When Demons Take Brides

Kael's POV

It's been about two days since Ava's death.

Just like we expected, there wasn't much need to tell a convincing story about the disappearance of the scar-faced bitch.

Vera has kept her distance since I was supposed to be a mourning widower, but she sneaks in whenever I'm on my own to celebrate our success.

Just like right now.

I watched the heavy doors of my throne room open, pushed by two of my best guards.

Vera strolled in with the grace of a goddess—a stark contrast to her ugly, clumsy sister.

It amazes me how these two had come from the same womb.

Her beautiful green eyes glimmered in the light like emeralds, and I could feel myself entranced at the sight of them.

As I forced myself to look away from those mesmerising eyes lest I get hypnotized, my eyes travelled down to her firm, full chest that seemed a little too big for her bra, as it left a fair bit of cleavage to be admired. Once again, this was a sight I was reluctant to look away from, even as my eyes travelled downwards.

The hourglass figure, full hips that swayed as she walked—she was everything Ava could have been but wasn't.

While Ava had a bit of the figure and bust, she was terrible in the face department. She just couldn't compare, neither with nor without the scar.

Vera was the epitome of beauty.

"Greetings to the grieving Alpha," she smiled as she strolled towards me slowly, as if letting me savour the sight of her walk.

I smiled as well.

"Greetings to the grieving sister."

"Oh, please," she scoffed. "The last thing I want is to be associated with that bîtch."

"You think I want that?" I asked.

"I would imagine that you do. You were the one who accepted her as your mate in public," she shrugged as she ascended the short set of stairs that led to my throne and sat on my lap, letting me feel the softness and suppleness of her ass.

It was heavenly.

It was my turn to scoff.

"We both know that was an act. I needed to portray the image of a compassionate Alpha."

"I'd say you did that quite well," she grinned. "Gutting your charity case not long after the mating ceremony is quite benevolent of you."

I grinned as well.

"I ended her suffering. She'll be thanking me if she could."

We both laughed at that.

Mine, a bellowing one, and Vera's sounded like music to the ears.

I pulled her in for a kiss while we laughed, and we kissed passionately for a few seconds before letting go.

"What was that for?" she asked with mock curiosity.

"Just felt like it," I shrugged.

She stared at me for a few moments and sighed.

"So, when are you making me Luna?"

I lifted an eyebrow at that.

"What?"

"You heard me," she smiled. This time, it wasn't pleasant. It looked like a pleasant smile, but there was something sinister beneath it.

"Do we need to talk about this right now?" I asked with a grimace.

Vera had already asked this on the site of her sister's murder. She seemed almost desperate to become Luna.

"Yes, we do," she said. "Why can't you give me a date?"

"Because I can't be sure of an acceptable date to stop mourning your stupid sister," I retorted. "If I make you my Luna so quickly, people would talk. You're not just a random lady, Vera. You're her sister."

"Why would they care that much?" Vera hissed. "They never cared about her when she was alive. Why would they care so much about her now that she's dead?"

"I don't know, Vera," I said as I squeezed her waist lightly. "You just have to be patient. It'll be soon. Until then, let's pretend like we have been doing until now."

She stared into my eyes for a few minutes like she was searching for something. Hopefully, she seemed to have found it as she smiled and planted a kiss on my lips.

"So, are you gonna be stuck dealing with those geezers all day, or are you gonna try having some fun with me first?"

"Unfortunately," I sighed. "Those geezers come first. I need their insights, and there are a lot of things we have to talk about."

She frowned at that.

"You don't intend to neglect me, do you?"

I searched those green eyes, even though I had nothing to search for. They looked beautiful even without proximity.

"I am your Alpha, Vera," I smiled. "You shouldn't question me like that. You know I wouldn't neglect you."

She stared at me for a few seconds and sighed as she stood up.

"I guess I have to get going before your geezers come. We don't want any unpleasant suspicions on us."

"Smart as always," I grinned.

She exited the throne room, leaving me once again in the silence of the expansive hall that is my throne room.

There wasn't much going on in it, and I would dare to even call it bland.

The walls were decorated with beautiful tapestries, woven using the skin of fallen bears—a tradition that existed in the pack long before I was born.

Every Alpha heir was sent into the wild to live amongst nature for as long as it would take them to kill a bear. Some stayed at it for days, weeks, months, or even years.

My father completed his task in four days, and I completed mine in a week. Every tapestry tells the story of its owner, and some people believe it is a measure of the strength of said Alpha—but that is bullshit.

I was sure I was a lot stronger than the bear I killed. I just killed the first bear I came across because I was tired of living in the wild for a week.

With a sigh, I turned my attention to the door, which opened once more to reveal the old but fierce posture of Salem, an elder, along with Hark, my Beta.

The door closed behind them as they bowed reverently.

"What brings you both here?" I said as I turned to Salem. "The meeting with the elders isn't until afternoon."

"It was a matter of urgency, Alpha," Salem said curtly as he stood up straight again. One would barely believe he was in his eighties with how well he carried himself.

"Apparently too important to tell me beforehand, Alpha," Hark eyed the elder. They both had a mutual dislike for each other—not that I care.

"Tell me, Salem," I ordered, as Salem knowingly walked forward to speak.

"I have been told by reliable sources that the Demon Alpha, Dravin Skull, has taken a bride."

I tensed up at that, and even Hark was visibly frozen.

"Do you know why?" I asked pointedly.

"My guess is as good as yours," Salem shrugged.

"He must be doing it for a reason, right?" Hark said as he walked closer. "I mean, the guy hasn't tried to marry anyone for a while now. I heard his wives died two months into the marriage. He didn't seem interested in anything relating to that after the last one—about three decades ago."

The fact that Dravin Skull got married wasn't a problem and most definitely isn't the reason we are shaken by the news.

Dravin Skull, for lack of a better word, was the embodiment of power and violence. He got whatever he wanted and would take it by force if denied.

We've heard stories told long before I was even born.

Dravin Skull, though, stopped all of his activities outside of his pack three decades ago. He let everyone live their lives like they wanted. Never showed himself much outside of his pack and most definitely never interfered with the rest of us.

If he opened up his pack to get married though, that could mean only one thing:

Dravin Skull was returning.

The Demon King is coming back to rule the world.

"Do you know of the wife he took?" I asked. "Of her family?"

"That is unfortunately out of my reach at the moment," Salem replied solemnly.

Hark sighed loudly at that.

"We have to be careful now, Alpha. With the Demon on the prowl, anything we do might cause him to explode."

"First of all, halt all operations regarding the war against the Crescent pack. The best way to attract a devil would be to spill blood."

"Noted," Hark nodded and turned to walk briskly away.

I turned my attention back to Salem.

"So, tell me, Salem," I said as I settled back in my throne. "Why are you still here?"

Salem stared back at me with a look that almost expressed disappointment.

"You seem to be having quite a few meetings with the late Luna's grieving sister, Alpha."

"What I do is none of your business, Salem," I growled in warning.

He nodded at that.

"Just wanted to let you know a small detail I remembered. Dravin Skull's new bride is scarred as well. I imagine he wouldn't take it lightly if it were to be discovered that a scarred Luna disappeared with no apparent reason."

He walked to the door and stopped just long enough to stare right at me.

"You said it yourself, Alpha. The best way to attract a demon... is to spill blood."