The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate

As Esme approached Lennox, who was dressed in the ceremonial white attire befitting a king, he offered his gloved hand to Esme, and she took it. Together, the two of them made their way to the altar.

Lennox lifted the golden goblet Leonardo had handed him, the spoon’s gentle clink against the glass capturing the attention of the entire assembly.

Esme’s eyes dropped to the floor, her face growing warm as the room’s focus shifted to them. The stillness in the air was thick, but Lennox’s voice resonated through the silence.

"Tonight, as we mark the Lunar event, I have a special announcement to share with everyone. Many of you may already know that before my father’s passing, an alliance was formed between him and the late Alpha Damon of the Therondia pack. I am pleased to announce that his beautiful daughter, Esme, and I will be solidifying that bond through marriage. We would be honored if you could join us in celebrating our union, which will take place in the coming week."

The room erupted into whispers, surprised gasps, and applause when he was done. Meanwhile, Esme almost went deaf when he said they’d be getting married in just a week. The mourning of her pack wasn’t over yet, so why the rush? Many questions swirled in her head, but she failed to voice it out to the king.

Esme’s face froze into a bright smile as guests approached to offer their rehearsed congratulations. Servants assisted her in receiving gifts, and she exchanged polite words with the well-wishers, as they were known for.

Just then, Leonardo appeared with a middle-aged man, whose gentle demeanor put Esme at ease in the most inexplicable way. The man’s raven dark hair was neatly parted, and his frail frame made him appear shorter than Leonardo, but his kind face was a welcoming sight.

The man bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty," he said, but Lennox interrupted him, concern etched on his face.

"Uncle, what are you doing here? You’re not well, and you’ve traveled all this way." The worry in his eyebrows were evident, but the man shook his head gently.

"Leo told me about the announcement. How could I possibly miss it?"

Lennox gestured to the man beside Leonardo. "Esme, this is my father’s trusted advisor, but to me, he’s like an uncle. And of course, he’s Leonardo’s father." He introduced, and Esme bowed in respect, but the man waved it off.

"No no, please don’t bow to me. I’m honored to meet you, miss Esme."

"It’s nice to meet you too, sir," Esme replied with a warm smile. So, this was Leonardo’s father.

Leonardo crossed his arms as he said, "He refused to listen to the healer’s orders to rest in bed, so he came here instead. I was hoping my mother would stop him but..."

"If I can’t stop him, I might as well come along with him." A beautiful woman with raven dark hair styled in an elegant updo appeared beside them. Her warm, friendly aura was undeniable, just like Leonardo’s father.

Lennox’s smile broadened at the sight of her. "Aunt, you came as well. Did Uncle drag you here because he refused to get some rest?"

She chuckled at his question, her deep brown sparkling. "I couldn’t let him come alone, could I? He wanted to see all of you, and so did I. I must say, I’m thrilled to finally meet your betrothed as well." Her warm gaze turned to Esme, who smiled politely.

Lennox introduced them, and Clandestine eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled. "You’re as lovely as your mother. Your father’s genes clearly didn’t put up a fight. Please, call me Aunt if you’re comfortable with it."

Esme’s eyes widened at the mention of her mother. "You knew my mother?" She asked, and Clandestine nodded. "We were close friends before she passed away. You resemble her greatly. Oh, and where’s your little brother? I never had the chance to see him after his birth. I hope he’s doing well."

Esme nodded, touched by her concern. Irwin, Leonardo’s father, added, his voice calm and soothing, "We hope you can visit us at our home during your free time. That is the only way we can convince our son to spend more quality time with us." There was a gentle playfulness in his tone, and Leonardo rolled his eyes.

Esme wondered how Leonardo, with his reserved demeanor, came from such loving parents.

Lennox chuckled heartily at Irwin’s words. "I will personally send Leo to you, just let me know when you miss him and I shall send him your way. In the meantime, you’ll be staying at the palace until after our wedding. He will show the both of you to your rooms."

"Follow me," Leonardo said, keeping his tone professional even in front of his loving parents, and he led them away.

Noticing the curiosity in Esme’s eyes, Lennox explained. "Don’t worry about Leonardo, he’s just being himself. He cares deeply for his family, but struggles to show it. His father’s illness has been a major concern for years, so he’s unhappy that his father insisted on coming to the Palace, despite his poor health. I must admit though, I envy the bond he shares with his family."

Lennox’s gaze turned to Esme, whose thoughts were still with Clandestine. She was actually grateful to have met someone who knew her mother, a mother she had never met. Her father’s stories had painted a reserved person who mostly kept things to herself, except from her husband. Her death was a huge hit on her father, so he would use the whole day – if he could, to speak endlessly about her mother, and during that time, Luna Percy didn’t like it at all.

Esme was thrilled to learn that there was someone else who had known her mother.

"Hey," suddenly, Lennox took Esme’s hand, leading her away from the crowd. He guided the stupefied Esme her through the long hallway and up the stairs to the balcony.

"Your Majesty, where are we headed?" Same asked, her curiosity piqued as they stopped out into the night air.

The full moon shone brightly, surrounded by a sea of twinkling stars that seemed to stretch on forever. The sight transported her back to her childhood, when her father would take her to watch the stars during the Lunar event on their pack’s balcony. During those times, she was struggling to come to terms with her inability to shift into a wolf like the rest of her kind. Her father had tried to lift her spirits, and his words still resonated with her.

She recalled asking him, "What if no one likes me because I don’t have a wolf? Luna Percy said no one would love me if I didn’t have a wolf like them. Is it true that when I become older, my mate will reject me if he knows?"

Her father’s gentle, breathtaking smile brought her comfort. "If your future mate doesn’t want you, then he’s not someone worthy of you. It’s his loss, and that will be good for me because I don’t want to be separated from my lovely daughter either. Come what may, I trust you can build your own strength, and don’t let anyone talk you down. Do you want to know why, because you’re my daughter."

If her father was still alive, would her life have come to do this? No, it certainly wouldn’t.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?" Lennox’s voice broke the spell, and Esme nodded, still entranced by the night sky. But her attention drifted back to the crescent moon pendant in her chamber.

To that man...

Esme gasped when Lennox turned her to face him, his golden eyes glinting with an unspoken intensity. "You and me, Esme, we’ll be together, forever." His hand settled on the small of her back, and he leaned in to claim her lips.