*Maddy*
I feel like a puppet as the temple attendants turn me this way and that way, the high priestess rambling off another long, blisteringly boring monologue. Isla stands beside me listening intently. Her eyes are sea glass in the golden light of the sunset now pouring through the temple windows. How long have we been here? Hours, at this point. I’d been swept away from the castle in the early hours of the morning and now the day is nearly over.
The only day I had left with my now husband.
I grind my teeth, waiting for this ceremony to be over. Apparentl,y it’s much more than Isla ever had to go through because it includes what the Priestess calls “the passing of the crown,” which hasn’t happened in decades.
I glance at Isaac, who’s standing in wait on the other side of the room, flanked by Alphas from several territories. He’s watching the proceedings with interest, and a hint of sympathy. His mouth curves into a soft, almost smile, one meant just for me.
Goddess, I just want to be alone with him right now.
Finally, Isla and I are swept away and led toward the grand entrance of the opulent temple on the hill. Isla takes my hand in hers, gripping it tightly.
“You were meant for this role,” she tells me, looking deep into my eyes. “Never doubt that. Never doubt yourself, no matter what's to come. I will be beside you as long as I can be. You are ready for this, Maddy.”
She looks like she wants to say something else, but there’s no time. The grand doors open, and the two of us are ushered forward, and a small gasp leaves my throat. Below, the hill is awash with people, everyone cheering, everyone holding candles and lanterns high as they greet their new queen and say goodbye to their old one.
My eyes prickle with nervous tears as I look at the people I’m meant to lead through this war on the homefront. The women, the children, the men who cannot fight left to watch their sons go to battle in their stead. My heart lurches, my stomach twisting, but Isla holds firm to my hand. “Smile and wave,” she whispers, so I do just that.
Isaac steps out beside me to a roar of elation from the crowd and shouts of well wishes and blessings for their king, for their queen, and for our union. Isla lets go of my hand and turns to stand with Maddox and Ella, and Isaac takes my hand in his.
“Wife,” he says, almost smugly, giving me that signature smirk.
“Husband,” I reply tartly, but I can’t help but smile as I look up at him. I want to remember this moment. I promise myself when I’m old and gray, that I’ll remember the sharp planes of his face, the curve of his lips and his strong, proud jaw. I’ll remember the look of pride and desperate longing in his eyes. And as he kisses me, to the joy of the crowd, I swear to the Goddess I’ll remember the way his lips felt against mine, and the feeling of completeness in my heart.
It pains me to know we may never have a child, not when he must leave for war in a matter of hours. But at least I’ll have this memory to cherish as long as I live.
“There’s a reception after this at the castle,” he sighs, waving to his people.
“I know,” I say in the same exasperated tone. “I am hungry, though. So we should go.”
“We’re obviously going to go. The party is for us, after all.” He winks at me and says, “I’m just not sure how long we’ll stay.”
* * *
Music fills the ballroom, the entire space alight in golden light as dancers sweep across the floor and people dressed in finery mingle in groups over flutes of champagne. I’m still in the starry gown Ella helped design. It's the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen down to the last detail. But it’s heavy and corseted, and I’m desperate to get out of it.
Desperate for Isaac to help me out of it.
I watch him mingle from across the room, his head tilted back as he laughs.I smile as I watch him, my throat feeling suddenly as tight as my dress. I haven’t seen him laugh like that often in the short amount of time I’ve known him. He’s happy right now, and that’s all I can ask for.
There’s an underlying current of grief and uncertainty in the air as I make the rounds with Ella, who introduces me to everyone I’ve yet to meet during my time in the castle. I’m peppered in congratulations and compliments, and I smile until my cheeks ache with the strain of it.
Finally, when the stars are high in the sky and the guests begin to leave, Isaac returns to my side, and we wordlessly leave the ballroom. No one left behind seems to miss us, or have anything to say about our abrupt departure. At least, he doesn’t get any mind-link messages calling him back.
“Where are we going now?” I ask as I grip my dress and carefully walk up the stairs.
“To our rooms,” he says softly, a hint of mischief in his voice. “I’ve watched you standing rigid for two hours now. You look hot and uncomfortable.”
“It’s a heavy dress,” I reply, sniffling as my heels ache from the shoes I’m wearing.
He lays a hand on my lower back and guides me into his rooms, now ours, and I notice the space has been drastically changed. Vases of flowers cover every surface. Bottles of wine and champagne sit on the bar cart, as well as plates of pastries, bread, cold cuts, cheese, and fruit.
Everything we need, I realize, for a night of absolutely no interruptions from anyone.
Isaac closes the door behind us as we enter the room. He shrugs off his jacket. He deftly unfastens his leathers with a satisfied groan until he’s in nothing but a black shirt and matching pants. The shirt is tight enough to show off every sharp curve of muscle as he moves across the room, tossing his leathers on a couch.
I reach behind to try to unfasten my corset, but my fingers slip over the silk fabric and impossible small ivory clasps holding me in a boned cage. Isaac’s eyes light with desire as he makes his way toward me. “Let me do it.”
I give him my back, wincing and sighing with relief as the corset comes loose, and I can finally breathe again. The four individual pieces of my extravagant gown fall to the floor around me in a careless fashion until I’m in nothing but a white, silk shift. I don’t ever care that I’m practically naked in front of him. I sigh and roll my neck as his hands travel over my waist and back up my sides where the corset left deep marks on my skin.
“I don’t know why you women wear those awful contraptions. I thought they went out of fashion centuries ago.”
“It was a special occasion,” I groan, closing my eyes against his warm touch. Without the dress, I’m suddenly chilled. Isaac notices and guides me toward the bathroom.
“I’m going to take a shower,” he states, matter-of-factly. “You could use one too. I’ve been breathing in glitter everytime I’m near you.”
Rosie and Ella had done their worst with a hairspray tinged with glitter, despite Isla’s protests against it.
I don’t stop him from closing us into his enormous bathroom suite. The room is all obsidian marble and stone, very masculine and tastefully decorated. There is no fruity, sweet perfumed soap, either. Everything is manly–pine, leather, and musk. It smells like Isaac. I love it.
He turns on the shower and pulls off his shirt, not taking his eyes off me as I stand against the dark finishes in my white shift. “You looked beautiful today.”
“You already told me that,” I tease, stepping toward him as he starts to unclasp his belt. “A few times, actually. Don’t you have anything else to say?”
He gives me an arched look as he pulls his belt free. “I have a lot I could say to you, my dearest wife. Most of which would involve this belt coming down hard on your ass for constantly undermining me,” he teased.
“Undermining you?” I laugh. “Oh please, you’re upset because I refused to be afraid of you when you showed your beast form? How could I possibly be afraid of something so white and fluffy with rainbow wings–” I yelp as he takes me around the waist and pins me against the glass shower wall.
The heat within the shower shakes up my back. I can feel the water thrumming against the glass from the otherside, and my body melts with anticipation of the warmth of the water, and whatever Isaac is planning to do to me next. “Or is it because I refused to call off our wedding?”
“Both,” he rasps against my neck, tightening his grip. But then he pulls away, saying, “And my wings are not rainbow, you devilish woman. They’re prismatic.”
“Keep telling yourself that,” I whisper against his neck before grazing my teeth over his skin. “As for calling off the wedding, you didn’t seem all that upset when I showed up.”
He goes still for a moment, like he’s thinking of what to say. In the end, he says nothing and presses a long, tender kiss to my lips. I rise on my tiptoes to meet him, sliding my tongue over his lower lip. He growls low in his throat, and I have the feeling whatever happens next is not going to be the gentle love-making he’d shown me last time. Before I can think past the kiss, he’s out of his pants and ripping off my shift like a deranged animal. Then, he pulls me into the shower with him, crushing me to his chest as the hot water spills over my skin.
I sigh with relief, the chills running up and down my spine not all from the sudden warmth brought on by the water. I feel so small in his arms as they wrap around my middle and lift me onto the stone bench. Bottles of shampoo and soap clatter to the floor as his fingers tangle in my hair and pull so I’m forced to look up at him.
The look in his eyes mirrors my own. We’re both desperate for each other’s touch, for something to keep us grounded in this moment when everything around us feels like it’s spinning out of control. I have to fight to keep myself from counting the time we have left together down to the seconds. Is he doing the same, I wonder?
My body aches as he kisses me. I tilt my hips against his, wrapping my legs around his waist. I want him so desperately it hurts. My whole body tingles with something unfamiliar, yet primal and demanding. I have the sudden, raw urge to pull away from the kiss and sink my teeth into his shoulder, marking him as mine.
Isaac hisses and goes still, and before my brain has caught up to my actions, I see the consequences of that feral thought trailing down his chest in a stream of blood.
I look up at him, suddenly terrified as he touches the place where I’ve just left my mark. His eyes meet mine in mingled surprise. Then he grabs me and lifts me to my feet, turning me to face the wall as he pins me to the tile.
I close my eyes, unsure what’s going to happen next.