The Royal Mark-Chapter 116: Kiss The Bride
The echoes of the words, "You may now kiss the bride," still resonate in Chris’ ears as he gazes at Elsa with twinkling eyes, holding her in a dance on the castle grounds where their wedding reception took place.
"Chris, stop staring. It’s getting uncomfortable. People might start thinking I cast a love spell on you," Elsa remarked, playfully pushing his face aside to divert his intense gaze.
"Let them think what they want. No need for a spell; I’m already enchanted by my wife."
’Wife... I like the sound of it,’ Elsa thought, giving Chris a brief peck on the lips.
Chris saw her expression and was sure that she was thinking about something. "When I mark you, you won’t be able to keep your thoughts from me like that," he teased, eliciting a chuckle from Elsa.
"I was just thinking about how much I enjoy you calling me your wife. Is that a bad thing?" she inquired.
"You do?"
"Yes, husband. I love hearing how proud you are to have me as your wife," Elsa confessed, but to her surprise, Chris frowned in response.
"Come to think of it, my wife, I haven’t heard you say you love me—" Elsa opened her mouth, but Chris gently placed his hand over her mouth, silencing her. "However, I don’t want you to say it just for the sake of it. I want to hear those words when the timing feels right when your heart is brimming with affection for me."
Elsa nodded, and Chris shifted his hand to her cheek, his thumb tenderly caressing her skin. "I love you, my wife. Thank you for marrying me. I promise to only love you until the end of my days." Chris slowly lowered his head, capturing her lips with his.
Elsa felt a surge of ecstasy. It had only been a few weeks since she encountered this naked man, nearly taking his life. Yet, here they were, married and wholly devoted to each other. She reveled in the bliss of a perfect day, where everything unfolded seamlessly, like a dream— or so she believed.
The roar of horns erupted loudly as the newlyweds shared a kiss, prompting them to break away and turn towards the source of the noise. Their guests were hastily retreating from the castle grounds, distancing themselves from the ongoing celebration.
Baffled by the unfolding events, Elsa scanned the surroundings. Yellow flags that adorned the castle were swiftly replaced by red ones. Soldiers, knights, and mages hurriedly exited the festivities, converging in groups from a distance.
Soon, Elsa found herself encircled by her ladies-in-waiting and the other three mages from her group. Four alphas from the elite alpha group, led by Chris, approached, locking eyes with him. She could only guess that they were communicating through their mind link.
"Elsa, you have to leave. Chris, proceed with the plan. Mark her tonight, regardless of what happens. We need to complete the Luna ritual," Prince Andrius declared before swiftly mounting his horse, brought to him in haste by his squire.
Before long, it was Chris who mounted a big black stallion. Extending his hand to Elsa, she grasped it without fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. Settling in behind Chris on the horse, she checked her surroundings and noticed her team following suit. However, Chris’ elite team had already taken off in the opposite direction.
"Hya!" Arla’s shout echoed, prompting everyone, including Chris, to follow her lead.
"Chris, what’s happening?" Elsa questioned as their horses galloped toward the woods.
"The werewolves on my uncle’s side have reached the shore of Zemaria. They’ve brought along numerous witches and some demons," Chris explained tersely.
"Then why are we heading the opposite way? We should be helping them!"
"We’ll join them once we complete the mating ritual and your Luna ritual. We are more useful that way. Right now, if we join them and the enemies capture you, I’m not certain we can win this war," Chris declared, urging their horse to accelerate.
"Luna ritual? What on earth is that? Why wasn’t I informed ahead of time about things that I should know about?" Elsa exclaimed, feeling exasperated by the lack of information regarding tasks she was required to undertake.
"I’ll explain later. For now, hold on tight... Hya!" Chris and the others once again spurred their horses to run faster.
They rode nonstop through the woods until Elsa spotted a distant light. Upon reaching the light source, she saw Hoven, her dogs, and an elderly woman standing in front of what resembled a small villa, surrounded by a tall fence constructed from stacked small rocks.
The villa’s gate, made of solid and thick wood, concealed the view of what lay inside. Once they halted, Chris assisted Elsa in dismounting the horse before turning to face Hoven. Notably, Chris extended both arms toward Hoven, who had four thick metal cuffs laid out in front of him on the ground.
Hoven picked up one cuff at a time, securing them onto Chris’ wrists and legs. "This is certainly heavy. Did you piss off the mage who enchanted these?" Hoven remarked, prompting a chuckle from Chris.
"You know it needs to be done," Chris replied tersely, then turned his gaze to Laureen and Lexi. The two women guided Elsa to the side, her dogs following suit. Chris addressed Elsa, saying, "Stay here until Hoven instructs you to enter."
Elsa nodded, observing as Chris, Hoven, and the elderly woman entered the villa. Quickly turning to Laureen for an explanation, she was preempted by Arla.
"Princess, they’re about to begin the ritual on the prince, simulating a full moon for his wolf. Once you enter, we’ll all depart. However, we’ll remain nearby. We’ve cast a protection spell, rendering us untraceable in the area. Still, we’ll be on patrol until the fifth day," Arla explained.
Laureen gently held Elsa’s hand, adding, "On your last day, you’ll perform the ritual for a Luna who is not yet part of the pack. After completing it, you’ll be linked to all the alphas under the prince and members of his Crimson Moon Pack. This link will allow you to communicate with them through a mind link."
"And what comes after that?" Elsa inquired, growing nervous about the unfolding events. Things weren’t supposed to go this way. The werewolves, witches, and demons had definitely ruined her wedding party, and she had promised herself to exact revenge after completing the mating and Luna rituals.
