Chapter 15: The Consummation Is Binding

"All Hail King Conan Black! All Hail Queen Hazel Black!"

The roar of the crowd reverberated through the grand ballroom like thunder. Hundreds of Lycans rose to their feet, their voices blending into a deafening chorus of both respect and reverence for their King and Queen. Glasses clinked, and people clapped their hands together.

Aurora Black however, did not rise.

She sat in her seat of honor, her lips pressed into a thin and displeased line as she watched the couple descend the massive staircase. Her fingers curled around the armrest of her chair, her posture immaculate.

"Disgusting," she muttered under her breath.

Beside her, Rosie Bennet offered a sympathetic smile, her purple eyes sparkling. "I know, your grace. It’s a travesty."

Aurora’s gaze flickered to the woman’s seated on Rosie’s other side, June Callaghan, from Stormveil Pack of the Aquarius Celestial line. June was a striking woman with wine-colored hair and a pair of radiant blue eyes.

"Your Alpha, Elijah, should be here," Aurora said as she looked around. "I invited him personally."

June smiled. "Alpha Elijah sends his regards, your grace. He was delayed by an incident on the border, but he assured me he would arrive before the party ended."

"Hmph." Aurora waved a dismissive hand. "Delayed. Always delayed. Pity."

June’s smile didn’t waver, but disdain washed over her features. She never quite liked the dowager Queen. She exchanged a glance with Rosie, who was now typing furiously into her phone.

"Where’s Silas?" June asked, leaning toward Rosie.

Rosie shrugged, not looking up from her screen. "Beats me. He should have been here by now."

"He’s never late," June pressed, her mind wandering to Rosie’s instructions to her the night before. "Wait, did you—"

"He’ll be here," Rosie muttered, still typing. "He’s probably just... dealing with something. Don’t worry about it."

June’s brow furrowed, but she said nothing more.

Rosie: How difficult is it to get into the palace and check???? HURRY UP.

Rosie dropped her phone with a loud clatter on the table, gritting her teeth the moment her eyes landed on Conan and Hazel walking down the stairs, hand in hand.

The sight of them, the terrifying Scorpio Alpha with his long dark hair, and the markless little nobody clinging to his arm like she belonged there, made bile rise in her throat.

She’s not worthy of him. She’s not worthy of any of this.

Conan led Hazel to the elevated dais where two beautifully crafted chairs awaited them, draped in crimson and gold.

Conan pulled out Hazel’s chair, his hand extended to guide her.

Hazel didn’t take it.

She snatched her hand away from his, her grey eyes fixing on the chair instead of his face.

Conan’s frown was instant, and his pupils contracted. He tried to get her attention, but she refused to meet his gaze .

Very well.

He simply withdrew his hand and sat down, his gaze fixed on some distant point across the ballroom.

The silence between them was louder than the crowd’s cheers.

~

At the back of the ballroom, Xavier stood in the shadows, his arms crossed, his electric blue eyes tracking his Alpha’s every movement.

A hand touched his arm.

He turned to find Becky at his side, urgency filling her eyes. She looked even more panicked than usual and tugged at his sleeve, pulling him toward a side door.

"Becky, what—"

"Shut up and follow me," she hissed.

He complied without further argument, allowing her to drag him into the quiet hallway beyond. The sounds of the party faded to a dull murmur behind them.

Becky rounded on him the moment the door clicked shut, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"What is wrong with him?"

Xavier snorted. "You’re asking me? How should I know?"

"He’s your Alpha!"

"And he’s your cousin!"

"Ugh!" Becky grabbed a fistful of her hair, pacing in a tight circle. "Rahhh! Is he reconsidering this? Is he having second thoughts?"

Xavier shook his head. "What? You know he can’t. Since they’ve consummated the wedding, it means there’s no way in hell—"

Becky’s face went pale. "What if they haven’t?"

Xavier entire body locked up, his stare turning cold. "Tell me you’re joking."

Becky groaned, pressing her palms against her eyes. "I wish I was. They didn’t, okay? She was scared of showing him her body because of all the abuse she’s been through, and he allowed it."

Xavier internally went through all five stages of grief before he barked a humorless laugh.

"Incredible," he said. "Just incredible. For Goddess’s sake, he knows how important it is. The consummation is binding. Without it, the union is—"

"Enough of that, Xavier. What are we going to do about this?" Becky interrupted, her voice cracking.

Xavier exhaled slowly, his hand raking through his orange hair. "We can only hope nobody finds out."

Becky blinked rapidly, in disbelief at Xavier’s words. "What do you mean hope nobody finds out?!" She snapped harshly. "We’re Lycans! Enhanced sense of smell, and all that! Sex has a very particular smell in case you—"

"Alright you’ve made your point," Xavier raised a hand, completely exasperated. "We can just say... they washed thoroughly after the act, and Hazel is markless so her original scent shadows the scent of sex. How’s that?"

Becky nodded frantically. "Yeah that’ll work. Now we need to find a way to tell them this, and QUICK."

~

Inside the ballroom, Conan sat on his throne, his eyes scanning the crowd, and cataloguing the faces of people who had shown up.

Alpha Rowan Hawthorne was nowhere to be found.

Excellent.

The humiliation had worked. The old fool had retreated back to his pack, licking his wounds.

Conan’s gaze drifted across the assembled guests, the various Alphas, the noble families, the representatives from every corner of the Lycan world. His eyes landed on a familiar face.

His other cousin.

The Alpha of Aries Celestial Line, Emberfang Pack, Alpha Derek Stone. Son of his late Uncle, and mother’s older brother.

He hadn’t seen him in years. They had grown up together, once upon a time, before duty and the weight of crowns had driven them apart.

Good to see him. For once.

The MC, a portly, red-faced Lycan with a booming voice, was raving about something, his arms flailing dramatically as he praised the union of the Scorpio and Gemini lines.

Conan tuned him out, and turned his head, just slightly, to look at Hazel.

She was sitting far away from him, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her shoulders were hunched, and her gloved hands clasped tightly in her lap.

He swallowed, his eyes raking over the dress she was attired in. He had secretly purchased it for her mere moments before their wedding the day before, thinking she would do justice to it.

Judging from how attractive she looked in it, he was damn right.

Conan knew what the big question on Hazel’s mind was.

’Where did you go?’

And the answer to it was quite simple in its content, it was almost stupid. Still, Conan couldn’t bring himself to say a word about it, so he turned his face away, forcing his mind to conjure up any image that had nothing to do with the memory of....

"...and now, a toast to our beloved King and Queen!"

The MC’s voice cut through his thoughts, and Conan forced himself to raise his glass.

The crowd followed suit, a wave of silver and gold rising in unison.

"To the King!"

"To the Queen!"

"To the union!"

Conan drank, the wine burning down his throat.

Beside him, Hazel lifted her glass with trembling fingers, took a sip, and set it down without meeting anyone’s eyes.

The MC beamed, his face flushed with enthusiasm. "And now, my lords and ladies, the moment we have all been waiting for! Our royal couple will share their first dance before the feasting begins!"

As if on cue, Rosie’s phone buzzed.

She glanced down, her purple eyes scanning the screen.

A message from Silas.

Silas: They didn’t have sex.

Rosie’s lips curled into a sinister smirk.

Perfect.