Blood Marriage

Chapter Two: The Wedding

I stood at the altar shifting my weight back and forth. Today is the day I become a married man. Today I married a very stunning vampire and we save our races from killing each other. "I remember when I married your mother. I was so nervous, but she smiled and held my hand." Father was standing beside me as we watched the door. "I think I'm gonna throw up." "If you do, swallow it. We can not risk anything happening." "And the priest?" Father looked at me and nodded. "He knows to skip over the objection part." We all waited nervously as the music started and my bride appeared. My heart pounded in my chest as she made her way down the stone isle. Her father held her arm as they walked. My bride was dressed in a regal ball gown that show cased her immense beauty. Her hair cascaded down her back in curls. Her father placed her hand in mine and gave me a sad smile. "I will cherish her. You have my word." He nodded and sat down. The wedding went off with out any mishaps and was pretty straight forward. I sat with my wife at the reception, chatting amongst ourselves. I made sure to reopen my cut from last night so that she'd be ready later. Who knew that made vampires horny. Everyone drank, sang, and danced through out the night and celebrated the new treaty. I found it odd however, that mother wasn't. She sat next to father with a fake smile plastered on her face. Her eyes looked cold and indifferent. Something was definitely off with her. She even pulled away from father. Maybe she was sad that her pup was getting married. I didn't have much time to think about it given that it was now time to consummate the marriage. I thanked the gods that the tradition of watching the couple died out hundred of years ago. I took my brides hand and led her out as everyone cheered. We walked down the long corridor to my private wing, growling at anyone who looked at her in a way I determined to be unacceptable. We arrived at my room and I opened the door to let her in. She stood in the door way tense. When I walked in I figured out why. Three naked she-wolves laid on my bed touching each other and cooing at us. "Our prince. We've been waiting for you." "Why the f**k are you in MY room?!" They looked confused. "You sent for us. You said you would be spending the night with us." I looked at Avarina. My eyes pleading with her to understand I didn't do this. "We all received a letter requesting that we all wait here for you." It was then that I saw that all females bore my brand. Problem was, I didn't know any of these females. "I'm leaving." My wife spun on her heel and left the room, slamming the door behind her. In an instant I had two of the three against the wall. "You bear the mark of my concubines, yet I know neither of you. Speak!" My voice shook the walls and the females coward in fear. "The queen branded us!" The smaller one on the bed shouted. "But we don't know who summoned us. We thought it was you." My blood ran cold and my gaze landed on the smallest female. "You dare accuse my mother of such things." she squirmed but held my gaze. "I swear it on my families lives. The queen called us into her chambers before the wedding. She asked us if our we went into heat regularly and said that you favored us out of all servants then branded us." "Your heat cycles?" "Yes my prince. She wanted to ensure that we would give her many grand children. As of right now, all three of us are in heat." How had I missed this? "It is also rumored that one of your concubines is with pup." "Impossible! I've never rutted a female while she was in heat or near her heat." "But it's true! She's already showing and the doctor confirmed the timing lines up." He stumbled back. How was this possible and why would mother do this. "Guards!" I shouted as they stormed in. "Call my pregnant concubine and the royal doctor. I want ultrasounds and DNA testing done. And Give these females one thousand dollars a piece and send them back to their families. They will be compensated for their troubles." The females held each other as I stormed out of the room. I made my way to the infirmary to find my concubine's belly had a noticeable bump. "Well?" I stared at them impatiently. If this pup was indeed mine, someone had better have a good explanation as to how it happened. "We've been waiting to do the tests." I nodded. "Proceed." I watched as the drew blood and she nervously clutched her belly. The rumors were right. The pup was the right size and the dates were rights. Everything lined up. By the gods how was this possible? I was always so careful. Unless. I narrowed my eyes on the female. "Did you use something to mask the smell of your heat?" I asked in a low menacing whisper. The female bit her lip and averted her eyes. I roared so loud the castle shook and a stone came loose. "My prince please calm down." She met my gaze again. "I never said it was yours. I admit I was given a potion to hide my smell, but." Her lip quivered with unshed tears. "If it means anything, I have prayed hard that this baby is not yours." I punched the walls at the sound of her desperation. "Wait. You said given?" She slowly nodded her head. "I rutted with my mate before I was approached. I'm am praying that my pup is his. Your majesty, I never wanted this. I swear." I sank into the chair behind me. Was mother behind this as well? If so why? Why was she doing this? I had already accepted that Avarina was my mate. My precious Luna. But how was I to win my wife amongst this colossal cluster f**k? "I believe you. Who put you up to this?" "I will not put my pup's life in jeopardy. I am sorry." I could understand. I would do the same thing if I was in her position. Once I settled down, I watched the screen as the pup moved and stretched in his mothers belly. After seeing this I could not wait to get my wife with pup. The excitement was almost consuming. The she-wolf calmed and began talking about names and how she and her mate would raise the baby if it was his. "My mate knows. He was terribly upset but knew I had no choice." I grabbed her hand and rubbed it. I was no longer angry. Mine or not, every pup born was a blessing given our dwindling numbers. The doctor came in and was looking at the papers. "Well the results are in. Her mate is the father. Not you my prince." She happily laid back and clutched her belly. "Thank the gods. They answered mommies prayer." She cooed to her belly. "Un fortunately, because you are one of his majesty concubines, you are required by pack law to abort." "WHAT?!" We both shouted angrily. "This female does not bear my brand! She is not mine!" "I'm sorry your majesty. Unless you claim the baby, she can't keep it." "But this child is my mates. We had this baby on purpose." "The queen just announced this law. All females now belong to the prince and any babies that are not his must be terminated." "My mother? She has no law making rights. And there would've been a revolt if such law was to be passed. We aren't humans, we don't abort unless medically necessary." Something wasn't adding up. "I will run before I allow any one to take this child from my womb." The female shrieked. "There is no law is there? Do you know lying to me will cost you your life?" I backed the doctor into a corner and griped his throat. "I didn't want to do this. It was the queen. She told me she'd kill my mate and pups if I didn't lie to you." "If she leaves this office pregnant, my whole family dies." "Then I will claim this baby as my own. I will take responsibility for this pup until it is safe. All pregnant females are under my protection and I claim every child." The doctor nodded and hurried off. "Go talk to your wife your majesty. She needs you."