Page 89 of The Princess and the Pack

Lilting laughter, feminine and familiar, floats through the air, and Fiona sidles up alongside Tiernan and me. She threads her fingers through his. “What he means to say is that he’s happy for you. Unfortunately, my mate doesn't possess the capacity not to be facetious—a trait you both share.”

Chuckling I nod—she’s not wrong. In the past, I’ve been quite flippant whenever my genuine feelings felt too overwhelming to voice. Now that Ivy’s in my life, lending me courage, I can explore new depths and express myself without fear.

Fiona watches my mate, smiling brightly. “You know it’s quite rude that you haven’t introduced me to our queen. I wonder if you’re hoarding her away so I can’t expose all the embarrassing stories of you as a boy.”

My grin widens—can’t fucking help it. This bloody thing doesn’t seem to want to leave my face.

“By all means, Fi. I’m sure you and Ivy will get on just fine. Can’t say I’ll stop hoarding her away, though.” As much as I’m willing to share my omega with Sloan and Cillian, I’m still a greedy bastard at heart.

“Typical alpha,” she snorts. “While you lot have been in the throes of heat, I’ve been spending some lovely quality time with the princess.”

Fiona’s remark is innocuous at face value, but I know better. She clearly wants me to pry for more information.

“Lily?” I ask.

She nods. “Seems she and Cal are quite?—”

“Omega!” Tiernan interjects, laughing. “Don’t. You. Start.”

I’m not usually one for gossip, but this particular insinuationisquite interesting. I’ll have to ask Ivy if she’s aware of her siblings’ activities while in Namara.

Fiona sighs, smiling at her mate. “Well, don’t mind us then, Prince. Go and dance with your queen. We have a captain to track down, and I’m keen for a demonstrate on how he wields his longsword?—”

“Goddess, Fi. The mouth on you today.” Tiernan cups a hand around her mouth, kissing her temple.

They’re so happy, my old friends—so lucky and in love. Just as I am to have my pack at my side. I’m pleased for us all to finally be able to live as we’ve wanted.

But Fiona’s right. As much as dancing isn’t my preferred hobby, having Ivy pressed against me for all to see is too tempting to pass up.

I wave off my friends, then weave through dancing bodies until I reach the source of the melodic laughter that makes my heart swell. She’s beaming, my mate—a glowing goddess. I’ll never stop being in awe of her.

“Stop hogging our mate, O’Malley,” I say as I approach. I bow to my queen—the light of my life—and ask for her hand.

Sloan rolls his eyes, kissing our omega before leaving her to me. “That’s McKenna now, Your Highness.”

McKenna. That’s right. A new name for my new family. It means I’m no longer attached to the parents who bore me—the ones who tore me down at any given chance and made me question my worthiness.

Good riddance.

Ivy takes my hand, pink-cheeked and so very pretty. She molds herself to me, looping her arms around my neck. We don’t dance, not really—simply happy to sway in each other’s arms as we bask in the majesty of being together.

Her ocean eyes are misty, overflowing with the love she holds for me. In them I see my whole world, my future—my reason for breathing.

“Will you love me till we die, Oran?”

I chuckle, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, and our bond lights up with shared amusement. She must know that nothing so trivial as death could extinguish the flame of my devotion.

“Much longer than that, love,” I promise. “So much longer.”

Dawn breaks over the horizon, painting the world in strokes of hazy pink and soft yellow. My pack and I have yet to go to bed after our coronation feast. In fact, the court itself hasn’t slept. When I gathered my omega and packmates, many courtiers still littered the banquet hall, not quite ready to let the drunken revelry end.

Of all the fantastical hopes I had for this pack and for Namara, reality has far surpassed them. It seems all it took to bring about change was the courage to take the first step and the conviction to stand for the things we love.

I love Ivy in a way that makes it hard to breathe whenever she’s near. That someone so precious, so witty, sofucking lovelywas made with me in mind is a truth I’ve yet to wrap my head around. It’s a wonder I haven’t sprouted wings with the way her love makes it feel as though I can fly.

What I don’t like, however, is the fucking crown on my head. Or the stuffy clothes my packmates forced me into for the occasion. The consolation was the heated look in my mate’s eyes when she saw me in all my finery.

I’ve never once had aspirations to sit on a throne, or to lead. I simply want to share a happy life with my omega—my packmates at my side to help bring her joy day in and day out. I’m so proud of Cillian and Oran for all their growth, their willingness to learn and put Ivy’s needs above all else.

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