Then, from the opposite end of the path - being escorted by his cousin Koto - was Raja.
My heart skipped a beat.
In his pure white attire, sparkling adornment of jewelry, and the contrast of his dark hair and lashes, he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
The length of time they took to approach the platform was nearly tortuous. Time seemed to slow, preventing Raja from being by my side. I grew frustrated by the distance between us.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Koto and Raja paused at the base of the platform. Eka nodded to Koto, who bowed politely and stepped aside. Raja, with his proudly raised chin and the same unblinking, intense eyes as his father, climbed the platform with a single step.
When he stood by my side, my heart leapt into my throat. My fingers twitched, wanting desperately to intertwine our hands.
Suddenly, Eka stood. He threw his head back and let out a long roar that shook the rainforest. When it subsided, he shifted back to human form, with the golden fang necklace still around his neck. Kali handed him his cane, and then he approached me with a serious expression.
“Lorenzo Drakinus,” he said. “The Silver Beast.”
He gestured now to Raja.
“Raja Kesuma,” he continued, then his face broke into a gentle smile. “My son.”
Raja lifted his chin with pride.
Eka turned and faced the gathered villagers, folding his hands primly on the head of his cane. “My friends and family… And my old friend, Chief Sotu of the Skrofra boar shifter clan. I am honored to have you here to witness my son’s wedding ceremony.”
The man in the front row who smiled at me earlier nodded at Eka now. He must have been Sotu. That explained the boar tusk necklace.
“I would not miss it,” Sotu said.
Eka nodded, then continued his speech. “Twenty years ago, I had a vision. A vision of a great, awe-inspiring silver beast with huge wings and sharp claws hovering over my newborn son. At the time, Kali and I were afraid. But now we know it was not a vision of a cursed future, as we originally suspected. No… It was instead a blessing in disguise.”
He raised his arms and continued. “We know now that the silver beast - Lorenzo Drakinus - is Raja’s fated mate. Today, we celebrate a new beginning. We celebrate the union of this alpha and omega, who are destined to be together. Their destiny is written in the stars, in the flow of the river, in the tiny sprouting plant… They are fated.”
Beside me, Raja didn’t fidget or move. He made no indication that he didn’t believe what his father was saying. If he was still lying to himself, he was doing a good job of it. Nobody would have suspected that this was all a sham.
“Raja,” Eka continued. “You are my one and only child.” He faced me. “Lorenzo Drakinus, will you promise to protect your mate, Raja, until your dying breath?”
“Yes, I do,” I promised.
“Raja,” Eka said, facing his son. “Do you promise to be loyal and loving to your mate, Lorenzo, until your dying breath?”
“I do,” Raja promised without hesitation. He reached for my hand. Our fingers intertwined. His hands were warm and soft.
Once again, I felt a pang of sympathy for Raja’s parents. I wondered if he felt any remorse about lying to them. But wasn’t it worth it for his freedom? That was a question only Raja could answer.
Eka reached for the necklace. He slipped it off his head, then carefully around Raja. The golden leopard fang sparkled like fire. It looked beautiful against his white shirt. I was struck by how handsome he was. Any alpha would be lucky to have him. Hell,Iwas lucky to have him - even if it was temporary for this fake marriage.
But I wished it wasn’t.
Eka’s booming voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “From this day forward, Lorenzo and Raja will live as one. You may kiss.”
We exchanged glances. I hadn’t known this would happen. I was expecting something different, since it was a different culture, but now I was being told to kiss Raja in front of everyone. My heart raced. My eyes locked onto his lips.
But Raja didn’t hesitate. He pushed himself up on his toes and pressed his lips to mine. Instantly, my alpha instincts took over. I gently grasped the back of his head and kissed him back.
The villagers erupted into cheers and clapping. Even Sotu in his old age managed to clapped vigorously. I figured that was our signal to break it off. Raja’s eyes sparkled mischievously. As soon as our kiss ended, he darted in and gave me another peck on the lips, as if he was getting the last word in. For some reason, the second unexpected kiss made my face burn up.
Eka laughed. “Now, let us celebrate their marriage with a feast!”
The whole area was filled with warmth and happiness. Immediately, people rushed to prepare the tables and food. Kali ran up to Raja and embraced him in a huge hug.
