Chapter 2 - Into the Woods

Inside the confined vehicle, we were sitting facing each other. The uncomfortable silence was making the atmosphere more onerous.

It was thoughtful of him to bring a carriage though it was unnecessary. My pace was even faster than the wolves. Yet he was not making the newlywed luna fly to the palace. It was considerate of him.

But I felt a bit sad for the wolves carrying the vehicle shifting in their wolf forms. Numerous ominous thoughts were filling my mind. I hated how it was making me nervous. The twisted feeling in my gut was not leaving.

He was looking outside through the window, resting his chin on his hand. I decided to break the silence since he seemed like he would not talk to me.

"My lord," I called him respectfully. His eyes turned to me. He was waiting patiently to conclude what I had to say.

"Do you have a mate?" I finally asked the bottled-up question that was roaming in my mind since I met him.

For a glimpse, I noticed him smiling.

"I had," he replied shortly.''She even came to our wedding today," he said calmly.

I felt an unusual tightness in my chest. So my assumption was accurate. That woman earlier with him was his mate. I was only a bridge to maintain the war peace.

Suddenly the carriage halted with a jerk. I was about to crash into the wooden surface of the carriage due to the unexpected impact. But the Lord's hands snaked around me, wrapping me completely within seconds to prevent me from getting injured. I was amazed at just how fast he was.

Heated conversations came from outside. My husband was still holding me in his arms.

"You dare to attack the Lord's carriage?"

"Lord? He still dares to call himself that after marrying a vampire, like a coward?"

The conversation seized our attention. The Lord let go of my body. He was staring outside the carriage, frowning. He got up from the seat. His face hardened. I followed him and got out of the carriage.

I was startled by seeing the injured guards collapsing on the ground. A few men were standing in front of them. They had a remarkable aura about them.

"What are alphas like you doing here instead of leading their packs?" The alpha lord asked coldly.

"We are here to annihilate you, Lord. By establishing peace with the vampires, you have lost your pride to dictate over the wolves," one of the guys said.

"So, where's the army?" the alpha Lord asked flatly. The wolves were looking at each other's faces. "Tsk- just a few of you? you dare to humiliate me in front of my wife?"

What is he saying? He wants more trouble?- I got confused by his personality. He was different from what I had expected.

The guys had dressed like rogues. Witnessing how it took only seconds for them to take over the beta knights made it clear why they had the guts to threaten the alpha lord.

The alpha Lord took a look at the injured guards. "Did you do this to my kids?" he asked them coldly.

"Why are you so surprised? Soon you are going to be with them as well. And then we will take that woman and teach her the lesson for her life," another guy said. He made an attack right away.

The guy started running towards the Lord, releasing his full power.

His body had shifted. Sharp claws appeared.

He was radiating so much force that it was apparent. But the Lord blocked the attack right away with just one hand. The guy was using almost all of his alpha power. Yet, the alpha lord was holding him effortlessly.

He suddenly tightened his grip on the wolf's claw and broke it into pieces. A sharp scream pierced through the air. The guy kneeled on the ground in pain, grabbing his wrist. Even though wolves had regenerating abilities, the guy's injured hand was not restored. Everyone was bewildered.

It was anticipated by the alpha Lord. The rogue alphas also did not think that they could beat the lord alone. So they attacked him altogether again.

But the Lord did not even bother to move an inch. He was standing there putting a chill on his face.

"Don't tell me you think you can beat me just because you ganged up this time. Let's get clear, don't ever dare to spit a word about my wife with that nasty mouth of yours,'' the Lord said those words calmly.

After that, within a glance, he released much power. It was so bright that I closed my eyes. And when I opened my eyes, the alpha wolves were gone. As if they had just dissolved.

So, it was the Lord's power. I was standing there quietly. He turned back to me.

"Are you all right, My Lady? " He asked me softly. He seemed worried about me. That impact of him releasing his power was so great that if I were a random vampire, I would get annihilated as well, though he had put a barrier over me.

Soon his brother and the other wolves appeared there. "Brother! Are you alright?" he asked hastily. "Princess, are you not hurt anywhere?'' he asked, looking at me worryingly. He seemed more concerned about me rather than for his brother. I only nodded.

"Edrik," his brother called him calmly. When he turned, his brother continued, "She is no longer just the vampire princess. She is your Luna. Show her proper respect," he said coldly with a flat expression.

Edrik was unprepared for a moment. But he suddenly smiled off the awkwardness of the situation and turned to me. He bowed to me quickly and said, "I apologize, My Lady. I was so concerned that I forgot to show proper manners."

"Ah- please don't worry about such things right now. We should take the injured knights to the medicos as soon as possible, My Lord," I turned to my husband and said.

He seemed concerned as well. "But carrying them to the palace will take a lot of time. I have already sent an order through the pack link. But it will require some time," he said.

"My Lord," I called him softly. "I think rather than waiting for them to arrive here, we should use our carriage to take them to the palace. It will be faster. Since they are all unconscious, it will not require much space," I proposed.

The lord looked at me unbelievably. I felt like I said something I should not have

Though I suggested stacking them up on that confined carriage, it would be better than leaving them behind. The lord and his brother were looking at me in disbelief.

"Please, don't worry about me. I can use my pace to reach there in no time," I said. I was embarrassed to say such inelegant things. But I could not leave those injured wolves behind.

The lord did not object anymore and ordered his brother and the guards to follow what I said.

The lord suddenly called his brother before leaving, "Edrik, did you not move first to take care of the rogues?"

Something was off between the two brothers that I could not fathom. Edrik seemed like a bright guy, but his brother seemed not much fond of him.

"It was my failure, Brother. The alphas might have recently gone rogue. So we did not have any data about them," he said politely. "But I assure you that it will not happen again," he said and left with the carriage.

Now my husband and I were left alone in the woods. The atmosphere was awkward again.

"We should get going, My Lord," I said.

"Xavier," he said, smiling at me.

"Pardon?" I was startled.

''You are my wife, not my concubine. You don't have to be so formal with me always," he said softly.

But you did not seem to mind before, I thought. Now is it because I let your knights have the carriage? He grabbed my waist suddenly, pulling me closer. I was startled again.

"Lo-lord?" I asked confusedly.

"I can't make my wife fly to my palace on her wedding day. Hold on to me tightly," he said, staring into my eyes.

Soon his body started to change, and before I could even fathom a thing, we reached the palace. He gently put me down. Finally, I was there, my new home.