Chapter 13: The Ceremony

ELAINE

I was standing there, a bundle of nerves, stealing glances at my reflection in the mirror. My stomach was doing somersaults, and I could taste the bitter bile creeping up my throat. I forced it back down, trying to regain control.

Today was the day. The day I was to be married and crowned as the new queen of the pack alongside Connor.

I should have been thrilled, maybe even a little proud of myself for reaching this point. But all I felt was a deep-seated resentment. My carefully laid plans had gone awry. ~She~ had to show up and throw everything off balance.

The past few days had been a whirlwind of meetings and constant bickering with Connor whenever we had a spare moment. I felt helpless.

We’d both been punished by the Goddess, and now we were expected to shift and mate in front of everyone.

I knew that eventually, even if I was the sole queen of the pack, if I ever found a mate to continue the line of succession, I would have to do this.

But not with someone I despised with every fiber of my being.

My gaze drifted down my body. The long black lace dress hugged every curve.

Turning to the side, I examined the back of the dress. The deep V-cut left little to the imagination, plunging down to my lower back.

The dress was a bit too risqué for my liking, but it was the ceremonial attire for this occasion.

At least it was black. Because this wasn’t my wedding; it was my funeral.

“Are you ready, my queen?” the maid assisting me asked. I nodded, allowing her to add the finishing touches.

I kept my eyes shut as they arranged the long veil over my head. I waited patiently for them to finish so I could make my way to the platform where everyone was eagerly awaiting the evening’s hosts.

As I waited, I heard the door open behind me. I opened my eyes just in time to see Connor stride in, his imposing figure filling the room.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, catching his reflection in the mirror.

“I’ve been here all along, Elaine,” Connor replied, which was true.

Connor had been just outside the room. He’d gotten ready first, and then it was my turn.

Because we couldn’t be apart for too long, he would occasionally step into the room to check on me. So my question was a bit ridiculous.

I watched as his eyes roamed over my body, making me uncomfortable. His gaze told me that he wouldn’t be the only one ogling me with lust-filled eyes tonight.

More than a few of the other wolves would be desiring me tonight, and unless I was marked, I would have a few pack members lusting after me once this was over.

His gaze lingered on my chest, barely concealed by the sheer lace of the black dress. I rolled my eyes and cleared my throat to get his attention.

“Could you pass me that, please?” I asked, pointing at a small box on the vanity table.

For the first time, Connor didn’t argue and did as I asked. As he handed me the small box, I grabbed his royal cape and pulled him closer.

“This is for you,” I explained as I opened the box.

As the queen of the pack, it was customary to gift her mate something from the pack’s treasure room. I had no choice but to comply.

So I chose something small that I thought Connor might like.

“This is for me?” Connor raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to follow the rules.”

“I know, but if I want to be ~queen~”—I glanced around—“I need to keep up appearances, right?”

There was no hidden meaning behind this insignificant gift. It was all part of the ceremony, to maintain the charade we’d been playing these past few days.

Connor sighed and moved closer. His strong scent hit me, making my knees buckle. Connor frowned, reaching out to steady me.

Eyes wide, I quickly straightened up.

“Are you okay?” Connor whispered.

I don’t know if it was because I rarely paid attention, but Connor seemed different tonight. The royal black suit he was wearing highlighted his broad shoulders.

The pants clung to his muscular thighs. I could even see the prominent bulge in his pants due to how tight they were.

I felt my cheeks heat up, so I quickly looked away, flustered.

“Elaine?” Connor called, drawing my attention back to him. I frowned, confused, as I noticed the black eyes of his lycan surfacing.

“Let’s get this over with.” I cleared my throat and showed him the blade.

“Really?” Connor said, raising an eyebrow.

“If you don’t want it, don’t wear it. But I’ve done my part,” I explained, pushing the blade into his hands.

Ignoring him, I turned and asked everyone if I was ready. I just wanted this to be over.

Feeling a hand slide down my arm, I spun around to find Connor pulling me closer to him.

“Let’s go then,” Connor muttered, his gaze fixed ahead. I rolled my eyes and followed him out.

***

All the invited packs had gathered around the area. Every alpha and warrior was seated around the large platform where tonight’s ceremony would take place.

I heightened my senses, trying to focus on the chatter around me. Some were expressing their excitement, while others were discussing the food.

I even caught a few conversations about the mating part, which made me anxious.

“Calm down,” Connor growled. “You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”

“Aren’t you fucking worried?” I shot back. Connor scoffed.

“Why should I be?” he asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

I let go of his arm and turned to face him.

“Our fucking lycans,” I groaned. “I’m warning you, if you try to kill me, I ~will~ kill you here, in front of everyone.”

“You’re warning me?” Connor said, pulling me against his chest. “You’re warning me, Elaine?”

“Yes,” I mumbled. The chatter around us had quieted down. Forcing a smile, I leaned into Connor. “I will kill you, that’s a certainty.”

“It’s time, alphas,” the master of the ceremony announced. I took a deep breath, trying to quell the anger bubbling inside me.

Connor extended his arm to me as if nothing had happened. We moved to the entrance of the platform, waiting for our names to be called. I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling awkward.

When our names were announced, we walked towards the stairs, where we were supposed to stand until it was time to mate.

I held my head high, smiling softly. Some people stared back with excitement, others with skepticism. I spotted my family on the right and Connor’s family on the left.

As we reached the stairs, I lifted my dress while Connor held onto me, pretending to be the gentleman he wasn’t.

Once we got to the top, we let go of each other and turned to face the master of ceremonies, a mage blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.

“WE WELCOME YOU ALL TONIGHT TO THE GRAND CEREMONY OF THE NEW ALPHA QUEEN AND KING OF THE BLACK ROSE PACK.

“TONIGHT WE WILL BE CROWNING THE NEW LEADERS OF THIS PACK AND HAVE THE BLESSING OF THEIR MATING BEFORE US.”

My hands clenched together as I heard the word ~mating.~

The master of ceremonies continued speaking, but my mind had wandered to my lycan. Trying to calm my racing heart, I closed my eyes and tried to communicate with Ashina, but she was unusually silent.

Too silent for my liking.

I was jolted out of my thoughts when someone touched my lower back gently. I opened my eyes to find Connor looking at me intensely.

“Alpha, please. The crown,” the master of ceremonies said. Confused, I looked to the side and saw my brother holding the king’s crown. “Please, my queen.”

“Yes,” I whispered and took the golden crown from the black pillow.

“Please say the words and your vows,” the master of ceremonies instructed.

“Vows?” I asked, frowning at him.

“Yes, say your vows.”

I mentally cursed and moved closer to Connor, who was looking at me with expectant eyes. What was that look about?

I pushed my worries aside and cleared my throat, quickly making something up.

“I, Elaine Woods, alpha and queen of the Black Rose Pack, crown the king, Connor Reed as the new king and alpha of the pack.”

Connor bowed his head as I placed the crown on him. Stepping back, I quickly made up something for my vows.

“The vows now,” the master of ceremonies said, smiling.

My eyes met Connor's for a moment before I felt a lump in my throat. It was so intense that I could feel my heart pounding against my chest and a sickening feeling forming in the pit of my stomach.

I could barely breathe.

“I, Elaine, vow to protect this pack, this warrior, and this man,” I managed to say. “My life and my wolves are only yours, and no matter what, I will be there, always, for you.

“In the good and bad, I will support you and be your strength. As your queen, I vow to be yours only until our deaths.”

My last words came out as a whisper as I looked at Connor. He was quietly listening to what I was saying. Feeling his intense gaze, I lowered my head in confusion.

“Alpha.” The master of ceremonies smiled at Connor.

I kept my head down, preparing myself to listen to Connor’s meaningless vows.

A few seconds passed, but he didn’t say a word, which worried me. Just as I was about to lift my head, Connor took my hand, catching me off guard.

“I, Connor Reed, alpha and king of the Black Rose Pack, crown my queen, Elaine Woods, as the new queen and alpha of the pack.”

I bowed my head nervously as I felt the heavy crown placed on it.

“I, Connor Reed, vow before the Moon Goddess to protect, cherish you, and stay with you always. My wolf also vows to protect you as our only queen and mate. Forever yours, my Luna.”

My eyes dropped to our hands as something slid onto my finger. It was a topaz ring.

“My gift for you.” Connor smiled. I looked up, forcing down the lump in my throat as I blushed and quickly thanked him.

Once we’d both said our vows, the master of ceremonies concluded the crowning ceremony. Cheers of excitement filled the air as I stood next to Connor, who seemed anxious.

“It’s time to introduce your wolves and mind-link with everyone in the pack.”

We both nodded and walked to the large platform in the middle of the crowd. Connor helped me up and swiftly removed the veil from my face.

“We should do this quickly,” I murmured and turned to face everyone. I felt Connor move behind me, surprising me. “What are you doing?”

“What should we do?” Connor whispered in my ear, making my heart race.

He was close, too close. His warm breath sent a shiver down my bare back. My body was heating up as he pressed against me.

He wrapped his arms around my waist gently, leaned over, and kissed my shoulder. I looked at him over my shoulder, confused.

“Connor!” I exclaimed.

“I know you don’t want to shift, so I thought about it all afternoon,” Connor mumbled against my skin. What was he talking about?

“Connor, we have to shift. Stop saying useless things,” I snapped.

“It’s not useless,” Connor mumbled, meeting my gaze. “Just follow my lead.”

I frowned and felt his long, sharp nails grow against my waist. The voices around us quieted down as Connor half-shifted, revealing his red mane.

Some of the guests and pack members looked puzzled by what they were seeing. It was understandable, and that was what worried me. What would they do when they saw us?

“Your turn,” Connor ordered in a gruff voice.

Reluctantly, I did the same and half-shifted, revealing my lycan to everyone for the first time. Many of the pack members gasped and even took a few steps back from the platform we stood on.

I wanted to cry, to run away from this.

“Lycans?” someone spoke from the crowd. I closed my eyes as the voices erupted into hateful comments.

Connor tightened his hold on me. I wasn’t sure if he was angry or if he was telling me to hold it together, but there was something.

I felt an authoritative aura radiating from him as we both stood there. A few whimpers reached my ears, so I opened my eyes again.

~“I’m Khan, your new alpha. This is Ashina, your queen.”~

I swallowed hard as Khan’s voice echoed in my mind. For the mind-link to work, everyone had to accept us, to submit to us.

~“You’re probably wondering, yes, we are lycans, the only ones alive,”~ Khan’s voice was a low growl. ~“We expect your loyalty now that we are your king and queen.”~

My hand found his, instinctively. I could feel the tension in him as he spoke. My claws gently brushed his mane, trying to soothe him.

Surprisingly, it worked. It even seemed to ease the tension among the rest of the pack.

~“I’m Ashina, your new luna and queen. I also expect your loyalty and acceptance,”~ I said, my voice softer.

“Lycans as king and queen. Is that why the Goddess paired you?” a voice called out.

I turned to see one of the alphas from a neighboring pack.

~“We didn’t know we were the same until a few nights ago,”~ I responded through the mind-link. ~“Who we are doesn’t matter to me.”~

“But lycans are extinct, how can you two exist?” another voice yelled from the crowd.

~“This is who we are, the spirits the moon goddess gave us at birth. If you have a problem with it, take it up with her!”~ Khan’s growl made heads bow.

I heard a few whimpers as I looked at Connor—or rather, Khan.

~“So, what’s your answer?”~ Khan’s voice was a low growl.

His powerful presence, his authority as a new king, made every pack member bow their heads in acceptance.

I felt the connection with everyone as they took turns bowing in loyalty to us.

~“I told you they would accept us,”~ Connor said through the mind-link.

I was about to respond when he tugged my hair, exposing my neck. My breath hitched, my chest rising and falling.

With one hand in my hair, Connor’s other hand moved to my back, undoing the knots of my dress.

His body pressed against mine, making me gasp. His warm chest against my back made me purr as he gently licked my neck where the mark would go.

“Connor,” I whispered, breathless.

His long nails traced the curves of my body, stopping at my ass. The arousal I felt made me forget where we were.

I was sweating, my body reacting to his touch. Suddenly, I felt a jolt. What was that?

“Fuck, Elaine.” Connor’s voice vibrated against my neck. The poking sensation was his erection. “I can smell your arousal.”

“Likewise,” I managed to choke out, breathless. I licked my lips as I heard his pants unzip. I should have hated this, but I didn’t. I wanted it.

“It’ll be quick,” Connor grunted in my ear, making me close my eyes.

Blood welled from my lips as I bit down hard. In one swift move, Connor thrust deep, making me gasp. I reached up, grabbing his hair as he grunted behind me.

His chest rumbled as he pulled out, then pushed back in. I tried to stifle the moans that escaped my lips as he moved in a slow, torturous rhythm.

He was everything I’d imagined when I saw him naked by the river. His thick cock was perfect, stretching me. Every cell in my body responded to the pleasure.

Feeling his long canines on my neck, I braced myself. Connor mumbled something, making me frown. I was about to ask what he said when he bit down, making me forget everything else.

The moment he marked me, I felt warmth spread through my body, binding us as one. But what took me by surprise was the powerful tug on my chest that tore me apart.

I didn’t understand what was happening. All I felt was a suffocating feeling, slowly pulling me into an oblivion of no return.

It was so intense that I started crying.

“Connor,” I breathed as our bodies became one in a tangle of sweat and sex.

Fucking me from behind, I felt my legs start to shake. The pressure built as Connor thrust harder, faster, like the beast he was.

I moaned as my orgasm hit. Feeling my legs buckle, Connor pulled me closer to him.

“I got you,” Connor mumbled as he licked the mating mark. I slumped against him.

I lazily opened my eyes to see everyone still had their heads bowed. Confused, I looked around and saw someone looking back at us.

“Sorin…,” I whispered.

My heart ached as I saw his tear-streaked face. I felt like I had betrayed him and looked away. What had I done?

Hearing a growl from Connor, I turned to face him.

“MINE!” Connor growled possessively.

I stared at Connor, who was glaring at Sorin. With a conflicted look, Sorin finally looked away.

My heart felt heavy as we stood there. Finally letting go, I fixed my dress, ready to run away and lock myself in my room to cry.

A pack member handed me a long bear sweater, and without another word, Connor led me down from the platform and back to the castle.

As we left, everyone slowly raised their heads. They all looked ashamed, and soon I would find out why they never looked at us while we mated.