Waiting for the prince
2 hours later, the ceremony was due to start any minute. Seph, Theo, Kayla, J, and Odilio stood in front of the packhouse in silence, waiting for the prince’s arrival. It seemed to happen both in slow motion and in an instant, strangely enough. There was a flash of light, so bright that the whole group lifted hands to their faces to shade their eyes. It seemed to swirl and dance before spreading out and fading to a level that could be tolerated. In the middle of the light stood a man. He had the traditional werewolf looks in that he wouldn’t look out of place in a Calvin Klein advert in his underwear. He was easily 6ft tall; his dark hair was shoulder-length, with a section braided down the middle to pull it back away from his face. His face was chiselled, traditionally handsome. He had an attractive, firm jaw and straight white teeth. Green eyes set perfectly on either side of his nose. His shoulders were broad, covered in a perfectly tailored suit. The grey jacket, waistcoat and pants were clearly made for him and only him. He took a step forward towards the gathered greeters. Holding his hand out to Theo as he looked Seph up and down. For some reason, it made both her and Dextra irrationally furious. All the guy was doing was looking at her, well, leering really, but why would it wind them up to this degree?
“Theo Galloway? I am prince Jasper. Haven’t quite broken her yet, then, I see? But fuck, you are one lucky man; just imagine the fun you will have breaking that. I mean, look at that body.”
Seph’s eyes grew wider and wider, her fury building. She knew that her mates would be feeling it by now. She glared at Theo, who dared to nod along with this sexist pig. As if sensing her plans, Theo grabbed Seph’s hand to keep her at his side, pulling her closer to him. Seph was practically vibrating with anger. Odilio was more than happy to stand up for her if the cub wouldn’t and took his place at Seph’s side.
“And just who is this lovely beast? My date for the evening? How kind of you, you didn’t have to-, “the prince continued, now looking at Kayla. It was a step too far for Seph, who was already struggling not to beat Theo into the ground and trying to contain Dextra. With an imposing growl, for someone who doesn’t have a wolf anyway, Seph broke free of Theo’s restraining arm, and Dextra broke free of Seph’s chest. They both headed over to Kayla, who was looking slightly alarmed. Seph wasn’t sure if it was because Dextra was hovering around her head or the prospect of having to sit with this misogynistic pig of a man all night. Either way, she was not prepared to let him touch her mate.
“Mine”, she growled, standing protectively in front of Kayla. Staring the prince down as Dextra chuffed smoke at him. “You are a huge chauvinistic pig, and if you so much as look at my mate again, I will remove your balls with a rusty spoon and make you watch as Dextra cooks and eats them,” Seph told the prince with the best psychotic smile on her face.
Prince Jasper took a step back. He couldn’t remember anyone ever speaking to him in such a way, not even his crazy cousin. How dare this witch? How dare she talk to him like this? And wasn’t the soon-to-be Alpha her mate? “Just what is going on here? Galloway, get your mate and her beast under control! The witch threatened me. The witches seem to be right about her being unhinged. Apparently, she came into too much power too young, which has addled her. The coven she was born into wants to see her. They are concerned for her welfare after she left them and has not made any contact with even her parents. And I have to admit, I am concerned for your pack if you accept her as their Luna,” he said, still talking to Theo.
Seph and Kayla both looked to Theo to defend them; when he seemed unable to find the words to do so, the girls turned back to the prince. “No, no, he won’t control me or my familiar”, Seph began.
“As for what is going on, our mate felt the need to defend me from someone who is supposed to defend all wolves but instead has decided that only half of the population are worth his time; well, I suppose that isn’t strictly true, we might be worth some time, maybe just enough to get you off!” Kayla continued.
“And as for me being addled by power, I have never heard such a load of crap in my life! I am an elemental witch, the strongest of my powers being fire and air-related. It isn’t unheard of for a witch to have control of all 4 elements, and all witches get their power at the same age I did; there was nothing special about that! Addled, I’ll show them fucking addled. And what else was it? Oh yes, concerned for my welfare. They weren’t so concerned when they threw me out with no support network at only 18, were they? When they told me that if I was seen by another witch anywhere in the country, I would be locked up? Those people aren’t concerned about me, and I have not made contact with them because I was told not to. My parents aren’t exactly the kind of parents you want to write a letter to. Now are you here to challenge us or to watch this ceremony?”
“How can you have 2 mates? The Galloway twins are not identical. This is unheard of, and the council will have to investigate. This alpha ceremony cannot happen tonight. I forbid it.” The prince orders, pulling himself up to his full height and puffing his chest out a little, trying to look intimidating. Odilio huffed loudly as J shuffled nervously; he had no hope of being able to help out in this situation, a beta against a prince; it would not work. Finally, Theo seemed to find his voice again.
“My Mate is not addled; she is furious. This ceremony is happening, regardless of what you say, because, as our sanctuary guardian here is so keen to point out, we are not technically under your authority. And that beast, if you don’t mind, is one of my best friends. Oh, and I completely agree with Seph, stay the fuck away from my sister… as a matter of fact, all the women in my pack are off-limits,” Theo told the prince, holding out an arm for Dextra, who landed, shifted into her salamander form and crawled up to his shoulder. Theo turned his back to prince Jasper, put an arm around Seth and Kayla, and led the way to the back of the packhouse where the ceremony was due to start. Odilio grabbed J and began to follow.
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The elders were already on stage, waiting to start. The guests talked, drank and mingled as they waited for Theo and the girls. Theo and J climb onto the stage and take their places; the elders stood up, and slowly the crowd gathered closer. Odilio stood with the girls, not prepared to leave them without any protection, even though he was confident they could easily take on that disgrace of a prince themselves. That didn’t mean they should have to, though.
Seph didn’t remember much of what actually happened during the ceremony. She knew the prince had appeared as they were starting and stood at the crowd’s edge, looking sullen. She knew that several things would have had to happen. First, Lorcan would have to pass the pack on to his son and take his position on the council of elders. Then Theo would have to publicly accept Seph as his mate and Luna. The three of them would drink from the same cup and shed their blood onto the Alpha stone. The pack would have the option to raise any objections to Seph being their Luna; she didn’t think there had been any. The prince’s protests were just waved away as he was not a pack member. Then everyone retired to the dining halls to eat the meal prepared by the caterers.
The day was topped off with dancing and chatting. Well, it was for most of the guests and pack members. Theo, Seph and Kayla found themselves sitting on one side of a table in the conference room with Odilio at their side. At the head of the table was prince Jasper and down the other side sat Lorcan and Elder Maher. Theo, Kayla and Seph took their seats, looking between the men facing them. “Just what is this about? Who dares to summon me here like this on the night of my celebrations?” Theo began
It was his father who answered. “Son, you need to calm down and hear us out. The courts have raised questions about Seph-”
Before Lorcan could continue, however, Theo cut in, “The courts have nothing to do with my mate, and they can go screw about with someone else. I am not interested in their interference.”
“Theo, no, that is not the attitude to have. The witches’ court has raised concerns about her mental state, backed up by statements from her birth coven and prince Jasper. Her coven wish to see her too, and they request that she travels home to soothe her parent’s fears that she is being held against her will. Apparently, she has sent them a message to this effect.”
This time, Seph and Dextra, who had been hiding in Theo’s Jacket, reacted. “What a load of rubbish. I have not spoken to my parents in any way since moving into the pack, and they have no concerns about me; if I go there, I will not be safe. As for these issues around my sanity, have either of you ever had concerns about my mental state? After my mates, you are amongst the people who know me pretty well, certainly around this table.”
Elder Maher replied, “what we think is beyond the point now. It has been requested that you leave with the prince tonight to undergo an assessment of your mental state, appear before the witches’ court and then go to your birth coven. I am afraid we cannot argue with a request like this, and Kayla will come with you that we have secured.”
Seph looked over at Odilio, who gave her a slight nod. She took a deep breath and stood up, addressing the prince rather than the elder. “Request denied. I am the Sanctorum; neither my mates nor I are under your jurisdiction or that of the witches council. Check your paperwork. My mental state is fine. You just got scared. The witches are lying; they don’t want me, never have. But never the less, I will pay my coven a visit because I’m pretty sure they need our help. Now, come on, guys, we are leaving.” Seph tapped her mates on the shoulder and walked out of the room, leaving stunned looks on the faces of the other men in the room.