Sold as the Alpha King's Breeder-Chapter 1702 - 144 : Vows That Bind

*Kryzen*

I considered myself as someone with a lot of willpower. It took a lot of dedication to get where I was, and I wasn’t even thinking about the fact that I had an entire kingdom depending on me. During my military training, I received no special treatment for being the top general’s son. If anything, it felt as if my mentors and instructors were even harder on me because of it.

I felt I had to prove that I got wherever I was on my own. I prided myself on being disciplined and in control of my emotions.

That all seemed to crash and burn the moment I laid eyes on Briella again.

I was fairly certain that it was love at that moment, which sounded like an impossible love story, but I had no other way of explaining the complete lack of control that suddenly befell me seeing her again.

That lack of emotional control just seemed to worsen as my love for her grew. I had been hopeful that I would get used to the way she made me feel and be able to get a handle on it, but that just had not been the case.

Being barely able to keep myself from physically harming anyone who touched my mate had been a huge accomplishment. It didn’t seem to matter if there was no real threat or not, especially early on in our relationship. I had become wildly possessive as she and I grew closer.

That was why it was currently taking every little drop of self-control I had not to jump up from the pew I was sitting on, grab Briella up into my arms, and drag her the hell out of there.

Sitting while Briella was led up to the altar by a couple of soulless guards went against everything I was as her husband. I should have been beside her, shielding her from things that could potentially harm her.

It had taken even more time for me to even partially accept that Briella didn’t need me to protect her. She had gone through the same advanced military training I had, yet I couldn’t bring myself not to worry despite her strength and skill in physical combat.

I felt my teeth grind together as Briella passed me. We both knew better than to look at one another. It would have been extremely obvious with the lack of people in the large room. Still, I felt the familiar pull to her and again had to reign in every little bit of self-control to keep from reaching out into the aisle to grab her. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Briella stiffened briefly, and I could tell that she wanted badly to reach for me as well. That made the desperation inside of me well up even more.

I felt rage building up inside of me when Briella got to the top of the steps. The guards fell away, taking their spots on either side of the raised platform.

Briella turned slowly to face the front, clearly unsure what she was supposed to do. Malphas approached her, easily looming over her like a threatening shadow. It made my mate look so small. I felt the protectiveness well up within me even more.

Malphas looked down at her, grinning widely. The look he was giving her could have been mistaken as tender if not for the evil glint in his eyes. He raised a hand and grazed one of his surprisingly slim fingers against Briella’s cheek, causing me to see red for a moment before I forced it away.

“This is a very long time coming, little bird,” Malphas said in a frightening and gravelly voice. He held his hand against her cheek, cupping Briella’s soft skin in his palm. I thought I noticed it shake slightly as if he wanted to grab her roughly.

Briella had no response to that. She just kept silent, her bright green eyes wide with horror.

Malphas seemed to feed on her fear, his grin spreading out even further. “I am pleased that your countenance suggests you are ready to be obedient toward me,” he said. “After all, in no time at all, you will be my daughter, so it would be in your best interest to do as I say.”

Briella ground her teeth together. I thought I saw defiance in her gaze, even with just her profile visible to me, but it was gone a second later, that same passive look returning to her form.

Malphas held Briella’s face for a moment longer before stepping away from her and raising his hands in a grand gesture. “We will now begin the ceremony,” he said in a loud voice, which was hardly necessary given that I was the only other person in the room other than the guards.

Tian appeared. I was surprised that he was wearing a white suit with gold trimmings. He looked like the perfect foil to the dark and sinisterly dressed Malphas. His dark eyes immediately landed on Briella, and they glinted hungrily.

Once again, the urge to jump out of my seat and take Briella far away from there filled me completely. I reminded myself over and over that Briella was strong. She could handle this. She just needed a little bit longer.

Tian took his place just an arm’s length away from Briella. Malphas grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her so that she was forced to face Tian.

“This is a union I have been anticipating for many years,” Malphas started, his low voice echoing against the high ceilings. “Soon, with the union of my son and the granddaughter of Priestess Amara, things will be as they should be. At long last, our families will be united.”

The guards cheered, surprisingly enthusiastic considering they had been devoid of emotion when speaking to us earlier.

Briella was doing an extraordinary job of staying calm. The situation was sounding less like a wedding ceremony and more like a war meeting. Briella kept her head high and didn’t even flinch, despite Malphas’ terrifying words.

“Your mother and grandmother might have escaped me, but I know my son will be able to keep you in line,” Malphas said to Briella. “Since we are soon going to be family, I will forgive you for destroying our entire shadow army. You were fortunate that I was able to recover Tian and bring him back to life. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been so tolerant.”

Briella’s head shot up. I felt shock go through me as well. Silence stretched for a moment as my mate recovered from her surprise. “I thank you for your forgiveness,” she said, her voice even and strong. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “May I ask how you were able to accomplish such a miracle?”

I had the same question. According to what Briella described to me when we were imprisoned together, Malphas only just returned to his physical form a couple of days earlier. How had he been able to rescue Tian after he had the life sucked out of him?

Malphas looked pleased to be asked. “What an excellent question,” he said, sharing an almost amused look with Tian. “It was that will be answered directly after the ceremony. However, I suppose giving Tian’s young bride a preview of what is to come couldn’t hurt.”

Malphas held his hand out to Briella. After a moment of hesitation, Briella slipped her hand in his. He led Briella down the steps of the altar and walked her over to a well that had not been there previously. It must have materialized when all of our attention was on the altar.

It was an old stone well that looked like it had been dragged out from the deepest forest. There was an otherworldly air about it with its dark moss-covered bricks and gold-laden bucket that hung from a thick rope.

“What is this?” Briella asked with heavy uncertainty.

Malphas tightened his hold on her hand and led her forward so she could see inside the well. “Our families have been linked for generations, so I had to collect this well to complete the binding ritual. You and Tian will enter the well together after delivering your vows.”

I barely bit back a growl at Malphas’ words.

I could practically feel Briella warning me to be calm, even though her back was facing me at this point. Her back was ramrod straight as she leaned slightly away from the well. “What will happen when we enter the well?” she asked. This time, her voice trembled slightly.

Malpas chuckled darkly. “As soon as you enter the well, you and your new husband will undergo the binding ritual, becoming encased with a potent energy that will bind your energies together. You will no longer be a separate entity as far as your powers go. They will be one and the same in many ways.”

Briella’s eyes widened with horror. “What do you mean?” she demanded. “Are you implying that I won’t be able to use my abilities without Tian?”

“I am not implying it, no,” Malphas said. “I am stating it. To gain great power, there have to be sacrifices. By binding, you lose your independence but gain strength that far outweighs what you had as separate entities.”

Briella’s breath hitched. She stepped away from the ominous glowing mouth of the well. This time, Malphas allowed her to move backward and used it as his opportunity to drag Briella back up the steps of the altar so that she was in front of Tian again.

“The time to unite our families is fast approaching,” Malphas said, gesturing toward the long windows at the back of the temple. “Dawn is nearly upon us.”

I glanced back to find that it was true. The sky was starting to lighten with brighter hues of blue.

Malphas took his place between Briella and Tian again, gesturing to the latter. “You may deliver your vows now, Son.”

Tian was grinning as he nodded. He reached down and took Briella’s hands in his.

I growled low but forced it down when the guards moved to grab their weapons.

Tian looked at Briella, looking intensely at her as he spoke. “Briella, when we first met, I admit that I saw you as nothing but the enemy, a girl standing in the way of me and my father’s goal.”

I tensed, hating how helpless I was to do anything as this demon held the hands of my mate.

Tian continued. His tone was surprisingly genuine and filled with awe as he looked at Briella. “But as I continued to watch over you and prepare to lead the attack against Embervale, I learned that we were meant to be together. Your tenacity rivals my own. I knew that someday, we would be an unstoppable unit. I vow to lift you up and make you stronger, my love.”

Briella looked shocked, her face turning a bit green as she stared at Tian in horror.

“That was beautiful and heartfelt, my son,” Malphas said. He looked to Briella. “And now you, my daughter.”

Briella visibly flinched at the way Malphas called her his daughter, but she was able to recover quickly. She squared her shoulders, her chin tilting up determinedly. “Tian, I promise to do what I believe to be best for you,” she started. She glanced at me quickly. I gave her a meaningful nod. “That being said, I really don’t believe that this is what you want.”

Without warning, she slipped her hands out of Tian’s and seized his wrists.

Tian’s eyes widened when Briella’s hands began to glow.