A Bond?!

Xavier’s P.O.V

There was something about that woman that I couldn’t completely understand, something attractive, risky, and incredibly annoying. I had never thought another person would be carrying my child, yet I felt glad knowing I would soon become a father.

If Dora hadn’t pushed me into this position, honestly, I wouldn’t have cared about the curse or what it could cause. Dora had always been enough for me, I have always lovd her with all my life and thoughts but ever since Elena entered my life, something wild burned inside my chest. It felt like a fierce flame ready to destroy everything I believed I felt for Dora.

From the very first time I saw her, I hated her and questioned if she could truly break the curse. I honestly wanted nothing linked to her, and the last thing I wished for was for thoughts of her to fill my head. Yet I couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t stop the moments when I caught myself watching her spin beneath the rain or the times she climbed trees just to rescue a lost cat that wandered close to her room.

She probably believed I never noticed her, but I always did. I kept observing her constantly, and it was beginning to drive me insane. Now I even hated myself for it, because while my stunning bride, Dora, was walking down the aisle toward me, the only woman in my thoughts was Elena.

She wasn’t special at all. Not even a little, so why was I feeling this way? My mind was crowded with confused thoughts when I glanced at my brother, Martins. He lifted his eyebrow like he was quietly asking what was wrong with me. I forced out a smile and nodded at him. He was seated beside my sister, Clara, who was busy snapping pictures with her phone.

Martins smiled in return, and I shifted my attention back to the aisle with a faint smile. As Dora moved nearer, even giving me a teasing wink, Elena slipped into my thoughts once again—just like she had done many times before. My attention should have been on Dora, but instead, it stayed on Elena.

Guilt struck me deeply. Dora didn’t deserve this from me. She was the one who remained beside me through the darkest time of my life. She stayed despite everything the curse had done to us.

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to force Elena out of my mind forever. When I opened them again, Dora was already standing before me at the altar, holding her bouquet and smiling brightly.

I forced myself to smile and whispered, “You look beautiful.”

Dora’s cheeks turned red, and I felt relieved knowing she hadn’t noticed anything strange in my behavior. She looked at me and softly replied, “And you look very handsome.....…”

The priest cleared his throat and said, “The ceremony will now start.” Only then did I realize Elena wasn’t there. A wave of relief washed over me knowing she was absent. I couldn’t wait for her to give birth and leave my territory completely..

But just as I breathed out in relief, my eyes scanned across the crowd again, searching for some of my business associates among the guests. I was about to turn back to Dora when I suddenly paused and looked again.

Elena stood at the back of the crowd, dressed in a purple gown and simple white heels. My heart began beating hard, and a powerful wave of desire rushed through me as I stared at her in shock.

I shouldn’t have been staring at another woman I barely knew on my wedding day. I should have been focused on Dora, the only woman my heart was supposed to belong to.

Yet I still couldn’t pull my eyes away from her.. I watched her trying to find a place to sit, and she kept glancing around nervously, like she didn’t want anyone to notice her.

Then suddenly, she crashed into a waiter carrying a tray of champagne glasses. The glasses dropped and shattered loudly across the floor.

The entire venue became completely quiet.

She was such an attention-seeker who somehow knew how to make everything center around herself. I disliked this woman and had no intention of ever liking her.

Martins and Clara stood up from their seats. Martins glanced at me briefly and silently asked, “Who is she?”

If Martins and Clara ever found out that the woman I had chosen as a breeder had attended the wedding, they would completely lose their minds.

Even the thought of Elena attending the ceremony sounded ridiculous to me. But what option did I have? Dora was too softhearted. She wanted Elena there, and because Dora was the woman I would do anything for, I accepted it.

“You’re the reason she’s here,” I said coldly, while Dora grabbed my hand and squeezed it softly.

“You shouldn’t speak about her that way. She helped stop the curse from ruining us. And she’s kind. I like her.”

“Whatever,” I muttered, doing everything possible not to look toward Elena because if I did, I would only end up staring at her with irritation.

The priest cleared his throat once more, pulling everyone’s focus back again. “Let us begin. We are gathered here today to witness the marriage of the Rogue King, Xavier Cassian, and his bride, Dora Blackridge.”

The wedding ceremony continued as Dora and I exchanged promises while I forced myself to concentrate on her, reminding myself she was everything I wanted and everything I needed.

I even caught myself thinking about our honeymoon in Switzerland. I looked forward to loving her body and surrounding her with every bit of affection she deserved.

I reached for Dora’s hand and pressed a kiss against her knuckles while convincing myself that I truly loved this woman.

As quiet gasps spread through the crowd, I raised my eyes toward the love of my life while she stared back at me with admiration. In our world, Elena did not exist. There was only us.

When the moment arrived for us to exchange rings before being announced as husband and wife, I gazed deeply into Dora’s eyes, searching for the warmth that always calmed my soul. Her eyes looked empty, cold, almost lifeless. But it didn’t matter. I loved her.

As I slipped the ring onto her finger while applause rang around us, Dora picked up my ring and prepared to slide it onto my finger when terrible pain exploded inside my chest. It was sudden, harsh, almost unbearable. My hand slipped from Dora’s hold and a gasp escaped my lips while she hurried closer. “My love, what’s happening?”

Then the pain disappeared, replaced by a fresh scent drifting through my senses. It felt gentle and comforting, bringing a strange calm into my soul. I had never felt anything like this before, and my heart had never pounded so hard for anyone.

The moment I turned toward the source of the smell, my heartbeat stumbled and my eyes widened in shock as Elena and I locked eyes. Elena pointed toward me, surprise clearly written across her face, and at the same time we both whispered, “Mates.”

Elena wasn’t only my curse breaker. She wasn’t just my breeder. This woman who had disturbed me from the very first moment I saw her was my mate.

This was a BIG PROBLEM.