Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder

Chapter 131: Bonus Story-The Wedding Gift-Part 1

*Payne*

I stood at the altar at the top of the hill where the packhouse once stood. Instead of rebuilding the Pomeni mansion, we'd left the hilltop empty.

Now, it was where I was getting married.

An arch made of vines stood behind me and white cherry blossoms from a nearby tree blew in the wind, sending white petals skittering across the ground.

Guests sat in tiered seats on the hill with a white silk carpet laid out between the chair rows as an aisle.

The sun was setting just behind the hill, making the sky orange, purple, and pink. It was such a stunning view but I couldn't stop staring at the end of the aisle, waiting to see my bride.

Since we first settled in Pomeni, we'd been hiding behind Mila's magical barrier. But now that the rest of the world knew we were here, we had to establish ourselves as a legitimate pack. The Alpha’s wedding was the perfect coming out for us.

Other than all of Pomeni pack, Lee and Scarlett had come, along with the Alpha King's Beta, Xavier. He was there to represent the royal court.

His presence was a huge honor to Pomeni, despite the fact that I didn't totally trust him. But it did show the rest of the world that we were a pack of high status and the royal family thought highly of us.

My eyes flickered to the expressions of some of the other guests.

Many of them looked uncomfortable, like they didn't think such a rag-tag pack that sprang up out of nowhere deserved the royal court's attention.

They could think whatever they wanted. Today, I wasn't going to let anything bring me down.

I smoothed down the front of my suit coat and smiled.

Maybe in the future, our neighbors would be enemies. I hoped they'd be friends, but we could sort that out later, like when I wasn't about to get married.

A live band started playing a song and I perked up.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen were paired off and walking down the aisle. The groomsmen were in gray tweed suits and the bridesmaids wore lavender dresses. The color popped beautifully against the white petals drifting by.

Eros and Ashley were the last pair, as the best man and the maid of honor.

I looked at them, and couldn't help but smile to myself. Once Eros had learned that Ashley was going to be the maid of honor, he'd begged me for days, like a hungry puppy, to be my best man. Of course, Ashley had protested.

I hadn't wanted to upset Ashley, but it was also difficult to turn down Eros. I'd learned about his enslavement to the Alpha King and how he won his freedom. He'd made mistakes, but he also somewhat redeemed himself by helping us out.

Especially, ever since meeting my own mate, I finally understood what the matebond really meant to us. I felt a little bad for the guy because he was trying very hard to make things right with Ashley. I wanted to give him another chance, not just because he was perfectly capable of taking good care of my little sister, but most importantly because I was certain that he still loved her.

My mind wandered back to the conversation I'd had with my mate when we were discussing the pros and cons of Eros as best man.

“You know Eros can charm everyone in a room. He could be a good asset for helping to keep everyone at ease and making them feel comfortable,” she reminded me. “I think he's the best choice for your best man.”

I sighed and shook my head. “Maybe so, but will Ashley ever forgive me?"

My mate grinned and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Of course, she will. Just like she will forgive Eros. It is only a matter of time.”

It was all I needed to hear. After that, I agreed to let Eros be my best man. If nothing else, it allowed me to keep a close eye on him.

I turned my attention to my sister and her rejected mate. Eros kept his arm around Ashley as they walked down the aisle, an exaggerated grin on his face. It was obvious he couldn't be happier with every second of his proximity to Ashley.

Ashley, on the other hand, had an annoyed look on her face. Eros then whispered something in her ear, and it seemed like she was having trouble not smiling.

She was warming up to Eros, and I knew there was a laugh bubbling inside of her that was just dying to get out regardless of the cold facade she forced herself to put on.

It wasn't a secret to me that Ashely still loved Eros. Otherwise, he wouldn't piss her off so much. She just needed a little more time to get over the mistakes he'd made.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen clustered around the arch. A new song started playing and all the guests stood up. My palms started to sweat.

Finally, two figures came into my sight. I held my breath and looked at my bride, my beautiful mate, as she stood at the end of the aisle.

Piper Hill

She wore a pure white dress. It was strapless and tight fitting around her torso. Low cut in the front. The dress wasn't overly extravagant, which I liked. It had layered tiers of lace from the waist down the skirt, all the way to the ground, and a short lace train off the back.

She had her hair pinned up with little sparkling barrettes tucked into her tendrils.

Piper's cheeks were rosy red. She had her arm looped through her brother's and carried a lush bouquet of white lilies, bluebell flowers, and some purple lavender blossoms.

I'd never seen anything more beautiful in my life.

My heart swelled and a massive smile spread across my face. I couldn't control it if I wanted to. It was fate that brought us together.

It had been over nine months since we got any news from Thomas about Miss Mila or Soren. I kept telling myself no news was good news and I had to switch my focus from searching for Miss Mila to handling the day-to-day pack affairs.

Then one of my pack members went to Marno to trade. He brought back word of a Doctor Heather Way. Of course, I immediately thought of Mila Hathaway and went to Marno to investigate.

Instead of finding them, I found my beautiful Piper, my mate.

Charles stood under the arch. He was there to officiate.

When Piper and Victor reached me, Charles stepped up and spoke. “Who gives this woman away?" he asked.

Victor held his arm out, gently pushing Piper toward me. “I do."

He kissed her cheek quickly and took his spot in the front row.

Piper handed off her bouquet to Ashley and took both my hands.

“Today, we come together to see Piper Hill and Payne Chambers wed in holy matrimony,” Charles began.

I squeezed Piper's hands and looked into her gorgeous eyes. She had such an innocent look about her, but it only made her more attractive.

“Do you, Payne Chambers, take Piper to be your lawfully wedded wife and mate before the Moon Goddess from now until death?" Charles asked.

“I do!" I exclaimed, not missing a beat.

Piper bit her lower lip and looked down, her cheeks turning pink. I wanted to pull her to me and hug her!

"And do you, Piper Hill, take Payne to be your lawfully wedded husband and mate before the Moon Goddess from now until death?" he continued.

It was all I naadad to haar. Aftar that, I agraad to lat Eros ba my bast man. If nothing alsa, it allowad ma to kaap a closa aya on him.

I turnad my attantion to my sistar and har rajactad mata. Eros kapt his arm around Ashlay as thay walkad down tha aisla, an axaggaratad grin on his faca. It was obvious ha couldn't ba happiar with avary sacond of his proximity to Ashlay.

Ashlay, on tha othar hand, had an annoyad look on har faca. Eros than whisparad somathing in har aar, and it saamad lika sha was having troubla not smiling.

Sha was warming up to Eros, and I knaw thara was a laugh bubbling insida of har that was just dying to gat out ragardlass of tha cold facada sha forcad harsalf to put on.

It wasn't a sacrat to ma that Ashaly still lovad Eros. Otharwisa, ha wouldn't piss har off so much. Sha just naadad a littla mora tima to gat ovar tha mistakas ha'd mada.

Tha bridasmaids and groomsman clustarad around tha arch. A naw song startad playing and all tha guasts stood up. My palms startad to swaat.

Finally, two figuras cama into my sight. I hald my braath and lookad at my brida, my baautiful mata, as sha stood at tha and of tha aisla.

Pipar Hill.

Sha wora a pura whita drass. It was straplass and tight fitting around har torso. Low cut in tha front. Tha drass wasn't ovarly axtravagant, which I likad. It had layarad tiars of laca from tha waist down tha skirt, all tha way to tha ground, and a short laca train off tha back.

Sha had har hair pinnad up with littla sparkling barrattas tuckad into har tandrils.

Pipar's chaaks wara rosy rad. Sha had har arm loopad through har brothar's and carriad a lush bouquat of whita lilias, bluaball flowars, and soma purpla lavandar blossoms.

I'd navar saan anything mora baautiful in my lifa.

My haart swallad and a massiva smila spraad across my faca. I couldn't control it if I wantad to. It was fata that brought us togathar.

It had baan ovar nina months sinca wa got any naws from Thomas about Miss Mila or Soran. I kapt talling mysalf no naws was good naws and I had to switch my focus from saarching for Miss Mila to handling tha day-to-day pack affairs.

Than ona of my pack mambars want to Marno to trada. Ha brought back word of a Doctor Haathar Way. Of coursa, I immadiataly thought of Mila Hathaway and want to Marno to invastigata.

Instaad of finding tham, I found my baautiful Pipar, my mata.

Charlas stood undar tha arch. Ha was thara to officiata.

Whan Pipar and Victor raachad ma, Charlas stappad up and spoka. “Who givas this woman away?" ha askad.

Victor hald his arm out, gantly pushing Pipar toward ma. “I do."

Ha kissad har chaak quickly and took his spot in tha front row.

Pipar handad off har bouquat to Ashlay and took both my hands.

“Today, wa coma togathar to saa Pipar Hill and Payna Chambars wad in holy matrimony,” Charlas bagan.

I squaazad Pipar's hands and lookad into har gorgaous ayas. Sha had such an innocant look about har, but it only mada har mora attractiva

“Do you, Payna Chambars, taka Pipar to ba your lawfully waddad wifa and mata bafora tha Moon Goddass from now until daath?" Charlas askad.

“I do!" I axclaimad, not missing a baat.

Pipar bit har lowar lip and lookad down, har chaaks turning pink. I wantad to pull har to ma and hug har!

"And do you, Pipar Hill, taka Payna to ba your lawfully waddad husband and mata bafora tha Moon Goddass from now until daath?" ha continuad.

“I do!" Piper lifted her eyes to mine.

I pulled her to me then and hugged her tightly.

Charles chuckled. “You may kiss the bride.”

I kissed her hard on the lips and held her close. Piper responded eagerly and for a long moment, I didn't want to let her go.

Finally, we did pull apart and I nodded at Charles. He would announce the reception and get the guests headed toward where we were gathering.

He stepped up to address the guests. So far, the wedding had gone smoothly.

"Hey!" Just as I was letting out a sigh of relief, one of the guests stood up, pointing at us. “At an event like this, it is customary to present the pack artifact for the Goddess to witness. What is Pomeni's artifact? I'm sure I'm not the only one that wants to know..."

The person was an Alpha from a mid-size pack not too far south of Pomeni.

I narrowed my eyes at the man. If I still didn't have an arm around my lovely bride, I would have jumped at him and punched him!

It was a taunt. True that it was customary to present the pack artifact, but it normally was also at the discretion of the Alpha. Some packs would rather keep their artifact a secret and not easily show others.

I frowned, “Alpha Gael, today is my wedding, and I thank you for coming. However, I'd rather keep our pack artifact as a private matter for my packmates.”

Alpha Gael scoffed, “Pomeni pack disappeared 14 years ago and we want to ensure whoever resides here is the legitimate owner of this packland.” He turned to face the crowd and asked, “Am I right? Who else wants to know what Pomeni's artifact is?"

It was rude and provoking to make such a request, however, in this situation, if the neighboring packs found out we didn't have an artifact like the other packs, they might not recognize us or respect us as a true pack. We'd have to rely heavily on the king's protection, and I didn't like that.

I didn't trust the king fully... even if he made a blood oath. Our pack would be looked down upon and we might never grow or develop.

“That's right! What's Pomeni's artifact?”

“Show us!"

“Or...do you guys not have one?" Alpha Gael scoffed.

My fists clenched by my sides, but I didn't have an artifact to present.

What should I do?

Ever since our packland was deserted 14 years ago, other packs had been trying to take it over. It only stayed empty for so many years because it was uninhabitable until its rightful owner's blood returned and rejuvenated the land.

Now that other packs had seen the abundant resources we possessed, if they didn't think we were a real pack and were blessed and protected by the Goddess, they might move in and try to claim the land for themselves.

Even if the king would honor his word and provide protection for us in the next thirty or fifty years, what would happen to our next generation? Would the blood oath carry on to the next Alpha King? If not, Pomeni would be left vulnerable and wouldn't be able to protect itself.

All of the guests were staring at me now. Even Beta Xavier was looking at me with a smug smirk. My head raced with thoughts, but there wasn't a viable solution.

“So it's true that you don't actually have a blessing from the Goddess!" Alpha Gael sneered viciously. "Heh. Haha..." Laughter came from the back of the crowd. “Who says we don't have our artifact?" My eyes widened. I recognized that voice!