Arius's expression darkened, "I had expected your son to come with you but since the alpha said so he had an urgent matter I understand. I will send an envoy with the bride to accompany her. I hope the alpha won't mind," he said.
Arius could feel something was off so he should be careful.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand nodded and then tightened his lips in a thin line. He was to be blamed for being fooled by a brat. His grandson was supposed to be responsible, but he was just out of control!
Thanks to him, he lost his face in front of the vampires! He looked like a joker right now.
Earlier this morning, Orson Disappeared. He messaged his subordinate to do everything to find him, tie him if possible, and warn him to take over his position as the Alpha from him if he didn't show up at the party. But they could not find him!
He was the Supreme Alpha of all the alphas! All the werewolves should obey him including his grandson.
"King Arius, King Ferdinand." Both men turned their heads towards Igor, trailing behind him a woman, she was in her mid-thirties wearing a white shirt and black skirt, tying her hair in a ponytail, she appeared as someone going to work.
"Since both of you are here and following the Council's protocol concerning marriage between races. Could you show me where the bride and the groom are staying?" Igor said.
King Arius went to his cousin followed by Igor and the woman, he told Sophie to show them the bride's room. When the three went away, Arius turned to talk with the Alpha.
"The wedding will be today?" He asked.
"Yes, King Arius. Rest assured."
.
Lucette sat on the bed playing with her fingers, her heartbeat fastened every passing second. Suddenly, the door opened, and the vampiress walked in with an old man and a skinny woman.
The alpha king and his wife?
Lucette bowed her head slightly then she heard a chuckle. "There is no need for that. We are here just to talk with you," the old man said and Lucette looked at him.
"You must be the bride-to-be," he said, looking at her.
Lucette didn't talk but when the vampiress glared at her, she nodded.
"I am Igor Castellan, the head of the council and this is Madam Eleanor Norris, the inter-races relationship department's director," he pointed at the woman beside him.
Lucette stood there froze. "Hello," she murmured and tried to smile genuinely. She didn't know what to tell or how to interact with them. It was good that the vampiress talked and offered them to sit.
Lucette faced the old man as he spoke, "You, as a vampire, are going to be married to a werewolf so, as per the law of the council. We will approve the marriage once we agree to it. It is a normal procedure just to assure that you accept the marriage willingly, and to prevent unnecessary disputes in the future," the old man said. His tone was friendly with a smile on his face.
It was one matter the council had to deal with, to ensure that both sides didn't want to create problems through this kind of relationship and risk the peace between races.
The head of the council?
Lucette took her time to digest what the man said. 'To check if I accepted the marriage willingly?' Lucette gazed at the vampiress who smiled at her, but she knew the meaning of that smile. She swallowed hard and lowered her gaze.
'What am I going to do? It is a good chance to tell the truth, but the consequences will be bad.'
As if the man sensed her odd behaviour, he requested to be alone with her, and the vampiress left the room reluctantly.
When the door closed. "So…" the man said, signalling for her to speak.
"Oh, Lucette, my name is Lucette," she responded and stood up fast, the man laughed at her and told her to sit down which she did quietly, flustered about what she did.
"So, Miss Lucette, tell me, did anyone force you to accept the marriage or did you accept the marriage on your own?" he asked; this time the gentle smile he showed turned into a caring expression.
"I-I…" she didn't know what to say!
Choosing between two difficult options, to stay and be punished or risk her life in a foreign land. There was not any choice better than the other.
"Lucette, you only have to say the truth, don't worry no one will hurt you if you did," Igor said.
Lucette thought for a while and closed her eyes "I never accepted to be wed. I am just a maid who replaced the actual bride, that's it," she said in one breath. She chose to stay.
hopefully, I won't regret my decision.
"Good, it's good," the man said, smiling at her.
'What does he mean?'
The man turned to the woman and told her to give him some files when she did that; he put a file before her and put a pen beside it on the large transparent table.
Lucette frowned and looked at him questionably when she was about to ask.
"When you sign this file, all your worry will disappear," he said, putting his finger above the spot she was going to sign.
"You mean I will not have to marry?" she asked, and the man nodded shortly.
Lucette eyed the file, she wanted to read its content but his chubby hand covered most of its part. She could barely recognize the words.
If signing this paper meant no marriage, then she would do it delightfully.
Lucette grabbed the pen, and her hand shook. She could hear the voice of the vampiress that day many years ago ringing in her head. She struggled to calm herself and sign the paper, all her focus was on the paper as she didn't want people eying her with pity.
When she finished, she raised her head, and the man smiled at her. He thanked her and took the file away, then he excused himself.
The old man exited the chamber with the woman tailing him. Lucette was dazed from what happened a moment ago, and then she laughed.
.
Igor walked towards the hall with a servant guiding him.
"Sir, if you know they forced the maid to marry, then why did you give her the marriage certificate to sign it?" the woman asked in a low voice.
Igor stopped walking and smiled sinisterly. "Eleanor, you didn't hear or see anything tonight," he said, and the woman gulped and nodded. Igor walked toward the hall. 'if she was smart enough, then she would shut her mouth.'
He did the right thing coming here by himself. He smirked, playing with his black pen.