Silence fell over the bedroom. Rola stared at him in disbelief. "Did you just say ninety days?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Kaden let out a bitter laugh. "No fucking way! You expect me to remain married to Rebecca for three months?"
"I’m afraid you have no choice, Your Majesty."
"That’s impossible!"
"The spell was deliberately created to last ninety days," the seer explained. "During that period, the marriage bonds must remain intact. Once the ninety days have passed, a special rejection ceremony can be performed to separate your souls safely."
"But why ninety days?" Rola asked, looking confused. "Why not a week or a month?"
"That’s what worries me, Your Highness," the seer replied. "A spell this powerful could have been made to last six months, a year, or even longer. But whoever cast it specifically chose ninety days."
Rola’s eyes narrowed. "And what happens on the ninetieth day? Are you certain the spell will release us, or is that simply what whoever cast it wants us to believe?"
"The marriage bonds can be safely broken after ninety days, Your Highness," the seer assured her. "But I cannot guarantee that whoever cast the spell has no other plans."
Melvin frowned. "Are you saying the person deliberately wanted us trapped in these marriages for three months?"
"Exactly, Your Majesty. Whoever did this had a reason for choosing that period. I cannot tell you what they intend to achieve, but I am certain the wedding swap was only part of their plan."
Kaden’s expression darkened. "What kind of fucking plan?"
"I wish I knew, Your Majesty. But whoever cast this spell went to great lengths to hide their identity and intentions. That alone tells me they are planning something."
Rebecca felt a chill run down her spine. Someone had deliberately ruined their weddings and forced them into marriages they never wanted, all because of some unknown plan. But who could possibly benefit from keeping her married to Kaden for three months?
Her eyes slowly moved toward him. Kaden was standing beside Rola, looking furious, but when he noticed Rebecca staring at him, his expression immediately changed.
"What?" he demanded.
Rebecca said nothing.
Kaden narrowed his eyes, understanding exactly what she was thinking. "Don’t even try it, Rebecca."
She raised an eyebrow. "I haven’t said anything."
"You don’t have to. I know that look." He took a step toward her. "If you’re thinking I had anything to do with this, get that ridiculous idea out of your head. I was supposed to marry Rola yesterday. Why the hell would I arrange something that would make another man claim her?"
Rebecca looked briefly toward Rola before returning her attention to him. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. Still, she couldn’t understand who would go to such lengths to force them back together.
"Then who did it?" she muttered.
Kaden clenched his jaw. "That’s exactly what I intend to find out."
The seer lowered his head. "Whoever is responsible, Your Majesties, I fear their plan is far from over."
Melvin frowned. "And what happens if we refuse to wait ninety days?"
The seer’s expression became serious. "Attempting to break the bonds before the ninety days are over could kill both people connected by them."
Rebecca’s eyes widened. "Kill us?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. The spell has joined your lives to those of your new spouses. If either person attempts to forcefully reject the other, the magic will begin tearing the bond apart while their souls are still connected. The pain would be unbearable, and if the rejection continues, both could lose their lives."
Rola’s expression hardened. "So whoever cast this spell didn’t just force us into these marriages. They made sure we couldn’t escape without risking our lives?"
Kaden shook his head angrily. "I don’t believe this. There has to be another way!"
"I searched for one during my consultation, Your Majesty, but the ancient spirits revealed no safer solution. You must allow the spell to complete its ninety-day period."
Melvin tightened his grip on Rebecca’s hand. "Fine. If we have to wait ninety days before rejecting these marriages, then we’ll wait. Rebecca can return to my kingdom with me, and Rola can stay with Kaden until the bonds are broken."
Rebecca immediately looked up at him, feeling a small sense of relief. At least they could still be together while waiting for this nightmare to end. But the relief disappeared when she noticed the seer’s expression.
"I’m afraid that won’t be possible either," the old man announced.
Kaden slowly turned toward him. "What now?"
"The spell has another condition, Your Majesty."
"Then fucking say it!"
The elderly man took a deep breath. "For the next ninety days, each married couple must live together under the same roof."
Rebecca froze. "What?"
"Alpha King Kaden and Lady Rebecca must remain in the same household. Dragon King Melvin and Princess Rola must do the same."
"No!" Rebecca exclaimed immediately. "Absolutely not! I’m not staying here with Kaden!"
Kaden looked equally furious. "And you think I want her here? I was supposed to begin my married life with Rola, not spend three months trapped with my former mate!"
Rola stood up, looking between Kaden and the seer. "Surely that isn’t necessary. We can remain married without living together."
"I’m afraid the spell requires more than that, Your Highness. It was designed to keep the married couples close to each other until the ninety days are over."
Melvin shook his head. "That’s not happening. Rebecca is coming home with me."
The seer turned toward him. "Your Majesty, please listen carefully. If you deliberately separate from your new spouse for too long, the magic will begin draining your strength."
Melvin frowned. "What kind of strength?"
"Your supernatural powers will begin weakening. The Alpha King’s wolf and Your Majesty’s dragon will suffer first. After that, your bodies will begin to weaken, and the longer you remain apart, the worse it will become."
Rebecca stared at him in horror. "And if we still refuse to return?"
The seer’s voice lowered. "Then the bond will eventually begin draining your life itself. If the separation continues, both spouses could die."
Nobody spoke. Rebecca slowly looked toward Kaden, who appeared just as shocked as she was. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not only had someone forced her into marriage with the man who had once rejected her, but now she was being told that she had to live with him for three months or risk dying.
What kind of cruel person would do something like this?
Beside her, Melvin released her hand and took a step toward the seer. "Are you absolutely certain there’s no other solution?"
"I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I wish I had better news."
Melvin turned back toward Rebecca, and the helpless look in his eyes made her chest ache. He was the Dragon King, one of the most powerful rulers in the world, yet even he couldn’t protect them from whatever had been done to their marriages.
Across the room, Rola folded her arms, her expression growing colder. As the heir to the Lycan throne, she was not accustomed to having someone else decide her future. Yet here she was, being told she had no choice but to live with a man she had never intended to marry.
Kaden moved toward her, but when he reached out to touch her shoulder, his gaze fell on the claiming mark on her neck. He hesitated.
Rola noticed and looked away, clearly understanding what had stopped him.
"So for ninety days, we’re supposed to pretend we’re married to people we never chose?" she asked quietly.
"You do not have to pretend to love each other, Your Highness," the seer explained. "You are not required to share a bedroom or become intimate. But you must remain legally married and live in the same household until the spell allows the bonds to be broken."
Rebecca shook her head, taking a few steps away from Melvin. She needed a moment to think because none of this felt real.
Ninety days. Three whole months living under the same roof as Kaden.
After everything she’d suffered because of him, she’d believed that part of her life was finally over. She had finally found happiness with Melvin, and now someone had taken it away from her in a single night.
Her gaze returned to Melvin, who was standing only a few feet away. She wanted nothing more than to walk into his arms and ask him to take her home, but the seer’s warning kept repeating in her mind. If they separated from their new spouses, they could die.
Kaden suddenly turned toward Logan, his expression darkening. "I want every guard who worked during those weddings questioned. Search the entire estate. I want to know who brought that damned magic here!"
"Yes, Alpha," Logan answered immediately.
"And nobody leaves this territory until we find out who did it!"
Logan bowed and hurried toward the door, but before he could leave, the seer suddenly raised his hand.
"Your Majesty, wait."
Kaden turned back toward him, looking completely furious. "What is it now?" he demanded.
The seer slowly lifted his head, his face pale. "Your Majesty... there’s something else."
Kaden’s eyes narrowed. "Then speak!"
The old man swallowed nervously. "The magic didn’t simply marry the wrong couples. It also awakened something that was supposed to remain buried."
Rebecca frowned, feeling a fresh wave of uneasiness. "What are you talking about?"
The seer looked directly at her.
"Your rejected mate bond with Alpha King Kaden..." He paused. "It’s coming back."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author’s Note
Hey guys!
For now, I’ll be focusing on Kaden and Rebecca’s story until it comes to an end. After that, I’ll shift the focus to Rola and Melvin’s story, which will take about 40 Chapters.
Don’t worry, their story will still be part of this same book, so we’ll get to find out everything that happened between them.
So, very soon, we’ll be returning to first-person POV, focusing on Rebecca and Kaden!