Damien's pov
Drake's face paled at my question, shifting uncomfortably on his chair.
“I am deeply sorry your highness, I didn't know. My Queen, please accept my humble apologies” he begged, looking at my mate.
“It's alright” Alari whispered, making the greedy bastard sigh in relief but I wasn't about to let his blantant disrespect of me as his King and my mate go unpunished.
“Thank you my Queen” he bowed and thought he could just go back to his plate.
“Strip him of his title, banish him even” Lucien said and Drake snapped his head back to me.
“What?!” Drake exclaimed, eyes almost bulging out their sockets.
“Both?” I asked as my lips curled into a smirk.
Everyone in the dining hall started whispering insults, and surprisingly, their insults were directed at my mate.
“He apologized” Alari said, pleading with her eyes. “Just let it go, I'm fine” she said, her eyes on the verge of tearing up.
I sighed, deciding to drop it, I didn't want to upset her even more, plus the humming whispers were annoying the shit out of me, what the hell was wrong with this pack?!
“Alright love” I said giving her a smile. I gave Drake a glare that clearly said it wasn't over and he gulped.
I went back to putting food on the plate when a voice, a little louder now, spoke up.
“I don't believe this! The freak without a wolf is mated to the Lycan King? Her parents clearly did something!” A black haired girl caked in make up said with a glare directed at Alari.
“What did you call my mate?!” I questioned, my voice dualed as Roman pushed forward, getting fed up with everyone disrespecting our mate.
The girl paled, her face dropping as she shivered in fear. It didn't look like she expected her words to reach us but my sense of hearing was beyond anything they knew and I heard her as clear as day.
Why the hell was everyone acting like I couldn't rip their heads off?!
“I asked you a question?!” I growled directing my Alpha command at her when she didn't respond.
She shivered violently, tears rolling down her face as my command caused her physical pain. “I.. no.. nothing” she said with a lot of difficulty as the command forced her to speak up.
“Please!” She begged, looking faint and paler than a sheet as she tried to fight it, knowing the amount of trouble she would be in if she dared repeat those disgusting words.
“Damien, she's in pain” Alari said, putting her hand on mine and I stopped my assult on the girl.
“I'm starting to hate it here and why the hell would an elf have a wolf?” Lucien questioned and everyone turned to look at him, including my mate.
“What?” My mate whispered as she looked at Lucien with wide eyes.
He looked at her confused and I also wondered what it was that had her looking so shocked.
“Please your highness, my pack and I mean no disrespect towards you and your mate” Alpha Thomas said and causing a low growl to rip out of me, Roman already fed up with them.
“We have our mate, we should leave!” He growled and as much as I wanted to, we couldn't, not yet anyway.
“Let's do what we came here to do, then we'll leave at first light” I said with a sigh, as much as I wanted to whisk my mate away from this place, I had a duty to perform, a duty that would ensure her safety as my Queen.
“The inability to keep your pack under control says a lot about you as an Alpha, I hope your son can do better” I said, moving my glare from Thomas to the little shit that hurt my mate.
But I guess I do have to thank him, or this elven beauty wouldn't be mine.
The room grew quiet and everyone focused on their food. Picking up some food with my fork, I brought it to Alari's lips, watching as she grew red, looking at me with wide eyes.
“Eat” I said, urging her with a smile and she reluctantly opened up, letting me feed her.
We continued like that until she said she was full, and I quickly finished up, needing some alone time with my mate.
I didn't want to be around people that would make me look like a monster in front of my mate.
“You highness, we must discuss the details of the ceremony, it is in a few hours” the Luna said as Alari and I got up to leave.
“Lucien will handle everything, including her punishment for calling my mate a freak!” I said, glaring at the bimbo, who paled in fear.
I took my mate's hand and left, wanting to be alone with her. Something was off with this pack and she was going to tell me.
She took me to the Alpha floor this time, the room looking more like a small apartment.
Instead of sitting on the bed, we sat on the alcove, and I took a moment to admire the view of the pack.
Facing each other, I watched her eyes tear up as she looked outside, and I felt helpless, seeing the pain her eyes and not knowing how to take it away.
“Why does it feel like I won't like what you're going to tell me?” I asked as I pulled her closer to me, hoping the contact will make her feel better.
“Because you probably won't” she said, playing with her fingers.
“Tell me everything” I said, my voice lowering as my anger started simmering.
“I'm afraid” she whispered, a lone tear rushing down her face.
“What are you afraid of Alari” I asked, cupping her cheek after wiping the year away.
“That you won't want me anymore after I tell you” she laughed bitterly as more tears streamed down her quickly reddening face.
“Nothing you say could make me change my mind about you. I have every intention of making you mine and nothing will change that” I said, cupping her face with both my hands.
She took a while to calm down and I made sure I held her close until she was ready to talk.
“The pack doesn't like me, well, it's more hate than dislike. My looks earned the name freak quite early on and when I didn't shift at sixteen, I became an outcast. I've never really belonged but having a weak wolf made it worse. I can't fight and defend my pack in a an attack so I'm basically useless” she said, keeping her eyes focused outside the window.
“So, I clean up after them, do the things they don't want to do, it's the only way I can be of use to the pack” she said, loneliness and resentment telling of the pain she's been feeling throughout the years.
“They treat our mate like a slave?! Give me control, let me burn this pack to the ground!!!!” Roman roared, his anger my own.
I could tell there was much more she wasn't telling me, that dumb slut called her a freak and no one reacted, they were used to doing it.
“And the Alpha knows about this?” I asked, needing to know if there was anyone to be spared.
“Yes” she whispered, drying her tears as she kept her gaze outside.
A low growl erupted from my chest, I was fuming! What kind of Alpha allows such treatment of their pack members?!
“Dont worry my love, it's all over now” I said, pulling her to sit on my lap. Not only did I want to comfort her but I liked her there, she belonged there.
“Don't kill anyone, please” she pleaded and I smirked, knowing damn well she knew why my scent was infused with blood.
“Tell me more about you, your family” I said, changing the subject before she convinced me to spare this filthy pack.
“You're changing the subject” she said rolling her eyes and I smiled, wiping away the last of her tears.
“Yes, now tell me” I said, smiling as she leaned into my hand.
“My parents are… witches” she said, looking away from me as the news hit me hard.
“What?!” Was all I could say, how the hell did an elf have witches for parents?! Were they using her for her magic?!
“They're not bad people, I swear!” She rushed out, raising her head to face me.
“They adopted me, raised me and love me very much. They're good people, a seer and a healer” she said, making my mind spin.
I knew of a healer that was married to a seer once. Could it be them? And come to think of it, Alari looked oddly familiar.
“I trust you then” I said, hoping to confirm my suspicions when I finally meet them.
“Alari, do you know what you are?” I asked, already suspecting her answer, I doubt her parents would tell her, given the history between the two species.
She shook her head, looking at me curiously. I didn't blame her, after the dark elves went into hiding, all knowledge of them was erased as well, not many knew of them now.
“I just know I have a weak wolf” she said, causing my curiosity to grow. She had said it before but it had slipped my mind from all that anger I was feeling.
“Alari, it's impossible for you to have a wolf” I said, making her frown.
“No, it's not, I can sense her” Roman said, sounding surprised and a little unsure. Alari would have to accept me as her mate for Roman to be sure.
“But I do, I feel her sometimes” she said, her expression growing more confused.
It seemed as though so much had been kept from her, probably for her protection, which was now my responsibility.
“Sweetheart, we need to have a chat with your parents” I said, watching a bit of fear and anger cross her eyes as she looked away.
“They won't tell us anything, I've been trying for years” she said, her face showing the resentment she felt about the topic.
“They will tell me” I said with a smirk, I was the King, no one denied me, not even witches!
“I hope so” she said with a sigh, her eyes wandering over the horizon.
“Right now though, I need you to do something for me” I said, adjusting her so she was straddling me.
“What is it?” She asked, her head tilting to the side a bit.
“I need you to accept me as your mate sweetheart” I said, a small smile playing at my lips.
“Okay” she said, her eyes brightening up.
“I, Damien Knight, accept you, Alari, as my mate” I said, feeling my bond with her strengthen.
“I, Alari, accept you, Damien Knight, as my mate” she said, and then gasped as our bond grew stronger.
I could feel the connection to her mind form and through that, I felt her beast and knew for sure that she wasn't just a wolf.
Sparks flew from me to her wherever our skin touched and it felt glorious. A burning desire grew within me and I wanted nothing more than to take her, make her mine till the end of time.
“Hello mate” Roman said to Alari, taking advantage of the new mental link we had.
She gasped, her eyes wide and disbelief written all over her face.
“How did you do that?!” She exclaimed making me laugh.
“Accepting me as your mate creates a link between our minds” I said, watching her excitement grow.
“Wow, so that's what a mind link feels like! Was that your wolf? I mean Lycan?” She asked, looking like a child in a candy store.
“Yes, that was Roman” I said, trying to keep my own smile at bay.
“Nice to meet you Roman” she linked back, giggling as she bounced on my lap, making my hard dick strain painfully against my pants.
“Pleasure's all mine darling” Roman responded with a small growl.
“This is the best day of my life, thank you” she said and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before realising what she was doing and pulled back.
Eyes wide as she looked at me in shock and fear.