Page 44 of Their Crowned Mate
My heart leapt into my throat and I spun around, a huge smile spreading across my face. I was so happy to see her that I couldn't help but throw my arms around her and squeeze her tight, tears of joy streaming down my cheeks. I hadn't realized how much I had missed her until that moment. "You made it!"
Sam laughed and hugged me back. "Of course I did," she said, pulling away to look me over. "Damn. You actually look like a queen!"
"I don't know about that," I said, laughing with her as I looked over her own outfit. She was stunning. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with a few strands falling around her face, and her elegant silver strapless gown flowed nearly to the floor, accentuating her toned body. "You look amazing. Holy shit, I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress."
"You probably won't ever again," she said, grimacing as she looked down at me. "Cole helped me pick it out."
I laughed again. "Well, he did a good job."
"The boy has good taste, I'll give him that," she said dryly. "Especially in mates. How's that been going, by the way? Is Aurelius behaving himself?"
I blushed at the compliment. "Oh, he's been behaving," I said with a grin. "Everything's amazing, honestly. We've really carved out a nice life for ourselves here."
"You'll have to fill me in," she said.
I was grateful for the distraction, and as we talked about our adventures since we had last seen each other, a wave of calm washed over me even as the servants ushered us out to take our places for the ceremony. It was hard to be that nervous knowing that no matter what happened next, I had all these people who loved me at my side.
It was finally time to step into my destiny.
I parted ways with Sam backstage as one of the elven guards arrived to escort her to her seat. He had especially glorious silver hair, and she glanced back at me while he was focused ahead. "Holy shit, he's hot," she mouthed.
I snickered to myself. I wouldn't have been surprised if she left with an interdimensional relationship, but it probably would take a fae to handle her since none of the shifters back home seemed equipped for the job. She could be intimidating, to say the least, and she deserved a guy who saw that as a good thing rather than most of the douchebag alpha males back home who saw her as a challenge to "break."
As I stepped up onto the steps leading to the stage where the throne sat in front of a massive curtain, my heart pounded in my ears.
I thought back to so long ago, to the day my mates were supposed to claim me in my original pack. Back then, I had felt so utterly devastated and rejected. Thrown away and cast aside by the people who were supposed to protect me. I'd been stripped of my home, my family, and my identity, and it had all seemed so dark that I couldn't imagine how I was going to make my way through to the other side.
And yet, here I was, ready to be crowned queen of a different realm. Loved by not one but four men who would do absolutely anything for me. Men I loved fiercely in return, each in a different way that made him equally irreplaceable. Equally a part of me.
And I was going to bring a daughter into this world, which was something I had always wanted, now more than ever.
I would say I had done pretty well for myself. And after everything I had overcome and all the challenges I had faced alone, the idea of facing these new ones with my men at my side didn't seem so bad.
The four of them were waiting for me backstage, all looking so proud of me.
Aurelius was wearing a deep purple tunic cinched with a golden belt that glittered in the light. His long red hair was pulled back into a neat braid that hung over his shoulder, and he had an air of regal nobility about him.
Marcus wore a simple white tunic with black pants, but it was the way he carried himself that made him stand out. He had an air of strength and power that made it clear why he was chosen as leader of their pack.
Alexander wore a midnight blue robe with intricate gold embroidery along the edges. He was smirking as usual at something Cole had said, but when he saw me, there was nothing but pride and love in his gaze.
Cole looked just as dashing in a forest green tunic and black leather pants. Of course he'd gone with leather. He couldn't help himself. It figured he'd want to look like a rogue even during a coronation ceremony if the opportunity presented itself.
They all looked amazing together, like four different pieces of one perfect puzzle.
All mine.
"There's our lady," Marcus said, reaching out to take my hand. "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I said, squeezing his hand in return as the others came around us.
Each of them leaned in with a kiss and words of encouragement, and the combination of their comforting scent made it impossible to stay anxious. I felt a warmth and a rush of courage as the curtain lifted and revealed the massive crowd waiting just beyond the throne, where Joram stood alongside the fae priest, ready to crown me.
The harp music began to play, a soft and delicate melody that slowly grew in intensity as it was joined by horn instruments. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage, feeling the eyes of everyone in the room on me. It should've been terrifying, but with my mates by my side, I was ready to take on this new challenge. The challenge of a lifetime.
The audience was filled with fae of all kinds, each resplendant in their elegant garbs. Their clothing was as diverse as they were, ranging in tone, fabric, and intricate decorations, and I realized Joram hadn't been kidding. There really were dignitaries and representatives here from all over the realm and beyond. There was as much cultural diversity in the realm of the fae as there was back home, and it would take a metric ton of research to even begin to get a grasp on the geopolitics of it all, but that was a challenge I was strangely excited for, to my surprise.
And here I had never paid attention in geography. Not that any of that information would have done me much good in a whole new world.
