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NOTE: This story is set several years after Seth and Adrienne resumed their throne in Ilyia and the Golden Dynasty began. But not all realms are at peace, especially Xathos-- the most problematic one of all.

And this story is set on Xathos.



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Castle Xanthe City of Aphelion, Wolfen Territory The Realm of Xathos



"Is this the right thing, mother?" Dimitrios Zanthe, newly appointed Alpha and King of Wolfe asked his mother. He noted her tear-stained face and the stilted way she walked. His father's death was fresh and his entire family still grieved. But grief was supposed to be set aside today for it was his wedding day.

Dimitrios snorted.

Today was a day of joy yet he found none. First, it was because of his father's recent death. He was killed by the Cerran. They were shadow-dwellers who were said to have come from the fiery pits of hell. They had leathery skins with wings double the length of their bodies. Their powers came from drinking the blood of others and being able to mimic their power for a while.

Cerran hunted his people and to gain unparalleled strength by drinking their blood while they hunted the Vampyr people to gain their speed.

"You are alpha now, Dimitri. Our people need this alliance," his mother replied.

Dimitrios fixed his cloak around his thin shoulders. He was still young. He hasn't even reached his immortality which his people attained at the height of their physical maturity. He was only a pup of fourteen years and now he was alpha because his father died. The weight of the responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders.

He knew he had to be tough for there will be challenges thrown at him from left and right. There was political unrest within his people even before his father died. The death only heightened it and there will be wolves much stronger, larger and faster than him that would stake their claim on his father's throne.

He can't let that happen. He will lose the challenge and he will be killed because he wasn't immortal yet. Because of that, his mother arranged for him to be married to the Vampyr princess.

The Vampyr were creatures of the night who fed only from blood. They were vicious creatures who had the power to trace to any location they've been before. They were faster but they were inferior to the inherent strength of the Wolfen. They also had one main weakness: they burned in the sun.

The Vampyr race was attacked recently by the Cerran and they've lost their Queen. Like Dimitrios's people, their numbers declined after the Cerran snatched them to be slaves. The Cerran coveted their ability to trace. They wanted it so that the Cerran army could be easily traced to any place in the world.

Some of Dimitrios's wolves were also captured. The Cerran attacked the night after the full moon. This was when his people were at their weakest. The wolves were taken because the Cerran coveted their strength and used it to build their palaces, great walls and as soldiers for their army.

Dimitrios was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt his mother squeeze his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to ask, Dimitri. If you marry the princess, you'll be throwing away your chance to find your true mate..." Dimitrios's fists clenched at his side. "I will do this for our people, mother. I am King now and this is my first and greatest sacrifice."

His mother's eyes filled with tears at his words. Dimitrios's father was her true mate and the love they shared was unlike any other. Grief filled Dimitrios once more. When a mate dies, the other one follows soon for wolves cannot live without their mate. Looking at his mother now, he knew that he's going to be an orphan soon. The queen was just holding out until the alliance is secured. After that, there will be nothing to tether her into this world—not even him, her son.

Dimitri's mother smiled. "I heard the princess is very beautiful," the Queen said.

Dimitri knew she tried to sound cheerful but he still felt her sadness. Again, Dimitri snorted. The princess of the Vampyr was a little girl. She was even younger than him. She was also rumoured to be a spoiled little brat.

But none of her qualities mattered. Nothing did. She wasn't his mate and no matter how beautiful she was, she will never be the one who'd complete his soul; the one creature created to compliment him.

"It doesn't matter, mother. I don't care if she is as beautiful as the goddess Elune. She is not my mate and this is only a political arrangement to unite the two races and to benefit both kingdoms. This is not a real marriage and we won't be living together until she's of age," he pointed out.

His mother managed a small smile for him.

"You read the entire contract. Well done, my prince. I am sure you'll be a great King. You will be even greater than your father."

Again, tears misted the Queen's eyes and she looked away. Dimitri didn't say anything more and allowed her to grieve for his father. They walked in silence and after a few minutes, they reached the clearing where the wedding would be held.

It was a small meadow deep within the woods which was in between the lands of the Vampyr and the Wolfen people. It was considered to be a land of peace. The Vampyr and the Wolfen cannot fight there or they would incur the wrath of the gods. This was where treaties were signed and alliances were forged.

Now, this was where his wedding was to take place.

The moon was already high in the sky and Dimitri knew it was already near midnight. The Vampyr and his bride-to-be would come anytime soon. For the meantime, he, his mother along with some of the guards waited in the shadow of the trees. They kept themselves alert for any attack from the shadow-dwellers.

A few more minutes later and the sound of several leaves crunching and twigs snapping were heard. When Dimitri turned, the Vampyr people were already assembled on one side of the clearing. He estimated their number and realized they were as many as his own people.

"Queen Adela," the King of the Vampyr greeted. His mother stepped forward and raised her chin in acknowledgement. "King Fallon," his mother said. The King also stepped forward and gave a small bow.

"I present my daughter, Princess Ailara from the house of Davriel." The King stepped aside and a small hooded figure stepped forward. Pale hands reached up and slowly lowered the hood. The first thing Dimitri saw was a mass of hair golden as the rays of the sun in the early morning. She lifted her head and he saw her perfect porcelain features. But what captivated him most were her eyes which were a vivid blue color. It reminded him of the beauty of the sky.

Dimitri shook his head. The rumours didn't do her justice. She was beyond beautiful. She was stunning! She was perfection personified.

Dimitri blinked and it was as if a thorn pierced his heart. She was not his mate. Some part of him hoped that when even though she was not Wolfen, fate would still grant her to be his mate. He thought that when he looked at her for the first time, he'd feel that feeling of everything falling into place.

But there was none of that. Her beauty made his heart stop but it was not enough.

"And I present my son. Dimitrios from the house of Zanthe, King and Alpha of the Wolfen." Dimitri stepped forward and gave the princess a small bow. She looked at her father and the King gave her a small nod. She stepped closer and curtsied to Dimitri.

"Pleased to meet you, your grace."

"Likewise," he answered.

"Since a union between Wolfen and Vampyr has never happened before, we have decided to mix the claiming ceremonies between the two clans," King Fallon said. Queen Adela nodded and the two monarchs walked towards the middle of the clearing. Dimitri and Ailara followed their parents.

Once they reached the small altar, Princess Ailara removed her cloak. More of her pale skin was revealed and Dimitri was mesmerized. She looked like she was reflecting the glow of the moon... and it was beautiful.

"Ailara... Don't be afraid. You can do it," the King encouraged his daughter. Dimitri saw the princess swallow before she nodded. He didn't think it was possible but she seemed paler compared to a few minutes ago.

Ailara's father and his mother moved back to give them both privacy.

Dimitri turned towards his soon-to-be mate. "Don't be afraid," he whispered to her. She nodded, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened those vivid blue eyes again, every trace of fear vanished. Dimitri's chest puffed out with pride. She would make a great queen. She wasn't one to be easily scared and her courage would be admired by his people.

"I, Princess Ailara of the Vampyr pledge myself to you, King Dimitri of the Wolfen. My heart and my soul belong to you. From this day forward, yours will be the only blood that will sustain me. My fidelity, my trust and everything I am is yours until eternity fades..."

The princess' voice was so beautiful that it took Dimitri's breath away. She spoke her vows but it sounded to him like she was singing. And even though she was still young, her words held so much weight and commitment.

She stepped closer to him and it was now his turn to be afraid.

"Courage, prince. I won't hurt you," she whispered. It was so soft that it was only for him to hear.

"I'm not afraid. I am a King," Dimitri told her.

"My father said that even Kings get afraid. You are a King but you are also still young. I admire your courage, your grace. But I know that it's alright to feel fear sometimes..."

Dimitri's heart skipped a beat. How could a young girl know so much? She looked so young yet she thought like an adult. Hell, she was even wiser than most of his father's advisors. His admiration for her increased tenfold.

Maybe the fates truly have been kind unlike what he first thought. They deemed that he couldn't have his one true mate but they gave him someone who could be a great queen. They gave him someone who could rule beside him with her head held high. They gave him someone who can be his companion—someone he can grow to love given time.

With that in mind, he steeled himself for the next part of the ceremony.

He retrieved his ceremonial, jewelled dagger from his belt and brought it to his palm. He already knew what he had to do his mother told him about the ceremony what seemed to be a hundred times over. He braced himself for the pain and sliced the middle of his palm. Blood welled and began to flow. He quickly extended his arm to the princess.

Dimitri saw the Princess' eyes flash red. She licked her lips and moved closer to him. When Dimitri took his next breath, he took in her scent of lavender. And yet again, his heart skipped a beat and then resumed beating at a very quick pace. Dimitri forced himself to be still as she brought his palm to her lips. He felt her tongue and a gentle suction. Then, he felt her tongue lick the wound from top to bottom. After that, the pain vanished.

The princess pulled back and he saw her eyes become blue again. He looked at his palm and there was no trace of the wound.

"Blood is sacred among the Vampyr. Now your blood binds you to her. She will know where you are and will be able to track you. She would be able to see your dreams sometimes and feel your heightened emotions," the King of the Vampyr, Alara's father, told him.

Dimitri nodded but he didn't understand yet the implications of what the King was telling him.

Now, it was his turn.

"Dimitri, you know the words," his mother whispered to him. He nodded and took the princess' hand. He's seen several unions over the years and he knew what had to be done.

"I, Dimitrios, King of the Wolfen, accept you as my mate. The gods have sent you to me and you shall be my life's greatest treasure. I offer you my protectio. All I have is yours. All of me is yours... until eternity fades or the world is no more..." Dimitri whispered.

Those were claiming words that were supposedly spoken to a Wolfen's mate—but it was a shortened version. The princess was not his true mate so he omitted the part about their souls being one for the rest of eternity and that wherever she goes, he will follow—even in the afterlife.

How many times tonight has he told himself that she was not his mate? Did it change anything? Dimitri shook his head. It didn't. He must stop wallowing in self-pity and move forward instead. No matter how much he wished, things will never go the way he wanted.

He closed his eyes and moved closer to the princess. He saw her flinch but she bravely held her ground. Dimitri allowed the power of the moon to wash over him and take over his senses. He felt his fangs lengthening. As gently as he could, he ran his fingers down the princess' cheek. Then, he moved her head to the side to expose her long, slender neck.

"Close your eyes, princess. I have to mark you but this will be over quickly," he whispered. She stiffened and he wanted to assure her further. "It's okay to be afraid. But now is the time to be courageous..." he told her. She nodded and he felt her relax. That was when he bridged the remaining few inches between them and enveloped her in his arms.

It wasn't part of the ceremony but he took time to take in her wonderful scent. He couldn't stop himself and placed his lips on the crook of her shoulder and neck. Her scent inflamed his senses. It was a scent he would never, ever forget.

Then, he buried his fangs in the juncture between her shoulder and neck to mark her as his forever. A cheer rose among his people after he pulled back and it was also echoed by the Vampyr.

They Vampyr raised their weapons and thumped them on their shields. The Wolfen shifted and howled their joy to the moon.

Dimitri sighed.

Just like that, it was done. He was wed to a little girl who was not his mate. About ten years from now, he would claim her and she would be his wife; his queen. But for now, he'll leave and try to rebuild the Wolfen Kingdom.

He bowed to the Princess and lifted her hand and kissed it.

"Until we meet again, princess," he whispered.

"Until we meet again, King Dimitri..." she returned.



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