The Fall Of Lucian
Chapter 38

A few months later, preparations for the wedding celebration of Adara and Bardas were ready. It was, of course, to be held at the castle by order of the king.

As it was the wedding of his first son and the future king of the packs, all the alphas of each pack were invited to the ceremony. Many had begun to arrive days before, as their journeys were long.

That evening the couple’s union would be celebrated, and the castle was in complete chaos. That same day, the two adult sons of the king, the ones who followed Bardas, arrived at the castle, filling their mother with happiness.

-What a joy to see you, my sons.

-Mother, you are still as beautiful as ever.

-Izan, always so gallant.” The woman k****s his cheek lovingly.

-So, my little brother got the noose.

-Oriel, don’t say that. Adara is a good woman, very intelligent, beautiful, and her father is a very important alpha wolf to her father.

-Engagement marriage? -asks Izan.

-No, your brother has chosen her. She is his moon.

The brothers look at each other and nod, then they notice Bardas approaching them and the three of them smile… like little children they run to hug each other.

-Brother! -greets Izan, who is the second to be born.

-Just look at you, you’re all men.

Izan and Oriel decided to leave the castle and forge their own herds, since Bardas was the heir to the throne. However, they visited their parents often.

-How are they doing?

-I fight this idiot every day, he tries to steal my land every chance he gets,” complains Izan.

Bardas laughs at his brothers’ witticisms.

-How about a race in the forest?

-I don’t think so, you need to get yourself together, son,” says Valentina.

-I’ve got envelope time, mother.

-No, wait…

The three young men ran straight into the forest and from a distance their mother saw them transform into wolves. Bardas and Oriel were albino wolves, but Izan was a black wolf like her. And he was about the same size as his older brother. They were certainly not her babies anymore.

The guests began to fill the seats, and Adara’s family was sitting in the front row. Ethan of course was talking to Eren and, Shery to her daughter with the final preparations.

-Mother, you shouldn’t strain yourself so much, your belly is huge.

-The matriarch said I’m fine, that your brothers and I are fine.

-It’s unbelievable that you’re going to have twin cubs, that’s too much.

-Don’t worry, after your father marked me I felt stronger and now I can carry this belly without any problems.

-Mommaaaaaaaa… -She grimaces. -Don’t say those things in front of me, by the goddess, that’s disgusting.

-Adara! -Adara!” Shery says, smiling, “You’re ready, we should go out.

[…]

Deisy held the train of her dress as she made her appearance at Prince Bardas’ ceremony. Like any alpha, she paid her respects and welcomed the new union. It was a ceremony she could not miss, even if she was uncomfortable seeing Ethan with his wife.

-My lady, this way are our places.

They were situated almost at the front row, the albino smacked her lips at the sight of the king and Ethan at her side. She bows to the king and then glances at Ethan who looks at her normally.

-My dear alpha, I’m glad you could make it to the celebration.

-I pay my respects my lord.

-Thank you very much. Your seats are over there.

-Ria calls out to her right hand and it follows her.

As the she-wolf turns to sit down, she is confronted by a man who stares into her eyes. She widens her gaze and then blinks several times.

-My lady,” he says without looking away. My name is Izan, second son of the king,” he holds out his hand to Deisy.

-I am Deisy, alpha of the white wolf pack,” she holds out her hand, and he gallantly k****s it.

-The most famous pack of all, it’s a pleasure to meet your leader,” he smiles at her.

Deisy swallows and tries to maintain her posture.

-Thank you very much,” she releases his hand and returns to her usual cool expression. With your permission, Prince Izan.

The she-wolf walks past him and seeks to sit with her companion.

Izan watches her walk away and half smiles, always curious to meet this alpha. And what a coincidence that he ran into her at his brother’s celebration. The second prince thought he had his work cut out for him that night with that prejudiced she-wolf.

Eren and Ethan look at each other’s faces as they see how those two looked at each other, then smile and shrug. Sometimes relationships were a little strange, and while the age difference was tremendous, that wasn’t a problem for a wolf.

Both alphas were aware of what happened in Deisy’s pack, well, as far as Bardas told him. And while they found it odd that the albino didn’t comment on the matter, they opted not to bring it up anymore.

That was over…

[…]

-Did you see the way the prince looked at you? -Ria whispers to him.

-I didn’t see anything.

-Don’t do that, of course you did. And that old-fashioned way of greeting you.

On the other hand, she thought it was a very charming gesture. She glanced sidelong at the prince, as he stood by the altar and kept his eyes on her, it was intimidating, that look on her.

But she couldn’t deny it, the man was intriguing. For a second son of the king, he was quite stocky and strong. On top of that he was gallant. But she wasn’t for that sort of thing.

She’d had enough with that man she’d fallen in love with and ended up leaving her. On top of that, that wretch had had the audacity to mark her, something she wouldn’t forget. Ria told her that he had been found dead, killed by Lucian’s wild wolves.

But the strangest thing of all was that she didn’t remember any of it, her friend told her that she had a big fight with the wild wolves who attacked her at the same time and she suffered a big head wound and that cost her part of her memory.

When she woke up, Ria was by her side and her people were safe and sound in the pack. Except for her beta who died to protect the village. It all seemed very strange at first, but it did make sense to him what happened.

After that, she eventually got the news that Lucian had died along with his wild wolves. And that did fill her with relief, since none of her wolves were in danger.

However, the emptiness she felt inside her sometimes tormented her and she didn’t understand why… the mark on the back of her neck began to itch, and she automatically brought her hand to the area and began to rub it.

-Don’t do that, you know you’re hurting yourself.

-I can’t stand it when it itches.

-I’ve read some notes in my mother’s books, and it says that if another wolf you feel true love for bites you, that mark will disappear and only that wolf’s mark will remain.

-What are you saying? -The albino looks at her astonished. I could die if that were to happen.

-It’s true, you can. It doesn’t work on everyone, an ordinary wolf would die. But you’re an alpha of powerful stock, you’ll be able to resist.

Deisy looks ahead and bites her lips, yes, she wanted to get rid of that mark she had no memory of and even more if it was from a man who didn’t love her. But she had been alone for many years, on top of that, no one would want a wolf who was no longer pure and was also marked by another.

At that moment, she felt a glance at her. Her eyes connected with the prince who seemed to be smiling at her.

-Perhaps the waiting has come to an end, my lady.

Just as she was about to answer her companion, the campaigns began to sound announcing that the bride was about to leave.

Everyone began to settle into their places, and at last the ceremony began.

[…]

The new bride and groom were celebrating at the feast the king had prepared. Everyone laughed with joy, danced and toasted.

Many alphas presented their gifts to the new couple, but the most important of all was that of the king. He gave the young men a vast estate to begin their lives as herd leaders.

Thus the prince would begin his crusade as the king’s apprentice. They would form a herd, from which they could choose any name they wished and accept whomever they wished.

They toasted with excitement at the new news, while Deisy looked down from the table at everyone’s happiness.

-My lady, are you feeling well?

-I’m fine, Ria. Why don’t you look for someone to dance with, meet someone.

-No, I’ll stay by your side.

The albino smiles, and that’s when she notices Shery’s arrival. She had returned to her youth. Ria told him that the witch of the mountain gave her the gift of the wolves, and with it she returned to her former youth.

Then she looks at her bulging belly and feels a pang of envy. She and Ethan were very happy, the albino looks down, she wasn’t mean, she just wanted some of what they had.

-Shall we dance? -Deisy looks at a huge, firm hand under her nose, which makes her look up. You look rather bored,” it was Prince Izan.

-Oh my lady,” she gets a nudge from Ria.

Pushed by the ribbing, the albino takes his hand and with the man’s help she stands up.

He takes her to the centre of the ring and feels how she is the centre of attention.

-What do you intend to do, prince?

-Izan… you can call me by my name. I’ve never liked the title prince.

-But it’s what you are…

Izan grabs her by the waist and pulls her tight against his body.

-No, I’m just a man.

-And what are you trying to do by asking me to dance?

-To change that sad face of yours, and to make you see that there are other good parties on the way.

-That was very direct of you.

-I’m not a puppy, my lady. I’m not going to beat around the bush with you, I know you’re a big she-wolf, and I’m not going to behave like a little boy. When I want to be serious about something I am.

-And what does that mean?

-That I like you, that smell that her body has been giving off has been driving me crazy all night. And I’ve been trying to control myself, but I think it’s too much.

Deisy opens her lips, what was that wolf trying to tell her?

-What are you saying?

-That I’ve been waiting for you for many moons,” he smiles.

-Am I your moon?

-That’s right, I’ve smelled you since you came to the castle. I was waiting for the right moment to see you, I wanted our meeting to be unique.

-You know I don’t…

-I know your mate is Ethan, but I don’t care about that. I also know you’ve been marked by another wolf, and I don’t care about that either. If you’ll have me, I’m willing to go with you.

-But, I…

Izan turns her around and makes her dress billow in the wind.

-I want you for myself, and in time I will make you fall in love with me and forget Ethan once and for all,” he says, pulling her body together again.

-I can’t accept you, I would be condemning you to be with a woman marked and bound by destiny to someone else.

-They are insignificant things, accept me Deisy, and I’ll show you what real love is.

She was scared, but what if this was the chance she had been waiting for. Prince Izan meant what he said, and he seemed determined to do anything. Possibly he could break that horrible mark on her body.

-We shall see, Prince Izan,” she smiles, and so does he.

-That is all I needed to know, my beautiful ice lady. But I must tell you that I am not an albino wolf like my brothers, so beware of the consequences.

That mention caused a great shudder inside him, and it was not one of annoyance, but of suspense.