The Wolf Prince´s True Mate: Alpha Male BBW Pregnancy Fantasy Romance Read online

  “Did you kill her, to protect my Ilyssa?”

  “No,” Alaric said, “it was another man.” He cleared his throat and smiled. “Actually, Ilyssa saved my life.” He glanced down at bride-to-be. “For which I shall always be grateful.”

  “Clearly, Karolyn had her own agenda,” Ilyssa said. “Or at least one she shared with Father.”

  Reaching up, she removed the diadem. She held it in her hands, gazing down at the gleaming white stone set amidst the ancient markings.

  “This is supposed to give the wearer ultimate power, but it’s not strong enough to overcome my own father’s hatred. He still wants to attack Lobishome, and if he had his way he would wipe out every last Werewolf in the world.” She shook her head. “What’s the point of having something like this, if people are still able to resist? How do we know the peace we try to establish will even hold?”

  “The power isn’t in the diadem,” Mother said. Reaching out, she took the crown from her daughter’s hands. “It’s a symbol, and symbols are only as strong as the people who believe in them. Your brother believed, and he did what he could to change the world in his own way. His mistake had been in marrying a woman who lied to get what she wanted – in this case, a place in the royal family.”

  She paused, gently brushing her thumb across the diadem’s metal surface.

  “I never told anyone this, but I have long believed that Karolyn was responsible for Selvin’s death. They had gone out riding alone that day. Karolyn had said that a wild animal had attacked them while they had stopped along the river to rest. I saw his body and it always struck me as strange, the pattern of those deep claw marks, five lines in a row”

  She held up one of her hands, fingers splayed. “I always wondered what kind of ‘animal’ could make marks like that.”

  Remembering Kristof’s scars from his arena fighting days, Ilyssa felt fairly certain that Karolyn had killed Selvin, and that she had more than likely transformed to that part of her nature she had loathed so much in order to do it.

  “I am so sorry.”

  Ilyssa, Alaric, and Jessana all turned to Mardell. The Werewolf king looked distraught.

  “I have been standing here, listening to you,” he said, “and it has opened my eyes to my own failings. All my life, I have looked down on Humans as a subservient race, or as some bothersome obstacle to push aside as I made my way through this world. And it was wrong.”

  He focused on Jessana. “I hear you speak of your husband’s hatred toward his own grandchild, and I think he is the monster.”

  He shifted to Ilyssa. “When Alaric first brought this woman before me, my initial reaction was one of revulsion. I did not even want to imagine them having children.” He shook his head. “I have allowed my prejudices to rule my mind and heart for too long. I am old and but not so set in my ways that I cannot learn to open my heart, and I can tell you that it took meeting this young woman to set me on that path.” He clapped Alaric on the shoulder. “That’s why I give you my full support in this undertaking of peace, and reaffirm my blessings for your marriage.”

  Mother placed the diadem back on Ilyssa’s head. “If change is to happen, you and your husband will be the ones to do it. Become the symbol your brother had wanted to be. Show the world that Humans and Werewolves can live in harmony.”

  “But what about Father?” Ilyssa asked.

  “If I may be so bold as to borrow from King Mardell’s eloquent speech,” Jessana said, “your father is an old man who is set in his ways. Unfortunately, he will never change. But you must not let that stop you. You are the heir to the throne of Emberi. It is your birthright, and it is also your choice.” She took Ilyssa’s hands in hers. “This is a great burden but you have always been strong. You gave up the comforts of a palace in order to stand by your convictions.”

  She gave her daughter’s fingers a squeeze. “I believe in you.”

  Ilyssa smiled. Pulling away from her mother, she faced Alaric, who stood with his arms folded across his chest.

  “You’ve been strangely quiet,” she said, unable to resist giving his midsection a teasing poke. “What are you thinking?”

  Chuckling, Alaric took a step closer to her. “I’m thinking that you are a brave warrior and a beautiful spirit,” he said.

  He brought a hand up and trailed a fingertip along her jaw to her chin. “I’m also thinking how it will be a privilege to stand side by side with you, working to bring our people together.”

  “So,” she said, “you’re saying we should just stick with the original plan.”

  Alaric nodded. “Stick with the original plan.”

  Ilyssa shrugged and nodded. “I think we can do that.”

  Epilogue

  The kingdoms came alive with celebration on the day of Ilyssa and Alaric’s wedding. They held the ceremony in Lobishome before traveling to Emberi for the grand feast. By law, both sitting kings had to abdicate their thrones, passing their crowns and all titles to their newly married children. They could not be in two places at once, so they agreed to appoint a Prime Minister to govern in their stead. Ilyssa did not need to think twice about her candidate for the position.

  “Me?” Kristof said, nearly choking on his wine. They stood on the palace’s grand terrace overlooking the city and harbor. Everyone from the tribe had come in for the party including Marten, now fully recovered from his injuries. “You want me to be Prime Minister of Emberi?”

  “I can’t think of anyone I trust more,” Ilyssa said. Alaric cleared his throat loudly and she laughed. “Well, aside from this one.” She beamed. “I thought Barto would be suited for Ministry of Defense given his experience as a guardsman.”

  “You’ll probably have to talk to him about it after all the celebrations have died down,” Kristof said. “I think I saw him slip away an hour ago with at least two women.”

  “Two women?” Alaric raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I can barely handle one.” He tossed a playful wink at Ilyssa, who rolled her eyes and laughed.

  The most sobering moment of their union had come when Ilyssa had returned to Emberi for her coronation. For the first time in ten years, she had to stand face to face with her father.

  “It’s funny,” she had remarked. “As a little girl, I used to be so afraid of you. You were always so full of anger and hatred. By the time I left home, my fears had become disgust. And now?” She shook her head. “All I feel is pity for your ignorance.”

  King Willem had glowered at his daughter and only surviving child. “Mongrel lover,” he had said, and spat on the floor in front of her feet. “I would rather live in exile than in the world you and your beast husband will make.”

  “Your request will be honored.”

  Ilyssa had looked at him for a long moment, taking in the sight of this bitter, much older man. The ugliness he carried within for so long had aged him beyond his years, bowing his body so he could no longer stand up straight. Ilyssa had decided she would not follow him down that path. Instead, she had offered forgiveness.

  “I hope one day you’ll make peace with yourself, Father, and that you’ll find enlightenment during your exile.”

  And with that, she had walked away, leaving the guards to escort her father to the ship that would take him to the island home where he would live out the rest of his days. She had assured he would be comfortable, and treated with respect as a former king is due. After all, she had seen no reason to continue his legacy of cruelty.

  Now, as she looked around at the kingdom of her birth, Ilyssa smiled. She could not remember the last time she had seen Emberi so festive and full of joy. Hearing a little girl’s peals of laughter, she turned to see Jessana, now Queen Mother, clapping her hands in time with the music from a strolling minstrel. She had chosen to stay in Emberi, forsaking her own husband in order to raise their orphaned grandchild. Chelle skipped and danced around her grandmother, wearing a pretty dress and a crown of violets on her head. The collar her mother had forced her to wear for years had
been removed. Now, she could be free to be herself – half-Human, half-Werewolf – without any fear of being judged for her dual nature.

  “So,” Ilyssa said, looking up at her new husband. She had to take a moment to admire him – not for the first time that day, and certainly not the last – resplendent in white with a blue sash to represent Lobishome, but with the addition of red and purple braided cords hanging from one epaulet to show his affiliation with Emberi.

  “What’s next for us? Did the prophecy have anything to say about what we’re supposed to do once we got married and united our people? Or did the ancients just leave those pages blank, allowing us to add to the story as we see fit?”

  “I suppose we could consider starting a family,” Alaric said thoughtfully. “Create a pack of our own.”

  “A pack?” Ilyssa let out an incredulous laugh. She brushed her hair back from her shoulder, little white Everstar blossoms tucked in among the waves. “How many babies are you expecting me to have?”

  “One is a good start. After all, producing an heir is par for the course.” Alaric placed a hand on her belly, long tanned fingers contrasting with the white of her wedding dress as they splayed outward in a tender caress. “It would seem we’re already on our way to doing just that.”

  “Wh-what?” Ilyssa stared at him, her mouth dropping open in surprise. She looked down at his hand and then back up at his smug smile. “Oh, come on,” she snorted. “You must be joking.”

  When his expression did not change, she blinked. “Are you telling me I’m pregnant? How is it you know this? It’s my body; I think I would know if I was with-child!”

  Alaric chuckled. “All women experience a change in their body chemistry when they are expecting,” he explained. “I knew from your scent. It’s different, now.”

  “Oh, this is great.” Ilyssa threw up her hands. “So, are you telling me that every Werewolf in the vicinity can smell that I’m going to have a baby?”

  “Of course,” he said. His golden eyes narrowed to slits, and his lips curled in a sly grin. “You didn’t think they were congratulating us on our nuptials alone, did you?”

  Ilyssa let out an indignant gasp and shoved him lightly. “Bad wolf,” she said, chiding him, but she could not hold back the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

  She looked out over the city, to the sunlight dancing on the sparkling waters of the bay. “Well, all right. We’re going to have a child. This is good to know.” She drummed her fingers on the marble railing and nodded. “I guess this means there won’t be a need for any wedding night ‘celebrations,’ then.”

  Alaric stared at her, speechless. Ilyssa found she couldn’t keep her straight face a moment longer. She sputtered, breaking out into robust laughter. “Now I’m joking,” she assured him. “Trust me, my love, with you, every night will be a celebration.” She slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him. “So. A pack, eh? I suppose we could make that happen.”

  “I will be more than happy to do my part,” Alaric said. “My bride.” Cupping her chin in his hand, he tilted her face up and smiled down at her. “My Human queen.”

  “My Werewolf king,” Ilyssa murmured, and drew him down for a kiss.

  *****

  THE END

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