Chapter 37: 37. A royal nausea
AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL
One second I was burning alive in my own blush, Zavier’s smug grin still etched into my skull, Charlie squealing like I’d just won a shiny trophy. The next, a huge wave of nausea hit me out of nowhere. My stomach lurched like the floor had suddenly tilted beneath me. Heat flushed through my veins, but not the pleasant kind. My wolf whimpered sharply, ears flattening.
"Uh..." I croaked, clutching at Zavier’s sleeve. "I... I don’t feel so-"
And then I bolted. Chairs scraped, voices called my name, but I didn’t dare stop. My feet carried me faster than they ever had in training, down the marble hall, skidding past two startled servants, and straight into the nearest bathroom. I barely made it to the basin before my body gave up.
The sound echoed, harsh, miserable, humiliating as I retched, clutching the edges of the cool porcelain like it was the only thing anchoring me to the world. My wolf whimpered again, tail drooping, ears plastered down, and I couldn’t tell if it was from physical strain or just pure mortification.
"Michael?!" Zavier’s voice appeared outside the door, sharp with alarm. A heartbeat later, there was the heavy thud of his fist against the wood. "Open the door!"
I groaned weakly, pressing my forehead against the basin.
"Noooo... stay out! Dignity... gone... let me die here..."I whimpered.
The door creaked anyway, of course. Zavier slipped in, silver eyes wide and jaw tight, his protective aura flooding the room like he was ready to fight a demon instead of... well, whatever my stomach was doing to me.
"Mine." He growled low, crouching beside me immediately.
His hand hovered at my back but didn’t press, waiting for my permission. I made a pitiful noise, waving a weak hand.
"Don’t look at me! This is not royal behavior!"I groaned.
Of course, that was the exact moment Charlie’s voice floated down the hall, gleeful as ever.
"Ohhh! He’s already getting pregnancy nausea! How cuuuute!"He said happily.
I groaned so loud it could have cracked stone, burying my head deeper into my arms. Selene’s sharper voice followed, echoing.
"Rose, control him! This is not the time for his nonsense!"Selene ordered Rose. I surprised that she cared.
Rose just laughed, her amusement carrying easily.
"Oh, this is the time."She grinned.
My wolf whimpered again, curling tighter, and all I could do was let Zavier’s warm hand finally rest against my back, steadying me.
"Breathe." He murmured softly, his smug tone gone now, replaced by something gentler. "I’ve got you. You’re not alone in this."
I wanted to snap back, to groan, to protest something, but all that came out was another pitiful sound before I collapsed weakly against him, clutching his shirt with trembling fingers. Somewhere beyond the door, I could hear Adrian’s smirk in his voice.
"Well... now it’s official. The royal omega pup era has begun."Adrian grinned.
I was going to kill him later. If I survived my own stomach first. My stomach twisted again, harder this time, like something inside me had decided to wring itself out. My vision blurred at the edges, stars flashing white-gold, and I clutched the basin with both hands as if I could hold myself together through sheer stubbornness.
"Michael!" Zavier’s voice was sharp, closer now, but it sounded like it was echoing from underwater. "Stay with me. Don’t you dare-"
Too late. My knees buckled. The world tilted sideways and would have slammed into me if Zavier hadn’t caught me under the arms at the very last second, pulling me against his chest. My head lolled, my wolf whimpered so faintly I barely felt it, and I gasped for breath, nausea clawing up my throat again.
"Oh no, no, no." I wheezed, clutching my stomach. "I am not fainting twice in one week-"
The room filled with a sudden wash of silver light, soft and cool like moonlight pouring through every wall and window. My wolf perked up immediately, ears twitching, tail flicking nervously. And then I realized why. She was here. The Moon Goddess. Tall, radiant, hair spilling like molten starlight, eyes like galaxies made of secrets and storms, and smiling. Actually smiling at me.
"Oh, little wolf." She said, voice rich with amusement. "You’re even more dramatic than I expected. Two swoons before the Moonflower challenge has even properly begun? I almost regret not keeping better records."
I wanted to glare at her, but my body was too weak. All I managed was a pitiful groan. Zavier stiffened, holding me tighter, as if he could shield me from divinity itself. But then her arms opened, radiant, warm, terrifying and before I knew what was happening, she bent and scooped me right out of Zavier’s grip. Everyone outside gasped. Selene sputtered. Rose cackled. And I? I just squeaked.
"Wha- Goddess ?! Put me down!" I yelped weakly, flailing.
She only hugged me tighter, laughter spilling from her like ringing bells.
"Absolutely not. Do you know how long it has been since I last held one of my chosen like this? Two centuries, perhaps three. You’re far too precious to faint alone on a cold bathroom floor."Godness grinned.
I froze. Her warmth was heavy and divine, her scent like crushed moonflowers and soft snow. My wolf melted instantly, pressing its nose into her glow, wagging its tail like she’d been waiting her whole life for this. And traitorously, I... leaned into it.
"...this is so weird." I mumbled into her shoulder, cheeks burning.
"Mm, but you like it." She teased gently. "And so does the little one growing inside you."
My blush spread clear down my neck. Zavier growled softly at my side, but he didn’t dare argue. Then the Goddess turned her luminous gaze on the others crowding the doorway.
"Charlie. Adrian."She started.
They both stiffened. Adrian coughed awkwardly. Charlie blinked, then tried to grin.
"You think I don’t see you two? The way your bond threads tug already?" She teased, voice rich with amusement. "One day, little saint omega, you’ll be cradling a pup too."
Charlie’s jaw dropped. Adrian’s golden face went scarlet.
"Wh- WHAT?!" Adrian choked, nearly tripping over himself.
Charlie squealed, clapping his hands.
"You hear that?! The Goddess ships us!"Charlie squeeked once again.
Adrian groaned into his hands.
"Oh my gods, kill me now."Godness smirked.
The Goddess laughed, and the sound shook the very walls.
"Oh, no. None of you are dying. Not when my chosen is carrying a royal pup, and his saintly brother is clearly plotting mischief of his own."She grinned.
Rose smirked. Selene pinched the bridge of her nose like she’d aged ten years in a second. And me? I groaned weakly into the Goddess’s shoulder, wishing the earth would swallow me whole. Of course, my wolf purred. I was still clinging to consciousness, Goddess cradling me like some oversized baby, when Zavier’s voice cut sharp and steady through the noise.
"Enough." He growled, silver eyes blazing as he stepped forward. "The Moonflower trial was completed. He passed. We passed. You said if I brought it to you, Michael was mine to keep."
The room went dead quiet. My face went nuclear red.
"Zavier-" I squeaked, half mortified, half ready to collapse into a puddle.
But Zavier didn’t flinch, didn’t stutter. He looked the Goddess straight in the eye and spoke like a wolf who knew he was already king.
"I kept my promise. Now keep yours."She said.
The Goddess’s arms tightened around me, not in defiance, but in delight. Her laughter rippled through the room like rolling thunder, and the very walls of the castle seemed to hum with her amusement.
"Oh, my silver eyed wolf." She purred, eyes twinkling. "So bold. So certain. Yes, yes, the Moonflower was claimed. And yes, you carried him back through fire and chaos. That trial is done."
She lowered her glowing face until her smile nearly blinded me.
"But do you think the story ends with a single flower?"She asked.
I blinked. My stomach twisted again, nausea and dread in equal measure.
"Wh, what do you mean story doesn’t end?!" I stammered, already panicking.
The Goddess’s grin widened into something sly, sharp, dangerous.
"Your next task is clear." She said, voice echoing with celestial weight. "If Michael is truly yours, then prove it in front of every alpha, every saintess, every whispering servant of this castle."
Her silver gaze burned into mine, so heavy I almost fainted again.
"A royal wedding."She announced.
The room exploded.
"What?!" I shrieked.
Rose nearly fell out of her chair laughing. Selene actually choked on air. Charlie squealed so loud I thought my ears would bleed, bouncing on his toes.
"A wedding! Oh my gods, big brother, this is amazing!"Charlie saidh happily.
"Absolutely not!" I squeaked, flailing in the Goddess’s arms. "I just fainted! I threw up! You can’t, you can’t just-"
"Wedding?" Adrian repeated, smirk curling, golden eyes flicking to Charlie. "Interesting..."
Charlie turned pink immediately. Terrence groaned. Xavier rubbed his temples like the world’s worst migraine had just set in. Zavier, though? He grinned. Like actually grinned.
"Good." He said. "I already have the better ring." His silver eyes slid down to me, catching every shade of red on my face.
I squeaked again, burying my face in my hands. My wolf howled inside, tail wagging like an idiot. The Goddess only laughed harder, hugging me closer.
"Oh, little wolf, don’t look so horrified. You were never meant for quiet. The world is waiting for your vows. And I? I’ll make certain the stars themselves attend."She smirked.
And I had no idea how to feel about everything anymore.