CHAPTER 3

UNEXPECTED GROOM

Akira's POVHorrified gasps rang out in the room as Mirvana screamed and dropped the blade in fake terror."IT'S A SHADOW BLADE! SHE'S USING SHADOW MAGIC!"Guards immediately unsheathed their swords. Several of the elders shifted to their wolves as they howled angrily."SEIZE HER!!" Dante yelled, his voice shaking with mock anger.Him too?! My heart squeezed as I gasped in pain and anger.Mirvana'a lips twitched in amusement at the mayhem.Heavy cold manacles clamped around my wrists as Mirvana slapped me across my face.My head snapped to the side, the pain in my body threatening to tear me apart as fear ran down my spine."How dare you use shadow magic! You deceived us all and tried to be our Luna just so you could kill the Alpha!"Yells from the palace elders rose up as Mirvana placed a hand on her stomach and winked at me."Shadow magic is banned!" Beta Maxwell stalked towards me angrily. "And for a good reason too! Everyone knows it takes from you when you use it,""She can't even speak!" Mirvana hissed. "She used shadow magic and now she's in so much pain, she's losing her wolf,"My eyes widened as a fearful scream tore from my throat and I felt Rowena being ripped away from me.NO NO NO.All my bones shuddered. My vision swam and I retched, the bile burning the back of my throat.All around me, I vaguely registered the elders calling for my death because that was the price for using outlawed magic in Ganan. Death.Rowena!I tried to call for my wolf. Beckon on her to give me strength but I knew.From the malicious smile on Mirvana's lips and the confident gleam in her eye.She had poisoned me and now I was nothing more than an Omega.Wolfless and powerless.The world went black.I wish I could claim I woke up on my soft bed with the warm sheets wrapped around me and the entire day had just been one long nightmare. But no.When I woke up, my head pounded like crazy. My throat was raw from the effort it took to scream, my body ached and the tangy coppery taste of blood filled my mouth.The water she gave me.Mirvana must have poisoned my water and I was too nervous to notice. Now Rowena has paid the price for my foolishness.All I wanted to do was curl in a ball and mourn the loss of my wolf and power but a loud voice had me blinking my eyes open."Alpha, we cannot punish her because she's still your intended and is covered by the Immunity clause," Beta Maxwell's voice dripped with venom and hate as he addressed Dante.Slight relief flooded me but as I turned to look at Dante. I just knew."Do with her what you wish," He spat shaking his head like he had no idea of my secret. "I certainly will not marry a weak, pathetic Omega,"I felt my body shake, the saltiness of my tears filling my tongue as I silently begged and willed him not to say the words."I DANTE VALTOR, ALPHA TO BLOOD MOON PACK, HEREBY REJECT AKIRA ISHIDA ALIAS LADY IRA AS MY BETROTHED,"The pain was instantaneous. Not a physical one. No, we didn't have a mate bond in place but an emotional one.Am I only valuable for my power? Memories of how we met began to haunt me.How I had been sent to kill Dante. How I fell in love and he convinced me to give up my place as heir to the Assassin's Guild.How I protected his pack with my power and helped him rule.I couldn't speak with my shredded throat so I tried to crawl towards him. Beg him even. Just anything for him to protect me like I've always done for him.But Dante looked away from me. Holding Mirvana protectively by his side."What do we do about her?" Beta Maxwell turned to Dante."Give her the punishment all those who use Shadow magic deserve, Kill Her,"The hall seemed to spin around me. A loud ringing in my ears as I froze and stared at Dante in disbelief.No. He wouldn't do that to me. The saltiness of my tears filled my tongue as I shook my head and cried silently.I hated that everything we shared meant nothing to him. But to kill me? Did he hate me that much?Dante held Mirvana close and asked her if she was alright. Asked If her hand ached because she slapped me.The other elders all turned to me. Wearing grim expressions more of them shifted to their wolf forms.When the first blow came, I wasn't ready.My weak body was sent flying against the wall of the wedding altar as I hit my head with a loud thump.Snickers rose up as some noble women mocked me. "Akira Ishida. She's supposed to be as powerful as the lycan but see how they push her around. Like a rag doll,"Pain exploded behind my eyes but I was no stranger to pain. The betrayal and Rowena's loss made me numb. kept my gaze trained on Dante and Mirvana as more blows came.One after the other, until I was certain each blow would be my last. I waited for it. Relished the pain even.But death doesn't follow any rules.I hunched over panting. My once white dress now scarlet with blood and ripped apart in places where claws had slashed them open.Beta Maxwell raised his sword to give the final blow and I closed my eyes accordingly."Stop."The command wasn't yelled or shouted. In truth, it was spoken rather softly but it carried enough power that I felt terror wash through the hall.With a shaky breath, I opened my eyes slowly.The elders, wolfs and guards surrounding me, parted. Bowing their heads in deference to the figure coming through."Lycan," "Your majesty," They greeted, their voices full of awe.In all the commotion of the day, I had forgotten Lycan King Kael was present to watch my wedding.From the shock on the Elders's faces, they too had forgotten. Why exactly was the man still present and why had he stayed silent for so long?"Raise your head," His voice was like steel and the command was for me.It hurt every muscle in my body, but I moved slowly lifting my head. Then I froze.He stole the very air from my lungs. He didn't wear a crown. He didn't need one. His entire frame dripped of majestic power and his eyes.Goddess his eyes captivated my very being.Like the gray of stormy clouds, dark and electrifying, its silky whisper sent chills down my spine."Your majesty," I mouthed.He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to the elders. "I'll take her,"My face went slack. From the murmurs and mixed reactions, I could tell I wasn't the only one shocked."I… B– But your majesty," Mirvana choked out."I apologize Your Majesty, but she is already being punished by Blood Moon," Beta Maxwell's voice trembled but he held his ground. "It is impossible to take her away now. She's facing a death sentence and she must die,"The utmost silence that followed his protest was so terrifying, I could have sworn the Beta pissed himself.But all the same. He was right. The royal throne cannot intervene in punishment once a prominent pack is dealing with it. Unless…"I grant her immunity," Lycan Kael cocked his head, a direct challenge to the council."Forgive me Lycan, But she's not a member of your family. She's not of royal blood," Mirvana's eyes flashed in anger as she stared at me. "She's just a weak Omega. You cannot—""She's my mate!"Wait what?If I thought my breath was stolen before, now my mouth just closed and opened like a gaping fish.Shock waves ran through the hall.Mirvana's face turned pale and she shared a fearful look with Dante.Dante stepped forward, pulling her protectively behind him. "Your majesty, we cannot verify that. Without her wolf, the assassin cannot state if she's your mate or not. That leaves the Immunity claim invalid,"Murmurs of agreement went up again.My heart pounded loudly. No one challenges the lycan and lives to tell the tale.But the Lycan didn't order Dante's arrest. No. Instead, The lycan sighed like he was beyond irritated and marched up to where I lay on the altar.Gasps of shock filled the hall and jolts of electric sparks went down my arm as the Lycan raised my bloody wrist for all to see and slowly wrapped the other end of the wedding ribbon around his wrist.Then quicker than I thought possible, he turned my head to the side and his teeth gently grazed the skin at the side of my neck."I, Kael Stormborn. Lycan of the Steele throne and Lycan King of Ganan Fortress. Hereby marries this woman, Akira Ishida to be my wife and high Luna,"With a bored expression, he turned back to the open-mouthed elders."Now she outranks all of you. Enough Immunity?"