< Aero >

My jaw tensed at the temper simmering inside me. I had no desire to hold a woman's hand, but I didn't have a choice. I had to keep up appearances.

The bride, however, lifted her hands up without a second thought and waited for me to hold it.

When the high priest cleared his throat, that was when I realized I hadn't actually moved yet.

With a deep breath to settle my developing temper, I accepted her hands, enveloping them with my large palm.

"Your Majesty, you may now say your vows, " the old man stated. I gave him an arched brow. What did he say again?

"Start with your bride's name, Your Majesty, and say your vows loudly for all to hear, " he reminded.

I had to take another deep breath to control the growing turmoil inside me. Fuck! Why must there be vows in a wedding? I should abolish this when I get my hands on paperworks again.

"Se...rena, " I started, my voice toneless. A large part of me was hesitant to speak her name. I was lucky to have remembered her name even. "I offer you a life filled with contentment, of peace and happiness. I offer you protection and safety, and a life filled with bounty and wealth."

In the back of my head, there was a double meaning on my words. Once she returns to her world, she'd be exactly getting these things.

I wanted to stop right there, but then the high priest cleared his throat again and murmured, "Your vow of love, Your Majesty. Let your people hear it. Give them inspiration."

My nostrils subtly flared. The audacity of this old man was beyond measure, but again, I had to keep up appearances.

I stared sharply at my bride through the holes of the lace covering so that she'd sense my displeasure. Surely, she was intelligent enough to know that the incoming words I would spew from my mouth didn't mean a single thing.

Holding her hands tightly, I started again with my voice even louder this time, "You are the woman who captured my heart and chased out the darkness within and for this, I vow to love and cherish you for the rest of my life. I vow to keep you by my side forever. My heart is yours for all eternity."

A deafening applause suddenly erupted and the cheers of the crowd burst through the air. They were crying out their happiness and as I looked around, there were numerous spectators who actually cried and hugged each other.

I was beyond stunned by their reaction to my vow. Where they really that moved with my words?

It looked like they were.

But a selfish part of me simply snickered. Their overwhelming reaction meant I nailed my acting perfectly. Now, it was my dear bride's turn to sell her ruse.

The crowd fell silent as they waited for her to speak.

"Your Majesty, King Aero of the Kingdom of Phanteon, " she started in the most fluid, sweetest voice I heard from a woman. "I have none to give you aside from what I have now: my body, my heart, and my love. Take care of me as I promise to take care of you. I will be your conscience, your guide. I will keep your heart safe and sound, and nurture it with my calming embrace. I will protect you as you would to me. I will be the queen your kingdom needs...badly, " she added with a hint of sarcasm, "and I will be the mother to your children...er pups...and promise to take care of them with love and devotion."

Again, the booming sound of cheers and claps filled the amphitheater. It went on for over a minute until the high priest lifted his hand up to silence them.

He placed his palm underneath our interlocked hands and guided it up to level his forehead and then started chanting. A couple of minutes later, a white light shown from our hands. In the form of a chain, it slithered out of our palms and went over and around our wrists to bind us together. Then, a mark appeared specifically on our right inner wrists. It looked like a crescent moon.

I gaped at the sight of it. Never had I seen this happening in a wedding before. Judging from the surprised look of the high priest and the audience, they thought the same too.

Silence reigned the atmosphere once the white light disappeared.

The woman looked at me with wide eyes, a question forming in her mind. I could easily decipher it as, 'What was that?!'

Then, she looked at her right wrist, a frown forming on her face again.

"Hail to the Goddess!" the high priest ecstatically boomed. "What you witnessed seconds ago was proof that our Goddess had blessed this union! We had never witnessed such before. This calls for a greater celebration!"

For the fucking nth time, the crowd cheered again, but this time it was noisier and headache-inducing.

I battled to keep my composure intact. This wasn't supposed to happen! Whatever this mark meant on my wrist, I had a feeling it would give me problems soon.

Out from the corner of my eye, I noticed a young boy approach us holding a tray of ritual equipment: a ceremonial chalice filled with clear water and a small platinum bowl filled with red power.

The high priest took out the chalice and handed it to me.

"We must move on with the wedding ritual, " he said with mirth. "Drink thy chalice and be whole with your bride."

Through clenched teeth, I accepted the chalice and drank half of its contents.

Afterwards, I handed it to my bride and she took it with her hands visibly shaking.

Fuck. Now she's unstable!

After all I had been through...after painstakingly keeping my temper intact, I can't have her ruining this ceremony just for suddenly being frightened!

So, when I handed her the chalice, I also grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. "Be still. Everything is okay, " I whispered low, faking my smile.

She took this as a promise judging from the sudden lift of her chin.

"Drink thy chalice and be whole with your husband, " the high priest said.

She drank the contents and thereafter handed it back to the old man.

When this was done, he took out the platinum bowl, dipped his thumb inside it and signaled both of us to lean closer.

We both did, rather hesitantly might I add, and then the high priest drew a single line across our foreheads with the red powder.

"The ceremony has ended. The wedding is fulfilled!" he shouted. "Let all the realms know that this union is binding and unbreakable!"

I listened to the old man's words and for the first time ever, a sense of dread filled me like a great flood.

Shit.

What have I got myself into?

"Hail to our Alpha and Luna! Hail King Aero and Queen Serena!" my brother shouted somewhere close to the stage. I cast a look at my royal council and the rest of the audience when they all chorused our names. They looked lively and cheerful. Not a hint of concern or suspicion on their faces. They genuinely looked pleased with my union with this woman, but I'm sure when they find out she's a human they would flip out and declare the union null and void.

I had gone through too much embarrassment. As if I'd let that happen.

Elijah met my stare. He nodded slightly, silently telling me it was time. I knew what I had to do, yes. All couples wedded in the kingdom do it as a tradition. I was their king so I was expected to do the same.

Mentally, I had already prepared for it for two days. I thought I prepared myself enough, but in front of this woman, in front of my new wife and queen, I was not sure anymore.

"Kiss!" Somebody from the crowd reminded me. Fuck. And then everybody followed shouting that one damning word.

"Kiss! Kiss!"

I grinned at them and waved a hand to recognize their request. Fuck. But deep inside though, I wanted to rip their throats out.

"Is a kiss really necessary?" she asked worriedly to me whilst giving out a fake smile to the audience.

I wrapped an arm around her waist and brought her closer to me. "It's tradition here, to show that the wedded couple are indeed happy with the union."

"I'm not happy with this union, " she blurted out, again fake smiling the crowd and waving at them like a queen naturally would.

I groaned in frustration. "So am I, but we have to give them a show."

"Shit, " was the last word I heard from her when I stooped down, lifted her veil up and captured her mouth.

The crowd burst out with cheers once more. It was getting really tiring to hear it.

As initially planned, I only wanted our mouths pressed, create an illusion that we were passionately kissing, but to my surprise, her lips slightly parted. I whiffed I really good scent from her. A scent I hadn't picked up in a woman or any other creature for that matter. It was filling up my mind with euphoria. My nose liked it. My lungs adored it. Then, unconsciously, I parted my lips too. At the touch of our moistened mouths and the mixture of our warm breaths, an unknown kind of need filled me.

My wolf howled inside and before I knew it, I was kissing my fake wife like a mad beast that had escaped from its prison.

Fuck.

Double fuck.

Triple fuck.

< 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.