The Blood Rose

Luna

My eyes shoot open suddenly, I notice I'm in Zaiden's arms, being carried, I look over his shoulder and see Master Martin standing there, watching us with a wicked grin on his face. 

I push myself out of Zaiden's arms and run past him, causing Martin to pale as I wave my hand, freezing him in place and forcing his mouth closed. I hear Zaidens footsteps following me as I slow down and come face to face with the man who tortured me. 

"You!" I jab my finger into his chest. 

"Kai! Stop, That's Alpha Martin from the Bluelake pack." Zaiden tries to pull me away from him. 

"He's the rogue that held me captive for a year" I grit my teeth, glaring daggers at Martin, having him completely immobile. 

"Kai, I think you're hallucinating or something, please let me take you to Doc." 

"No! It's him, I'll show you." I turn to Zaiden, placing a hand on his cheek, letting all my memories of that horrible year flood into his mind, causing his body to vibrate in anger. "It's him." I speak softly this time. 

"I'll have him sent to the dungeons." Zaiden states a deep growl emanating from his chest as he takes a step towards him but I quickly intercept him and use my magic to lift Martin into the air, away from Zaiden. 

"No. He's mine" I growl.

Zaiden searches my eyes for something. "Are you sure you're ready to handle something like this?" He asks. 

I nod before turning to Martin, releasing the magic that's keeping him quiet. "Why?" I ask.

Martin lets out a laugh. " ‘Cause you're mine, angel" 

A low growl passes my lips as I snarl at him, Zaiden takes a threatening step towards the floating man but I raise a hand, telling him to stop. "Tell me why." 

"Angels exist, the prophecy mentions you, the one with purple eyes and when I saw you I had to have you, to bear my children, they'd help me become a king." He laughs. 

I let out a humorless laugh that shocks both Zaiden and Martin, causing them both to look at me with wide eyes. "Well guess what, baby?" I walk over to him, a calm washing over me as I extend a claw and run it down his chest, leaving a blood trail as I get close enough to whisper in his ear. "I am pregnant. But you will never, ever meet them." 

His eyes widen at my words and I smile wickedly before snapping his neck with a flick of my wrist. "Have this cleaned up please?" I turn to Zaiden. 

His eyes darken as he takes me in. "That was so hot ma coeur" 

I laugh and shake my head. "Mon lune, that was just the beginning" I state before sauntering away, a sense of peace warming me. "Thank you, moon goddess. I'll earn every bit of faith you have in me." 

┏━━༻❁༺━━┓

A month later

I lay my head on Zaiden's lap and put my feet up on the arm of the couch as he rests a hand on my stomach, my small baby bump finally showing. “You know It’s a boy and a girl, right?” I say nonchalantly as I throw a piece of popcorn into my mouth. 

“You keep saying that but we don’t know.” Zaiden replied, keeping his eyes on the movie.

“Oh, je connais mon lune. The moon goddess told me.” I smile up at him, his gold eyes flickering with reflections from the television.

“Is that so?” He finally tears his eyes away from the movie and looks into mine.

 “Yes. So let’s talk names” I smile sweetly.

“Brayden and Brandi?” He suggests, causing my nose to wrinkle. “That’s a definite no, Kayleigh and Kobi?” He asks again, causing me to scrunch my nose again.

“I Like River for a girl” I shrug my shoulders, eating another piece of the caramelized popcorn. 

“How about Ryder for a boy then? but what about middle and last?” He asks.

I tap my chin thoughtfully. “Ryder and River..I want them to have your last name, Marrick.”

“How about Ryder Matteo Marrick for our son?” He asks with a smile on his face. “I love that!” I say as I lean up and give him a quick peck.

 “And River Maevaline Marrick?” I ask

A wide smile crosses his face as he looks down at me with adoration clear in his eyes. “It’s perfect. River and Ryder, our little pups”

“You’re perfect.” I look up at him with the same amount of adoration. This man is my world.

The last 4 weeks have been uneventful although I made the bluelake pack into an enemy for killing their alpha and I have to seek an audience with the council to explain my actions and await their decision on what to do. 

I am nervous about the council because back when we thought I was born from 2 blood royals we knew they would kill me, but now we know Savina was adopted and an angel. Does it really change anything though?

Zaiden says that the council consists of vampire king, Severn, Queen of the fae, Wispeira, king of the wiccans, Bjorn and my mother, top royal of the werewolves.

I’m glad that king Alfred isn’t on the council, I don’t think I’m ready to face him yet…

I also have to seek an audience with the werewolf elders about the bluelake pack incident. Apparently killing an alpha is a big deal but I have been learning more about my powers and training with them.

I didn’t even know that I could show people my memories until that night but I’ve been practicing with it more. My mom, Savina says I have come a long way since she’s been here and that I’m a quick learner. We’ve also spent time together outside of training and we have a lot in common. We both love roses, my favorite is the blood rose while hers is the blue rose. We both hate peas and green beans and she was secretly teaching me how to dance.

I was worried at first about meeting her, I thought she might hate me like my father does but she’s the total opposite of him, she’s so kind and caring towards me, she told me about her life back in russia, about her husband and kids. Her daughter's name is Opal Ankai Montego. She told me that ankai is basically my name backwards, she wanted to memorialize me so that she always had a reminder of the daughter she lost.

I really appreciated the gesture and I want to meet my siblings and she told me that next time she visits she’d bring her family with her. 

She left yesterday as she had to go back to her family and duties but promised she’d visit soon.

I do miss her even though I haven’t known her long, we became close with the time we did spend together.

“You okay?” Zaiden asks

“Hmm? Yeah.” I say as I sit up and stretch. “We should get dressed.” 

“We should. Your Luna ceremony starts in 2 hours.” He stretches as he stands.

I walk over to him before wrapping my arms around him and placing my face in his neck. “You smell so good” I mumble, causing his chest to vibrate with laughter as he hugs me back. 

“You smell good too, ma coeur.”

“Can you link Ellie and Dakota and tell them they can come and bring the stuff I need.” I ask him before heading over to my closet.

“Done, see you soon beautiful.” He smiles as he leaves, closing the door behind him.

I run my hand over all the different colored fabrics before looking through them.

We’re doing the luna ceremony and the mating ceremony all in one, so it’s basically a wedding but not. 

I hear the door open followed by Dakota and Ellie giggling and chatting. “I’m in the closet” I called out.

“We bought you something.” Ellie smiles as she hands me a garment bag, while Dakota looks at me excitedly.

“You guys…You didn’t have too” I placed a hand over my heart as my eyes water at their sweet gesture. 

“Wait til you see it.” Dakota says as she leads me out of the closet and into the bedroom. 

I carefully open it revealing a delicate see through lace dress that has black and red roses designed into it. “It’s beautiful.” I whisper as I stare at it. 

“It covers all your lady bits so don’t worry about that, now go put it on” Ellie smiles as I head into the bathroom before changing into it. 

I admire the gradient effect it has, it’s mostly black but turns into red at the bottom. 

I walk into the room and they immediately hand me 6’ black pumps and usher me to sit down so They can do my hair and makeup.

┏━━༻❁༺━━┓

Zaiden’s pov

I stand on the stage in a red and black suit, our royal colors as I look over the crowd. There’s over 1500 people here waiting to welcome their Luna, my mate. 

I saw my mother and father walk out and up to the stage before taking their place, I looked at the spot that they came from and that’s when I saw her.

I swore my heart stopped in that moment, Her purple eyes met mine, causing electricity to crackle beneath my skin. She was wearing a transparent mesh dress with lace roses throughout it, thankfully it covered up her privates but did show a lot of skin. She reaches the stage and I help her up the stairs.

Her hair is in a french braided bun and her makeup was done to perfection, she has ruby lips and a smokey eye with a light blush on her cheeks. “Hi” I whisper, causing her to smile at me.

“Thank you all for joining us.” My father stars. “Today Kaianne will accept her Luna title and all the responsibilities that come with it but she is also accepting her mate, my son.” He smiles at us.

“Kaianne Primrose Montego, do you accept all responsibilities you will have as Luna?” He asks

“I do” She smiles.

“Do you swear to love, nurture and protect all members of this pack?” 

“I do.”

He hands Kaianne and my mom each a blade, they cut into their hands and hold them above a golden goblet and let their blood drip and mix.

Kaiannes eyes widen once the blood mixes and she turns to look out at the crowd, smiling. 

“Welcome to the pack, Luna.” 

“Thank you” A soft smile plays at the edges of her lips. 

“Now onto the mating ceremony.” My mom smiles at both of us.

“Kaianne, do you accept Zaiden as your soulmate?” 

“I do.” 

“Do you swear to protect him, to love him, and to be patient with him, to always nurture your love, for as long as you both shall live?”

“Yes” She smiles brightly at me.

“Zaiden, do you accept Kaianne as your soulmate?” My mom asks me.

“I do.” I smile at Kaianne.

“Do you swear to protect her, to love her, and to be patient with her, to always nurture your love, for as long as you both shall live?”

“Yes”

Me and Kaianne both cut our hands and hold them over a silver goblet, letting the blood drip and mix until our wounds close.

Her eyes widen as the mate bond strengthens, allowing us to feel each other's emotions.

“Let the festivities begin!” My father shouts, causing the crowd to cheer and clap for us we walk away. 

I scoop Kaianne into my arms, holding her bridal style as we walk away from the party. “We’ll join them soon, first I get to finally mark you.” An appreciative growl vibrates my chest as I take her to our room.

“Tsk tsk. Couldn’t even wait” She teases.

“No, I can’t. I love you.” I kiss her forehead.

“I love you too mon lune, so much.”