Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Vaela
The throne room is full tonight.
It seems that wolf shifters from every corner of Varkhar have arrived to watch. Wolves and shifters in their human forms mix in the crowd like it’s perfectly normal, which to them, I guess it is. I’m not sure how long it’s going to take me to get used to that.
So many guests and observers are here, but I can’t stop smiling at two of them. My mother and father, the king and queen of Aurevale, have come to watch my coronation.
They were a little shocked, to say the least, when I told them I was the Blood Alphas’ mate. And after a lot of blushing and questions, they came to accept it. I think they saw how in love I am with Cassius and Tovik, and realized that a love so pure can never be wrong.
Mother blows me a kiss and Father gives me a wink as the ceremony goes on. I’m standing on the dais with my shaking hands at my sides. My mates are on either side of me, giving me strength from their presence alone.
I feel their marks tingling warmly on my neck. I love that feeling. It feels so safe, so comforting—like I have a piece of them on me forever.
Every eye in the room is on me as the high priestess of Varkhar approaches from behind, raising the queen’s ancient crown above my head. There is so much history in this crown. It’s older than the kingdom itself, forged back when Varkhar and Aurevale were one land instead of two.
“Vaela of Aurevale,” the priestess says, her powerful voice carrying to the back of the vast hall. “Mate of King Cassius. Mate of King Tovik. Chosen by the pack, chosen by the crown, chosen by the gods who watch over the nine kingdoms. Do you accept this throne, and everything it asks of you?”
I look out at the sea of faces and vow to do whatever I can to serve them. I look at Tovik, strong and protective. I look at Cassius, sly and cunning. I look at my father and my mother, proud and loving as always.
And then I look down at my hands, and look inward. This is what I want. This is what I was born to do.
I always knew I’d be a queen, I just got the wrong kingdom.
Now I know.
I’m meant to be the Queen of Varkhar.
“I do,” I bellow, my voice strong and firm.
The priestess lowers the crown onto my head. It’s heavier than I expected and the moment it settles, something in the room shifts. The energy increases. The people get excited.
Tovik takes my right hand. Cassius takes my left.
“Long live the Queen of Varkhar,” the priestess bellows as my mates lift my hands into the air.
The enthusiastic roar that fills the room nearly makes me cry. Cheering from the shifters mixes with howling from the wolves, and over all of that is the beating of the drums, celebrating my royal coronation.
I look at each of my boys. They’re beaming at me, tears in their eyes, staring at me like they can’t quite believe that I’m real.
“My queen,” Cassius whispers.
“My mate,” Tovik adds.
They’re two halves of the same fierce heart, bound to me forever.
And together, nothing in all of the nine kingdoms can ever tear us apart.