Chapter 38: 38. Wedding before the pup?
AT THE SAME TIME
MICHAEL
The Goddess’s laughter rang through the hall, silver light spilling from her like an endless tide. Her arms loosened around me just enough that I could breathe again, though the damage was already done, my wolf was whimpering and my face was still hotter than the damn sun. She tipped her head, eyes glowing like liquid moons.
"Yes. A royal wedding." She purred.
Then her voice dropped, sharper, cutting straight through me.
"Before the pup arrives."She said.
I froze. No, actually, everyone froze. The words landed like a thunderstrike. Rose’s mouth actually fell open this time, her laughter cut off mid-breath. Selene snapped her head toward the Goddess like she’d just been betrayed by heaven itself. Adrian choked on air and started coughing into his fist. Terrence’s jaw nearly unhinged. Xavier muttered something in old tongue that sounded like a curse. And Charlie? Charlie squealed.
"Ohhh my GODS. A wedding before the pup?!" He shrieked, bouncing on his toes, nearly vibrating with delight. "That’s so romantic! That’s, that’s like storybook levels of drama!"
"Romantic?!" I yelped, nearly clawing my way out of the Goddess’s glowing arms. "Are you out of your mind? I’m nauseous! I’m fainting every other day! How the hell am I supposed to, to WED before I, before-"
Zavier’s arms slid under me the second I wriggled, scooping me right out of the Goddess’s hold like I was a damn bridal carry practice doll. His silver eyes gleamed. His grin was infuriating.
"Perfect timing, then." He said smoothly, voice thick with satisfaction. "Because I’m not waiting any longer."
I swear, my entire body combusted.
"Wha- YOU- WHAT?"I shouted.
The Goddess clapped her hands together like thunder, smiling down on us with wicked glee.
"Oh, this is going to be glorious." She sang. "The Saint Omega’s chosen mate, the Valerion heir, revealed at last, and vows bound under my moonlight. And all before the pup arrives. History itself will sing of it."
"History can bite me." I muttered through my hands.
Selene actually groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Do you realize how much preparation this takes? The rituals, the binding rites, the royal summons-"Selene started.
"Details, details." Rose cut her off, already smirking. "I’ll help. Gods, this is delicious. The chaos. The scandal. The sheer spectacle of it."
"Spectacle?!" I squawked. "I am not a parade float!"
Charlie ignored me completely, darting over to Adrian and grabbing his hand like they were already scheming.
"We need flowers! And music! And doves! And wait, wait, what if we both get weddings? Double ceremony! Big brother and me at the same time!"Charlie grinned.
Adrian actually blushed, golden ears twitching.
"You’re insane." He muttered, but he didn’t let go of Charlie’s hand.
Terrence groaned again. Xavier looked like he wanted to strangle both of them. Zavier only smirked harder, pressing his forehead to mine like he’d already won.
"Relax." He whispered, low and smug. "You’ll look perfect in white."
My wolf howled so loud in my chest I nearly fainted again. The Goddess threw her head back and laughed, her voice shaking the very stones of the castle.
"Yes." She declared. "Let the preparations begin. The Saint Omega’s royal wedding before the pup."
And just like that, the chaos had officially been declared law of heaven.
"Wait. Wait, wait, wait."I tried to stop them.
I actually had to wave my hands in the air like an idiot to get anyone to stop grinning. Zavier had just kissed my temple after the Moon Goddess casually dropped ’royal wedding before the pup arrives’ like she was announcing the weather, and everyone else looked... thrilled. Everyone except me.
"Why me?!" I blurted. "I’m still the second option! Charlie’s the saint omega, the Moon’s favorite. I’m, I’m just-" My voice cracked embarrassingly. "-just the fiery backup plan!"
The clearing went uncomfortably quiet. Rose smirked, Selene sighed, Charlie tilted his head like a confused puppy, and Zavier only pulled me tighter, silver eyes gleaming like I’d just said something adorable instead of insane. Then, footsteps. The Elder. The same wrinkled old wolf who’d dropped the Valerion surname bomb on me days ago shuffled forward, eyes twinkling like he’d been waiting for this exact meltdown.
"My boy." He rasped, and I already hated it. "You still don’t understand. You were never the second option. You are Valerion. The last blood heir. With this wedding, the world will see not only that your family lives again..." He spread his arms dramatically, looking around at everyone like he was conducting a play. "But that their line rises stronger than ever."
My stomach dropped. My wolf let out a tiny, horrified whimper. Alive again? Family? The words twisted inside me. The others erupted in a mix of awe and chaos. Adrian muttered something about ’Your majesty’, smirking even as his cheeks pinked. Terrence cursed under his breath like he couldn’t handle another royal bombshell. Xavier stared at me like I’d just turned into a new equation he couldn’t solve. Charlie, of course, gasped like a delighted child.
"Big brother! Do you hear that?! A royal wedding means everyone will finally know you’re alive! You’ll have crowns, and banners, and feasts, and-"Charlie said excited.
"NO." I cut him off, voice breaking. "Do you even hear what he just said?! If they realize my family lives again, that means every single eye in this kingdom is going to be staring at me, waiting for me to act like a perfect prince, or some kind of walking miracle! I don’t even know how I ended up an orphan! My family didn’t even look for me!"
The words burst out before I could stop them, sharp and raw. My throat tightened. My wolf tucked its tail low, pressing against my chest. Rose’s smirk faded just slightly. Selene’s brows furrowed. Even the Goddess tilted her head, radiant and unsettlingly kind for once. The Elder stepped closer, unbothered.
"You don’t yet see the gift you’ve been given. The world will rejoice."Elder said.
I pressed my hands into my face, groaning.
"The world will panic. And I’ll faint. Again."I groaned.
Zavier kissed the top of my head, smug bastard.
"Don’t faint. You’re mine, and now everyone gets to see it."I said.
Heat exploded across my face.
"You can’t just you-!" I spluttered, shaking in his arms.
The Goddess laughed, delighted.
"Oh, this will be delicious. A royal wedding for the fiery second option who was never second at all. Yes... yes, this will keep me entertained for moons."
Charlie clapped his hands like this was the best festival in history. Adrian groaned dramatically. Terrence muttered that he wanted to bury himself alive. Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose. And me? I was stuck in Zavier’s arms, staring at the Elder, realizing that with one wedding... my family would be alive again. Not in memory. Not in whispers. Alive, in me. And it was absolutely terrifying. The Elder didn’t let the chaos swallow his words. He lifted one gnarled hand, and silence rolled over the room like a wave. Even Charlie’s bouncing halted.
"My boy." The elder said again, eyes boring into mine with unnerving sharpness. "You speak of being the second choice, of being overlooked. But you have no idea what your survival truly means."
I stiffened. My wolf pushed nervously against my chest, ears flicking, tail tucked. The Elder continued, voice low, commanding.
"The Valerion bloodline was thought ended. Extinguished. Your parents fought to the last breath to protect you. And they succeeded. You are not just a lost heir who happened to live. You are proof that even the strongest enemies of our people could not destroy us completely."He said.
My throat tightened. I wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, that I’d been alone, broken, forgotten. But his voice thundered on.
"This wedding is not simply about binding two wolves. It is about raising the banner of Valerion once more. Every omega, every alpha, every pup yet unborn will know the line did not fall. That it lives, in you."He explained.
The words hit like blows. My chest ached. My stomach twisted. My wolf whined, low and wounded, but somewhere beneath that, a flicker of pride stirred, traitorous and fragile. I tried to shake my head, but my lips moved before I could stop them.
"Then... then why didn’t anyone look for me? If I mattered so much, why was I left to grow up as nothing?"I asked.
The Elder’s eyes softened, just a fraction.
"Because those who knew you lived could not risk the enemy finishing what they started. You were hidden, protected by shadows and sacrifice. That you survived to stand here now proves the Goddess herself wove fate around you."Elder asked.
The Goddess, who’d been watching like a cat playing with a string, actually nodded.
"He is correct. You wonder why I chose you as my second saint? You were never truly second, Michael. You were my safeguard. My secret card. And now-" Her smile widened wickedly "-your wedding will seal what I intended all along."
The room buzzed with shock. Selene, who’d been quiet and unreadable, suddenly exhaled a sharp laugh.
"I knew it." She whispered, but everyone heard it. Her green eyes glittered like sharpened glass as they cut to me. "That day, when I chose you? I couldn’t explain why. The pull wasn’t logical. It was... instinct. Now it all makes sense."
I blinked at her.
"What, what makes sense?"I asked.
"That I picked correctly." Selene said simply, smug creeping across her face. "You weren’t just some fiery second option, Michael. You were the legacy. The Goddess’s safeguard. The rightful storm we didn’t see coming. And I-" She smirked, arms folding across her chest "-was smart enough to trust my instincts."
Charlie gasped like she’d just announced I’d won a prize. Adrian burst out laughing, delighted. Terrence muttered something about politics giving him a headache. Xavier’s eyes narrowed, calculating faster than I could breathe. Meanwhile, Zavier leaned down, lips brushing my ear, voice low and rich.
"See, fiery one? Even fate itself agrees you were meant for me."Zavier grinned.
My face went crimson.
"Zavier, I swear to the Goddess I will bite you-"I started.
The Goddess herself laughed, echoing through the room.
"Bite him later, little flame. For now, prepare yourself. A royal wedding is coming... and the world is about to remember the name Valerion."She said happily.
My stomach twisted, nausea threatening again. My wolf whimpered. And yet, beneath the panic, a strange spark of warmth burned in my chest. Valerion. My name. My family. My storm.