The Alpha King's Claim

The Alpha King’s Claim chapter 9 by desirenovel

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 at a wedding? I should abolish this when I get my hands on paperwork 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 were some double meaning in 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.”

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?

looked like

me simply snickered. Their overwhelming reaction meant I nailed my acting perfectly. Now, it

crowd fell silent as they

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

of cheers and claps filled the amphitheater. It went on for over a minute until the high priest lifted his hand up to

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

it. Never had I seen this happening in a wedding before.

reigned the atmosphere once the white light

forming in her mind. I could easily decipher

at her right wrist, a

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

again, but this time

my composure intact. This wasn’t supposed to happen! Whatever this mark meant on my wrist, I had a feeling it

a tray of ritual equipment: a ceremonial chalice filled with

priest took out the chalice and handed it to

on with the wedding ritual,” he said with mirth.

chalice

it to my bride and she took it with

Fuck. Now she’s unstable!

through…after painstakingly keeping my temper intact, I

handed her the chalice, I also grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. “Be still. Everything is okay,” I whispered low, faking

judging from the

thy chalice and be whole with your husband,” the

handed it

the platinum bowl, dipped his thumb inside it, and signaled both of us

both did, rather hesitantly might I add, and then the high priest drew a single line across

shouted. “Let all the realms know that this union

man’s words and for the first time ever, a sense of dread filled me like a great

Shit.