Chapter 308: The Council of Uninvited Matchmakers and The Supposed Wedding

Daniel’s hand was heavy on Orion’s shoulder, Caspian’s grip firm on the other side as the two old men marched him across the pack like he was some troublesome recruit being hauled to discipline. Orion didn’t fight it — it would only prolong their collective satisfaction. Best to let them get whatever this was out of their systems.

Daniel’s home stood at the far end of the northern quadrant of the Nightshade pack, built from the same brick that lined most of the houses here. It had an old, seasoned feel, like the house itself exhaled memories through the mortar.

Daniel pushed the door open with the ease of a man entering his own past.

The house was warm — not uncomfortably so, but with a hearth that crackled in greeting. The flames cast gold light over the interior, over the woven rugs and the thick wooden beams, over the table cluttered with wineskins and folded maps. Weapons decorated the wall just beside the hearth: spears, short axes, and at least twelve swords arranged with the obsessive care of a man who had spent half his life fighting and the other half remembering how to stop.

But what snagged Orion’s breath was the painting beside the weapons, a woman with dark hair braided over her shoulder and a young boy who looked just like Daniel but with a softer smile. Orion hadn’t seen that painting since he was a child.

Orion’s chest tightened in a way he didn’t expect.

"You remember the way?" Daniel asked lightly, pretending not to notice how Orion’s gaze lingered on the portrait.

"I remember," Orion said quietly.

He hadn’t been here since he was young, back when Daniel had been assisting him while he took over pack duties.

The painting on the wall was of Daniel’s wife and Ronan’s older brother. Daniel had been the one to request the painting. The painting was old now but it still held everything about them. Everything that Daniel and Ronan had remembered about how they looked.

"Sit," Daniel ordered, patting a heavy wooden chair.

Orion sat.

Caspian lowered himself into the chair beside him with the familiar grunt of an old man who blamed his aching joints on everyone except himself. Daniel grabbed two wineskins from the table and tossed one to Caspian before grabbing the third for himself.

They took long, synchronized sips. Orion knew that they were drinking grape juice.

Then, slowly, they turned their heads toward Orion like synchronized predators.

"Speak," Daniel said.

Orion blinked. "About what?"

"There’s more you’re hiding," Caspian said, squinting at him. "We may not be as young as we once were, but we weren’t born blind."

"There’s nothing else to tell you," Orion said to them. "You already know I’m with Sophia. The whole pack knows. And yes, we’ve been together for a while now."

Daniel nodded slowly. "Then why," he said, voice calm in that dangerous Daniel-way, "did you let us believe you weren’t with her?"

Orion opened his mouth to answer when they heard a knock at the door.

Daniel smirked. "Right on time."

He opened the door and Madam Tyler swept in.

Orion dropped his head back in a silent, exhausted plea to the moon.

"Really?" he asked as the older woman took the last spare chair with the dignity of a queen claiming her throne.

"Yes," all three elders said.

Madam Tyler adjusted her shawl and clasped her hands primly on her lap. "I must say I was fortunate to see you with Sophia earlier today, Alpha. You were a different man entirely."

"You speak like I do not know you were there," Orion told her dryly.

Madam Tyler shrugged her shoulders like she didn’t care.

Orion rubbed his face. "Alright. Ask whatever you want to ask."

"Why did you let us believe you weren’t with her or anyone for that matter?" Madam Tyler asked again.

Orion shrugged. "It was a secret. We just wanted to spend time together. That’s all."

Caspian took a long sip, smacking his lips afterward with exaggerated disapproval. "While I’m very disappointed that you hid it from us, that’s not the main reason you’re here."

Orion frowned. "Then why am I here?"

Madam Tyler leaned forward. "When is the wedding?"

Orion froze.

"...what?" he asked, blinking slowly. "What did you just say?"

Daniel nodded as if Madam Tyler had merely asked what time dinner was. "We need to start planning the wedding, boy."

Caspian helped himself to another gulp of wine. Madam Tyler looked absolutely thrilled.

Orion stared at them, then laughed from shock.

"You’re serious?"

They nodded in perfect unison.

"My relationship with Sophia is still new," Orion told them. "Very new."

"That doesn’t matter," Caspian said immediately. "You’re mates."

"It matters to me," Orion said flatly. "A lot."

Caspian clicked his tongue. "I don’t understand your generation. When I met my husband, we married within a month. One month. Didn’t waste time with this... slow courtship nonsense."

Daniel nodded. Madam Tyler nodded. They all nodded like enthusiastic pigeons.

"It was the same for us," Daniel added. "You know this."

"And I respect that," Orion said, hands raised. "But I’m not getting married now. I’m not rushing anything."

Madam Tyler made a soft, scandalized sound.

Orion continued, "First of all, I’m not the only one in the relationship. When we’re talking about marriage, maybe consider, oh I don’t know... asking Sophia too? In fact, don’t ask me at all. Ask her."

The elders considered that.

Daniel hummed. Caspian sighed. Madam Tyler looked slightly offended but nodded.

"Secondly," Orion continued, "there are still pack members outside the territory. I’m not getting married while they are gone."

"That is true," Caspian admitted begrudgingly. "Tradition requires the whole pack."

"Exactly," Orion said.

Daniel leaned forward. "So you will get married."

"Like I said, you should also ask Sophia and not just me," Orion told them.

Madam Tyler laughed, delighted. "At least you are not saying you won’t get married."

Caspian grinned. "Which means you will. Eventually."

Orion stared at them.

Then he scrubbed a hand through his hair and muttered, "I should have escaped when I had the chance."

Daniel clapped his shoulder. "Too late, but at least we are satisfied with your answer."

Orion chuckled lightly then stood up. "If that’s all, then can I leave?"

The three of them smiled widely. "We are not going to keep you away from her," Madam Tyler said to him.

"He’s whipped," Daniel said with a booming laugh.

Orion just shook his head but he didn’t deny it. He gave them a nod and then walked out of Daniel’s house.