The Half-Witch Bride

Lavender and Lemon

~Eldin's POV~

"Can I offer you and your men a drink?" Andrew asked, looking at the four elves in front of him.

We all shook our heads as I sat down in the large, brown, leather loveseat that faced the Alpha's desk. Ruvaen stood behind me as Thallan and Lucius occupied the other remaining seats. The Alpha's Beta, Chris, stood beside the desk, his arms folded across his chest. With a nod, Andrew sat down, folding his hands in front of him.

"I hope we were able to accommodate you well enough. You'll have to forgive us if we're lacking. We don't know much about the Elves, let alone Elven royalty." I heard him chuckle a bit nervously.

"Everything is well, thank you. We appreciate your efforts and generosity in hosting us during our travels," I replied.

"So I take it, the previous places you've gone to didn't work out?" Andrew asked. I simply nodded in response. "So," he continued. "Why have you come to Earth to find a mate?"

"Our Law dictates that the King must have a mate by the time he has reached one thousand rotations of the sun. The King has two years left before he must choose a bride," Lucius stated. Andrew furrowed his eyebrows at this.

"So then, what if you take a bride but then end up finding your destined mate?" Chris asked, perhaps sharing the same confusion with Andrew.

"We Elves do not interact much with the neighboring Kingdoms in the Vale. It would be unlikely for the King to find a mate after taking a chosen one," Thallan clarified. Andrew shook his head a little.

"So then, why are you searching for your mate now, instead of just taking a bride and avoiding all of this trouble?" The Alpha asked. I could see Lucius nodding his head in agreement from the corner of my eye.

"The Gods," I began, "have created this world for us to live in. The Goddess has gifted us the gift of a destined mate. I wish to be united with fate before I go and toss the gift away." Both Andrew and Chris nodded silently to themselves.

"Well, I hope that we can be of assistance to you. We have a large pack and plenty of she-wolves who are seeking their destined mates. They should all be at the banquet house tonight. I assume that you will have your warriors posted around the banquet tonight?" Andrew asked, his tone serious.

"Yes, Alpha Andrew," Ruvaen spoke up. Andrew looked up at him and nodded.

"That should be fine. The area is fairly safe, and we haven't had any trouble for some years now. You'll be able to meet my children at the feast tonight. Currently they are scattered around, handling preparations."

"Alpha, if I may ask, who has supplied you with these flowers?" I asked, pointing to the small bouquet in a glass vase on his desk. I watched as his eyes lit up, his smile growing warm.

"Ah, my wife was hoping you would like them. My daughter has a knack for gardening and these are the fruits of her labor."

"Is this the eldest daughter you speak of?" I asked, curious about which one was adopted.

"No, your highness. My youngest daughter has the green thumb. My eldest is currently living at her mate's pack."

"I heard that your youngest daughter was adopted." I stated, watching as his eyes grew a bit wide. It was clear that he wasn't expecting me to know this information.

"Yes, that's true. We found her abandoned at our door and my wife decided to raise her." His answers became short and tense, almost as if he was trying to protect his daughter from prying questions.

"I heard that the child was human," Lucius stated tersely, his tone of voice causing the Alpha to frown. Chris shifted slightly on his feet, narrowing his eyes. From the reaction of the wolves, it was evident that the pack protected her greatly.

"At first we believed so as well," Andrew stated. I raised an eyebrow at his statement.

"What do you mean?" I asked. The Alpha turned his gaze back to me, his amber eyes searching my face for a few seconds before answering.

"My wife thought she was a witch, or at least protected by one. When we found her at our door, she had this amulet in her hands. My wife likes to garden, so when she went out, she took Celeste with her. One day, the little thing started growing flowers left and right."

Ah, so there was a secret behind the flowers, I thought, listening to the story Andrew told.

"So your daughter is a witch?" Thallan asked, quite engrossed, but Andrew shook his head.

"We don't believe she's full witch, at least half," he explained. "Her powers so far have been pretty limited. No matter how hard she tries, she can only make plants grow. The elders said perhaps there's something either blocking her from accessing her full power, or that she's part human."

"How curious, witches left Earth long ago, traveling to the Undying Vale when humans began burning them." Thallan put a finger to his lips in thought. "But it's not wholly unreasonable for them to travel back and forth. Why would a witch give away her child?"

"None of us are sure, but the Goddess gave us a beautiful child. It doesn't matter if she isn't a wolf, we love her just the same," Andrew stated as Chris nodded in agreement. My respect for the Alpha grew from his response. I had often wished that the councilmen would be more willing to interact with the other surrounding kingdoms, but suggesting it would cause upheaval. It was nice to see a powerful Alpha embrace a child of a different species, even if part human.

A knock came at the door, announcing the arrival of another wolf who swung the door open. His broad shoulders and tall frame filled the large doorway easily.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," the wolf stated, bowing his head towards me and the Alpha. Andrew waved his hand, telling the wolf to come inside.

"Your Highness, this is my son, Brendan, the future Alpha of Twin Moon." I keeled my head forward in acknowledgement as the man bowed his head again.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness," he stated, then turned to his father. "Celeste called asking for help."

"Is everything alright?" The Alpha asked, his tone one of fatherly concern.

"Oh yea, she's fine. Her truck has a flat tire and she asked if I could help her with it. She drove to the greenhouse to get more decor for the party." I watched as Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing. It must be hard to have a daughter who doesn't have the wolf qualities of strength and quick healing.

"Why isn't anyone with her?" he asked sternly.

"You know her as well as I do, Dad. She probably didn't want to bother the others while they set things up," Brendan explained, as the Alpha nodded with another sigh.

"Alright, there will be more time to get acquainted at the feast." Brendan turned and once again bowed his head towards me, quickly walking back out of the door.

~Celeste POV~

I was standing outside the greenhouse, looking at my poor truck. The front left tire was completely out of air, making the truck unmovable. I sighed audibly, taking my phone out of my pocket to call my brother.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hey Brendan, my truck has a flat. Think you could help me change it if you're not too busy? I've got the spare with me."

"Yea sure thing. I'll stop by Dad's office and let him know that you've got a flat. I think he's talking to the Elves. Where's Liam?" He asked.

"I left him behind at the banquet house since he was moving tables around. I only needed to grab the last batch of flowers and didn't think I needed him for that. Wait, why are you asking about him?" I could hear him giggle through the phone.

"Oooh no reason, he's always hovering around so I assumed he would have gone with you to help." I rolled my eyes.

"Are you coming to help or not?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes," he said, ending the call. I sighed, putting my phone away. I knew I should have checked the tires beforehand on Ol' Faithful. I was a bit jealous that Brendan got to see the King before me. I was so curious to see what he looked like, but Mom had me running around, throwing flowers in every direction. I even missed his initial arrival because I had to deposit one last, full vase into the King's room.

I took a seat on the ground and waited for my brother. It wasn't long before I heard the roar of his truck coming up the road. I called his truck The Black Beast, since Brendan lifted it, and modified it's exterior to look quite beefy. His car was powerful and extremely effective off-road. I waited until he pulled up beside my car before standing up. Brendan stepped down from his car with ease. I always had to jump out of his since it was so high off the ground. He walked around his truck and met me, holding a car-jack and some tools in his hands. His hair was wind-blown back from driving with the windows down. He bent down next to the flat tire, prodding with a finger.

"Weren't you going to fix this tire? Pretty sure it had a nail in it," he asked, placing the car jack in place and cranking the lever.

"I was going to do it this week, but with all of this going on I didn't have time," I confessed, kneeling down next to him. He simply made a noise in response, working the crank until the car raised far enough up to start taking the tire off. He then picked up a lug wrench and began twisting the lug nuts that held the tire down. I held each lug that he took off and handed to me.

"What does the King look like?" I asked as he undid the last one, loosening the tire.

"Uh, pretty regal looking. Had the crown, long white hair, pointy ears. He seemed tall, but everyone was sitting down." He dropped the last lug into my hands and proceeded to take the tire off. "They seem kinda....how do I say this, standoff-ish? Not exactly arrogant, but definitely think they're superior for sure." I nodded as he explained his first impressions. Brendan had a talent at reading a person, even if the interaction was brief.

"Well, Dad did say they're proud, and like to follow their laws and stuff," I commented as Brendan stood up, holding the flat tire with one arm, the muscles flexed and bulging.

"You could definitely say that. I overheard one of the omegas gush over him in the laundry room earlier today. Something about preparing a bath for him and him stripping nude in front of her. I guess that means they aren't prudish," he said, walking to my truck bed and depositing the flat. With ease, he lifted the heavy spare tire that I purchased to replace the impacted one. Walking back, I watched as he fitted the tire in place, and began replacing and tightening everything back into place.

"Are you bringing anyone to the party?" I asked as he lowered my car back to the ground. He paused to think about it, tapping a finger on his lip.

"Probably not, I don't have anyone in mind," he answered, standing up straight. I stood up as well, brushing dirt off of my jeans.

"Not even Mindy?" I asked, a cheeky smile growing on my lips. He rolled his eyes at my suggestion.

"And subject myself to torture for the entire night? She's already gonna try to hang out with me the whole time." I giggled at his response because it was so true. Mindy had the hots for Brendan so badly that it was sometimes painful to watch.

"What about you? Is Liam your date?" He retaliated, crossing his arms across his chest. It was my turn to roll my eyes. "If you're gonna tease me about Mindy, I get to tease you about Liam!"

"Well, he hasn't asked me."

"I'm pretty sure he'll ask you when you drive back to the party house and see him." I squinted my eyes at him.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked. Brendan gave me one of those looks, screaming 'really?' with his eyes. But he stayed silent, depositing the tools back into his truck.

"Need anything else from me?" He asked, walking to his door and opening it. I shook my head and smiled.

"Thanks for helping me out. I would have had to walk all these flowers over there."

"No problem, I gotta get back to the Pack House. Chris wants to run some patrols before night and Mark wants the warriors to train. Something about showing these Elves the 'might of the Pack'."

"Alright, have fun being mighty," I waved as he roared his way back to the Pack house. I turned to my car and climbed in. I started the engine and rolled my way back to the party house. Mom kept insisting we call it the banquet house, since it sounded fancier, but everyone, including Dad, called it the Party House.

I rolled to a stop in front of the large double doors of the building. It was buzzing with activity as pack members moved tables, decorated, and set up the venue for tonight. Liam ran up as soon as I opened the door to the truck bed.

"Hey, that kinda took you a bit. Everything alright?" His tone was full of concern, but I could tell he was trying to be casual and hide it.

"Oh yea, everything is fine now. That tire with a nail in it went completely flat and Brendan had to come and change it out for me. But I brought the last of the flowers from the greenhouse." I explained, pulling forwards bushels and bundles of flowers tied together.

"You could have called me," Liam said, taking about five large bundles in his arms, while I could only take two.

"I know, but you're needed here to help move these heavy tables around. I'm sure the Omegas were pretty grateful for that." We walked inside and I looked around, the place was shaping up nicely. Mom wanted the inside to have elegant decorations that felt like a garden wonderland. Yard after yard of light, tulle fabric was carefully hung across the ceiling, draping down in waves. They swung lightly in the breeze, the light blues and whites mixing together tastefully. Large, fancy, stone planters were placed in between faux stone columns. The planters would be filled, overflowing with flowers, while the columns would be wrapped with flowers and vines. At the other end, tables were lined up one after another. It created a large dining table, draped in silken, white tablecloths. Liam placed the flowers down on an uncovered table and I followed suit. Almost immediately, the omegas began grabbing flowers and decorating.

"Hey, I'll grab the rest of the batch. It's already late afternoon, and I'm sure you gotta get ready for tonight. You can leave your truck too, I'll drive it to the house when I'm done." Liam said, a warm smile on his lips. I looked down at my watch, groaning at how late it already was.

"Shoot, I didn't realize it was already four. Liam, you're a life saver if you do that for me." He only beamed brighter, looking down at the floor a bit shyly.

"Oh um..." He stammered quietly. "If you don't have a date for tonight...would you give me the honor of being my date?" I blinked a few times, my face feeling warm.

"Sure Liam, I'll be your date," I smiled up at him. As soon as I said that, he glowed like the sun itself. I could feel the excitement ooze from him. He ran a hand through his dark hair, steadying his emotions.

"I'll drop off your truck and pick you up at the same time. How does seven sound?" He asked.

"Seven sounds great. I'll see you then." Gosh, I felt so red-faced from all this. I turned around quickly, walking fast out of the building, past my car, practically running away and towards the pack house. I didn't stop moving until I was all the way up and into my room, shutting the door firmly behind me. I pressed my back against the door and let out a long slow breath. My heart was beating in my chest, but I didn't know whether I was excited or if it was simply because I pretty much ran over here.

Did I like him? I think I did. He was a really nice guy, good looking, a strong warrior, and for some reason liked me enough to ask me to be his date. Could I see myself with him in the future? I could and at least I wouldn't have to leave home like Diana did, since we're from the same Pack. But what if he ends up meeting his mate? He'd leave me behind surely. But what if we were mates and the bond between us worked differently because I wasn't a wolf? I shook my head, I needed to shower and start getting ready.

I peeled myself off of my door, but before I took a step the most delightful smell hit my noise. I took a deep breath of air, delighting in the lavender and lemon scent. Someone must have been making some delicious pastries for tonight, and they were making my favorite combination in their recipe. I skipped towards my bathroom, telling myself that I had to snag some before they would be eaten by everyone.

~

A few hours went by and I had showered and got ready for tonight. I was sitting at my vanity table, applying a light pink lipstick tint to my full lips. I curled my hair and let it hang down my back, moving a few strands to the front. I had applied a little bit of foundation to my face and lined my eyes with black liner. It made my green eyes stand out even more. I was wearing a short, dark green dress that sparkled. It showed off my body nicely, accentuating all my curves. It had thin straps and the chest dipped into a small v-shape that showed off a bit of cleavage, but not too much to be vulgar. I stood up and walked to my full body mirror, taking another look at myself to make sure everything lay right. I took a deep breath, hoping that Liam would like the dress. Before walking out of the door, I slipped on a pair of black heels that added a good four inches to my height.

I made my way down the stairs, dodging omegas who were running back and forth. Brendan was waiting at the front door, dressed in a sharp, black suit. His shirt and shoes were black as well. The top buttons were unbuttoned, showing off a bit of chest. He was looking at his phone, engrossed in something as I walked up to him.

"Looking really snazzy there big bro," I mentioned. He looked up from his phone, and I watched as he took in my outfit. He whistled.

"Damn girl, look at you!" He exclaimed, taking my hand and making me twirl. "I'm gonna have to be on security duty tonight to keep every wolf off of you." I simply giggled, blushing a bit at the compliments.

"I'm not too sure you'll have to do that. I...I have a date for tonight." I confessed to him.

"I knew Liam would ask you. I'm surprised you said yes. You must like him more than you admit."

"Maybe a little, but I'm not keeping my hopes up unless he doesn't find a mate." Brendan nodded. There was a knock at the door and the both of us turned. Brendan reached out a hand, grasping the door knob and pulling it open. Liam stood in the doorway, glancing first at Brendan, then down at me. I watched as his mouth fell agape as his eyes took in every detail, his own face getting redder and redder. With a grin, Brendan cleared his throat, snapping Liam out of his trance.

"U-um hey Brendan. Looking good there,"he said nervously.

"Uh-huh," my brother responded, the grin on his face only getting wider. He was getting a kick out of this while both my face and Liam's grew redder. "Oh, I think dad is calling me for something. You two have fun, take care of her Liam." Brendan turned, winking at me while he walked back into the house.

"I brought your car back." Liam started.

"Oh thank you for that," I responded. The both of us fell into an awkward silence.

"Mayb-"

"Let's ge-"

We started laughing a bit, releasing some of our nervousness. He held out his arm and I snaked my arm around his. I was thankful for the support since I hadn't worn heels this tall in a little bit. We started making our way slowly to the banquet, silent as party-goers made their way down as well.

"You look really nice Celeste. I mean you always look nice, not just tonight, um...the dress really suits you." Liam stumbled through his words. It was endearing that he was so nervous around me. I smiled and squeezed his arm, hoping to calm his nerves a little.

"Thank you Liam, you're looking very nice as well." He wore a dark navy suit with a white shirt. His belt and shoes were a light brown leather and his tie matched the navy suit. His hair had been gelled back in a gentle, tossed style. It was certainly a different look than the usual blue jeans and tight t-shirts. He straightened out his back and puffed his chest out from my compliment.

We reached the banquet house and made our way in through a small crowd. The place was already buzzing with voices and music. Instead of the usual club mix blasting through the speakers, the air was filled with soft orchestral music. Seems like Mom was really trying to impress the King and make us seem more "sophisticated". I smelled the air, wondering if those lavender and lemon pastires were out yet, but I didn't smell them.

I noticed a few warriors roaming around, carrying trays of champagne. One passed by both of us and Liam picked up two glasses, handing one to me. We clinked them together in a silent toast before taking a sip. I turned to the door and saw my family arrive together. Mom waved me over and I motioned for Liam to follow. When we approached, she assessed my attire with an approving nod.

"Oh hello Liam!" she said, finally noticing him behind me.

"Hello Luna," he bowed his head. She gave me a quick, questioning glance, but her thought was interrupted by a she-wolf who approached and whispered in her ear.

"Oh dear, okay. The King is approaching! Children follow me. Andrew this way please. Everyone in your places!"

At mother's order, people shifted around. Mom towed Dad into the center as Brendan and I followed them. Liam gave me a small wave and went to join the others who stood close to the walls, leaving a small clearing in the center by the door. Mom then began arranging us. Dad and Brendan stood together while we stood to their left. Everyone was talking quietly amongst themselves as we waited with baited breath. I couldn't help my own excitement at finally being able to see the so-called Elven King.

I heard quite a few footsteps approaching the building. The lavender and lemon scent appeared again, growing stronger and stronger. The pastries must have finally finished baking and were being brought over. I licked my lips in anticipation, but instead of seeing the kitchen staff carry over a large bundle of pastries, my eyes were met with a tall, ethereal figure. Sapphire blue eyes met mine and my heart went into overdrive. I felt cold and hot at the same time.

Every fiber in my being screamed, "mate".