Chapter Chapter Fifty-Eight: A Heavenly Upgrade
Malachi’s POV
One week before the wedding...
It’s the week before the epic wedding of the year, and all I’m feeling is a sense of endless peace while everyone else is running around with their heads cut off as if the end of the world is coming.
It’s amazing how I can remain calm in a sea of chaotic whirlwinds with most of the heavy lifting handled by the Alphas (my mates included). And it’s even more amazing how all the Lunas and Omegas as well as my dad, siblings-in-law, friends, and even the Queens of the Supernatural can get almost everything done.
If there was a change of the seating arrangements, Mariah, Alyssa, and Addison were on hand to make sure that a spot was subtracted or added.
And if Evan and Regan learned about a catering contract going bad due to poor servicing or uncooperative workers, they had a few strong words and a threat for shutting down the establishment on hand.
Destiny and Tomeka were on guard with Raisha, Gabriella, and most of the female guards to keep out unwanted guests and nosey paparazzi. Note the moment when the twin feys sent one hob-nosed reporter from Indianapolis to the Seelie Court to make him dance until he dropped...dead.
As for my mates, they were available to make sure that I was kept clean but also well-fed with a proper diet (if they weren’t threatened with castration if they didn’t bring me some good junk food. Thank the heavens for fast metabolism). And as always, they were on standby for some good loving after being checked by the friendly were-bear (who wasn’t friendly when it came to security issues and media press conferences since she was also helping with the wedding plans) for the status of my pregnancy.
I was feeling rather content at the moment.
And as it was now twelve days before the biggest day of my life, I was sitting up in my bed and munching away on some carrot sticks with ranch dressing and finishing off the last of my cup of peppermint tea while watching an old movie when I saw the ethereal light of the Moon Goddess form. “Your Grace,” I breathed.
She smiled. “My child,” She said, coming over to rub my now-prominent and pregnant belly. “Any day now and you will be blessed with your children. How are you?”
I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the slight backache. “A little tired, but I am taking it easy,” I replied. “Things are getting chaotic at the moment with the wedding plans.”
“I can tell,” she bemused. “Right now, Yesenia and Armando are tearing in a new one at the poor PR representing the Langley family for trying to get the reckless clan to sneak into the wedding. And the poor man is about to wet himself. And Miss Cunningham just finished settling the last of the formal plans with Madame Wintour for the gala. She doesn’t do anything halfway.”
“Well, it’s amazing what she can do after finally settling the score and using her skills for better use,” I commented. “So, what brings you here?”
The Moon Goddess smirked. “Well, aren’t we straightforward?” she teased. “I might as well tell you. It’s about you being the Sun God Wolf. With your wedding and coronation coming next week, the time for you to ascend into the role that I have bestowed on you is now.”
My eyes went wide. “You mean,” I began.
She nodded. “I have been wanting to wait until a later date to make sure that you are fully ready, but it must be done, My child,” She intoned. “Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath, followed by another. “I’ve been prepared for this with plenty of royal lessons,” I answered. “There’s no going back anymore. I am ready.”
She nodded. “Shift into Amon-Re’s wolf form,” She commanded.
I nodded, immediately shifting into the gold-furred beast with little to no pain.
She snapped her fingers, Her heavenly form glowing brighter and brighter until I was completely enamored into a bright ball of light.
I let out a giant howl that shook the whole palace as my powers grew stronger and the heartbeats of my unborn filled me with warmth.
“Malachi, what’s going- WHOA!” I heard Cunningham exclaim as she came in before she bowed low at the sight of my Great-Grandmother. “Moon Goddess! Malachi! What’s going on?!”
“It must be done,” She boomed as loud changing from the heavens began to emanate through the room.
“OH MY GOODNESS!” Cunningham exclaimed.
I let out one more ululating howl before the darkness began to crash over me.
“It is done,” was the last thing I heard before I was greeted with the bliss of sleep.
**************
“Malachi?!”
“Malachi?!”
“Wake up, our lovely boy!”
“Wow! I’m speechless!”
My eyes fluttered open slowly as I saw the Moon Goddess smiling over me with Alyssa, the Booker Twins, Ivan, Nathaniel, and Olodom were hovering at the door. Sitting up, I was swiftly helped up to stand by the teenage demigod before being led into the adjacent bathroom and facing a floor-length mirror.
The young man that I was seeing in the mirror...looked as if he could be the Moon Goddess’ twin brother- closely cropped hair that was pure gold as if it was turned into the precious metal itself; eyes that were a mixture of both silver-gray and honey-gold; his build lithe yet had a bit of muscle, like that of a young gladiator’s but was still boasting of his pregnant form like I was; skin the color of light caramels mixed with cream.
“Is that...me?” I asked wondrously, amazed to find that my voice was deeper and more powerful like Perseus, Anis, and Hyperion’s. “Am I...”
Olodom grinned widely. “Yes,” he said, kissing my cheek and rubbing my belly. “You look so damn sexy, babe. The other guys would want to see you.”
And as we left the bathroom, the other twelve Alphas were blown away by my new look. “Damn,” Ian breathed. “You never look this sexy before, Malachi.”
The Moon Goddess chuckled, Her laughter ringing like wedding bells. “What do you think, My child?” she asked.
“I feel like...I’m on top of the world,” I replied.
She smiled. “And all will know who you look like,” she promised me. “For now, it’ll be kept a guarded secret. Alyssa Cunningham, can I trust you to let the others know of what happened and to keep this out of the public eye until the wedding?”
The phoenix nodded eagerly. “I’ll make sure to have Raisha and the palace guards keep outsiders away from the palace,” she vowed before turning to me. “Wow! This right here...I’m keeping my mouth shut.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Thank you all.”
“My love,” She said as She began to fade away. “You must rest. Your mates will keep you company.”
And they did... throughout the night. And they never disappointed me.
There were only three things left to do at this point: say “I do” at the wedding, get through the coronation, and welcome my four sons into the world.