Chapter Five

MARRIED TO THE BLACK ALPHA

“The woman chosen by the Moon Goddess will still marry into the royal family”, the oldest elder spoke softly and struck his staff on the marble floor.

My fingers tingled as warmth spread through me making my chest buzz in excitement, when the thought of “I don’t know who I’m getting married to” ran through my mind, my expression faltered instantly.

The Elder’s word echoed in the ballroom, and for a moment, no one dared to move or even say anything.

I stared at the both of them still holding each other’s hands, and the silver mark on my wrist burned painfully.

Anger and disgust flickered across his face for a second, before it landed properly.

He broke the silence in the ballroom and demanded, “what do you mean by that?”

The oldest Elder fixed both hands on his staff and smiled brightly, “what you don’t know is that, the sacred bond can’t disappear just because you dislike it”.

I am the crown prince of this kingdom, I have made my choice and that’s final” Rowan yelled in a thunderous voice that echoed across the ballroom.

Another elder interrupted, “that’s your choice, but the Moon Goddess made a sacred one”.

Immediately, murmurings from the crowd filled the ballroom and Seraphina lowered her head while slowly removing her hand from his hand.

The High Priest stepped forward and declared “your Highness, the ancient law is that, when a royal heir rejects the Goddess’s chosen mate before the kingdom, another member of the royal bloodline must take the responsibility”.

“What!” Rowan gasped and frowned, but his expression can’t change anything again. He yelled again “I won’t accept that”.

The High Priest shook his head slowly and said, “it’s too late, because this matter is no longer yours to decide”.

A heavy and suffocating silence stretched through the ballroom, no one murmured or whispered for a few minutes. I stood still like a monument, while I tried wrapping my head to understand what’s going on.

All the dreams I’ve had about becoming Rowan’s mate crumbled right before me, and now their elders have agreed for me to marry someone else in the royal bloodline.

My parents stepped forward immediately and a cold wave surged into my body instantly, leaving me to stare at them unbelievably.

My mother spoke first before my father, “Honorable Elders”, she said while bowing respectfully. She continued “I’m sure there’s another solution.

My father nodded quickly in affirmation, then he added “my younger daughter is just an omega”.

One of the Elders stared at them sternly and he questioned, “wasn’t she chosen by the Moon Goddess?”

None of my parents gave a response, instead they just stood there looking blank and confused.

The Elder continued, “before the Goddess chose her, she has seen what everyone can’t see”.

“That’s really true”, the crowd responded in unison. I folded my arms tightly across my chest and shook my head gently.

Seraphina reached for Rowan’s hand and held him tightly, like she’s preventing anyone from taking him away from her quickly.

“What’s the next thing to do now?” Seraphina asked in a very faint voice.

The oldest elder turned towards the royal family and said, “there’s only one eligible royal left”.

Every noble paused what they were doing to look at the only royal left.

Rowan cut in, “no, there’s no one left in the royal family”.

The oldest elder nodded “yes, there is if you didn’t know”.

Everyone sat quietly and patiently waiting to see the only eligible royal left for me to marry.

The oldest elder smiled and declared, “Lyra must marry Alpha Magnus Thorne”.

The whole ballroom erupted in shock and everyone gasped. Meanwhile, Rowan and Seraphina looked at each other, then they bursted into humorless laughter.

Some people whispered, “she’s getting married to the black Alpha?” Some whispered, “the beast of Blackthorne and the hero of crimson ridge?

Another person asked, “isn’t he the monster that everyone is scared of?”

Fear and shock flashed across different faces in the ballroom. Some noblewomen covered their mouths due to how shocked they were when they heard the Elder call his name.

Personally, I’ve heard several stories about Alpha Magnus since I was a kid. I was warned to behave well if not they will call the black Alpha to come carry me.

Even the warriors were scared of him, one of them said “he once defeated a whole rogue army alone”. Other people said, “he lives shedding blood, and it’s not possible for him to love”.

All the whisperings got into my head, and just when I thought I’ll have a better life, all the plans shattered and I became very scared of how I’ll survive with him instead.

I’ve never met him before, but his name alone made powerful Alphas tremble. Suddenly, Rowan's face became dangerous and he rejected him, “no, I won’t allow this”.

The elders looked completely unshaken about his response. “You’re wasting your strength, because you already lost that right to object to any actions that’s already taken”, the oldest elder muttered.

“I am still the future king, just in case you forgot”, he barked in a deep baritone voice that echoed through the ballroom.

“And yet you stood before everyone to insult the Goddess?” The oldest elder questioned him in a cold voice.

The elder added, “you should really be grateful that we found a lawful solution”.

Before Rowan could respond again, the palace dour opened widely and heavy, steady, slow, and confident footsteps followed. Immediately, all the conversations stopped, even the guards stepped aside for him to pass freely.

A tall man dressed in black entered the ballroom, and his broad shoulders occupied the entrance door. A long dark cloak rested over a polished armor scarred by several battles.

His black straight hair reached the base of his neck, and there was a faint scar on his left jaw signifying that he has fought countless battles. His silver-gray icy eyes made the whole room fall into a thick silence.

Without saying a word, he walked towards the royal platform and each step he took echoed like the heavy stomping of the guards.

The nobles stood up and bowed to him except for one frightened noble who said, “wow, he really came”.

Without asking anyone, I knew that he was Alpha Magnus Thorne. The most feared ruler of Blackthorne fortress, the king’s younger brother, and the man whom everyone refers to as monster.

He stopped before the throne and said, “I was summoned to be here”, his deep voice alone lingered in the ballroom for a few seconds.

King Aldric responded, “you came in at the right time”.

Magnus' eyes glanced around the ballroom, and his expression didn’t even change a bit then his eyes landed on me. For a brief second, a cold wave rushed into my chest and my breath hitched.

His eyes weren't cold or cruel either, but I couldn’t look at him even for a second because of how intimidating his physique is. I had no choice than to pretend to pull out something from my dress.

I raised my head slightly to look at him with my side eyes, but he was still staring at me like he was trying to find a perfect reason why everyone looked at me with hatred.

Not long after, he looked away, then he turned to the High Priest to inquire what the problem was from him.

“What’s wrong?”, he asked the High Priest calmly.

The High Priest explained everything carefully to him and he listened without interrupting with any questions. After the High Priest was done with the explanations, a suffocating and draining silence fell in the ballroom even Magnus didn’t move an inch from where he stood.

Magnus finally broke the silence when he turned to ask Rowan “so you had the audacity to reject the Goddess’s choice?”

Rowan’s eyes met with that of his uncle and he responded rudely, “that’s because I’m in love with someone else”.

Magnus’s expression darkened and he snapped out coldly, “then you’ll live with your decision”.

Rowan’s jaw tightened, and his brows lowered over his eyes.

“And don’t think I’m giving Lyra to you”, he snapped lividly.

My heart dropped the moment I heard what Rowan said and I began racing in thoughts, “what if Rowan loves me but he doesn’t know how to tell me or if he dies he sees me as something he can give out or not at any time?”

Magnus' lips curved into a cold smile without his teeth showing, and somehow it meant how this would end for Rowan because of how he stared at him dangerously.

Magnus chuckled and took a step close to him, “giving? Is she your property?”

His question lingered in the air, and people exchanged glances with each other. Smiles slowly faded in everyone’s face, and conversation stopped instantly.

His question knocked every other thought from my mind, I couldn’t help but look at him to know if he’s serious.

Rowan clenched his jaw and fist tightly, like he’s about to throw a punch. “You know nothing about what’s going on”.

Magnus interrupted immediately, “well, I know enough”. Magnus turned towards the council and asked “what’s your judgment?”

“According to the first royal covenant, the Goddess chosen mate will still marry within the royal bloodline”, the oldest elder responded swiftly.

The oldest elder turned towards Rowan and continued, “therefore, we command Alpha Magnus Thorne to take Lyra Blackwood as his lawful wife”.

The room became utterly quiet, no one clapped, no one cheered, and everyone just sat still to see if Magnus would still reject me just as Rowan did.

Magnus didn’t say a word to the elder, instead he turned towards me and for the first time in life someone truly looked at me, not with disdain or disgust.

His silver-gray eyes lingered on me for a few seconds, before he asked a simple question “what is your name?”

I stuttered, “L…Lyra”.

Magnus nodded slowly, then he turned to the council and said “I accept the bond”.

His words hung heavily in the room and the ballroom became eerily silent, even the soft music that played slowly died off. No one moved or even dared to question him.

All the plans I had to marry Rowan are shattered and I’m to marry who I was once scared of when I was a kid?

“No, that can’t happen”, Seraphina gasped, with her palm pressed on her chest.

Rowan withdrew his hands from Seraphina and walked angrily towards Magnus “you’re not serious at all”.

“You should know me by now, I barely joke around”, he responded to his nephew calmly.

Rowan’s wolf growled under his skin, “she’s my mate and you can’t change that fact”.

I just stood still like I’m glued to that spot, watching Rowan and his uncle argue seriously because of me. For the first time, I felt it was very important that Rowan and his uncle have to argue.

Magnus' eyes became cold and dangerous, then he  whispered carefully “you lost that privilege the moment you rejected her to choose another woman”.

Magnus and Rowan’s eyes locked together, none of them moved or even uttered a word, and the air between them seemed too heavy to breathe.

Every warrior that was present in the ballroom, reached for their weapon but none of them dared to move.

Magnus walked past Rowan and Seraphina, then he stopped directly in front of me. He was so tall that I had to raise my head high enough, so my eyes could meet with his own.

My heartbeat thundered violently in my ears, swallowing the loud voices in the ballroom.

Without even asking for my permission first, he reached for my trembling hands and his grip was so firm, protective, and warm.

He looked into my eyes, and shock gripped me instantly such that I began shaking uncontrollably, but he held me firmly.

He spoke in a soft and calm voice, a type that carried so much authority to silence the whole ballroom, “prepare yourself Lyra, we’ll leave for Blackthorne fortress soon”.

Immediately, Rowan reached out and grabbed my wrist tightly, then he spoke in a very dark, low, and possessive tone “no, she’s not leaving with you”.