Stealing The Mark Of The Alpha Kings

Agila's POV

Among the guests, are people I have no doubt know my sister well. She is the most famed of all Princesses. They might remember her entrancing walk, her perfect poise. 

My legs are stiff as I try to reflect her grace. My chest is heaving ungraciously, stretching the tight fabric of Irina's lovely dress. I hope the seams are strong enough to hold until the end of the ceremony. 

I make it to the end of the aisle without hearing anyone question my identity. One of the Alpha Kings rises, steps forward and offers me a hand as I climb the few steps to join them on the raised stage.

I never thought a living person could look so breathtaking. His tall, mascular frame is a test for a woman's eyes, especially when it is wrapped in the most flawless of skins. His grey eyes seem to glow with their own light, and their intense gaze makes the nerves under my skin sensitive to thin air.

I hold his hand tighter than necessary, because my mind stopped thinking. I wonder how better things would have been if Irina did not steal our mate bond. Would they accept me with my bad repute?

The Alpha lifts my hand and pecks the back of it. His soft lips feels like wet feathers against my skin. I shake my head slightly to dispel the dark thoughts invading my brain at such an inappropriate moment.

"Come, sit with us," the Angel says with the most enchanting of smiles. 

Sit? Are they not marking me immediately? I worry that my pretentious grace will falter anytime and they will know that I am not my sister. 

I got no choice though as the Alpha King is already leading me towards his brothers. Apart from their clothes, the three have every feature of their body identical. The secret to telling them apart is however quite known. Their crowns are all golden, but Alpha Alcott has his further decorated with sapphires, Alpha Parish has his decorated with emeralds and Alpha Reid's is decorated with rubies. If they wanted to fool everyone, they would just exchange their crowns. 

They rise to greet me, all wearing lovely smiles. I am reminded of my own smile, which must be ungraciously wide right now. Not the controlled, bright beam that Irina charms people with. 

I try to make my smile smaller even as Alpha Kings Alcott and Reid lift my hand and kiss the back of it. 

"How is your scent more enchanting than jasmine. Your heart must have the purity of a born baby," King Reid whispers, standing so close that I am literally inhaling his breath. 

My sister's rare perfume, I too was impressed by it's intoxicating and profound scent. I have no idea what it is made of. My smile broadens. At least they do think that it is my scent.

"Your praise is most delightful, your Majesty," I say. 

I would praise his tempting beauty if it would not be considered ungracious of a Princess. 

"You've the rarest beautiful eyes I have ever seen. How come I haven't heard stories about them?" Alpha Alcott says. 

A shiver runs down my spine. I forgot that my strange eyes would still be visible when stealing Irina's mask. I would have kept my gaze lowered if I hadn't forgotten about the unusual golden rings around my eyes. 

The King asked why he hasn't heard stories about them. There are dozens of stories about Princess Irina's everything, about her voice, her beauty, her hair and so on. If there was anything unique about her eyes, there would be stories about them too. 

I do not know what to tell the Alpha. Luckily, a servant interrupts as he brings forth my seat, guided and heavily cushioned. 

"Please sit," King Parish directs. 

I lower myself to the seat and they settle back onto theirs. 

"We thought it wise to offer you a chance to know us more before we put our mark on your skin. It is the best we can do to make you more comfortable with this hasty marriage. You can ask us anything that you're curious about," he adds. 

They are delaying the marking because of me? I am sure that even Irina would have wanted to have the mark immediately. Their powers are the only thing that I am curious about. I am however certain that Irina, being the most graceful Princess, is not expected to ask something that unnerves them. They have always kept their powers secret. So I doubt it's one of the things they are comfortable with easily divulging. I must think of something else. 

"Did you ever . . . get tired of waiting for your fated mate for so long and considered finding comfort in another woman?" I ask.

Alpha Kings Reid and Parish raise their eyebrows. Clearly that wasn't the most comfortable question to ask. But it's already out of my lips. 

"I . . . apologize for that, your Majesties. I shouldn't be concerned about -" 

"It's totally alright. Your courage is admirable. Clearly you will make a better queen than we even imagined," Alpha Reid cuts me short. 

I inwardly sigh in relief and a smile returns to my face. 

"To answer your question, no, we never got tempted to pick another woman. None can replace our true mate, as she is destined to be more than just our Queen," King Parish answers. 

More than just their queen? What more can she be? I am nothing special. I cannot point that out now though. I need their mark to be able to inquire more confidently.

I nod despite the confusion, then think my second question carefully. I do not want to sound harsh towards them.

"What do you do for fun when you're not seated on your thrones," I ask.

"We test the effectiveness of our powers. Only on Shadowbound Outcasts though," Alpha King Alcott answers. 

My mouth falls open in astonishment before I quickly regain my composure. Shadowbound Outcasts are prisoners suspected of using dark magic or being spies of witches. They are treated worse than stray dogs.

I thought the Alpha Kings are kind. I am having doubts. Do any of the prisoners survive the test of their powers? 

I am about to ask the unnerving question when two servants bring forth a slim table with a white top surface and guilded edges. They set the table in front of us. Then another approaches, carrying a bow half-full of water and a tiny, folded white towel beside it. Both balanced on a tray.

"I promise that you will have all the time to know everything about us. But right now I must ask that you take a leap of faith and take our mark," Alpha Parish requests, taking my hand once more.

I gladly follow his lead, rising and getting closer to the table. Reid and Alcott join us.

The crowd of royals watch in heavy silence as the three powerful Alpha Kings, mark me. I try my best to maintain my grace amidst pure bliss.

Alpha Parish dips the towel into the bow, letting it soak with water before lifting it. He wipes away all stains of blood from my neck. His touch makes the sensitive nerves under my skin dance. The urge to lean closer is overwhelming. I inwardly sigh in relief when he withdraws his fingers before I lose grip of my pretentious grace. 

"I, Alpha King Parish Adiran, take you, our light and our Queen. I swear by the very essence of my being, I promise you patience that outlasts Kingdoms, and devotion that will never fade. Should I fall from grace or rise to greater glory, know that the love of my immortal heart is bound to your beautiful soul, forever one." the Alpha states his vows. I feel the spot they marked me tinge.

It's a strange feeling, both sensitive and lulling, and it grows as his brothers state the same vows.

The crowd of guests erupt into loud cheers after the glowing white mark appears on the side of my neck. I have reclaimed them! The mightiest and most beautiful of all kings granted me their mark and their Queen's throne. I have earned the chance to show them how worthy I am. 

After enduring a life-time of being loathed by everyone and secretly mocked by my sister, I have regained what was stolen from me.

One of my husbands, Reid, pulls me closer, and I ready myself for his kiss. It doesn't come however, as the hall's heavy doors burst open with violent force, stealing everyone's attention, including that of the Alpha King holding me. 

Irina looks like an infuriated, fire-breathing dragon as she storms through the entrance, her feet barely touching the ground as she makes her way down the path decorated with flower petals to reach us. 

She did take time to put on one of her finest gowns and makeup before coming. Despite her fury, she wouldn't want to appear in front of the Alpha Kings in a less than impressive dress. Her beauty is everything. 

Our parents look just as angry as they match forward behind her, escorted by the famous beta of the Kings, Ilan, and three guards behind him.

I thought they would be asleep longer, that they would allow me time to enjoy the company of my husbands before bringing unnecessary trouble. 

The crowd of guests gasp in shock and confusion upon seeing my sister. Many know her of course. They just couldn't tell that I am not her with a mask on. 

"The Princess of light . . . how can she be showing up now?" 

"Who is up under that mask?" 

The guests question, pointing. 

"You evil scheming thing! How dare you steal the mark of my mates?!" Irina roars in a thick, emotional voice, taking wider strides towards us. 

The Alpha holding me lets go of waist and stands in front of me, as if to shield me from the screaming Princess. 

Our parents grabs her arms and pulls her back. "You must show your respect to the Alpha Kings, honey, regardless of the situation," mother reminds her. "Your sister is after all going to be heavily punished for this," she adds. 

Irina grudgingly nods before bowing slightly in front of my husbands. The Beta, Ilan, steps forward while glaring directly at me. 

"Your Majesties, I am afraid that you have wasted your mark on an imposter. This is the real Princess Irina. She and her parents just got here because they were drugged to sleep past the hours of this ceremony," he reports. 

Gasps of shock fill the room. Frowning guests point fingers at me. 

"How could anyone dare do this?"

"Who shall be the queen now?" 

They randomly scream the questions.

The Alpha Kings seem both furious and confused as they knew neither of us physically. 

"How do we ascertain that this is the real Princess Irina? The bride we have marked has the scent of our mate," King Reid questions.

Irina hastily bows her head once more before speaking. "Your Majesties, I am your true mate, Princess Irina. Forgive my earlier outburst, I am feeling rather upset after learning that my evil sister stole the clothes you sent me and impersonated me to acquire your mark. She is an ugly evil that you shouldn't let close to you."

The room falls silent as the cold gazes of the Alpha Kings turn towards me. King Alcott lifts a hand and roughly pulls the mask away from my face.

I knew this moment would come, but I also felt certain that they would give me the chance to defend myself regardless of the accusations labeled against me. They would listen and judge wisely. After all they are the wisest of all good people.

I wore little makeup, so my face probably doesn't look as ugly as Irina might have wanted it to look right now.

No one would believe that their adorned Princess stole the mate bond from me, of course. So it's useless to point it out.

"I am not evil in any way, your Majesties. I have loved you throughout my childhood and even more as an adult. My sole intent was to get a chance to prove my love and loyalty to you. You can decide which of us to grant your Queen's throne once you actually know us," I say. 

The multitude of guests burst out laughing. What was funny? That I love the mightiest Kings? Am I that undeserving?

"An evil thing with an insane mind," King Alcott hisses. "You poisoned our mate so you could have our mark, I will have it curved out of your neck!" 

Hell no! Where is their unmatched sense of reasoning? How can I be evil when this is the only time I dared claim what was stolen from me? 

Making the claim now would convince them that I am insane indeed. Then I will be locked up for life.

"I only claimed a mark that you would have given to a pretentious Princess who has been secretly evil. If you give me a chance, I will show you -"

"You dare insult our true mate in our presence after impersonating her. You think there is anything you have that we would want to be shown?" King Reid scoffs.

"You're right, your Majesty. She has only her wickedness to show. She is a dark witch!" Irina falsely accuses. 

This time, the crowd gasps in horror. Witches are the most loathed and feared creatures. They are burned alive when captured.