Page 1 of Star Crossed Delta
SABA
‘ B eloved, we are gathered here to witness the union between two hearts, souls, families, and dynasties. For all eternity .’
The absoluteness of the words struck the slight, dark-haired woman so hard that she nearly keeled over.
It didn’t help that the diamond-studded veil, which clung to her skull, was so heavy and stifling that it made her head spin.
A resonant voice pierced the air, carrying through the tension.
‘The vows shall begin. With the groom, the ?ar of the Sauvage Family.’
Shrouded in her thick mantle, Saba had no view of the bridegroom the priest spoke of.
Yet she trembled at the title of the unseen man she was about to marry, and in doing so, become the ?arim .
The Donna of one of the most powerful families in the flotilla.
The wife of one of the most feared lycan shifter wolves in the Wildlight Expanse.
A bird called in the distance, and the sounds of waves crashing on the lake shore they stood beside reached her ears, blending with the accusatory whispers she imagined, whipping about in the wind.
A rumbling voice, deep and full of resonant power, reverberated, sending a jolt through her.
‘My lord, I, Mak, have betrothed you, Shakhete Lisades, to be my wife. I give you this band as a sign that I shall share all I have with you from this day and this hour onward.’
It was the utterance of a man accustomed to being obeyed.
Also, ‘Mak’. What a gorgeous name.
‘Your hand, bride.’
Saba shot her hand out from under the veil as another reached for it.
A shudder went through her at the touch, an electrified arc that jolted her to the core.
Still, the grasp that enveloped her was firm, yet gentle, as a cold circle of metal slipped onto her ring finger.
She withdrew her hand back under the veil, gazing down at the jewel.
A single pear diamond, the purest, most valuable gem, sat atop the ornate band.
Its unique pattern glittered with a fiery, rainbow sparkle, creating a halo that bounced off the available light, even within her shroud.
She was so stunned by its beauty that she forgot everything else until the Luminary’s voice broke through the stillness.
‘Behold! She is beautiful! Behold, she is ethereal! May her groom be evermore enamored.’
The gathered guests echoed, ‘ Behold! She is beautiful! Behold, she is ethereal! ’
Saba dragged her gaze from her hand, her eyes misting with frustration, unable to protest.
Fokk Shiloh and her scheming!
Moments later, it was her turn to make the eternal promise.
She fought back a sob and spoke with as much clarity as she could manage through the thick veil.
‘My lord, I, Shakhete, have betrothed you, Makennon Mak Essen, to be my husband. I give you this ring as a sign of my commitment. I shall share all I have with you from this day and this hour onward.’
A male presence, one she imagined to be one of the ?ar’s groomsmen, appeared beside her, nudging her upper arm before shoving a small velvet pillow through the slit of her mantle.
She scrambled in the dim light, grabbing the platinum gold band from the bearer.
With a jagged inhale, she slid it onto the ring finger of the firm, lean, veined hand that extended under her veil.
The sinewed hand withdrew, leaving her breathless.
The Luminary rumbled, ‘Behold! He is mighty! Behold, he is strong! May his bride be evermore enamored.’
The congregation responded in a single chorus. ‘ Behold! He is mighty! Behold, he is strong! ’
The priest added, ‘This woman is given to this man to receive each other’s help and support.
They are betrothed for life and have shared this sign of a ring as a symbol of their union’s fulfillment.
May they be united by the bond of love, and may their union render glory and honor, now and forever. ’
With the pronouncement complete, Saba’s groom turned toward her. The room held its collective breath as one of his strong, steady hands reached to unfurl the veil’s fabric.
As he did, Saba’s mind raced with one thought.
What would he do when he uncovered the truth?
A hushed reverence fell over the room like mist settling in a forest.
Saba was beyond panic now.
Her heart had turned to stone, and her breath caught in her throat, waiting for the tempest to break over her.
As the veil was swept away, a soft lake breeze brushed against her skin, the delicate lace fluttering on her cheeks.
She glanced up and locked eyes with him for the first time.
Maklan ‘Mak’ Essen Sauvage.
His name, Maklan , meant ‘mighty king’, for he was the Don and ?ar of the Sauvage’s sprawling dynasty.
His tall figure loomed over her, and her insides lurched as she realized that he embodied every aspect of it, fulfilling the belief that one grew into their name.
Her gaze roamed over his thick, wavy, dark hair, which swept over his potent forehead.
Underneath his high, broad brow, his features were carved, and his strong jawline, nose, and lips were pressed tightly together.
A pair of diamond earrings adorned his sculpted earlobes.
His lips were full but tight, his chin chiseled, and his upper body was defined, straining against the fabric of his traditional pearl-white wedding suit, showing off his strength.
Over his shoulders rested a gold and sable woven cloak, the safin , worn by men of distinction during ritualized events within the Akkadian community.
Beneath his half-open tunic, his chest was a broad expanse of toned muscles and dusky skin, inked with purple, gold, and black ink in the shape of a stylized third eye.
It reminded the wearer to maintain a compassionate, inward gaze that was vigilant and aligned with the principles of their tight-knit community’s beliefs.
Biting her lip, Saba couldn’t tear her eyes from his torso, hoping fervently that the ?ar followed this one value in particular, for she was at his mercy.
She soon found herself flicking her gaze lower, powerless to resist.
His arms were thick and sinewed, his hands calloused and strong, also inked with shades of amaranthine, from plum to lilac, intertwined with gold.
His legs, bulky and muscular, were encased in silken trousers.
He was a work of art, a masterpiece crafted as if by the gods.
But of all his features, it was his eyes that nearly floored her.
They flared with amethyst and golden flecks as they raked over her. He stared deep into her soul.
He growled under his breath, and the veil, once a barrier between them, fell away, revealing her fully.
He blinked, his jaw clenched, a muscle rippling down his sinewed neck.
His stare shifted from one of curious expectation to one of outrage and disbelief as he glared at her.
A question followed the shock in his eyes, and his narrowed, burning gaze flicked toward her family.
The gilded quartz flames in his eyes flared, as if to scorch the earth beneath her.
A hiss sounded behind her, and she glanced at her uncle in the front row.
His face contorted in horror, his generous-sized form rising from his seat.
Saba’s gaze flew back to her groom’s face, searching for any give, any slack in his stern expression.
There was none.
His eyes now glowered with wrath and disbelief.
Whispers rippled through the guests, creating a hum of discontent, and Saba’s stomach knotted, unease crowding her like a shadow at dusk.
Holy astral suns. What had she done?
Bracing herself for the worst, Saba caught Mak’s gaze again.
His eyes searched hers, and as he leaned closer, his silver-tipped fangs brushing her earlobe, his voice came hoarse, whispered, and furious.
‘ Who the fokk are you? ’