All Chapters of Claimed By The Lycan King: Chapter 71 - Chapter 77

I stood alone at the edge of the ballroom, taking a moment to breathe and nursing a flute of champagne that I had yet to taste. The crystalline chandeliers cast their fractured light across faces both familiar and strange - some werewolf, some Lycan, all united in their careful assessment of me. Across the room, Theo's head was bent toward Christian's, their conversation clearly intense despite the casual smiles they maintained. I felt the weight of my new position settle across my shoulders like an invisible cloak, heavy with responsibility but also strangely empowering. This moment of solitude wouldn't last; already, I could see Minister Volkov cutting through the crowd toward me, his expression a masterpiece of contrived respect layered over barely concealed disdain.The minister approached with measured steps, his silver-streaked hair combed with painful precision. Every inch of him was immaculately presented, from his pressed formal attire to his carefully controlled smile. His e

I woke with Theo's scent wrapped around me like a familiar blanket, his arm heavy across my waist. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting golden threads across the royal sheets that still felt foreign against my skin. Yesterday, we had announced our mating to the Kingdom, and today—today we would face the man who had tried to claim me by force.My stomach clenched, not with fear but with something darker, more primal. Artemis stirred within me, her thoughts mixing with mine. ‘He will pay for what he tried to do to us.’Theo's lips brushed the nape of my neck, warm and gentle. "Good morning, my Queen," he murmured, his voice still rough with sleep. The title sounded strange yet right coming from him, an intimate acknowledgment of what we had become to each other."Good morning," I replied, turning in his arms to face him.His amber eyes searched mine, concern evident in their depths. "Are you sure you want to be part of this today?"I nodded, my fingers tracing the curve of hi

"You still don't understand your place," he said, his eyes fixed on me with uncomfortable intensity. "A queen requires refinement, breeding. Your pack produces strong wolves, I'll grant you that, but you lack the necessary pedigree.""And yet she's doing what everyone said couldn’t be done," Theo replied before I could speak. "Uniting our people rather than dividing them."Barker’s laugh was cold. "United? You've merely given them false hope. This experiment will collapse, and history will vindicate me."By the seventh day, exhaustion had settled into my bones. As we prepared for the trial, I stood before the mirror in our chambers, letting Elena help me dress in formal attire befitting my new station. The deep blue dress with silver accents felt foreign against my skin, designed for a queen rather than a pack Gamma."Are you ready for this?" she asked softly, arranging my hair with gentle fingers.I met her eyes in the reflection. "I don't know what to feel," I admitted. "Part of me

He turned to face us directly. "Your Majesties, you have already chosen each other in the most ancient way known to our kinds. You have marked each other as equals, bound by something deeper than law or custom. Today's ceremony merely acknowledges what is already written in flesh and blood."The archbishop raised a small, ornate book. "Will you now make your declarations before your people, binding yourselves not just to each other, but to the realm you will guide together?""We will," Theo and I answered in unison.What followed was a series of ritual questions and responses, each more solemn than the last. We pledged to uphold justice, to protect the innocent, to hear the voices of all our subjects regardless of birth or status. We promised to preserve the ancient traditions worth keeping while having the courage to discard those that no longer served the greater good."Do you, Theodore Lykoudis, acknowledge Emeline Maxwell as your equal in all matters of state and governance, bound