The Alpha's Mother-In-Law's Forbidden Love (The Cresta Chronicles)

Ravyn POV

After breakfast, she adjusted the bride's dress inside the empty ballroom, which still had bits of streamers and decorations and flowers on the floor despite a thorough cleaning. "You don't have to bite him, you know."

Kulenza, Royal Mage of Nauru and Prince Makhel's betrothed, flashed her sharp orc teeth, even more impressive than a wolf shifter's teeth. "I don't mind. And I don't mind if he bites me, either."

Makhel, who wore the traditional red-and-green wedding outfit and his crown, looked more in love than anyone would expect from an orc warrior prince. His hazy, moonstruck eyes followed his bride-to-be everywhere. "I don't mind if I do."

They giggled together. Giggled. The laughter of two people hopelessly in love who'd waited for so long to pledge their lives to each other.

The royal couple's close friends, Jiro, Garnet, Cyran, Naomi, Patch, and Anneliese, stood beside them as witnesses. They'd waited for three years to attend Makhel's and Kulenza's royal wedding. Dane, Lilia, Azandra, Kyon, Thessi, Dirge, and many of their family also lined up as witnesses. This wasn't the official ceremony, of course ... Makhel wanted his mother, Queen Durgat, to be well enough to attend. 

Ravyn looked at Makhel earnestly. "Makhel, I promise you, every witch in the Wildefell Witch Circle will try to solve the riddle of your mother's illness so that you two can have your dream wedding finally."

"They already have, Luna," Makhel responded, his black eyes melancholy. "Every witch has tried every spell they can think of, even some of the ..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "The forbidden ones."

With amusement, Ravyn whispered back, "Probably not the first time, and don't let them tell you any differently."

Makhel paused. "I was thinking about something ... something I have been reluctant to do for so many reasons. But the answer seems obvious."

Leaning close to him, enough to smell his breakfast, Ravyn asked, "What is it?"

She thought she knew. Makhel's palace protected the gateway to the Shrine of Last Hopes, the sacred place that had saved Cyran and Tulaska. But getting there was not for the casual or the foolish, and even if travelers succeeded in finding the shrine, they still had to survive the Pallamarok Rite of Soul Fusion. 

Makhel leaned in. "We'll discuss it before we return to Nauru. In the meantime ..."

"Right. You want to get married." 

Ravyn patted his shoulder and stepped back to take her place beside Jude so that they could perform the bonding ceremony beside Eirika, Tulaska, and Roslynn. 

All five of them chanted prayers to the Moon Goddess, and Kulenza knelt before Makhel, holding his hands.

Next, Jude smiled, spreading his hands. "Since the first full moon, Lunas have submitted to their Alphas in all things."

Ravyn added, "This doesn't mean that the Luna or queen is a slave, or a possession. It simply means that the Alpha or king will protect, care for, guide, provide for, and love the Luna. In return, the Luna or queen will care for, respect, honor, love, and give everything to the Alpha. This submission is a sacred bond that's never to be taken lightly, or abused."

Jude's face was serene. "Indeed, it takes a strong individual to submit to someone, to place yourself in your mate's hands. To belong to your mate completely, body and soul. Makhel and Kulenza of Nauru, is it your intention to be bonded today before this gathering and the Moon Goddess?"

Makhel and Kulenza said, "Yes."

"Kulenza," Ravyn intoned. "Recite the words that will bind you to Makhel for eternity."

Gazing at him, Kulenza gripped Makhel's hands in her warm ones, "From this moment on, I pledge my love, my life, and my soul to you. I promise to be your partner, your Luna, your protector, and your friend, for the rest of our lives. I will submit to you as the submissive partner. I take you as my mate, to love, honor, and cherish, until the end of time and beyond. With this vow, I submit to you as my dominant partner, forever and always."

With a growl, Makhel said, "I accept your submission. From this moment on, I pledge my love, my life, and my soul to you. I promise to be your partner, your protector, your Alpha, and your friend, for the rest of our lives. I will rule you with kindness, fairness, and love as the dominant partner. I take you as my mate, to love, honor, and cherish, until the end of time and beyond."

His voice thick, Makhel added, "With this vow, I rule you as my submissive partner, forever and always."

Jude, Eirika, Tulaska, and Roslynn sang a bonding song, eerie and beautiful, while Ravyn sang the marriage blessing from the Goddess Brigid.

Makhel hauled Kulenza to her feet, and he sank his teeth into her neck. She gasped, her eyes rolling, and then gave him a fierce claiming bite that made all the wolves howl in admiration.

Jude declared, "I now proclaim you two bonded in the eyes of the pack, and accept you as honorary members of the Silverpaw Pack."

Blood at the corners of their mouths, Makhel and Kulenza kissed passionately, to wild and joyous applause from the bonding party. 

Radiating happiness, Makhel and Kulenza thanked Ravyn and Jude. "It feels wonderful to be married," Makhel declared in his deep voice. "Even if it's not official yet in the eyes of our people, at least we can never be parted."

Kulenza snorted. "In our people's eyes, we already are married, my husband."

Makhel looked misty-eyed, for an orc. "Well ... it's still not official."

Ravyn's heart ached for Makhel. He'd been ruling as king for years in all but title, and unable to marry the love of his life, all because he honored his mother and wanted her at his wedding. She'd helped search for a cure for the noble Queen Durgat without success.

That might leave only one option.

The Pallamarok Rite of Soul Fusion.

She knew Makhel hated to put his wife and his mother through that, but sometimes, the worst option was the only one. Maybe after the orc royal couple enjoyed a few days' honeymoon in the shifter lands, Ravyn could convince them that it wasn't a good thing for either their marriage, the kingdom, or the queen to let this tragic situation drag on.

She cleared her throat. "Makhel, Kulenza, what are you still doing here? Go and celebrate any way you like. You're on your honeymoon."

Patch put a finger to his lips. "We won't tell anyone."

Jiro added with a hint of mischief, "As far as anyone knows, you're still celebrating Alpha Jude's and Luna Ravyn's bonding."

Ravyn could feel a buzzing in her ears, and then Hades whispered, "Curse."

Ravyn stepped away with Jude, keeping their heads together and their voices low. He smelled spicier, as if Hades wanted to assert himself. "I heard Hades."

Jude nodded. "He says Queen Durgat is cursed. Possibly by her own children. Makhel's brothers and sisters. But the curse was meant for Makhel too."

Horrified, Ravyn asked, "Then why wasn't he affected?"

Hades said through the link, "Unknown. Maybe he wasn't near his mother at the time. Maybe it was a curse that had limited range. I'd need to go to Nauru to investigate."

"Why didn't anyone realize this--all these healers?" Jude asked, troubled.

Hades answered in both their minds. "Not all curses are obvious. This one is devilishly clever. Fiendishly clever. Similar to--"

Jude answered, the realization feeling like a thunderbolt through the bond, "The curse you put on Daxius."

Hades had a dark smile in his voice. "Exactly."

"Can we astral travel in dreams to find the answer?" Ravyn asked out loud. "Maybe have Kelara and Talon help us? It's worth a try."

Jude answered, his expression troubled, "First things first. Should we tell Makhel and Kulenza what we know?"