The wedding was a small affair, with only their closest family members present.
There were more members of the press than there were guests. There were certainly more political speeches than congratulations to the newlyweds.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, it was over.
The press left, and Councilman Kaito offered dry congratulations and departed too, after warning them that he would return in a few months for the election of their new Lord Chancellor—or at least that was what he'd said.
Cynically, Jordan thought he would come because he didn't trust them to maintain the peace.
Either way, there were only the two families left, and Prime Minister Cruz.
The latter was speaking to Reed. His husband.
Jordan still couldn't entirely believe it. He had a husband. A husband he'd met a few hours ago. It seemed surreal.
"Jordan."
He turned at the sound of his father's voice. "Your Majesty?"
King Kaiser looked displeased, but then again, he always did. "I don't want to stay here longer than necessary. Let's take our leave now that this farce is finally over. I have already told the pilot to prepare our plane for departure."
Jordan nodded and looked at his mother. She was speaking to Reed's mother.
"I'll let Mother know, and then we can go—"
"Where are you going?"
The familiar deep voice made Jordan freeze. He turned and looked at Reed—at his husband. The beta was eyeing them with a frown, his dark eyes flicking from Kaiser to Jordan and back.
Before Jordan could say anything, his father answered coldly, "We're taking our leave."
Reed's frown deepened. He looked at Kaiser for a long moment before saying mildly, "I wish you and your wife a safe flight, but my husband will stay here."
A vein twitched at Kaiser's temple.
"I beg your pardon?" he ground out. "My family and I are leaving." His tone was final. "Come, Jordan."
Reed laid a hand on Jordan's shoulder. "My husband will stay here," he repeated, his voice like steel.
A hysterical laugh bubbled up Jordan's throat.
His father's face was priceless.
Jordan honestly couldn't remember the last time someone dared to contradict his father, much less a beta doing it. Not that betas couldn't be self-assured, but it was biologically difficult for betas to stand up to alphas.
Alpha pheromones usually were too oppressive and intimidating. Even now, his father's alpha pheromones were trying to subdue Reed's will, but to Jordan's astonishment, Reed didn't seem affected at all; his expression was firm and unimpressed.
"Your husband?" Kaiser said, sneering. "The Coalition official has left, and there are no reporters here anymore; there's no need to keep up the act. We all know this so-called marriage is nothing but a farce."
Reed looked at the king steadily. "You're being either naive or short-sighted if you think we can simply drop the 'act' now that Councilman Kaito is gone. There is no act. For the peace to last, our people need to believe that we're serious about the peace—and about this union. Your son is married to me. He is my husband, and he can't leave South so soon. It certainly would make it obvious to everyone that this marriage is nothing but a farce and render everything we've done today pointless."
Jordan frowned thoughtfully.
Reed was right. He did need to stay for a while. But his father had never allowed anyone's opinion to change his own, and Jordan doubted he was going to start now.
Kaiser's reddening face confirmed it. "You—"
"Father," Jordan cut in, keeping his voice firm but respectful—the tone he'd perfected over the decades. He needed to help his father save face, or Kaiser would never give in.
"I agree with you: Senator Reed's point is valid. I will stay in the South for a short while and then come home. You and Mother should go ahead."
For a moment, he thought his father would explode. But then Kaiser took a deep breath and let it out.
"Fine," he bit off. "We expect you home soon." And grabbing his wife, he strode out of the room, not even bothering to say goodbye to Jordan.
Jordan sighed, watching his parents leave with mixed feelings. On one hand, he was relieved to be away from his father's nagging, but he was also very conscious that he was now alone in a foreign country, among people who had no love for him; quite the opposite.
He turned back to Reed, and they just stared at each other for a moment, wary and tense.
"Reed—"
"Warren. You're supposed to be my husband."
"Warren," Jordan said. "While I don't appreciate you making choices and speaking for me without consulting me first, I admit your point was valid: I can't leave right now."
"But?"
"But I'm the crown prince," Jordan said. "I can't stay here long. I have duties I can't abandon. My father expects me to return to them soon."
Warren's black eyes bored into him. "What would those duties be?"
"I'm the General of the North Veridian army, for one thing."
"What would you need the army for if you really expect the peace to last?"
Jordan glared at him, his scent sharpening. "Are you implying North Veridia intends to double-cross South?"
Warren gave him a steady look. "I'm implying nothing, Your Highness. I'm simply asking a question."
"Jordan," Jordan ground out. "Aren't I supposed to be your husband? Or do you remember it only when it's convenient for you?"
Warren's nostrils flared. He stalked forward until they were nose to nose.
They were the same height, or perhaps Warren was slightly taller; it was hard to be certain when they were so close.
Jordan inhaled shakily, his heart pounding in his ears. Warren's neutral scent was laced with something thicker, darker, something that made Jordan's skin prickle with agitation.
"Jordan," Warren said. "You are my husband. I didn't forget it. You will come with me to Reed Ranch. You will attend various events with me for good publicity. You will stay here in South Veridia until people buy our marriage."
Jordan wanted to tell him to fuck off. Not because of what Warren was saying, but because of that infuriating, high-handed tone. No one talked to him that way. How dare he?
He felt his own scent become thicker, a natural alpha reaction to being threatened, but Warren didn't even flinch. He continued staring Jordan down, that smell of ozone and wet soil appearing in his scent again and becoming so oppressive that it made Jordan shudder.
The moment stretched.
All he could see were black eyes staring him down intently.
Jordan was the first to look away. "All right," he said, unable to believe himself. If his father were here, if he saw his alpha son submitting to a beta's will, he would disown him on the spot.
Warren's scent became less overwhelming, but it didn't quite shift back to his neutral scent, the sharp undertones lingering.
"Good," Warren said and stepped back.
Jordan let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.
What the everlasting fuck.