All Chapters of Rejected by My Mate, Captured by a Dominating Lycan King: Chapter 111 - Chapter 120

The heat hits us the second we step through the doors, and my mom actually gasps a little at the entrance hall — the soaring ceilings, the chandeliers, the massive portraits of long-dead kings staring down at us with varying degrees of judgment. "Livana," she breathes. "This is where you live?" "Some days I still can't believe it either," I admit. "There you all are." Selene's voice rings out from across the hall before I even see her, and a second later she's crossing the marble floor toward us with her usual unstoppable energy, Silas trailing a step behind with the long-suffering patience of a man who's clearly been informed of her plans and had no say in them. "We heard the carriage and practically sprinted down here." "You sprinted," Silas says. "I walked." "He power-walked," Selene stage-whispers to my mother, who laughs before she can stop herself, already comfortable — this isn't a first meeting, and it shows in the easy way she lets Selene pull her into a hug. "It'

The reception spills out into the ballroom, and this is where things get properly strange, in the best way. I spot Vesper and Kane first among the crowd, already deep in conversation with a cluster of lycans who are clearly fascinated by whatever exactly Kane and Vesper are doing here. Kane catches my eye across the room and raises his glass to me with a grin, and Vesper blows a kiss that makes Selene, standing nearby, look scandalized in the most delighted way possible. But it's the woman near the far windows who catches everyone's attention eventually, the way a lit match catches attention in a dark room. She's tall — taller than anyone else in the ballroom, willowy in a way that makes her seem like she's made of something other than bone and muscle. Her gown shifts color depending on the light, silver to lavender to something that isn't quite a color at all, and her ears taper to elegant points beneath hair the color of moonlight on water. When she moves, the air around her see

The coronation is held in the Great Hall rather than the conservatory; older, grander, built for exactly this kind of moment, with towering stone columns and stained glass windows depicting the long, bloody, complicated history of the Lycan Monarchy that I've spent the last several weeks reading about in a very old book. It feels strange, walking into a room meant to hold centuries of kings and queens, knowing I'm about to become one more name added to that record. The guests from yesterday are back, along with what feels like every noble and Alpha and dignitary within a thousand miles. I catch sight of Queen Ysolde near the back, still and watchful, that same knowing look on her face. Vesper and Kane are seated with Aurelia, all three looking uncharacteristically formal, though Kane gives me a subtle thumbs up when he catches my eye that makes me want to laugh at entirely the wrong moment. My parents and Genevieve sit in the front row, beside Selene, Silas, Julian, and Darius, al

"...California," Julian announces, opening his eyes and squinting at the map with the satisfaction of a man whose ridiculous methods have once again, somehow, produced a reasonable result on the second try. "Specifically somewhere near the coast, from the look of it.""California," Caspian repeats flatly."California," I echo, and something warm and enormous unfurls in my chest at the word, so big and sudden it nearly steals my breath. Flying cows, I did not expect a dart to make me feel like this.Because California means somewhere with sunshine. It means somewhere closer to my parents and Genevieve back in Louisiana, close enough that visits don't require a small diplomatic operation every time. It means I could actually finish my degree. The one I put on indefinite hold when my whole life turned sideways into royal politics and mate bonds and arena fights, the one I've been quietly, guiltily missing more than I've admitted to anyone, even Caspian. It means somewhere less bloodstai

"Hey, Meine Königin," says Caspian, dropping a kiss on my bare shoulder, dripping and unrepentant. "Hey, you!" I reply, smiling at him. "Where are your other comrades, Aurelia and Darius?" I feel his lips tug up as he smiles against my shoulder. "Not sure…" he answers playfully. "They disappeared not even five minutes into the game." "Did you put those two on opposing teams?" asks Selene, sitting up. "Of course. Can't have the two warriors working on the same team," my mate answers, looking suspiciously innocent. "Bad move," says Silas, still not looking up from his laptop. "They're probably working out their anger." "Yeah, working out their anger. Let's just leave it at that," Selene says, laughing, and flips his laptop closed for him. He looks up and gives her one of his rare, affectionate smiles. Not a second later, Aurelia and Darius saunter out from the open french doors. "Where were you two?" asks my mate, still looking innocent. "We were umm…" Aurelia stumbl