The Lycan King’s Forbidden Love

Chapter Three

ALARIC

“If you return to the pack without a bride, you will have no choice but to marry Lady Lynn or you would lose your claim to the throne.” Noah’s voice came from the other side of the line and I could tell he was serious.

I hated the thought of having to come to Frostvale in the first place. It was bad luck. Those old men in the royal council are yet to get off my neck to find a bride to solidify my reign and those sneaky snakes reached the peak of it.

So here I was in front of the pack registry, waiting for the random lady I had picked at the bar last night to marry me today. I would have never even thought of doing that on a normal day but I was that desperate. Even if it was just by name, I needed something to buy me time from those sneaky elders with someone under my control.

My gaze fell on my watch again and there was no sign of this “bride” of mine. Damn it, I knew it was a bad idea. I should have just forced someone to get married to me and shut those people up. My hands reached into my pocket to grab a cigarette but I paused in my tracks as my nose caught a whiff of something strange.

My head snapped towards the direction of the huge stairs leading into the registry hall. I didn’t know when I stopped in front of a veiled lady who just sat there, her shoulder rising and falling with every sniff. There was no doubt. This iron yet rosy scent was coming from her and for a weird reason, I felt like I’d taken a whiff of that scent before.

“A helpless bride on her happy day?” I said calmly, waiting for her to budge. She tilted her head a bit to look at my shoes before burying her face back into her palm, slightly waving her bouquet as if waving some kid off.

“Let me guess, your husband left you at the altar.” I lit the cigarette in my hand without keeping my gaze off her. I wanted to see what she looked like. I would never miss someone I’ve seen before even if it was just briefly.

I had no reason to care but that weird scent coming from her wouldn’t make me leave her be. It was weird to catch scents from female werewolves in the first place and this case was different.

“Why would you care?” She finally said, lifting her gaze to look at me through the veil. “If you’re also here to mock me, please just leave.”

I let out a smoke before squatting to her eye level.

“Mock you? I don’t even know you.” I responded, reaching for a veil and before she could stop me from pulling it off, her red eyes already came to sight.

She looked as though she had been crying for hours, her make-up smudged but for a reason, her blue eyes looked even more beautiful framed in red. Her platinum blonde hair was slightly messy, but platinum blonde. What a rare hair color.

“What do you want with me?” She questioned, her blue eyes piercing into me like it would rip me apart any moment.

“Easy, tiger.” My eyes raked through her wedding dress which was already getting dirty from sitting in the dust for too long. “I am actually in need of a bride. Mine stood me up and I can’t leave here without getting married. I don’t know what happened to yours, but I can tell you’re not getting married today. And that beautiful gown can’t go to waste.”

She stared back at me and I couldn’t tell what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. The scent coming off her was even stronger as though it reacted to her resolve.

She didn’t stop looking at me and after a few minutes, her lips finally parted. “What’s in it for me?”

A small smile tugged at my lips. What a smart one. “What do you want?” I asked, reaching to tuck away the loose strands of her hair.

“My mate just rejected me in front of half the pack and got my cousin pregnant. My grandfather disowned me and now I have nowhere to go and nothing to lose.” She said, as if trying to get the answer out of me. What kind of fool would let go of this cunning angel? Well, his loss and my luck. “I want to make them pay.”

A soft chuckle escaped my lips at her words. It wasn’t something I could not give her as long as she agreed to be my bride. “I’ll give you a place to call your own and authority so none of them would dare to touch you.” I said and she stared back at me as though I had just said something impossible.

“When do you need your bride?” She said, wiping her face with the back of her palm and a small smile appeared on my lips as I rose up, reaching my hand out to help her up.

“Let’s go get married…”

“Elara.” She added, taking my hands.

Even her name was just as pretty as she was but I didn’t make a comment. I just led her to the registry and watched her intently as she listened to the priest who was giving us counsel.

Soon, our marriage document was placed in front of us and her pen scribbled over the document quickly as if this opportunity would slip out of her hands. She pushed the document over to me before looking up at me.

Her lips parted again like she wanted to say something but she refrained from saying it. I gently pulled the pen out of her grip before placing my signature on the page.

Alaric Veyne.