Chapter Five.

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.