Mating Ceremony

"Liquor Is Thicker Than Blood..."

*Moonstone*

*Blackwood Pack*

Kieran marched furiously into Alpha Arin's study, "How could you send Eira away?!" He yelled, pointing a finger at the Alpha, who was busy with the she wolf perched in-between his legs.

The woman raised her head, but he pushed it back down, "Keep sucking." He ordered, locking his glare with her cowering eyes.

Kieran slammed his palms on the table, "I was finally about to make her submit to me, she was going to become my bitch! Why didn't you send any other slave?"

He demanded harshly.

Arin narrowed his eyes at the mud trail leading up to his desk, and the hues of red splattered on Kieran's clothes. "You just got back from a hunt, wash up and we will speak over dinner-"

"Father!" He interjected, "You promised me full ownership of Eira once I turn twenty one, so tell me why you would send her away a month before then!"

Stroking the brunette's head, he answered, "Eira was the only one fit for the job."

Kieran hissed, "She's just waiting on that bratty bitch, Adrianna isn't she? Why did you have to send her?!" he ran his fingers through his hair, and stomped his boots against the creaky wooden floor.

Arin barked at his son, "Had offering your sister to the Lycans as a peace offering been my only agenda, I would've happily sent another slave or even two on the trip" He said over the loud slurping sounds. "But things aren't that simple."

Kieran frowned, "I don't understand." he pinched his temples, "Wasn't the betrothal meant to place us in the Lycan's good graces?"

Arin frowned, grabbing tightly onto the back of the woman's head, "Why do you think we lost in the battle against the Lycans?"

Kieran spared no second to answer, "Because they are stronger than our kind-"

"It is because we are uninformed. The Lycans know our weakness, that we cannot shift without a full moon guiding us. So they attacked on a moonlight night, when we were heavily disadvantaged. However, if we came about knowledge of their weakness…" His grip tightened on the woman's hair.

Kieran pinched his chin, "The Lycans are a cursed race, but superior to ours, what makes you think they have a weakness?"

Guiding the slave faster on his member, he grunted, "Son, everything that bleeds carries a weakness. Your sister was the pawn that got us through the front gate into the Lycan's domain." A smile painted his lips when he released his fluids into her mouth.

"And Eira," he panted, relaxing into his chair, "She will be the key to us defeating the Lycans." Arin explained in-between soft pants.

"And get back at those bastards who stripped us of everything!"

Kieran furled his lips into a frown, "That omega is far too weak, she will be discovered and killed in an instant."

Arin tucked his member into his pants, "Eira is seasoned and can quickly adapt to any circumstance she finds herself. She knows where her loyalties lie and would never double cross us. But most importantly, I alone hold power over the thing she desires most; her freedom."

Kieran grinned from ear to ear, "Eira always had a fiery look in her eye, I can only imagine how satisfying it will be to finally dominate her and make her my bitch."

"Patience son, all in due time. For now, Eira will stay at Valdor, waiting on Adrianna for the first quarter, and on the night of the silver eclipse, she shall return, and relay to us the weakness of the Lycans." His eyes illuminated with excitement.

Kieran's eyes fell to the brown book placed on his father's desk, an idea popped into his head, "The ability you specially her might finally come to play, right father?"

"But of course, son." The alpha straightened his back, his gaze fell to a large brown book, sitting next to an ink pad. "It most certainly will…"

Eira kept a slight distance from the Lycan King, but her eyes never left him for even a second.

Kael reached for the table and picked up a blade, dragging it's tip across the jagged table. He held it in his hand, and rubbed his thumb against the blade.

"Left or right?" he asked, his voice low yet strikingly audible.

Eira blinked twice her heart pounding, she lifted her left foot to back away, but Kael brought the tip of the blade to eye, closing the gap between them in seconds.

The blade was barely an inch away from her eye, any slight movement on either of their ends could spell danger for Eira.

"Which one shall I take?" Kael crooned, alternating his gaze between her trembling orbs.

Eira swallowed, her body paralyzed in fear. The thought of running never once crossed her mind, she knew that if she dared to move, he would definitely strike her.

"As my bride," he lectured, "I demand your absolute obedience, and loyalty. To that end, this will serve as a measure of faith and binding trust between the two of us. So tell me, princess, what eye shall I add to my collection?"

A small smile played on Kael's lips when he saw Adrianna, the werewolf princess tremble at his offer.

His bride? The sole thought of bedding the princesses made him sick.

His mind flashed back to over a month ago, to the red letter from Moonstone, from Arin, Alpha of Bloodmoon, who offered his daughter to him as a means to keep the peace.

Naturally, he had no intention of accepting the insulting offer.

Him? Mate with a wolf?

Especially one as sickly as this one? He had assumed Arin would try tempt him with a strong, beautiful Alpha female, one whom he might consider adding to his concubines. Not, the sickly Omega cowering before him.

He scrunched his nose, 'The slaves here are in better condition than the daughter of an Alpha.' he grimaced, tightening his grip on the knife.

'Now cry, and plead for your life, show your true nature.' Kael thought to himself, waiting for Adrianna to respond.

The princess slowly raised her right hand, and pointed at her corresponding eye, making her choice.

Kael's lips parted slightly, his eyebrows raised, and his eyes went wide. He stared at her waiting to hear her say that she was merely joking, but the princess kept her hand pointed to her eye.

"Haa." Kael sighed, retracting the blade and placing it on the table. "You surprise me, Princess—" His voice trailed off as he swiftly snatched up the blade again, the tip hovering menacingly beside her eye.

The princess flinched, her eyelid twitching, but she remained frozen, her gaze locked on Kael's, awaiting the strike.

Kael lifted his furrowed brows and slightly parted his lips, but he swiftly pressed them together and marched out the door, leaving her behind.

Barely moments after he left did the woman from earlier, arrive.

"Princess Adrianna, please come with me." she said.

Eira inhaled sharply, reeling in the shock of nearly losing her eye to the king's willfulness. She went along with the stranger, who said not another word to her until they arrived at a faction of the castle, located at the western wing.

"This is the harem quarter, where you will be staying for the meantime." She announced, pushing back the tall doors to reveal another hallway.

As they walked down the hall, Eira noticed that each door had a sort of symbol carved on it which she had never seen before.

Her guide noticed her wince at the door and informed her, "Don't bother yourself princess, that is Lykonian text, you can't read it."

Eira nodded.

"But in case you wish to know, the doors are numbered one through thirty. In accordance of importance in the harem." She explained.

Once more, Eira nodded.

"You don't look surprised, I thought for a wolf this sort of culture would repel you. Given the whole…" she ran her tongue around her mouth, "Fated mate thing."

Eira shook her head, implying that she wasn't bothered. Her guide lifted her lips into a grin.

"I don't think I've introduced myself yet, my name is Lyra, the Beta's mate." she announced.

Eira nodded. She pointed at herself to make an introduction, but Lyra raised her palm, "It's fine, princess, everyone in the castle knows who you are."

As they reached the end of the hall, Lyra pointed at a door, particularly at the symbol on it. "This is your room, room number three."

Eira raised a brow. Why was she in such a high room number?

Reading her confusion, Lyra explained, "Most of the women in the Alpha's harem are warriors, from low birth. You are a princess, and although from an inferior race, your status already outranks theirs."

Eira sighed. Rank, status, it was always the only thing that ever mattered. Be it at Moonstone, or Lykonia, an omega slave like her would never belong anywhere.

Lyra noticed her demeanor dampen, she raised a brow, but didn't raise any qualms. She pushed open the door to reveal a spacious chamber with a bed and a wash station.

Eira's eyes went round, 'Adrianna's bedroom pales horribly in comparison to this.' she thought, staring at the painted glass windows.

The thought of the princess made her heart sink. 'I need to find a way to escape this place and find Adrianna-'

Piercing through her thoughts, Lyra cleared her throat and announced. "I will be coming regularly alongside your other retainers to instruct you on your impending duty."

Eira frowned, Impending duty?

Lyra proudly announced, "In three days time, you will have your mating ceremony!"