The Alpha King and the Vampire Princess

Chapter 16

 (for clarification, atrix is 26, elora is about 23 and trish is 19 years old)

The next few hours were the worst as my wolf struggled to come out and I held elora tightly. a

As the moon rose further, I felt sick and dizzy with the overload
on my senses. Elora, her pain,my wolf and it's struggle to come out and run freely.
A part of me suspected that I too had been infected by Negwal . I don't exactly know when, but at some point I found myself stumbling out after snapping Elora's neck. I ran to Anita's house and knocked the door down. She appeared in the hallway with a concerned looking trish.
"Save her" I collapsed on my knees " I'll do anything! Just save her."
Understanding lit her eyes.
She followed me to the cottage while trish stayed behind. Elora was coming around just as we entered. anita placed a hand on her forehead and put her to sleep.
"She will be out for a bit" she informed me " this will give us enough time to do the marking. If everything goes according to plan, you won't have to snap her neck the next time she wakes up."
Relief flooded through me upon hearing her words.
" The ceremony will take place in the backyard in 20 minutes. I will send for you a change of clothes. Get ready"
"Wait what ceremony?" I asked her, confused
"I want to marry my daughter according to the witches tradition. I know it's different for the wolves and vampires. But Trish is only 19 years old. She is a child with dreams and just like every other girl her age, she wants to wear a beautiful dress and stand under the stars as she accepts her future husband."

I sighed, feeling flustered. This is not how imagined this night going.
"I know I'm not asking much" Trish said as she placed a hand on my shoulder "She is walking into this knowing fully well that she will have to share your heart and body with another for the rest of her life. Let her have the happiness of being the one for just one night. By morning, your true mate will have woken up and Trish will never know the happiness of having you all to herself ever again."
I considered her words and nodded, giving her my consent.
"I will send for your clothes" she squeezed my shoulder and walked out with a spring in her step.
I walked over to the basin and washed my face. I had a soft stubble but I went ahead and shaved anyway.
there was a knock at the door and I opened it to find a neatly folded pile of clothes by the door step.
I picked it up and brought it inside. I slipped my arms through the sleeve of the a white button down shirt and put on the black slacks that came with it. I used my
fingers to comb my hair out of my eyes and put on the a pair of leather shoes.
I walked over to a sleeping Elora. She seemed at peace as her eyelashes fluttered gently. I laid down next to her gazing up at her face
"I don't have words to say" I admitted to her " What does one say to their lover when they are heading out to take on another one? They never wrote any books about that." I sighed as I heard footsteps in the backyard. People had started to show up.
"I wish things were different. I wish the vampires had killed me before they had brought me to the castle. I wish you had never met me.
You lost everything, your father, your kingdom, your sanity. I took it all from you. And now, I'm taking away your right to call me only yours."
I blinked the tears away." I love you princess" I said and pressed my lips firmly against hers for one last time before I headed out.
Anita had transformed the entire backyard for the ceremony. Small fairy lights hung from the trees and chairs lined either side of a narrow aisle which led up to a slightly raised platform. She seemed to be in high spirits and was talking animatedly to Seeni and Kulaka. She gave me a bright smile as she spotted me and walked over.
"Wow! Don't you look dashing!" She said as she fixed the collar of my shirt.
I gave her a small smile.
"Where's Trish?" I asked her looking around. I spotted the rest of the members of the council and a few other people that I wasn't familiar with.
"The bride always shows up at the end." She said with a glint in her eye as led me up to the platform.