"Sedsah?" I stated, pointing out the only man I expected could help me. He had a blue-violet printed turban on his head as a headdress and sported a long brown-grayish goatee, something that suited his age and position.

He lifted his chin up and looked at the mark on my wrist.

"Let me touch the mark, Your Highness, " he offered. "I might see the message of the Goddess through it."

I scowled at the use of his words. Why must they all connect it to the Goddess? What has got to do with a nature spirit on my situation right now?

Noticing the look of curiosity on the council's face, I grumbled from deep within my throat and said, "Go ahead when all of my council leaves."

William and my omega, Chris, as observant as ever, took it as their cue to leave.

They stood up and left, and soon after, all of my council did the same.

Elijah placed a hand on my shoulder and audibly cleared his throat.

"You want me to leave too?" he asked, grinning at me. I shook my head and clenched my jaw.

"Stay. You're the one who brought me into this mess, " I stated, looking up at him with a glare.

"Hmm, fine, I'm curious anyway." Elijah shrugged his shoulder acting like he didn't care but I knew he wanted to know too.

Sedsah stood up from his seat, rounded the table and approached me on the right side.

"Your hand, Your Highness, " he placed his palm up in between us.

I didn't approve of him holding any part of my body but I had to comply if I needed answers stat.

Sedsah wrapped his palm around my wrist and raised his head up high. A few seconds later, he started speaking, but it was too vague to even understand it.

"I see a boy... I see loneliness... Eshtha? What does that mean?"

My mind suddenly jumped at the mention of the foreign word. Well, foreign for them, yes, but for me... it wasn't, I invented the damn word while I was still a kid for crying out loud! It was one of those memories I'd like to bury deep inside the grounds of my castle.

"Leave, " I stated, pulling my hand away.

"Your Highness?" Sedsah was taken aback by the instruction.

"I said leave!" I shouted. "You're services are no longer required!"

Understanding my labile mood, he just bowed down and said, "Your will, my King." I watched as his back retreated to the door.

"Judging from your reaction, I think you know what that mark means right?" Elijah remarked once we were alone. He claimed the seat next to him and faced me with his sickening grin.

"No, I don't, " I answered with a huff, "but I most certainly remembered an unsavory memory in my past."

"What does eshtha mean, brother?" he went on with not a hint of expression on his face. "I know you're hiding something from me." He crossed his arms and examined me like a sly wolf that he was and widened his grin.

My temper couldn't hold on much longer.

"Get out, Elijah. Let me be at peace!"

"Okay, good, " he raised his hands up in defeat and stood up from his seat. "I won't tease you anymore, but a word of advice? Go to your chamber now and spend some time with your new wife."

I frowned. "I'll cut off your tongue if you don't shut up, Elijah."

"Sure, sure, " he answered noncomitally, "but we could still mind-link you know."

"Just get out..." I rubbed my forehead.

He probably saw the tiredness on my face, so he decided to fully surrender.

"Okay, brother. Just remember that I'm here if you want someone to talk to."

"Yes, Elijah, " I muttered under my breath without even looking at him.

Eshtha...

My made-up word kept on lingering inside my head. It was teasing me, taunting me, and haunting me more than my younger brother did.

If he knew what the word meant, he'd probably laugh at my kid self. He'd probably say I was beyond myself, aiming high for a relationship that didn't exist.

"Eshtha..."

I tested the word on my mouth in real time and it gave me a shudder.

"Mate..." my lycan side translated and with that, thoughts of the woman filled me like a flood.