Page 46 of Their Crowned Mate
When our song ended, Aurelius stepped up. "My queen," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "May I have the honor of the final dance?"
I smiled and nodded, excited as he led me back onto the dance floor. Aurelius had always been different from the others, and it was something I found incredibly alluring. He moved with a grace that was almost otherworldly, his body perfectly in sync with mine as we danced together.
"You make a beautiful queen, Lavinia," he said softly. "And I'm honored to stand by your side."
I felt my heart skip a beat. There was something about the way he looked at me that made me feel like I was the only person in the world. "Thank you, Aurelius," I said, unable to tear my gaze away from his.
He crushed his lips to mine and buried his hands in my hair as our song ended, and it was a more passionate kiss than we probably should have shared, but judging from the cheers, the fae weren't complaining.
I was surprised when the visiting dignitaries surrounded us, all eager to dance with me, too. Maybe some of them hadn't gotten the memo that these men were my mates, and I hoped they weren't so confused they tried to kiss me themselves, but I got lucky. It helped that some of the dignitaries who wanted to dance weren't men in the first place. Gender roles didn't seem quite as cemented as they were back home, which was another pleasant surprise the fae realm had to offer.
There was still a lot of change that need to take place in order to make this a safe and prosperous realm for all its citizens, but most of the fae I had encountered were just good people trying to get by the best they could despite how hard the emperor had made that. And in that sense, I realized it wasn't really that different from back home after all.
Fae, human, shifter or vampire, people were just... people. Everyone wanted to be happy and get to live their lives freely as they determined right. And my sacred duty as queen was to make sure that the monarchy helped them do that, or at the very least, it didn't stand in the way as it had for so long when they were ruled by their emperor's iron fist.
By the end of the night, I was thoroughly exhausted and my feet ached more than they ever had, so I didn't protest when Alexander insisted on carrying me back to our chambers.
One benefit of having an entire palace to serve as home base was the fact that I could actually have a bedroom big enough for all four of my mates and me to share. They each had their own room to retreat to when they were getting on each other's nerves, and I tried to make one-on-one time with each of them when we could, but for tonight, and this special occasion, I was grateful to have them all by my side.
While I had fully planned on celebrating the evening in a way that was only fit for private, as soon as Alexander placed me down on the bed and I closed my eyes, the exhaustion completely took over. The moment my head hit the pillow and I told myself I was just going to close my eyes for a minute, I drifted off.
CHAPTER22
LAVINIA
While Joram and the royal aides had done their best to prepare me for the duties of queen, I couldn't have fully imagined exactly what the first few months of my reign was going to entail. Between the constant meetings, the diplomatic negotiations, and the occasional ball or banquet, there was never a dull moment.
It was on one of these special occasions that I decided to host a royal banquet in honor of my loyal subjects. The great hall had been adorned with beautiful tapestries that depicted scenes from the wars fought by my ancestors and the grand chandelier shone brightly as if it were made of pure gold. Tables were arranged in the center of the hall and each one was decorated with lavish dishes that would satisfy even the most discerning palate.
The guests started to arrive shortly after nightfall, dressed in their finest gowns and suits. With soft music playing through the ballroom, it felt even more like a magical world than usual. And of course, I had invited Sam—and even Jax and Damon—along with a few of my other former packmates as a gesture of goodwill.
With my swollen belly making it hard to get out of a damn chair without a whole drama, it was probably about the last time I was going to be able to gather everyone in one place for a while, and now that the last vestiges of the emperor's resistance were finally burning out across the realm, it felt like a good time to celebrate our victory. And more importantly, to thank everyone who had made it possible.
As I walked into the ballroom with my four mates at my side, wearing a golden gown that had been custom made and tailored just for me, I still felt like it was all surreal. It was hard to believe we had really gotten to this place, all together, and that I not only had my mates with me, but my long lost father as well.
"You look beautiful," Alexander leaned down to whisper in my ear as the guests in the room rose and bowed to welcome us.
I smiled, leaning in to nuzzle him. "I look like a disco ball, but thank you."
"You do not. But even if you did, you would be the most beautiful disco ball in all the world," he countered.
I couldn't help but snicker as I walked over to the head of one of the many grand tables everyone was gathered around. I let Cole pull out my chair, but before I sat down, I raised my glass of the sparkling purple juice the fae were all wild over. I had to admit, when I was having a three-in-the-morning soda craving, it more than hit the spot.
"Welcome, my friends," I said, taking the time to look around the room and study all those who had gathered. "I want to thank you all for coming here tonight to celebrate all that we've achieved. When I first came to this realm by a twist of fate, I knew I had found something truly special. Something magical. And while there's still plenty of darkness, corruption, and injustice that we have to—and will—overcome, everything we've already accomplished gives me hope that we're more than capable of building a better future. One that grants opportunity, peace, and freedom to each and every one of us."
"Damn right!" Damon bellowed, his drunken booming voice echoing through the room. He shot me a sheepish grin as the elegant fae turned to stare at him. "Sorry."
I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh at the way they were looking at him, before I continued. "I'm grateful for all your support and enthusiasm. You've all stood with me in a way I couldn't have imagined, and it's truly an honor to be your queen. I hope you'll continue to support me as we move forward to a better, brighter future the way we arrived at this one. Together."
The room erupted in applause and celebration as I sank into my chair and took a sip of my nonalcoholic drink, feeling a bit overwhelmed but relieved.
"You're becoming quite a politician," Cole said, leaning in to me as the others dug into the gourmet banquet that had been laid out before us. The long table was covered with a variety of delicious dishes—roasted ducks, steamed vegetables, an abundance of creamy sauces, and plenty of fruits I'd never heard of or seen in my life. And while I wasn't able to partake in the alcohol that was flowing freely throughout the room, I enjoyed watching my guests indulge.
Except when they yelled during my speech, but hey, I'd take it.
I snorted. "Well, my speech writer is talented."
He just smirked. "Sounds so much better coming from you," he said, kissing right below my ear.
