Forbidden Lovers

Wedding Ceremony

Evelyn looked at her own reflection in the mirror: diamond earrings, diamond crown, red lips; white puffy dress.

Lifeless blue eyes.

Even the maids — who were dressing her up for the wedding — looked sad. Pitiful for their new queen. So young and so cursed. Who wouldn't feel bad?

Finally, only after finishing up with everything, they had the kindness in their hearts to leave her alone. She looked outside of the glass doors of the small balcony filled with white roses, raindrops covering whatever was outside; covering the freedom she so much dreamt about, and never once got.

"Good," she said out loud. "I hope it rains in all the kingdom. I hope it rains until everything drowns in water." 

At least the sky — or maybe the Gods — were crying with her. That thought was supposed to somehow comfort her, yet it made her feel even more miserable. She was miserable.

What was this fate she had to live? How would she ever be able to live with her mate under the same roof, belonging to another man; to the man he called father, to the man who had killed her own father?

Yes, she was definitely cursed. Cursed and hopeless.

The tears she just wiped away from her face were replaced by some others in an instant.

Evelyn was supposed to be strong, her father had always taught her to be strong. Then why couldn't she? Why was it this hard?

She heard the doors of her balcony crack — a sign they were opening — but she refused to look that way. What good would it bring, imagining him climbing to her room?

Only that she wasn't imagining it. Arthmael was indeed there in front of her, soaked to the bone. His black soul-sucking eyes holding her like he never again wanted to let her go.

"Evelyn." His voice sounded desperate.

She wiped away the last tears. "You should go. Please go," she begged in a weak voice.

He held back some tears of his own. "Please look at me," he practically pleaded. "Please, Evelyn."

"Do I have to remind you you rejected me a few days ago?" But she still didn't look at him.

"I tried rejecting you— and failed," he whispered, making some other steps towards her. She looked so out-of-this-world beautiful. But the thought that she looked this beautiful as his King's soon-to-be-queen shattered his heart even more, as if it was even possible.

Gently, he wiped the new tear that had fallen on her cheek. 

"You should—" she started, but he covered her lips with his, running one of his hands on her hair and the other on her small waist, kissing her like it was the last time doing so.

It probably was, though.

Her hands raised my themselves and curled on his long hair as she pulled him impossibly closer to her. Neck craning because of how tall he was. She was tall herself, but in no comparison to him.

Only when they couldn't hold on without breathing anymore, they let go of each other's lips as his' lingered in her forehead, arms strong around her, keeping her in his body as if he could keep her to himself if he just held her like that just a little bit longer.

"You're making this harder." Her voice sounded muffled on his chest, where she felt like she belonged. "You should let me go, Arthmael."

"I can't." He only tightened the grip around her body, knowing she was right, but what could he do? She was his mate. His little mate he had promised she'd belong to, the first night they had met, for all the creatures of the night to hear. And he had broken that promise.

"I've never wanted to change things more than now, Evelyn." His voice was miserable as he left kisses on her hair. "I've never wondered 'what if?' more than now. What if things were different? What if I'd known you earlier? What if we could just run away right now, far away from here?"

Her mind started wondering, picturing how it'd be if they could just leave; run, together. Just Evelyn and Arthmael, far away from these twisted deals being made using their lives, their fates. But she immediately stopped herself from doing so.

Capturing his lips in a small kiss, she looked him in the eyes. "We can't, Arthmael." She cupped his face with her soft palms, other tears threatening to let free. "I've been the reason of death for many loved ones by now. I won't get you killed."

"Evelyn—"

"Please." She made a step back. "You'll leave." And without waiting for an answer, a wave of white magic flew out of her body to her hand, directed to the glass doors.

They cracked open in an instant and Arthmael found himself out in the balcony, her magic having dragged him there in a split second and closed the doors in his face.

He froze in the spot, totally and utterly mesmerized. How could she be this strong?

There was an apology look written on her ocean eyes, before used her magic to close the dark red curtains with a snap of her hand, took a deep breath and headed to the door that lead her to the dark hallway illuminated only by shiny candlesticks. The noises coming from the ballroom on the first floor of the gigantic castle showing her that it was time to go.

Time to walk down the aisle.

Time to walk towards her miserable future, all by herself.

                                       *** 

Arthmael sat down on the first row beside Princess Estelle, a big lump on his throat, his wolf not resting in his head even for a second. In the edge of breaking and being let free, and Arthmael knew, if that would happen, the ceremony would be totally ruined.

And his mate would probably be dead for breaking the vow and betraying her soon-to-be-husband.

Dominic, his bestest friend, tried giving him a sympathetic look, even though it had come out more as a pity one. He was the only one who knew Arthmael's dark secret and he couldn't be any help but tap his friend's shoulder in a comforting way.

Arthmael at least hoped the others wouldn't sniff Evelyn's scent on him. That would be an even bigger disaster.

"Where were you?" Estelle tried scolding him, however the small smile on her face gave her away. "Evelyn's about to walk down the aisle," she said, smiling, while his heart ached. He didn't have to be reminded of that. "Their wedding ceremonies are beautiful," Estelle observed.

It was the first time in forever there was being held a wedding ceremony on this castle — at least this kind of wedding ceremony.

Because wolves never coupled this way. The mates had marking ceremonies and there would be some kind of ball afterwards, when they were royals or nobles, but walking down the aisle and vows were an elf thing.

Not that the King and his future Queen were about to mark each other. This was simply a political marriage, so Evelyn would never officially be the Royal Blood Moon Pack's Luna. Only their Queen.

Not that she would ever allow anyone else but her mate to mark her, for this Arthmael was certain. Mates were as important for elves as they were for wolves. 

At least he could find a little piece in this. At least Alpha Robert's mark would never be in his mate's neck.

"Yes they are," Arthmael whispered as he looked around, merely to distract himself from shifting in his wolf form. The ballroom was filled with people of almost every specie. And looking from away, it was almost like there had never been a war. As if they had never wanted to kill each other and get a hold of each other's kingdoms.

He was certain this view had been missed for many years now. And this would definitely work in King Robert's favor, no doubt. The man knew what he was doing.

The wolf howled in his head as soon as a scent filled the room. No matter how many people there were, her scent was the only thing that could fill his lungs, drive him insane.

A bouquet of red roses in Evelyn's hands, they were the same color of her lips, while fully contrasting her pearly white skin, raven black hair and puffy white gown.

She held her head high as she slowly walked down the aisle, still not wiping the tears falling down her cheeks. Why bother?

The silence was overwhelming. 

So was the pain inside his chest when she stopped down the arch, in front of King Robert.

Her lips trembled. Oh God, this was so hard. So hard when all she wanted to do was run to Arthmael and hold on him for her dear life.

The Elder of the pack stood there, ready to start with the vows. And Arthmael knew he was trembling all over, a thin line separating him from saying 'f**k it,' and go and claim his mate. His little elf mate.

He blinked back tears, and so did she.

"Do you, King Alpha Robert of the werewolves' kingdom want to take Princess Evelyn of the elves' kingdom as your bride and your Queen for the rest of your life, in good and bad, in peace and war?" His strong voice echoed the room straight to Arthmael's ears.

"I do," Robert responded almost impatiently, an applause following his two devastating words.

"Do you, Princess Evelyn of the elves' kingdom, want to take King Alpha Robert of the werewolves' kingdom as your husband and your King for the rest of your life, in good and bad, in peace and war?"

A pause followed the Elder's words. A pause maybe too long for the audience's liking but she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Slowly, her eyes went on him and a tear escaped her watery blue eye.

And Arthmael was almost in his feet, running to her if Nick's strong grip wouldn't stop him from destroying everything.

"Stop," Dominic whispered in his ear. "This'll bring her death." And that was the only thing that could stop him.

Evelyn closed her eyes, her mate being the thing she was behind her closed eyelids. "I do," she said, and that marked the end of her every hope.