The following minutes unfolded with strained normalcy. Emma and Elijah engaged Alpha Donovan in conversation about the specifics of the engineering assistance, while I drifted slightly apart to speak with Christian who had approached during the exchange. My brother's perceptive gaze missed nothing, noting Emma's tension and my protective stance with that analytical assessment that made him invaluable in court politics.
"Trouble?" he murmured, pitching his voice for my ears alone.
"Potentially," I acknowledged. "Her former mate is apparently in attendance."
Christian's expression sharpened, gray eyes scanning the room with renewed focus. "The abusive one. Interesting timing."
"Indeed." I kept Emma in my peripheral vision, tracking her movements with an awareness that tran
Theo turned to face me fully, taking both my hands in his. The amber of his eyes had deepened to honey in the cathedral light, and I could see in them the same mixture of nervousness and certainty that churned within me. Christian stepped forward, offering Theo a folded piece of paper which he accepted with a nod of thanks.Theo cleared his throat softly before speaking, his voice pitched to carry to the assembled guests while maintaining the intimacy of words meant primarily for me."Emma," he began, the familiar shortening of my name a reminder that beneath the crowns and titles, we were still just Theo and Emma. "Before you, I ruled a kingdom but lived in a fortress of my own making. I was King but not truly alive - moving through centuries with purpose but without joy, with power but without true strength."He p
I stood before the minister, my hand clasped in Theo's, feeling the weight of the moment press against my chest like a physical thing. The cathedral soared above us, ancient stone and gleaming moonstone, a space that had witnessed centuries of royal unions but never one quite like ours. Light filtered through stained glass, painting Theo's face in shifting patterns of blue and gold that caught in the angles of his crown - the masculine echo of the delicate one I now wore. His fingers tightened around mine, warm and steady, anchoring me as the minister's voice rose to fill the vast space around us."Beloved guests, esteemed dignitaries, honored pack members," the minister began, his voice carrying effortlessly through the vast chamber despite his advanced age. His ceremonial robes - midnight blue embroidered with silver symbols of both Lycan and werewolf heritage - caught the light as he raised his hands in
My heart stuttered to a halt before racing forward at a pace that would alarm any human doctor. She stood framed in the doorway, a vision in white silk and delicate lace, the train of her dress flowing behind her like captured starlight. The silver details along the hem caught the cathedral's light, winking like distant constellations. And atop her dark hair sat the crown I'd commissioned – white gold and sapphires nestled among her elegant updo as if it had been designed specifically for this moment, which of course, it had been.I didn't realize I was crying until Christian pressed a handkerchief into my palm, his own eyes suspiciously bright. I couldn't bring myself to care about the tears tracking down my cheeks, not when Emma looked at me across the distance and smiled – that particular smile that transformed her entire face, the one she reserved for me alone.As Elijah began to lead her down the aisle, I drank in every detail. The way the dress hugged her figure before flowing o
I checked my watch again, confirming Christian's assessment with a grimace. "Five minutes," I muttered. "An eternity.""You've already done the hard part," Christian reminded me, his voice softening into something more genuine. "You convinced Emma to mate with you, to marry you, to rule alongside you. This?" He gestured around at the cathedral. "This is just a formality."I scowled at him, not appreciating the reminder of how close I'd come to losing her. "That's not helping.""Isn't it?" he countered. "Think about it, Theo. She chose you. The stubborn, fiercely independent werewolf who challenged you at every turn, who made you work for every inch of ground – she chose you. She wears your mark willingly. She sits on the throne beside you not as consort but as equal. After all that, do you really think she's going to leave you at the altar?"His words struck something true within me, and I felt my shoulders relax slightly. Emma had indeed chosen me, against all odds and traditions. We
I stood at the altar, my hands clasped tightly behind my back to hide their trembling. The ancient cathedral loomed around me, its vaulted ceilings disappearing into shadows despite the hundreds of candles illuminating the space. Stained glass windows cast pools of coloured light across the marble floors, turning ordinary air into something sacred. I drew a shaky breath, the scent of fresh flowers and ceremonial incense filling my lungs. After centuries of rule, after facing down enemies and rivals, after navigating the treacherous waters of Lycan politics, I found myself undone by simple anticipation. Where was she? My queen, my mate, my Emma – soon to be my wife in the human tradition that had suddenly come to mean everything to me."If you don't stop fidgeting, you're going to wear a groove in the floor," Christian murmured beside me, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "You've faced down hostile ministers without breaking a sweat, but a wedding has you coming apart at the
"Now," Elena said, her voice taking on a ceremonial quality, "for the traditional gifts." She opened the first of the jewellery boxes, revealing a pair of earrings that caught the light in prismatic bursts. "Something new."The earrings were exquisite; teardrop sapphires surrounded by tiny diamonds that seemed to capture all the light in the room. "Elena," I breathed, "they're stunning.""They're from both Elijah and me," she said, helping me put them on. "Blue to match the sapphires in your crown, and to remind you that you'll always have a family who loves you."The weight of them against my skin felt significant, a tangible reminder of the bonds that sustained me."Something old," Elena continued, opening a worn velvet box to reveal a delicate silver bracelet. The filigree work was intricate, tiny flowers and leaves intertwined in a pattern that spoke of another era entirely. "This belonged to my grandmother. She wore it on her wedding day, and her mother before her.""I can't take