CHAPTER FIVE.
Father's eyes welled with tears as he gave Alexander and I an hour-long marital blessing in front of everyone who had come to witness the wedding. A wedding was meant to be a lady's happiest day, but happiness wasn't even among the rush of feelings I was experiencing. Anger and confusion were the most prominent feelings I felt at that moment. Everything that was happening with Alexander felt like a never ending nightmare, one I wanted to snap out of. Once father finished talking, a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd as Alexander and I began to make our way out of the ballroom towards the carriage parked outside.
The union amongst the crowds at my wedding made me remember the time all five kingdoms were one. The land of werewolves used to be one under the rule of Lycans, until a revolt arose from within werewolves who wanted a change of power. This revolt led to a decade-long war, which eventually led to the creation of all five Kingdoms. The Kingdom of Trinigad, the Kingdom of Lothal, the Kingdom of Eortí, the Kingdom of Selenium, and the Kingdom of Cessi.
After a secession, the Kingdoms forgot about the existence of the moon goddess and lived an unfilial life. This led the moon goddess to rain down her wrath upon her people, and after a hundred years of drought and famine in the five Kingdoms, the moon goddess — Cessi, listened to the prayers of her people and gave each Kingdom an Omega.
An Omega is a rare and special creation with distinct features of a crescent moon on their forehead. The people were advised to treat the Omegas as embodiments of the moon goddess herself and once in a year an anniversary is held in the name of the moon goddess, whereby the Omegas are to dance traditionally to glorify her name.
I snapped myself out of my woolgathering once the midnight breeze hit my face. There were two carriages outside. I knew one was for my belongings, while the other carriage would be carrying Alexander and I. A huge crowd surrounded the carriage and the palace guards held them back as they tried to push their way through towards Alexander and I, screaming at the top of their lungs in admiration. I wore a faux smile, waving at everyone of them and even after I entered into the carriage with Alexander, I pulled apart the curtains and continued waving. Alexander on the other hand just kept staring blankly.
I didn't stop waving until we couldn't see the crowd anymore. I pulled the curtains together and sat quietly under the intense stare of my ‘husband’, Alexander. "Your eyes bore holes into my skin, I do not like the way you look at me." I told him.
"I can look at you however I want, Annalisa. Afterall, you're my wife."
"Your wife, you say," I remarked, taking my gaze up to him. He had an incredulous expression on his face. "I am not your property, Xander, so you have no entitlement over me."
"I don't care about all that, Annalisa."
He placed his hand on my lap, but I slapped it off. He placed it there again, still, I slapped his hand off my lap. He did it again, and again, and again, until I got tired of slapping his hand off. So I looked away and ignored him. His hand on my lap made my stomach churn with anxiety, and when his fingers began to draw circles on my laps through the material of my gown my breathing hitched and I almost lost my composure.
I looked at him, took in a deep breath and summoned courage, "Would you get your hand off me?"
"It's our wedding night, Annalisa, and I'm sure you know what that means." He had a huge, detestable, smile as he spoke.
Of course I knew, even though I lacked experience; but from the novels I'd read I knew about the so-called rituals of a wedding night. However, I wasn't ready. I wasn't prepared to lose my virginity, especially to someone as sinister as Xander. "Keep dreaming, Xander. Nothing would be happening between us."
He stared at me with eyes that were undecipherable. This got me worried because I couldn't know what was going on through his mind. I broke my gaze away. I knew his distaste for me, it was one he didn't care to hide, and I would be lying if I said it didn't bother me. I wanted to know why he hated my father and I. We couldn't have possibly crossed him in the past, so why? Why was he so resentful towards us? Towards me? "I don't really care about laying with you; I don't care if you do not consent to laying with me, all I need is you to bear me a child." He said.
My womb — I knew that was particularly one of the reasons he wanted me as a wife. He wanted me to bear his child. As an Omega, I knew I was special, although I didn't think there was anything so special about my womb. Just like any other female werewolves, our wombs were the same, our pups were nothing special. In history, no Omega ever bore another. As we were all concerned, it was impossible. So why did he want my womb? If he wanted a child he could have easily picked any other woman in Trinigad, so why me?
"But why me?" I asked the question that was bothering me. "If you hate me so much, why did you decide to marry me? Why didn't you just pick anyone else? Maybe Chiara or some random lady in Trinigad, why does it have to be me?"
I wasn't staring at him, but I knew he probably looked at me like I was naive or stupid. He clapped his hand, quite loudly, staggering me a bit. "I never said I hated you," he declared, taking me off guard. I looked at him. "You are merely a pawn in my grand plan, a stepping stone. I do not hate you, but I do not need to love you either, I just need to make the most of you." he said, looking out of the carriage at the moon over the horizon.
"But you threatened to kill my father!" My voice went up a notch. I was exasperated. He wasn't making any sense. Everything happening didn't make any sense. "How did you even convince my father into planning a wedding for us? Hell, how did you even get me to consent to this wedding? Why don't I have any memories of what happened days after our meeting?"
He turned his gaze towards me, with a smirk playing across his face. His expression looked so much more sinister under the light of the moon and stars which managed to make its way into the carriage. "I did tell you I'd kill your father, but it was only a threat to coerce you into marrying me," he said, rubbing his temple as though he found our discussion tiring. "Besides, I didn't convince your father into planning a wedding. You did, Annalisa. I played you like a marionette, and you danced well to my tunes."
I swallowed, feeling daunty. "Are you perhaps a mage?"
He laughed, hazel eyes which were the color of peridot with golden flecks seemed to dance underneath the moonlight that flowed into the carriage. "I am more powerful than any mage would ever be." He sounded so confident, so much pride yet not a drop of arrogance or uncertainty in his voice. What exactly was he? He turned his gaze back outside the carriage, back to the moon. It was indeed beautiful and it shone so brightly in all its glory on this accursed night. He began to whistle a tune, a melody of which I had never heard. It was soothing, almost like a lullaby. One that could send someone into a state of hallucination.
The carriage continued to move steadily, then suddenly it stopped. I panicked, snapped out of my trance, wondering what the problem could be. Alexander on the other hand remained unfazed as he kept on whistling. I knocked on the door to alert the coach, but I got no response. I opened the door of the carriage and stepped out, holding my gown in my hands. The route we were on was deserted, filled with forest on both sides, and the evening breeze was stagnant. I felt hot. I walked to meet the coach, but he showed no signs of movement. Even the horses looked frozen on the spot.
I was worried.
"What the hell is happening?" I asked, staring worriedly at the unmoving coach and horses. In the eyes of the coach I could see the reflection of the crescent moon. It was as though he was trapped. Trapped by the moon. The same could be said for the horses.
Alexander whistle only grew louder as sweat began to break on my forehead. I hurriedly moved to check on the second carriage that was following us closely behind, the carriage that housed my belongings, and it was the same. The coaches and horses were enchanted by the crescent moon.
"Alexander!" I screamed, turning around hysterically. I rushed back to the carriage and opened the door. However Alexander was gone, nowhere to be seen, but deep in the night, being alone, I could still hear his whistling.
CHAPTER SIX. My skin was breaking out in sweats in the still night. The crescent moon seemed ominous and Alexander's absence made me worried. I tried running away, towards the direction of the palace, but I couldn't move past the carriage. It was as though I was running in circles. I thought getting married to Alexander was already a nightmare, but the current situation I was in made me realize that from the moment I set eyes on Alexander, my life was already a living nightmare; the pain was too much. "Is everything okay, Lady Annalisa?" The voice startled me, diverting my attention from the pain in my elbow. I turned around and came face to face with one of the coaches. He was the one riding the carriage Alexander and I were in. He looked perplexed as he stared at me. "You suddenly ran out of the carriage, is there anything I can help you with?" "What about Alexander?" Those three words were all I could form in that moment. "What about me?" My head turned towards the direction
CHAPTER SEVEN. Even as an Omega somethings were unconcealable. Just like the finger prints Alexander had given me on my neck, they were reddish in color, standing out from the rest of my flawless skin. I stared at myself at a small mirror in my new room, drawing out the traces of the print on my delicate skin. I knew it was a print that wouldn't go away for quite some time. A sigh escaped my lips as I turned away from the mirror and walked towards the bed. I looked around the room, admiring it. I was impressed. I had moved up to my room, leaving Alexander all alone downstairs. My stuff had already been dropped by the knights, but I was yet to see any maid insight to come arrange them and help prepare the warm water for my bath. My eyes ran over the room once again, taking in the beauty. The room had a mystical feel to it. It was unlike the other part of the house that felt dead. The room felt sophisticated, as it should, it felt similar to my old room back at the palace of Trinigad;
CHAPTER EIGHT. With Aliya next to me, I went downstairs for breakfast. The dining table was full and a bit noisy, and the noise only got louder while I approached. As I walked towards the table, I could count about eight people seated around the table while twelve ladies stood by the window. From the dresses of those by the window, I could tell they were all maids. I didn't even know there were a lot of people in the house. Besides Amelia who was seated next to her brother on the table, I didn't recognize any other faces. "Look who shows her face to the table," a masculine deep voice from across the table said. I took my gaze up to him and I immediately recognized who had spoken. It was Julian-Edelman Kuiper, cousin to Alexander. He was a poet, a master at what he did. I had never seen him before, but I had read most of his manuscript, one of my favorites being his debut poem about ‘Human ego.’ "The newest bride in town. Come have your seat, princess Annalisa." He made me feel a bi
CHAPTER NINE. My measurements were taken by the tailor later in the evening. The lady was in her sixties, but her werewolf genes made her look as though she was in her early thirties. After she left, Aliya helped me prepare a bath, and once I had my bath I was dressed in a yellow chiffon gown, with a bold cutout by the waist. I wore a flowery bracelet on my wrist and I was adorned by a gold necklace with a sunflower pendant. I made my way downstairs while Aliya trailed behind me. Alexander was all dressed up, looking as magnificent as ever, too bad I couldn't say the same about his character. Amelia stood next to Alexander, holding on to his hand with a scowl on her face. I could tell she was unhappy. "So shall we?" Alexander asked as I finally reached where he was. I nodded, saying nothing in response as I watched Amelia hold on to him. It was obvious she didn't want to let go. Alexander crouched in front of his younger sister, a hand resting on her little cheek as he placed a c
Alexander left the room during the wee hours of the morning. His knights also followed. He didn't tell me anything about why he left the room so early, he didn't even say anything to me before leaving. But at least he left the room all to me. Good riddance. The late night trip left me a bit exhausted, but waking up in the kingdom of Cessi had to be the most refreshing feeling ever. I laid lazily on the bed, eyes wide open, as I thought about how I managed to sleep next to Alexander without strangling him to death. It wasn't like I didn't plan on strangling him, I just didn't think it'd be nice for someone with a high status like mine to commit an act of felony, especially one as serious as regicide. Sunlight crept in through the small space between the curtains. I rubbed my bleary eyes and walked to the window, pulling the curtains apart. The dawn chorus of melodic birdsong drifted in and there was a pearly glow in the sky, one that made the sky look like a giant painting. There was
"If you did, you'd realize I was lying to you about him having DID." I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if Chiara was trying to pull my legs with those words of hers. "What do you mean?" I questioned, moving closer to her, but I was prevented from going any further by the lady I assumed to be her maid. "What do you mean by you were lying?" Chiara remained seated, smiling as she swirled with her cup of tea that was obviously cold already. She stood up, holding the cup of tea in her hand. "Move aside, Karina," she said, referring to the lady I assumed to be her maid. There was a brief exchange of glances between Karina and Chiara, and after some time, Karina moved away, leaving Chiara and I to come face to face with one another. We were about the same height, so we were face to face with each other. "Alexander doesn't have DID, Annalisa. If you asked him, you'd know that." "So what? I didn't ask him, so what?" I retorted, feeling a bit aggravated. I didn't know if I should have
Alexander was a complicated person. To me, he wasn't someone that could easily be understood. I thought he hated me and now he wanted me to love him, to say I was dumbfounded would be an absolute understatement. I wasn't just dumbfounded, I was furious. He was the same person that threatened to kill my father, the same person that told me he didn't love me, the same person that told me he only wanted me for my womb. He was the same person that almost choked the life out of me. “I'm trying to make you fall in love with me, Annalisa.” I remembered his words and I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped through my lips. "Is everything okay, lady Annalisa?" Aliya asked, in a tone that gave away her concern. She was behind me, helping me with the corset of my gown. I was fully dressed, prepared for the ball, all that was left was to tighten my corset and wear a necklace. I nodded. "Just keep on doing what you need to do. I am okay." She said nothing afterwards, and once she was done w
(Please read this note before reading this chapter. Thankisses.) *NOTE: A ring of eternity isn't just a possession. It's a ring that binds two people in a marriage. It's a ring that can never be removed, unless one's finger is chopped off. It's a ring that can alternatively be removed when one significant other dies.* Werewolves could only know their mates at the age of twenty, although there was an exception for the extinct group of Lycans. They had the choice to pick whom they wanted as their mates, and in Trinigad the chosen mate of a Lycan was called an erasthai. Omegas were also an exception. Since omegas didn't have inner wolves we couldn't shapeshift, leaving us with no mate bond. Omegas were always allowed to choose their own mate because of that. So when Alexander pointed out that there was a ‘bond’ between me and Calixto, I was surprised. It couldn't be. There just had to be a sort of mishap, but then, deep within me I could feel it. I could feel the bond between Calixto an