Nova’s pov
Mom and Dad left a while ago after telling me that he Lycan King sent an invitation. They left for the ballroom, leaving me all alone to myself, the room was eerily quiet and I moved towards the window to have a look at my surroundings.
The garment feels heavy and I found it difficult to walk in it.
“Why do Lycans always make their dress this difficult to wear?” I grabbed the tip of each side of the dress and strolled to the window.
“Woah! They’re here already?” my eyes widened, seeing Anike all dressed up in a fine purple dress, with two maids strolling behind her.
I moved away from the window and stood at the centre of the room, a knock came on the door and I took a deep breath before ushering them in.
“My princess,” Anika greeted with a slight bow, the same thing with the two maids. “The guests have arrived at the ballroom, it’s time for you to exit your room.” Her face lit up with a heartwarming smile, I rubbed my sweaty palms together and nodded my head.
“Did my parents make it safely to the ballroom?” I asked, I was worried sick for them, even though they told me not to worry that the Lycan King himself was the one who invited them for the coronation and that he promised them safety return. I still couldn’t shake the thought of him attacking my parents, off my head.
Anika chuckled dryly. “I understand where you’re coming from, but don’t doubt his Majesty’s promise. If he asked them to come, then no harm will come their way,” she assured me with her never-ending smile.
I heaved a sigh of relief. Annika moved to my back and pulled the hood over my head, she clutched at my arms and we walked out of the room.
There was a black SUV, parked at the entrance of the building, she released my arm and opened the backseat door for me.
I got in and was expecting Anika to do the same, but she closed the door and bowed to me, the driver ignited the engine and drove out of the lone building.
“Are we…” I clamped my mouth shut and relaxed into the seat. I wasn’t afraid of anything other than getting the crown as the nation’s Queen, and if the head maid and the driver should plan a scheme and take me out of the Royal Villa, I’d be more than happy to help them with their plans.
But I didn’t think they were scheming anything against the coronation, because the car pulled over in front of a huge building. You could hear a melodious song blasting from the inside of the building and I assumed that was where the coronation will be taking place.
The driver pulled the car to a halt, and just then another car pulled to a halt behind our car. The driver nodded and I wondered what was happening.
“He’s here,” the driver announced, I thought he was talking to me until I saw a maiden, clad in a handmade black and red strip suit.
She walked up to us and stopped by the car, she bowed in respect and grabbed the knob. She opened the door for me. I stuck my feet out first before getting off the car seat, once landed on the red carpet, the maiden shut the door and the driver drove off, followed by the car at the back.
I turned around to face the maiden, but she was no longer in sight. Leaving me to come face to face with a man… No, standing there was the Lycan King in a 3 piece suit that fit him perfectly. He was clad in a red mantle which covered most of the light-butter suit he was putting on.
He removed the hoodie, revealing his jet-black hair that shone under the ray of light.
He took a step closer, covering the little distance between us, he moved his hands to my head, gripped the hoodie and then let it slide off my head.
My heart was thumping hard against its ribcage, I wanted to be anywhere but near this beast, who wouldn’t stop making my heart hammer against my chest.
He moved his face a little closer, our face was an inch apart.
“What do you say your name is?” he asked, his face was void of emotions and I wondered why he was suddenly curious about my name.
“Nova… My name is Novalie, your Majesty!” I shut my lids in fear, I couldn’t bring myself to look directly into his burning smoky eyes.
“Let me have your hand, Nova!” he said, I flung my eyes open and I gulped down nothing, seeing his outstretched palm. I slowly slipped my palm into his and he gripped my palm with a devilish smirk on his annoying face.
My heart wouldn’t stop hammering against my chest as he led me towards the door.
“His Majesty, King Prescott, and her Royal Highness, Princess Novalie of Moonstone pack are here.” the guard at the front door announced, his high-pitched voice erupting through the building. The door opened and we strolled inside the ballroom, hand in hand.
I couldn’t bear to look at the faces of the distinguished guests. My gaze was on the sparkling chandeliers as we strolled on the red carpet, the murmur that came from the assembled guests as we walked passed them made me clutch tightly onto his Majesty.
We got to the centre of the room and we climbed onto the dais, where two royal seats had been placed. We turned to the guests and an ear blasting howls echoed through the room.
The Lycan King sat on the bigger throne while I sat down next to him on the smaller throne.
“Now, we’ll start with the rite!” A high-pitched voice echoed through the room, followed by a loud howl from the guests.
I moved my gaze to the guests, eyes searching for my parents. I spotted them at the upper part of the room and I flashed them a smile. Mom raised her eyes, waving at me, Dad had his arms wrapped around her shoulders, and for the first time in my 21 years of existence, I got jealous of their happy bond.
Mom’s eyes were on mine, and I enjoyed the company her eyes gave me.
My gaze landed on a lady who was sitting beside my mom, her gaze was on the man beside me. Her eyes sparked, and her lips parted in a charming smile. I didn’t know who she was, so I took my gaze away from her.
“What are you doing, Nova? Zooming out in the middle of your Coronation?” Mom groaned through the mind link.
“I’m not zooming out, I just feel like staring at the two of you for the rest of the day. Only if it’s possible.” I smiled, nodding my head for her to see how happy I was, just by staring at her and Dad.
“Nova, Lycan King is calling for you!” Dad interrupted the mind link and it got cut almost immediately.
“What the heck do you think you’re doing?” The Lycan King groaned silently, his outstretched palm shook terribly and I gasped in shock.
Has he been talking to me all these while, while I was busy staring at my parents?
I forced out a smile and slid my palm into his. He pulled me up from the throne and I faced him while waiting patiently for what he had to say.
“I know it isn’t an easy thing to leave your pack and agree to come with me to my pack. I know it was a hard decision for you to agree to marry a man of different genealogy. We started this with a game of love until we agreed to move it to another level. Had I not been the nation’s King, I’d have loved to reside in your pack, with you and your amazing family.”
His mouth kept opening and closing with lies fleeing from his mouth, he kept on saying things that we both know it was untrue. I kept listing to his fib with increasing unease, my hatred for him grew dipper on the spot.
I resent him for putting up a facade just to please his people. Tears rolled down my eyes and I felt his cold thumbs on my cheeks, dabbing out my tears.
“My darling, I know that this is not the role you hoped to play in my life. But I assure you that you are an indispensable part of my plans for the future of our nation. I hope that you will come to see yourself not only as my wife but as an essential partner in our shared endeavour.”
I was stunned by his words, I wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or offended. If this was coming from a man that I love, I swear I would have thrown myself into his arms. But coming from a deceitful man whose only goal was to use me, to be a romantic man in front of his people made me resent him even more.
“I know that you may have mistrusted my decision, but I ask you to trust in me and my vision for our future.” he flashed me a smile, I could see his beast behind the mask of a smile he was putting on and I blinked back my tears.
I didn’t want him to see me in tears so that he wouldn’t see me as a ‘mere werewolf’ as he used to say.
“Before the goddess, the people of the nation, and our families, I, King Prescott announced you, Princess Novalie of Moonstone pack, as my wife, a member of the Royal Family, and the Queen of this nation,” he claimed my ownership and the quest flared up in an ear-blasting howls.
I moved my teary-eyed to his gaze, a deadly grin crept up the corner of his lips, he moved closer to me and moved his hands to my back. He ran his hands on my back until they rested on my hips.
He gripped my hips and pushed me to his body, which made my face bump into his hard cheek. He moved his face closer to my cheeks and kissed off my tears. I shut my eyes in disgust. My tums churned and I wanted to barf so badly.
“Why did you shut your eyes? Where you expecting something?” he whispered to my face, his hot breath on my face gave me a tingling feeling.
I didn’t say anything, my eyes remained closed and he chuckled dryly.
“For the sake of our watchers, I shall claim your lips.” he rubbed his thumb on my bottom lip.
I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him down to my height, pressing my lips to his. The Lycan King kissed me back feverishly, his lips parting and taking mine into his mouth.
I didn’t know why I was doing it, but I want to show him that I wasn’t interested in him in any way, and if he want to please our watchers, we should do it right.
He bit my tongue and I groaned into his mouth. I tried to push him off when I felt my wolf stirred, he gripped my hips and pushed me back to his chest.
“Never in your life should you try to beat me in my own game.” he groaned into my mouth, he bit my tongue again and I felt tears slide down my cheeks, I could hear the cheers and howls from the guests and I couldn’t help but to let out a muffled cry.
He was hurting me, but no one knows. All they could see was a happy couple, smooching to the beginning of their union.