298 One Week To Twenty Years
Lucien blinked at Ronan in confusion.
“What is it?”
The Alpha took Lucien’s hands by the wrists and pressed a chaste kiss on his knuckles.
“My love, it has been a struggle to arrive to this day.
Ever since I met you years ago, even throughout our break-up and separation, there had never been a day when I did not think about you.
Your presence in my life makes it worth living.
Your kisses are what I need to start every morning.
Your love is the sweetest nectar that I ever taste.
Lucien, I love you with every drop of blood I have in my body.
.....
Forever and always, my feelings for you will only grow stronger.”
Drunk with love for his mate, the Alpha forgot that other people were present in the room. The two elders literally held their breaths for fear of ruining the tender, romantic ambiance.
Although Lucien was often at the receiving end of Ronan’s powerful proclamations of love, he still could not help but blush profusely.
When he averted his eyes from embarrassment, Ronan pulled him into a hug with one hand and grasped his chin with another hand.
“Don’t look away from me, baby...” Ronan whispered. “I love you...”
Oblivious about his mate’s inner turmoil, Ronan lowered his head and kissed Lucien’s soft, quivering lips. His kisses were overflowing with possessive but also gentle love for his mate.
The Alpha held his Luna close to his heart while baring his fangs and claws at anyone who dared to come close and try to snatch his lover away.
For once, Lucien did not try to break free from Ronan’s overbearing impulses. He hooked his arms around Ronan’s neck instead and pulled him into a deeper kiss. Who cared about the others? Let them watch if they wanted to. Lucien could not be bothered to care for the time being.
The so-called other people showed mixed reactions.
The elders were still holding their breaths, their faces meanwhile were slightly tinted blue.
The High Priest maintained the professional smile on his lips. He most likely had witnessed more fiery display of love. Werewolves were not known to be submissive, especially not the alpha males.
When the couple broke their kiss and opened their eyes to look at each other, everyone could see the scorching, all-consuming love that they shared. It did not matter whether people approved or disapproved of their relationship.
In this life, they chose to stay together. In good times or bad times, in sickness or health, in breezy or stormy weather.
“Ahem.”
The two elders finally got sick of holding their breaths.
Truly, these younger people knew no such thing as self-restraint!
Could they not keep their hands to themselves until after they were alone??? Good Goddess!!!
“Please add your thumbprints so we can complete the registration,” Elder Aaron reminded the two men.
Lucien and Ronan smiled at each other before they added their thumbprints onto the parchment. Once it was done, they both heaved a sigh of relief.
“Very well,” the High Priest remarked.
Elder Rick rolled the parchment together and added the wax seal of the Werewolf Council on top of it. It was then handed over to the High Priest.
“Now that the registration has been completed, please go to the shrine to offer a prayer to the Moon Goddess.”
“Thank you,” Ronan and Lucien said.
They rose to their feet and walked out of the temporary headquarters.
The aforementioned shrine was located close to the Holy Temple of The Moon Goddess. It was accessible through a stony path that was flanked by long and tall hedges on both sides.
Ronan expected to meet another priest or priestess there for further direction, but the shrine was empty. Only a statue of Moon Goddess sat in her throne at the front side of the shrine, her merciful gaze directed at the children who came to speak to her.
Even after Ronan obediently knelt and prayed with Lucien, no one else showed up.
“Let’s go,” Lucien tipped on Ronan’s shoulder once they were done. “What are you looking around for?”
“Erm, Lulu, when are we going to get married?”
Lucien pinched Ronan’s cheek affectionately.
“The High Seer will decide within a week.”
Ronan breathed out of relief.
“So, next month?” he asked, full of hope.
“Well... It will be between one week and twenty years.”
“Oh, one week and twenty years... Yes that sounds reasonable. WAIT WHAT??? TWENTY YEARS???”
Lucien glared at Ronan. “Keep your voice down, you are in a shrine!”
Impatiently, the Alpha dragged his mate out so he did not have to lower his voice.
“Lulu, why? Why twenty years??? Why does it take so long???”
The red-blonde man neither looked surprised nor bothered by the fact.
“What’s the problem?” he asked as if twenty years was no different from a blink of eye.
“Lulu, twenty years!” Ronan hissed. “By then, you and I would be SO old!”
Lucien squinted at the unhappy man in front of him.
“Does this mean that you don’t want me anymore twenty years from now?”
Ronan quickly grabbed Lucien’s hands and professed his undying love to him, “Lulu, I will still want you fifty or a hundred years from now.”
“Then what does it matter?” Lucien asked while squeezing Ronan’s face.
“We are bonded mates. We live together. What else do you want? A wedding is just there to make it official.”
Heck, the whole pack already referred to him as the Luna with or without the wedding ceremony. His place in Ronan’s pack was undisputed. So why the rush to hold the wedding ceremony?
“I want to make it official,” Ronan grumbled unhappily. “I want everyone to know that you are mine.”
Lucien shook his head with a smile.
“Ronan, do you know why Alpha couples are required to register their marriage before the wedding ceremony happens?”
“No. Why?”
“Because the burden of leading a pack is a massive one. Alphas and Lunas must rely on each other and support each other. The time between the registration and the actual wedding serves as the time to reflect on the relationship once both sides agreed on locking each other down in a marriage.
Whether the wedding date is set in one week or twenty years, it largely depends on the affinity of each couple.”
While Ronan thought about Lucien’s words, an interesting question popped up in his head.
“By the way, Lulu, didn’t you register your marriage with Kinnon before?”
Lucien turned to look at his mate with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, I did.”
Sour feelings rose in Ronan’s heart, but his curiosity was even stronger. He simply had to know.
“Did you get a wedding date?”