Chapter 385: The Wrong Rooms

The wedding celebrations continued long after the ceremonies had ended. On both sides of the estate, music filled the air as guests enjoyed the delicious food and drinks prepared for the occasion. The reception grounds were beautifully decorated with flowers, sparkling chandeliers, and elegant tables, while servants moved around attending to the royal guests.

?At the eastern reception, Kaden and Rebecca sat together at the beautifully decorated royal table, receiving congratulations from the guests who had come to celebrate their marriage. Under the influence of the powerful spell, Kaden believed the woman beside him was Rola, while Rebecca saw Melvin whenever she looked at her new husband.

Everyone at the reception saw exactly what they expected to see. Kaden’s guests believed they were celebrating his marriage to Rola, while Lady Maria saw her daughter happily married to Melvin. Nobody suspected that anything was wrong.

?"Congratulations, Your Majesties!" an elderly Alpha said as he approached their table with his wife. "May the Moon Goddess bless your marriage with happiness and many heirs."

?"Thank you, Alpha Richard," Kaden replied with a polite smile.

?The elderly Alpha’s wife turned toward Rebecca. "You look absolutely beautiful, Your Majesty. I must say, the Alpha King is a very fortunate man."

?Rebecca smiled warmly. "Thank you so much. That’s very kind of you."

?The couple bowed respectfully before moving away to make room for another group of guests. Several other Alphas and their Lunas approached to offer their congratulations, and Kaden patiently exchanged greetings with each of them. Rebecca remained beside him, smiling and thanking everyone, although she occasionally glanced at her husband with a happiness she couldn’t hide.

?After another group of guests finally left their table, Kaden leaned closer to her.

?"Do you know what I’ve been thinking about since the ceremony?" he whispered.

?Rebecca turned toward him with a curious smile. "What?"

?"How much longer I have to sit here before I can finally have my wife all to myself."

?Rebecca laughed softly. "We’ve only been married for a few hours."

?"Exactly. And I’ve already spent most of those hours sharing you with hundreds of people."

?She shook her head in amusement. "They’re our guests. We can’t just abandon them."

?"Why not?" Kaden asked, looking completely serious.

?"Because that would be rude!"

?Kaden chuckled and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. To him, he was holding Rola, the woman he’d been waiting so long to marry, and he was finding it increasingly difficult to remain patient.

?"I’ve been waiting for this night for months," he murmured near her ear. "And I don’t think I can wait much longer."

?Rebecca felt her cheeks grow warm. Through the spell, she heard Melvin’s familiar voice, and the affection in his words made her heart flutter.

?"You’re being impatient, Your Majesty," she teased.

?"Very impatient," he admitted without hesitation. "And you’re not making it any easier by looking so beautiful."

?Rebecca laughed and gently placed a hand against his chest. "At least let the guests finish congratulating us."

?Kaden glanced toward the long line of people still waiting to greet them, then returned his attention to her.

?"If we wait for every single person here, we’ll still be sitting at this table tomorrow morning."

?"You’re exaggerating."

?"Am I?"

?Before Rebecca could answer, Logan approached their table with an amused expression.

?"Alpha, the representatives from the Northern Packs would like to congratulate you before they leave."

?Kaden closed his eyes briefly and sighed. "Of course they would."

?Logan struggled to hide his smile. "Should I bring them over?"

?"Do I have a choice?"

?"Not particularly, Alpha."

?Rebecca burst into laughter, and Kaden turned toward her with a helpless expression.

?"I’m glad you find my suffering entertaining."

?"Oh, very entertaining," she replied, still laughing.

?Kaden shook his head, but he couldn’t stop smiling at her. He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead before turning his attention toward the approaching guests.

?On the western side of the estate, Melvin and Rola were having a similar experience.

?Their reception was just as magnificent, with royal guests from the Dragon Kingdoms and neighboring territories filling the beautifully decorated hall. Music played softly in the background as couples danced, while others gathered around the tables enjoying the celebration.

?Melvin stood beside Rola, greeting another group of guests who had approached to congratulate them. He smiled politely as an elderly dragon lord shook his hand.

?"Congratulations, Your Majesty. May your marriage bring lasting peace and happiness to the Southern Kingdom."

?"Thank you, Lord Harrison," Melvin replied warmly. "We’re grateful you could join us today."

?The elderly lord turned toward Rola. "And congratulations to you as well, Your Majesty. You make a beautiful bride."

?Rola smiled graciously. "Thank you. We’re delighted you could celebrate with us."

?After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the guests moved away, leaving the newlyweds alone for the first time in several minutes.

?Melvin immediately turned toward his bride and slipped an arm around her waist.

?"Finally," he murmured.

?Rola laughed softly. "Finally what?"

?"A moment alone with my wife."

?"Kaden, we’ve been together all afternoon."

Melvin heard his own name instead of Kaden’s, just as the spell intended. He smiled and gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

?"Being surrounded by hundreds of people doesn’t count as being alone."

?Rola shook her head, amused by his complaint. "They’re here because they love and respect us. We should be happy so many people came to celebrate our wedding."

?"I am happy," Melvin assured her. "Very happy, actually. But there’s something that would make me even happier."

?Rola raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

?Melvin leaned closer until his lips were near her ear.

?"Taking my beautiful wife upstairs and finally having her all to myself."

?Rola immediately laughed, her cheeks warming at his words.

?"Love, you’re being terribly impatient."

?"I’ve been patient for months," Melvin replied. "Surely that should count for something."

?"It counts for a great deal," she said with a smile. "But we can’t disappear while everyone is still celebrating."

?"Why not? I’m the king. Surely I should be allowed to leave my own wedding whenever I please."

?Rola laughed again. "That’s not how royal responsibilities work."

?Melvin sighed dramatically. "I was afraid you’d say that."

?She smiled and gently straightened his collar. "Just a little longer, alright?"

?He studied her face for a moment before smiling.

?"Fine. But I’m holding you to that."

?"Of course you are."

?Melvin leaned down and kissed her forehead, earning an affectionate smile from his bride. To him, she was Rebecca, the woman he loved more than anything, and he couldn’t wait to begin their married life together.

?Back at the eastern reception, Kaden had finally reached the limit of his patience.

?Another hour had passed, and although most of the important guests had already offered their congratulations, the celebration showed no signs of ending. Music continued playing, servants kept bringing out more food and drinks, and several guests had already begun dancing near the center of the hall.

?Rebecca was speaking with Lady Maria when Kaden suddenly stood from his chair.

?She looked up at him in surprise.

?"Where are you going?"

?Kaden smiled mischievously. "You’ll see."

?Before she could question him further, he reached for the microphone resting on their table.

?"Attention, everyone!"

?His powerful voice carried across the reception hall, immediately drawing the attention of the guests. The music gradually stopped, and hundreds of faces turned toward the royal table.

?Rebecca stared at him in confusion.

?"What are you doing?" she whispered.

?Kaden merely smiled before addressing the crowd.

?"First of all, I want to thank every single one of you for coming to celebrate this wonderful day with us. Some of you traveled from distant kingdoms, and I truly appreciate the time and effort you made to be here."

?The guests smiled, and several raised their glasses in acknowledgment.

?"Today has been one of the happiest days of my life," Kaden continued, glancing affectionately at Rebecca. "I’ve finally married the woman I love, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have all of you here to witness it."

?Rebecca smiled warmly, feeling touched by his words.

?However, Kaden wasn’t finished.

?"Now, as much as I’ve enjoyed celebrating with everyone, I’m afraid there’s something very important I need to attend to."

?A few guests exchanged curious looks.

?Kaden’s smile widened as he turned toward his bride.

?"My wife has been very patient with me today, and I think it’s time I stopped making her wait."

?For a brief moment, the hall fell silent.

?Then several guests burst into laughter as they understood what he meant.

?Rebecca’s eyes widened.

?"Melvin!" she exclaimed, although the spell made it sound like she was calling Kaden.

?Kaden laughed and continued speaking.

?"So please, everyone, continue enjoying the food, drinks, and music. The celebration doesn’t have to end simply because the bride and groom are leaving."

?The laughter grew louder.

?One of the elderly Alphas raised his glass and shouted, "Go and enjoy your wedding night, Your Majesty!"

?Another guest called out, "Don’t keep your queen waiting!"

?Kaden chuckled. "Believe me, I have no intention of doing that."

?Rebecca covered her face with one hand, laughing in embarrassment as the guests began cheering and applauding.

?"You’re unbelievable," she whispered when Kaden finally placed the microphone down.

?"I know," he replied with a satisfied smile.

?Before she could say anything else, Kaden bent down and swept her into his arms, carrying her like a bride.

?Rebecca gasped in surprise and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck.

?"Melvin! Put me down!"

?But to Kaden’s ears, she called his name.

?"Not a chance," Kaden replied, laughing.

?The entire reception hall erupted into cheers and applause as the Alpha King carried his bride away from the royal table.

?"Congratulations, Your Majesties!"

?"Enjoy your wedding night!"

?"Long live the king and queen!"

?Rebecca buried her face against his shoulder, laughing helplessly as he carried her toward the exit.

?"You’re embarrassing me!"

?"Good," Kaden replied cheerfully. "At least now everyone knows how much I love my wife."

?Rebecca lifted her head and looked at him, her expression softening.

?"I love you too," she whispered.

?Kaden smiled and kissed her forehead.

?"And I love you more."

?Under the influence of the ancient spell, neither realized that those loving words were being spoken to the wrong person.

?Logan hurried ahead to open the doors, still laughing at his Alpha’s impatience.

?"Have a wonderful evening, Your Majesty," he said respectfully.

?Kaden gave him a warning look. "Don’t even think about disturbing us unless the entire kingdom is on fire."

?Logan burst into laughter. "Understood, Alpha."

?With that, Kaden carried Rebecca out of the reception hall, leaving the guests laughing and cheering behind them.

?On the western side of the estate, Melvin had apparently decided that he’d also had enough of the celebrations.

?He and Rola had just finished speaking with another group of royal guests when he gently took her hand.

?"Come with me."

?Rola looked at him curiously. "Where?"

?"You’ll see."

?He led her toward the front of the reception hall, where a musician was preparing to announce the next dance. Melvin politely requested the microphone, and the musician immediately handed it over.

?Rola watched him with growing suspicion.

?"What are you planning?" she whispered.

?Melvin smiled. "Nothing terrible, I promise."

?He turned toward the guests.

?"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

?The conversations gradually stopped as everyone turned toward the Dragon King.

?"I want to sincerely thank all of you for coming to celebrate our wedding. Today has been a wonderful day, and having our families, friends, and respected guests here has made it even more special."

?The guests applauded warmly.

?Melvin smiled and waited for the applause to settle before continuing.

?"As many of you know, I’ve waited a long time for this day. And now that I’ve finally married the woman I love, there’s only one thing left for me to do."

?Rola glanced at him, already beginning to understand where the speech was heading.

?"Kaden," she whispered warningly, although it sounded like Melvin in Rebecca’s voice.

?He ignored her playful warning.

?"I’m afraid my beautiful bride has been far too generous in sharing me with all of you today. But now, with your permission, I’d like to steal her away for the rest of the evening."

?Laughter immediately spread throughout the hall.

?One of the dragon lords raised his glass.

?"Go ahead, Your Majesty! You’ve earned it!"

?Another guest laughed. "Let the newlyweds enjoy their privacy!"

?Rola covered her mouth as she laughed, shaking her head at her husband’s shameless announcement.

?"You’re impossible," she whispered.

?Melvin turned toward her with a grin.

?"Only when it comes to you."

?He handed the microphone back to the musician and bowed playfully before his bride.

?"May I have the pleasure of escorting my beautiful wife to our room?"

?Rola laughed. "Since you’ve already announced our departure to everyone, I suppose I don’t have much choice."

?"Excellent."

?Before she could react, Melvin bent down and lifted her into his arms.

?Rola gasped and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

?"Your Majesty!"

?Melvin laughed. "What? You didn’t think I was going to make my beautiful wife walk all the way upstairs, did you?"

?The guests burst into another round of laughter and applause as he carried her toward the exit.

?"Congratulations!"

?"May your marriage be blessed!"

?"Enjoy your wedding night, Your Majesties!"

?Rola laughed and hid her face against his chest, feeling both embarrassed and delighted by the attention.

?Melvin looked down at her affectionately.

?"Are you comfortable, my queen?"

?"Very," she replied with a smile. "Although I think you’ve embarrassed me enough for one evening."

?He chuckled. "Then it’s a good thing we’re leaving."

?Rola smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her through the large doors.

?To her, she was safely in Kaden’s arms, on her way to begin her married life with the Alpha King.

?To Melvin, he was carrying Rebecca, the woman he’d dreamed of marrying for months.

?Neither knew the truth.

?The estate had prepared two luxurious royal wedding suites, one on each side of the property. Both had been reserved months earlier and decorated especially for the newlyweds, with fresh flowers, candles, and everything the couples would need for their first night as husband and wife.

?On the eastern side, Kaden carried Rebecca through a quiet corridor leading toward the private royal wing. Two guards stood outside the entrance, and both immediately bowed when they saw their king approaching with his bride.

?"Your Majesty," they greeted respectfully.

?Kaden nodded without slowing down.

?Rebecca glanced around the beautifully decorated corridor, admiring the flowers arranged along the walls. Under the influence of the spell, the corridor looked just as Rebecca remembered it from her wedding preparations with Melvin. She had no idea that Kaden was carrying her toward an entirely different suite.

?"Did you arrange all these flowers?" she asked.

?Kaden glanced down at her, seeing Rola smiling up at him.

?"Do you like them?"

?"They’re beautiful."

?"Then that’s all that matters."

?Rebecca smiled and rested her head against his shoulder as he continued walking.

?When they finally reached the large double doors of their private wedding suite, Kaden stopped and looked down at her.

?"Ready, my queen?"

?Rebecca laughed softly.

?"Ready, my king."

?Kaden smiled and pushed the doors open before carrying her inside.

?At almost the same time, Melvin arrived at the western royal wing with Rola still resting comfortably in his arms. The guards stationed outside the private corridor bowed respectfully and stepped aside to allow their king and queen to pass.

?Rola glanced around the elegant surroundings, admiring the golden decorations and beautiful flowers arranged along the corridor.

?"You’ve really outdone yourself," she remarked.

?Melvin smiled. "Anything for you, my love."

?She looked up at him affectionately. "You know, I could have walked here myself."

?"I know."

?"Then why are you still carrying me?"

?"Because you’re my wife now, and I intend to spoil you whenever I get the opportunity."

?Rola laughed softly. "Well, I certainly won’t complain about that."

?Melvin smiled and kissed her forehead before continuing toward the large double doors at the end of the corridor.

?When they finally reached their private wedding suite, he stopped and looked down at her.

?"Are you ready, sweetheart?"

?Rola smiled and tightened her arms around his neck.

?"Of course I am."

?Melvin pushed the doors open and carried her inside, gently closing them behind him.

?And as the two couples disappeared into their separate wedding suites, the ancient black crystal hidden beneath the central garden continued glowing, keeping its powerful spell firmly in place.

?Neither king knew that the woman in his arms was not the bride he had intended to marry.