The Impending Nuptials

Chapter 3

Jaxon

I grunted as I felt the vibration from the clash of swords clanging hard against my arm. The force was enough to make me skid backwards. I grinned at Aelarion in gleeful menace. We loved the terrifying battle that we had going. He returned it by baring his teeth in a vicious smile.

"Let's see if you will have that look on your face when I knock you out on your back."

"Are you sure?" Aelarion taunted, smirking. His sword was poised on the side, ready to lunge at me.

"Less talking, more fighting." I lunged first and swerved to the left and, at the last moment, switched to the right, tackling Aelarion. He was able to deflect the strike and attacked with one of his. I grunted as I took a hit directly to my legs.

I stumbled and almost came down, but held my ground.

"It will take more than that to take me down."

"If you say so." We lunged again at each other, parrying each other's strikes. I elbowed Aelarion's mouth and his head snapped back in shock.

"Damn. What did you do that for?" Aelarion glared, spitting out blood.

"No hard feelings," I smirked. I was enjoying this. Aelarion was my best friend and my brother-in-arms.

"There won't be any hard feelings when I stab your gut." We circled each other searching for weak points.

This time Aelarion threw his sword to the side and took me to the ground by diving at me. I fell down and grunted at the impact of my body hitting the hard ground.

We grappled, and I managed to be on top holding his neck in a choke hold.

"Give up now, Larion, and I will keep this quiet." I taunted.

"Never." He spat out, enraged at my boldness.

I knew he was stubborn as he stayed down in the chokehold. I admired his resilience to not quit.

Using the side of my hand, I delivered a swift hit to the side of his head, dazing him.

I moved off him and watched him as he struggled to catch his breath.

"So damn stubborn." I held out a hand to him. Aelarion glared at me, rubbing at the sore part of his neck which had turned an angry red.

Finally, he took my hand hauling himself up.

"Next time, you won't be so lucky." He grumbled.

I chuckled, thumping his back as he passed me

He was definitely heading to the sauna to lick his wounds.

"Your Majesty, Alpha Jaxon." I turned to see a guard who was kneeling down. That was the usual greeting posture of everyone who worked in the palace.

"What's it?" I asked, disgruntled. It always rubbed me the wrong way when I saw them doing that.

"Your parents, Your Highnesses Alpha Blackwell and Omega Zenda are here to see you." That news further soured my mood. Every good feeling that I had from my fight with Aelarion disappeared like they had never been there.

"Where?" I started walking. I needed to refresh myself before seeing them.

"In the royal waiting room." He replied, following me. It was no surprise. It was the exact answer that I was expecting. Always the stickler for rules, my parents lived by following all the customs both old and new.

"Tell them, I will be out in an hour." I made my way to my quarters.

"Yes, Alpha Jaxon."

Guards were stationed everywhere in my quarters. I had a whole quarter to myself and the Superior Alpha of the whole Dynamic Nation. Inside my quarters, I stripped off my clothes as I made my way to the bathroom.

I groaned as the hot water from the shower head pelted my back. The relationship I had with my parents was strained to the extent that I could only tolerate my mother.

My father, on the other hand, disgusted me, not after what he did to me. I couldn't bring myself to forgive him, even though I had considered doing that.

Tired of the melancholic feelings my thoughts were having on me, I left the bathroom.

My regalia was already laid out on the bed. It was the colour of the sky when a thunderstorm was about to happen.

"Perfect for my mood." I scoffed.

I put it on and moved to the mirror to check myself out.

My eyes ran through my silhouette. I was very big in Alpha ways. I had broad shoulders that left the top part of my shirt straining as if it could rip with any thoughtless movement. My arms were another thing to talk about. The biceps were huge, and the same thing could be said for my chest muscles.

If Aelarion was here, he would have teased me by calling me a narcissist who checked out himself. That thought pulled an involuntary smile out of me.

My mood changed as I advanced towards the royal waiting room. I paused in front of the door for a few minutes and then entered.

My mother was the first person I saw. She was sitting down eating from a bowl of grapes. My eyes involuntarily glanced at my father, who had his hand draped on her shoulder. He was watching my reaction, but I didn't give him any, only an indifferent expression on his face.

"Jaxon, my child." Mother stood up, opening her arms to me.

I went in and hugged her loosely. I felt her kiss my cheek. I was her only child, the only successful offspring from all of her eighteen pregnancies.

"Mother, how are you doing?" I leaned back to look at her face. My mother was a beauty even at this age. She looked ever so dashing.

"I'm fine, and your father is also well." She smiled innocently. She wanted me to acknowledge my father.

"Alpha Blackwell." I barely threw him another glance, just nodded at him. He let out a displeased grunt but otherwise stayed silent, which I was grateful for. He irked him when I called him by his official name. The only reason why I allowed him here was because of my mother. She was the only link connecting us together.

"Take a seat, Mother."

She went back to her former position in the arms of her mate. I sat down on the sofa opposite them.

"You must be here for an important reason," I concluded. They rarely visited the palace except if it was for an important reason. They moved out after my coronation as demanded by our customs and traditions.

"Yes. We are." She shared a look with her father.

"And what reason might that be?" I crossed my arms against my chest.

I could already sense where this was going, but I decided to give her the respect to continue.

"We have found an Omega for you." She announced.

"An Omega?" I relaxed further in my seat. This was going to be an interesting conversation.

"Yes. I think you would like her. She's beautiful, smart and worthy to be by your side."

"What's her name?" She smiled when she saw the look of interest on my face.

Poor woman, she thought she was finally getting to me. They had been pressuring me to get a mate ever since I became the new Superior Alpha.

"Amenadiel Oxford. She's also from a good family from town 6." She added. She exchanged another look with my father. He had a suspicious look on his face.

I barely rolled my eyes. Did this Amenadiel know she was being marketed like a broodmare?

"Is that so?" I took a grape from the bowl. Father narrowed his eyes at my lax attitude.

"Yes. She would look good with you. Her family are eager for this union."

"Really? I thought she was auditioning for a position in my harem?"

"Jaxon." My mother gasped. My father let out a warning rumble.

"What?"

"I'm propositioning her to be your bride. Not join those withering Omegas with no wombs." The glare I levelled at her made her recoil back into my father.

"Careful, Mother. Alpha Blackwell was also here with those withering Omegas in his time."

The harem had a purpose in the palace. Alphas had strong sexual urges and, as a Superior, it was worse. To prevent having illegitimate children and heirs, Omegas who aren't fertile were there to satisfy our urges.

"I have had enough of this nonchalant attitude of yours. Dearest, let's go." She stood up, offended by my behaviour.

I watched her leave lost in thoughts. Perhaps was it time I lost my bachelorhood?