Chapter 40

Elena’s POV

King Harvey stands me in front of an aisle in the middle of the forest. To the right and left of me are werewolves, all waiting and watching. I swallow nervously as I remind myself to breathe. King Harvey squeezes my shoulders and whispers to me. “You can do this, Elena. These werewolves are allies and they just want to sense your bravery. You will be fine. Walk like you did at the church.”

“Are you sure?” I breathe. A glance to my left shows a bigger brown wolf, snarling viscously at me, bearing fangs and spit.

I inch closer to King Harvey, who shoos the wolf away.

“You will be fine, I will protect you if anything goes wrong, Elena. The faster you pass, the faster we mate.”

I can see why he is in a hurry, and my fear of these werewolves lead me to begin to step quickly down the aisle, when King Harvey’s mother’s voice booms from behind me.

“If you are to fall, human, and you will. You fail. Harvey, I have decided I do not want a half-breed in this family. Your cousin is such a disgrace, so are you, Elena, and your future kin. Take her from the aisle before I will!”

“Elena, go!” King Harvey yells at me over the snarling of wolf teeth. “Mother, how dare you do this to us! Elena and I are already wed!”

“Human customs mean nothing to a werewolf, Harvey!” King Harvey’s mother roars back, howling for as long as she can.

The wolves that surround me howl with her.

I hear King Harvey start to argue with his mother violently in that language that I don’t know. I hear a slap between them and glance over my left shoulder to see King Harvey holding his left cheek, blood gushing down the side of his face.

When he screams, it is one of human rage.

My heart drops to the floor. Only King Harvey is on my side at this point, there are at least 20 werewolves around me, if not more.

King Harvey is a king, but can he kill everyone here?

Can I survive?

I have no time to look back as I move forward as quickly as I can, trying not to trip on my wedding dress. A black wolf lunges at me, in front of me. His fangs graze my right foot, and the hate in his eyes makes me freeze.

Move, move! I demand of myself as a light grey wolf snaps at me from my left, his mouth so close to my left ankle I can feel his hot breath surrounding my foot. Lightly, I tap at him with the front of my heel and land right on his nose.

He yelps and moves back, but three more start to charge up at me, running and howling. There claws scar the forest floor and I dash off, hearing their clattering paws from behind me.

Two more wolves run in front of me and begin to howl, opening and closing their mouths as I get closer.

I want to call for King Harvey, but I know his mother will take great joy in my begging for help. Thinking fast, I rip the veil off my head and throw it at them as a distraction.

Their fangs rip into my veil, and I find it easier to run around them.

I am halfway down the aisle now, but a massive werewolf, panting with a foaming mouth appears before me. He is the size of four wolves put together, and I look into his eyes.

This is King Harvey’s father.

I can tell by his black fur that is close to his scalp like his human form is.

He inches towards me, and I hear King Harvey yell ferally.

His father stops moving at once and King Harvey suddenly lands in front of me. He grabs me and dips me, then shoves his fangs into my pre-mating mark. His hand lands to cover my open mouth as I do everything not to scream.

I squeak in pain.

King Harvey, after an eternity of heat and feeling faint, pulls away from me. My body feels drained of every ounce of blood, and I breathe shakily. King Harvey slowly guides me to stand on my feet, but I lean into him.

My eyes roll back in my head and my body feels paralyzed. The fear of being paralyzed keeps me conscious.

“Did you not witness the mating ceremony is complete?” King Harvey yells. “She is my mate!!”

The wolves around us stop howling at once. I hear King Harvey fill his lungs with air and he howls. This howl is long and painful.

All the wolves howl back at him, low and mournful.

“King Harvey?”

“They have accepted you, by force, Elena. That does not mean this journey will be easy for either of us, but all that matters is that I love you.”

“I-I love you too...” I whisper as I manage to open my eyes.

King Harvey bundles me in his arms and carries me down the aisle down to the entrance of it. Automatically, I see why all the wolves bow their heads at me. Yet, the massive werewolves are nowhere to be found.

“Elena, Mother and Father are nearby. They witnessed what happened, but I would like for them to know for sure that this is a just mating.”

“A just…mating?” I breathe.

Looking up at him, I see a brilliant smile illuminating his face. “Elena, do you mind if we mate nearby? We shall be alone.”

“Oh,” I breathe. A spark of desire flies down my middle. “Well, yes I want to.”

“Perfect.” King Harvey leans down and kisses me so passionately I am scared he will drop me, then in two flashes he has us in a clearing.

“Uh… K- “

“Lie down, Elena.” He urges.

“A-are you sure?” I whisper.

King Harvey simply nods, and I really don’t care that we are in a clearing, we are alone. King Harvey’s eyes are now fully silver and overflowing with desire.

The warmth of his body expands as he lowers me to the forest floor, the grass feels soft.

King Harvey lowers himself over me and hovers, stripping himself quickly of his suit and shirt. Naturally, my hands dig at his chest and move to wrap around his neck. The kiss he gives me would have killed me months ago.

“It is time, Elena, the mating ceremony has taken my heart. I will take care of you, I promise.” King Harvey breathes relief into his words as he kisses me again, now pulling my dress down.

I stop him from ripping it off entirely as I tap on his back, it would be embarrassing to be topless at the honeymoon suite.

Lifting myself up slightly, I smile when King Harvey instantly understands and unzips my dress. It automatically comes off with a few tugs from King Harvey, and he groans out loud when his hands move to cup my chest.

“Relax.” I warn.

The two fangs shining fangs greet me and he laughs. “I will not harm my mate, Elena. Ever.”