Chapter 2.

Kael's POV

"You have to get married." Seer Maylin echoed the one thing I never wanted to hear from anyone. I was infuriated by her words, but I couldn't explode because my father laid on the floor, barely breathing properly.

"Are you sure there is no other way out?" I asked, swallowing hard as the thought of taking a wife overwhelmed me.

"It's… it's…" King Kane managed to mutter before coughing his lungs out. His omega helped him turn on his back while he coughed out blood. I remained in my place, used to the terrible sight.

"It's not that… terrible." He mumbled, taking a deep breath. "You should at least get married to someone before I die."

Ever since my mother died, my father, the king, had shown signs of losing his mind, and it deteriorated into a terrible illness that has no name. He had been bedridden for the better part of ten years, and I had been the regent ever since I was 19. The court was tough, preventing war was tougher, but I had scaled through these things, only for a witch to lay a curse that would lead to my death.

"Seer, are you sure this is the only route out of this madness?" I asked, and she took a deep breath, shaking her head gently.

"What's the other way out?" I asked with a gentle growl that made her shiver.

"I didn't want to suggest it because I know that you wouldn't like to hear it." She cowered.

"And when did you start making decisions for me?" I asked with a calm tone.

"I apologize, your highness." She mumbled. "If you wouldn't get married to a wolf for your lifetime, you have to get married to a human…"

I growled, and she paused, trying to choose whether to keep speaking or not.

"...and make her bear a child for you,... and the curse would be broken."

There was silence all over the room.

"I'm sorry, your highness." She mumbled.

"Kael," The King called softly, and I turned my head to look at him, "I was already even going to suggest getting married to a human, because you…" he took a pause, coughing loudly.

"... you… have… to strengthen the bond between the North and the South by marriage." He said.

I clenched my fists, remaining calm as I was going to reject it either way.

"Father, I think it'd be better for me to just stick to bonding with a wolf. I can always find new ways to avoid war as I've been doing for several years." I argued.

"Nonsense!" He snapped, coughing gently. The Seer had her gaze pinned to the floor as no one enjoys watching two royals arguing.

"We are lucky to have evaded a war several years ago after what happened, and now, I already made a promise." He said, taking a long pause while silence ruled the room. "I'd have gladly broken my promise if you faced the curse of death only to be avoided by marrying a wolf, but that's not the case now."

I kept silent, waiting for him to use his usual words on me.

"You will marry the human princess that's turned over to the North by the Southern King, this is your duty, and it is my decree!" He said without coughing.

Duty and decree. I had been bound by duty all my life.

"OK father." I said with clenched fists.

I left the room with a calm demeanour, knowing that there was nothing I could do.

***

A portrait had arrived that morning from the Southern King. A painted image of the princess I was supposed to marry. Dacian had left it on my desk without comment, which meant he thought I wouldn't want to hear whatever comment he had prepared.

I stood in front of it for a long moment without opening the case.

Then I opened it.

She was… I closed it.

"Decorative." I said to myself. Southern court women always looked decorative. Trained to sit nicely and say the right things at the right times. She would come here and be quiet and cause no disruption and bear an heir and that would be the end of it.

I put the case face down on the desk. I picked it back up before I reached the door.

Brown eyes. That was all I had registered. Brown eyes and something in the set of her mouth that looked like it was one provocation away from saying something inadvisable.

I put the case back down.

“Decorative.” I reminded myself… Completely and entirely decorative.

***

I was with Dacian, the only person I could describe as close to me, when the Southern human princess arrived. I felt nothing about her arrival. My wolf felt nothing either. There was nothing to feel. This was a transaction, and I intended to treat it as one.

"You might end up liking her." Dacian smirked.

"Rage-bait?" I scoffed, "because it's working."

"Oh well, save it for the court, and the sycophants we're to meet." Dacian said as we took a few more turns, and watched the carriage arrive.

There was nothing in my wolf. Nothing worth acknowledging.

"Why not check this out?" I smirked, walking over. Just to confirm what I already knew. That she would be exactly what I expected. Decorative and forgettable.

***

"So, are you going to show me around, maybe welcome me properly? Or are you just going to keep staring?" She hissed gently, and I scoffed.

She was defiant. That was a behaviour I detested immediately. I'd have to address it.

Her brown skin tone had a shine to it as the sun radiated on it gently. Her eyes were brown, exactly as the portrait had shown. She had very long hair, and there was something like a painting on her body, I couldn't see it properly.

She's definitely not someone I'd notice on a normal day. The portrait had been misleading. She looked less decorative in person and more like someone who was about to cause me a problem.

"I'll do what I decide whenever it suits me." I responded.

"That must be a very interesting way to live life." She shrugged, folding her arms. Her obvious sarcastic tone annoyed me immediately. "Might I ask how that's working out for you?"

"You don't ask the questions, I do! You don't talk unless I allow you to." I growled, walking towards her, maintaining eye contact with her. Any other person would already be cowering and shivering, begging for mercy all over the floor, but she just maintained eye contact with me, shaking her head.

"If this scares others, maybe you all aren't as scary as I thought." She swallowed hard, shaking her head again. "You need to work on the tone, and maybe snap a little louder."

I was… not what I expected. She was not what I expected. That was all.

She took a deep breath, taking a step away from me.

"If I'm going to be married to you… totally against my will by the way… you'll need to learn how to speak to me with warmth." She said with a lingering hatred, and then shrugged.

"Someone take her to her room." I responded, short of words for the first time in the history of my existence.

"Yes, your Highness." Guards hit their heads and maids clashed into each other, trying to figure out their next steps.

"I'll see you at the wedding." I said to her, preparing to leave.

"I don't want to." She said as I walked past.

I walked really fast, refusing to engage her in another conversation.

I heard a silent chuckle from Dacian.

"Speak, and I'll have your tongue." I threatened.

Decorative. I had said. Completely and entirely decorative.

I definitely hate her more than I thought I would.