Chapter 15 15
Aaron's Pov
The second Caesar mentioned the Mating Ceremony, something in me died.
I hadn't been to one in years, not since… everything. Not since I learned what it felt to be humiliated by your fellow Alphas and Kings. Not since I was pointed fingers at by Lunas and nobles with too much perfume and zero common sense.
Like a ghost, the memories conjured themselves up.
“Look at his face. He looks disgusting.”
“Hide your face, boy.”
“No daughter of mine will dance with THAT.”
Only one woman had ever danced with me at the ceremony and that was when I chose her, my former mate and my late wife, Nina. The day she died, every confidence to show my face in public died with her too. Now here I was again, haunted by the same damn invitation.
I dragged my hand through my hair as I walked down the hall, as I walked further away from Odette.
Fuck. I shouldn't have walked away from her. The way her face fell when I left, it cut more than any blade. She didn't deserve that.
Just then, Clarisse blocked my path, with her arms crossed.
“Yes, Clarisse?” I rubbed my forehead.
“What you did was bad, Your Majesty.” She frowned.
I raised a confused brow. “And what did I do?”
She gestured to the dining hall and I sighed.
“You don't have to tell me twice.” I pinched the skin between my eyes.
“Well, I'm telling ya again,” she sighed. “Go to the ceremony with her.”
I shook my head. “I can't. It's not that simple.”
“Why the heck not?” She scoffed. “You have Odette now. You're not alone anymore so stop being afraid.”
I let out a sigh. “It's not fear.”
“It sounds like it.” She exhaled harshly.
Okay. That hit harder than I expected.
I raked my hand through my hair again. At this point, I was going to lose my mind. I was becoming frustrated with the past, my fears, the fact that I'd hurt Odette.
Clarisse let out a soft sigh before looking at the dining hall. “She's crying, you know.”
My head snapped up immediately. “What?”
“Odette is crying. Your words hurt more than you realize.”
My heart dropped like a stone.
I turned on my heels and ran.
I searched her room first. She wasn't there. My frustration shot through the roof until I stepped outside and heard faint giggles in the garden.
There she was.
Odette sat in the sunlight surrounded by squirrels of all things.
The little hazards hopped onto her dress. Some of them climbed her arms and others even had the audacity to sniff her hair and she just … laughed.
And that wasn't all.
She was naming them.
“I just ate breakfast, Jasper. Don't pinch my stomach,” she laughed, then she told the squirrel sitting on her head. “Don't poop on my head, Hazel.”
As I watched her, something warm spread through me and my lips twitched despite myself. It was then I realized Clarisse had deceived me. Odette wasn't crying. She was playing with creatures as cute as her.
Then she looked up. And when her silver eyes met mine, everything in me froze.
She blinked at me with curious innocence, I felt my neck heat up.
I was blushing.
Damn it.
I turned slightly, needing to distance before I would make a fool of myself but she ran after me.
“Aaron, wait! I… aargh!” she screamed.
I turned around and my heart nearly exploded.
I rushed to her side, pulling her to sit on my lap. Before I could check her body for any injuries, she started laughing.
I stared at her, shocked. “Why are you falling?”
She only laughed harder.
I couldn't fight the smile breaking across my face. I cupped her cheek and she leaned into it like it was the most normal thing to do. She trusted me.
“I can't believe I fell,” Odette finally said after laughing.
“I know, love. I saw you.” I said, making a mental note not to let her fall ever again even though it would make her laugh.
Then I scooped her into my arms to return her to her room.
While we walked, Odette didn't stop talking.
“I was a bit upset that you left but I wasn't that angry,” she said, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I just decided to walk in the garden and that's when I met the squirrels.”
I smiled. “You did?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Uh-huh. They're really cute. Hazel and Jasper are twins and…”
The rest of her words trailed off when I noticed a maid drop her basket while her friend dropped her jaw.
It amused me.
Clarisse entered the hall. Her cheeks curled into a smile when she saw us. Then she mouthed something to me and turned to the maids.
“Stop staring,” she smacked the maid in the shoulder. “and get back to work. His Majesty is with his mate.”
Mate.
The word lingered in my head.
Odette blinked up at me as I carried her back inside. “Aaron… What's a mate?”
I froze mid-step but was fast enough to recover. “A mate… is someone destined to be with you forever.”
She tilted her head. “Am I your mate?”
Was that even a question?
That was the reason I brought her here.
Her scent was lavender and wildberries. She had the power to bring me to my knees. One word from her and I'll be dead and she's asking if she's my…
I smiled and lowered my forehead to hers, climbing my eyes for a second to inhale her scent. “Yes, you are, darling.”
When I opened my eyes again, she was looking at me like I was something she'd never seen before. Just like the first time we met. Her silver eyes, her long red hair… fuck this.
I couldn't resist her even if I tried.
My lips claimed hers before I could even think and she kissed me back softly like she was made for this.
Her hands rose and cupped my cheek.
“Can we go to the Mating Ceremony?” She whispered against my lips.
I winced. “Odette…”
She linked our fingers together, holding mine tighter. “Please? Let's go.”
Her smile. The fact that she looked at a monster like me and trusted me. There was no way in hell I could no to her.
I kissed her forehead. “Fine. We'll go.”
Her entire face lit up like I'd given her the world.
The preparations began in earnest.
I wore the colour symbols of Blackwood Pack — black and silver. Clarisse straightened my jacket and nodded approvingly.
“You look every inch an Alpha King. All Wolves and Lycans will respect that.” She smirked.
I ignored her speech and tried to calm my nerves when the door suddenly opened and Odette walked in.
She wore a silver gown that hugged her bodice before it shimmered below her waist. Her hair cascaded down her shoulder in brilliant waves. She looked … angelic.
“Odette…” I breathed.
She blushed. “Is it too much?”
“No,” I offered my arm. “It's perfect. You're perfect.”
“Thank you.” She placed her hand on my arm and we walked out together.
We took the carriage to the BlueMoon Pack. The ride was easier than I thought because Odette was there. She kept pointing at everything she saw and asked me to explain them to her. I found myself talking more than I ever expected.
When we arrived, I climbed out first and helped her down.
At that moment, the whispers began instantly.
“That's the leader of the Blackwood Pack.”
“Eww. Look at his face.”
“Who is she?”
“She's breathtaking.”
Odette slipped her hand into mine and smiled. “We're here.”
She didn't need to say much to let me know she was here for me. Her voice was enough to bring calm to my chaos.
Without thinking, I cupped her chin and kissed her.
Soft gasps rose around us.
Let them gasp. They might even choke on their drinks for all I care. She was mine.
When we pulled apart, the music had started playing.
I turned to Odette, hand out. “Shall we?”
But before she could take my hand, a shadow stepped between us.
Ralph, Alpha of the BlueMoon Pack.
“May I have the first dance with the lady?” He asked Odette.
Odette shook her head, moving closer to me but I touched her arm lightly.
“It's fine,” I said even though every muscle in me ached to wipe the smirk off his face.
She hesitated. “But…”
To make myself perfectly clear, I pulled her close and kissed her slow enough that Ralph stiffened. When I broke the kiss, I gave him a warning smile that said ‘she’ll dance with you but she belongs to me.’
Odette's cheeks flushed and the Alpha swallowed.
I stepped aside, watching and ready to tear out his throat if he touched her unnecessarily.