The Wolf King Needs an Heir by Max Rose

CHAPTER SIX

Wedding day

One week later…

Julian had never been so nervous in his life. He was getting married. Today. Almost exactly one week after saying yes to a proposal by an alpha wolf king with no engagement ring. In a few hours, a no-name nobody like Julian would be one of the most powerful wolves in Ry Novia and part of the Rylan family dynasty.

Nervous? No, more like terrified. He’d been having trouble sleeping the whole week, but last night had been the worst. He might’ve dozed for a couple hours at most. All morning, he’d been yawning and trying to keep focused with the help of coffee. He still felt dazed and slow as servants scrambled around him, and the wedding planner made it seem as if everything was counting down toward Armageddon.

One of the servants called a valet had just finished fixing the bow tie of Julian’s tuxedo. It wasn’t a rented tux. Four days ago, a tailor who only spoke Italian arrived at the palace. The tailor took Julian’s measurements, said a bunch of things in Italian while Julian smiled nervously, and then the man left. Yesterday, the tuxedo had arrived. It must have cost thousands and thousands of dollars, but it fit him perfectly, complementing his slender frame. It made him look quite handsome. All the servants said so.

That was another thing. The servants seemed to like him. They treated him like a younger sibling they were looking out for. It wasn’t disrespectful. Not that he would ever make an issue out of it if it did cross the line. He liked that the palace servants who attended to him had decided to take him under their wing. They seemed to be doing everything they could to help him overcome his nerves.

Those nerves were no joke. He couldn’t have tied his bowtie even if he’d known how to tie a bowtie because his hands were trembling so badly. The shaky hands were so bad that he would’ve spilled anything he tried to drink from a cup. Luckily, he had a water bottle. He’d only fumbled it twice so far.

“You look dashing, Your Majesty,” the valet assured him, using a title that wouldn’t fit Julian until after the vows. Julian had been struggling to remember everyone’s name—not a strong suit of his at the best of times. He was ninety percent sure the manservant’s name was Josh something. Josh was a werewolf, of course, and only a little older than Julian. He also took his job very seriously. As did the butler. As did all the other servants who waited on him.

He wasn’t used to the attention. It made him uncomfortable. But he was trying to go with the flow and not to make waves. It was their job, and they obviously took pride in it. He didn’t want to cause Edric problems because Julian wasn’t used to having servants everywhere always. Edric had far more important things on his mind. After a week of walking the gardens and dining with his future husband, Julian had picked up on the incredible pressures Edric was under as king.

But…a week. He was getting married to a man he’d only really known for a week.

It was insane. Yet, it was happening now. Today. In a few hours. They hadn’t even kissed. How crazy was that? Their first kiss would literally be after being announced as wed and mated.

Julian knew he was the problem. Edric was taking it slow for his sake. Mostly because Julian felt overwhelmed by everything, good and bad. Moving into the palace. Having his cell phone taken away for security reasons. The servants. The gourmet food. The tailored clothes. The chauffeured rides.

Part of him was grateful Edric wasn’t rushing things. Part of him wanted to have been kissed at least before tying the knot. Either way, it was too late now. He had made his choice and would stand by it. He only wished a few of his friends had been invited, but the wedding was werewolves only. They told him no humans would be allowed for security concerns, but he couldn’t help but wonder if it was something else…

Sometimes it felt as if this whole wedding had been rushed to stop Julian from getting cold feet. Or it might’ve been rushed to stop the plotting and scheming of the nobles in the wolf packs. Julian had no political skills or experience. Yet, he had the sense that a huge divide gaped between the nobles who believed in the prophecy and accepted that Julian had Silvius blood and the nobles who believed Julian was common, illegitimate scum and were outraged that Edric was mating with an omega.

Even though Edric went out of his way to protect Julian from all of this blowback, Julian didn’t intend to be some sheltered princess. He would need to find his feet and learn to stand up for himself in this wolf political world.

But he couldn’t help worrying that he’d made a mistake. A day didn’t go by that his thoughts and emotions weren’t at war with themselves, torn between believing this arranged marriage was a mistake and seeing it as one hell of an opportunity.

The valet led him to the wedding planner. She went over a bunch of stuff, but none of her words really sank in. He heard each word, but they seemed to slide off his brain like water droplets off a rain slicker. So he mostly smiled and nodded and hoped that he looked good enough in a tux that no one would know how much of an intruder he really was in this world.

The waiting made him sweat. He didn’t have anyone to “give him away.” Both his parents were gone. His friends were human and not allowed, probably because of snooty aristocrat wolves. Julian felt very alone. His heart was beating fast. His stomach felt kinked up like a garden hose. He hadn’t eaten anything, otherwise he might barf it all up. He promised to aim for the wedding planner if he did.

The marriage ceremony was being held at the palace in the grand ballroom. There were candelabras all along the corridor leading to it. Or at least that’s what he thought they were called. Huge ornate stands with dozens of candles on them. It turned the wide hallway into something filled with the warm light of hundreds of candle flames. The flames wavered as he walked past, trying to glide, trying to appear graceful. Guards stood in full dress uniform at even intervals down one side of the hall. The full servant staff stood on the other side, also at attention and in their uniforms.

Julian felt uncomfortable, nervous, but also like a VIP as he walked down the middle of the hallway. He moved with measured steps, trying not to move too fast or too slow. And not to trip and fall over. Palace photographers at either side of the hallway began taking pictures of him. If he fell over, it would be immortalized. How wonderful.

He could hear the wedding music playing as he reached the huge double doors leading to the grand ballroom. Two doormen swept the doors open in perfect unity. Their crimson uniforms had gold buttons that gleamed. He idly wondered how often they had to polish them to gleam like that.

One foot in front of the other. You can do this.

He passed through the doorway, desperately not looking at the crowds of people on either side of the crimson carpet. There must have been at least five hundred people here. They were standing and watching as he walked alone down the center of the long strip of carpet.

The grand ballroom resembled something out of a fairy tale. Huge crystal and gold chandeliers. The pillars and arches were beyond ornate. The floor was made of beautiful stonework, probably some kind of marble, all laid out in white, black, and gray patterns with what looked like gold inlay. Rich fabric curtains hung in crimsons and golds beside the huge, two-story windows. Flowers exploded with color from decorative urns. So many flowers filled the ballroom that his nose tickled with their scents.

A string ensemble was playing “Here Comes the Bride.” He heard a few snickers in the crowd, giggling because he wasn’t female. The back of his neck burned with heat. His armpits were damp with sweat. Someday he might find an antiperspirant that worked, but apparently not today, on his wedding.

He raised his chin and stared straight ahead, determined not to let their snickers hurt and humiliate him. If he was to be the king’s mate, he needed to find his dignity and inner strength and never let anyone take them from him. If this was his first test, he wanted to pass it. He wanted to make Edric proud, but he also needed to make himself proud.

A stage-like dais rose at the far end of the ballroom. The royal guard stood at attention in full regalia around the dais. Men and women in exquisite formal clothes stood in rows on each step. Some kind of priestess wearing gold and red robes and a ridiculously tall ancient-looking hat stood on the top level of the dais.

But Julian’s gaze locked onto King Edric Rylan.

Edric was standing tall on top of the dais to the right of the priestess. He wore a tuxedo as well, and it made him look gorgeous beyond belief. Those dark gray, piercing eyes were focused on him as if he were the only thing that mattered in this room full of hundreds of people. Julian took unexpected strength from those eyes. Edric’s handsome features were serious, even grave, but as Julian closed in on the dais, he recognized a hint of a smile lingering on the king’s lips. That bolstered him as well. It seemed like a smile meant only for him. Edric was tall and powerful and every inch a king, but to Julian, he seemed like a life-preserver in a stormy sea.

He seemed like a…friend.

Every step brought him closer to the dais, closer to the man who would become his husband. His lover. A man he barely knew. It was too late to turn and flee. Long past too late. He might be small, but he wasn’t a coward. He had given his word. He had said yes. He might be terrified, but one way or another, his life would change forever today because he had decided it would.

He only prayed he was doing the right thing.

Slowly, carefully, and with his heart slamming in his chest, he began to ascend the stairs. When he had nearly reached the top, Edric stepped forward and held out a hand to him. There was definitely a smile on the alpha wolf’s face now, but his eyes held a hint of something Julian thought might be pride. As if Edric knew how difficult this was for Julian and was proud of him. Proud of Julian for joining him here, now, even though Julian was alone, with no pack, no one to protect him, and no one to give him away.

His hand slipped into Edric’s hand. The king’s grip was firm, his hands surprisingly cool. It was such an odd little detail. The king had cold hands. But what was it they said? Cold hands, warm heart?

He certainly hoped so.

The two of them stood facing one another. Edric still held his hand. Julian didn’t know if that was part of the marriage rights or not. He didn’t know much about werewolf culture, to be honest. There had been a dry run for the ceremony, but Edric hadn’t been there because he had a meeting with a delegation from New Hampshire, so Julian only loosely knew what to expect.

That was okay. He would show everyone he could roll with the waves.

The world around him seemed to blur and fade to unimportance. He was totally focused on Edric, looking up into those dark eyes. His heart was in his throat. His hands were trembling. He even felt a little dizzy. But he held Edric’s hand, almost clutching it, depending on the other man’s strength to help him through.

The priestess, a handsome woman in her early fifties, began to speak. “Nobles, commoners, wolfs both highborn and low, thank you for attending this momentous joining today. The wolf clans of our kingdom will be stronger for the joining of the blood of Rylan and Silvius. Many of us have heard the words of High Seer Vali Morgan, the acolyte of Ceradine, and heard the seer’s warning. Today, whether you hold to the old ways or the new, the warning in that prophecy is nullified. Today, we are all stronger, and so is our kingdom.”

Julian barely heard the applause. It sounded rather weak. That didn’t matter. It also didn’t matter that Julian didn’t believe in prophecy, even though it was completely upending his life. Of everyone in the ballroom, he was the biggest outsider here. It was strange and ironic that he didn’t even know what the priestess meant when she talked about “the old ways and the new.” This wasn’t just marriage shock for him. It was culture shock too.

The priestess raised her hands, looking out at the crowd. “We are gathered here today to join King Edric Rylan and Julian Wilson in holy matrimony.” She turned to Edric. “Do you, King Edric Rylan, take this man to be your lawfully wedded mate, to live together in matrimony, to love, comfort, and honor him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Edric said solemnly.

Julian felt himself trembling, his breath coming fast, as he stared up into Edric’s gray eyes and that noble face. Edric only seemed to have eyes for him. His deep voice and those two words seemed to reverberate in Julian’s mind.

That vow had to have weight, didn’t it? Even though they barely knew each other. A vow to a stranger you were making your mate had to mean something. Julian needed to take heart in that much at least.

Now the priestess turned to Julian. “Do you, Julian Wilson, take this man to be your lawfully wedded mate, to live together in matrimony, to love, comfort, and honor him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold from this day forward for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” His voice barely shook when he said it. He didn’t hesitate. After all, it was far too late for second thoughts. He needed to look forward. He needed to embrace this new, exciting and terrifying life.

The ring bearer, a Rylan family cousin, had already delivered the rings to the priestess. She gave one gold band to Edric and the other to Julian. He clutched it tight in his free hand, the hand Edric wasn’t holding, because he was afraid he’d drop it. If he dropped the ring and it rolled down the steps… That wouldn’t be good.

The priestess raised her hands to the gathered crowd. “King Edric and Julian will exchange rings as a symbol of their vows and their unending love.” She turned to Edric again. “As you place the ring on Julian’s finger, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed and pledge to you my love, now and forever.”

Edric gently lifted Julian’s hand and slipped the gold ring on Julian’s finger. The ring was etched with the Rylan crest and the Silvius family crest intertwined. They must have paid an arm and a leg to get the work done in time for the ceremony.

“With this ring,” Edric solemnly said, “I thee wed and pledge to you my love, now and forever.”

“Julian,” the priestess said, turning to him. “As you place this ring on King Edric’s finger, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed and pledge to you my love, now and forever.”

Julian took Edric’s hand. He knew Edric could feel his hands trembling as he put the ring on the king’s finger. He was too nervous to even be embarrassed about that.

“With this ring,” he said, his voice wavering, but then he took a deep breath and did his best to sound as if he married a king every other Thursday. “I thee wed and pledge to you my love, now and forever.”

“By the authority vested in me by the Goddess of the Moon, the Kingdom of Ry Novia, the throne, and the nobles of every pack beneath our banner, and by the old ways and the new, I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss your mate.”

Julian couldn’t breathe. His heart was pounding faster than ever. His mind felt strangely blank.

Edric leaned in, his eyes seeming to bore into Julian with their intensity. Julian tilted his head a little as Edric’s lips moved toward his. He closed his eyes when Edric kissed him. This was their first kiss. And it was taking place in front of hundreds and hundreds of people he didn’t know.

But then Edric was kissing him and that no longer mattered. The tender press of warm lips against his own had stolen all his attention and held it completely.

Edric drew back, and Julian opened his eyes to find the king smiling tenderly at him. The two of them turned to face the audience, holding hands. They stood together, now married, facing a crowd that didn’t seem all that enthusiastic about what had just happened. He didn’t know if it was him or if werewolf weddings were less fun than human ones, but he had his suspicions. It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to let the lack of approval of strangers sour his life. If he did, he had the feeling he would never be happy.

Polite applause broke out as the string ensemble began to play.

He walked down the dais steps with Edric still holding his hand. They headed down the aisle together. People were congratulating the king. A few of them said things to Julian, but while he tried to smile at them, their words didn’t seem to register. He wasn’t sure if he couldn’t hear them clearly over the music or if his brain had stopped understanding the language entirely.

They left through the main ballroom entrance, guards, advisors, and select nobles falling in around them in a procession. Photographers darted around, snapping pictures. Julian knew they were headed to the reception in the royal gardens, but he wasn’t sure he had any appetite. And dinner wouldn’t even be the end of the night, either. He still had dancing to do. And the cake-eating business. And after that…

Edric leaned in and murmured in his ear as they walked down the grand hall.

“I meant what I said, my new mate,” Edric said, his breath delightfully warm on Julian’s skin. “I will make you love me. And I’m going to prove it to you for the rest of our lives together.”