Chapter 28

Basil was very happy on his wedding day. Aside from marrying his beloved mate, he was dressed far more luxurious than usual in a white suit tailored to him with gold and red embroidery on his cuffs and sleeves. He wore no cloak as he had never needed one, but he always relished the chance to wear his crown as it made him feel more princely than usual.

He waited for the ceremony to begin, and but he could have never been prepared for Delia's beauty when she entered the hall in her wedding gown. Her gown was blue, cut in a traditional style with golden embroidery. It made her seem refined and near untouchable in her beauty. He almost couldn't breathe and even his wolf agreed that she was beautiful.

He remembered the first time he met Delia. She has looked so pitiful in her rags and bandages, pleading for sanctuary. Her timidity had been charming in the beginning. She hid her face as if to keep him from seeing anything wretched as she'd begged for water to drink and wash her face.

It had been appropriate, he'd thought, that she acknowledged her position in the world and acted accordingly.

After she drank and washed her face, she had lifted her face and smiled at him and he swore his heart was going to beat out of his chest.

She was so lovely. He swore it had to be love. She had to be his mate. Who else could the goddess send to him but someone who was so kind and gentle? Her words were always lovely. She was always happy to please him. Most importantly, she relied on him for everything and sought his protection as she was new to the castle.

She made him feel like a king, something that his late wife had never managed to do.

If she were still alive, maybe Basil would have invited her to the lawn celebration, but the goddess had removed the need for that mercy with her death.

It had been her fate to never enjoy such an honor as far as he was concerned and well deserved for everything he'd put up with over the three years of their marriage.

He pushed the thought of her away. Today was a day to celebrate, not think of meddling dead women.

Tina led Delia through the crowd with a proud smile. In her mind, Delia was a far wasn't match for the prince than Laura had been: lovely, subservient, and Basil's mate.

"Congratulations, Your Highness!" Tina said, bowing slightly as Delia walked toward Basil.

He took her hands and brought her closer with a loving smile.

Ministers and nobles came to congratulate them. His grandfather was first in line, but Basil's gaze drifted around the hall. The most important guest to him was missing.

"Where is my father?"

Everyone looked at each other and found that the king was indeed not in the hall. The young noblewoman who had primped and preened all morning to get a chance to meet the king pouted in disappointment.

Chasel, dressed in a well-cut black suit and cloak bearing the insignia of his rank approached. Basil wanted to sneer at him, but if anyone would know where his father was it would be Chasel.

"Blessing on the couple, may your marriage be filled with bliss," Chasel said, though his tone seemed more formal than congratulatory. "His Majesty should be outside on the lawn meeting with the other wolf pack leaders and soldiers."

"What?" Basil couldn't believe it. "Why? What could be more important today than attending my wedding?"

"I cannot speak to the mind of His Majesty." Chasel gave him a completely irreverent smile, "Again, blessing upon your union."

Basil clenched his jaw and fist in frustration. He *hated* Chasel. He always had. He was always making things difficult and getting in the way of what Basil wanted. He never showed him the respect Basil knew he deserved.

Still, there was no one more loyal to his father than Chasel. It burned him up with jealousy sometimes as he had not found a beta as loyal or as capable as Chasel for himself.

Delia's eyes turned sad and her jaw trembled, "Why hasn't the king come? Does the king not like me? Did I do something to make him angry?"

Basil pulled her close and hushed her, "No, of course not. How could he hate you?"

She sniffled, "But, you are his son, he could not be upset with you enough not to come on time. It must be me"

Basil felt anger rising in his heart at the thought.

Basil shook his head, murmuring, "No, he must be upset with me! I don't know why He always acts like he's disappointed in me and thinks that everything I do is wrong-"

Delia wanted to say something, but the door of the hall was opening bringing to the sight of Adolph entering in regal black and red. The guards saluted and those close to the door bowed and curtsied with respect.

Basil huffed. How could he show up at the last minute? Regardless, he was there now and it wouldn't do to cause a scene at his wedding celebration.

"See," Basil said. "He's here."

He led her across the hall as people began to whisper.

"Who *is* she?"

Basil gasped as he noticed the woman on his father's arm. The hall was struck silent and staring at her, yet Basil wasn't much better. She was young, he could tell, yet she carried herself with the grace of a much older noblewoman. She looked as though she had always belonged at his father's side. Her dress matched his father's cloak and the embroidery on his suit. His father's suit matched the lace on her cuffs and the hem of her gown. The gold thread that tied together their outfits gleamed in the hall's light, highlighting how wonderful they looked together.

The nobles hurried forward to greet them, turning their backs to Basil and Delia as if his father and his companion were the couple to be wedded.

He looked at Delia as her grip tightened on his arm. Her face was flushed and she sneered with anger. Her lips trembled.

"What is it?"

"She's the maid who took my dress!"

Basil looked back at the woman. There was no way he could believe that his father would come to his wedding with a maid of all people, but she didn't look like a maid. She walked with his father with her head tilted up with an aristocratic and elegant air that even after all these months that Delia had not managed.

There was a grace in the young girl that was hard to ignore.

He stared at her and their eyes met for a moment before she averted her gaze quickly and stepped closer to Adolph. He swore she rolled her eyes a bit, yet he couldn't think that it was anything but charming. She was too beautiful to ignore. He couldn't put his finger on what it was about her, but he could understand why his father would keep such a girl around. She was captivating.

Delia cleared her throat and tugged on his sleeve hard. Basil looked at her, realizing he'd been staring at the girl for too long. He gave her a small smile and led her forward to stand before his father.

Basil looked up at his father, a bit embarrassed about staring, but also happy about his attendance.

"Father, thank you for coming to our wedding."

"Of course," Adolph nodded. "Blessing on your union. May your marriage be filled with bliss."

Basil tried not to feel anything about the fact that Adolph offered practically the same blessing that Chasel had given him.

"May you have lovely and healthy children," Adolph said grandly. His tone was sincere and it made Basil's heart tremble a bit. Perhaps his father wasn't upset with him and something was going on.

He looked to Adolph's companion who did not meet his gaze.

She seemed tense as she said with the most reluctant tone, "May you have a long marriage."

Adolph was surprised at Laurel's tone, but given her interactions with Basil and Delia, he couldn't blame her for being less than thrilled to offer them good wishes.

"It seems I haven't missed your wedding vows. Go on, son, I hope this time you will enjoy a long and happy marriage."

He thanked Adolph and led Delia back towards the front of the room. An older woman in a silver robe stepped forward to administer their vows. She was a priest of the moon goddess, and she had married his parents before he was born. She had married him and Laura as well.

Why did he keep thinking about her? He looked at Delia, his mate, the love of his life, and he remembered how Laura had looked at him years ago. She had been glowing with happiness in her cheap gown, with her cheap bouquet. They had sworn to love each other forever, but neither of them had fulfilled that vow.

His heart started to race with fear. He looked at his father for some sense of strength, but Adolph was talking to Laurel. They looked happy as if they were the sweetest couple in existence.

"Prince?"

The priest urged him. He looked at her then at Delia.

He gripped Delia's hands a bit tighter.

"I would take Delia to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, till death do us part"

He bowed his head and kissed her as his wife and mate.