Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
LILA
The crimson silk of Lila’s coronation gown pooled around her feet as Harper wielded the curling iron with surgical precision.
The dress itself was a masterpiece—deep red silk that caught the light and threw it back in shimmers, and a bodice that fit perfectly to emphasize her curves before flowing into a dramatic skirt.
“Hold still, Your Majesty,” Harper teased, wrapping another section of Lila’s dark hair around the heated barrel. “Can’t have you looking anything less than perfect for your crowning moment.”
Your Majesty.
The title still sounded foreign, though warmth spiked in her chest every time someone said it. She looked at her reflection in the ornate mirror—her eyes bright with excitement and nerves, and her skin glowing with that mysterious Nova Aurora radiance.
“I still can’t believe this is really happening,” she murmured, watching her mother arrange the delicate necklace that would complement the tiara Draven would place on her head.
Gerri perched on the edge of the velvet settee, her eyes sparkling with that familiar mischievous energy. “Oh, darling, I knew you were special from the moment I saw you at that trauma clinic. You had that inner glow about you—the kind that says ‘this woman is destined for greatness.’“
If only I’d known then what I know now.
“Speaking of greatness,” her mother said softly, her fingers gentle as she adjusted the neckline of Lila’s gown, “I want you to know how proud your father would be. He always said you had the heart of a leader.”
The mention of her father sent a bittersweet pang through Lila’s chest. “I wish he could be here to see this.”
“He is here,” Gerri said with conviction, her blue eyes flashing briefly gold. “Trust me on that one.”
Harper stepped back to admire her handiwork, Lila’s hair now cascading in perfect waves over one shoulder. “There. You look beyond beautiful. Though I have to ask—where exactly is your brother right now? Please tell me Liam isn’t regaling your dragon king with embarrassing childhood stories.”
Oh God, he absolutely is.
“Draven wanted some ‘male bonding time’ with him,” Lila replied, trying not to wince at the possibilities. “I’m sure it’s fine. What’s the worst that could happen?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?” Harper arched an eyebrow. “Remember the time you got your head stuck in the playground fence and cried for an hour straight? Or when you insisted on wearing that hideous sparkly tutu everywhere you went when you were ten?”
“Harper!” Lila’s cheeks flushed.
“What? I’m just saying your brother has ammunition for days.”
Her mother laughed—a sound Lila hadn’t heard in years. “Actually, I think it’s wonderful that Draven wants to get to know Liam. It shows he’s serious about becoming part of our family.”
Our family.
The words hit Lila square in the chest.
When had her mother talked about them as a unified family unit?
“Mom,” she said, turning to face her fully, “I’m so glad you decided to stay for a few weeks. I know Nova Aurora might seem overwhelming, but—”
“Are you kidding?” Her mother’s eyes lit up. “This place is magical, Lila. Literally magical. And seeing you here, seeing how confident and radiant you’ve become...” She trailed off, emotion thickening her voice. “I’ve missed so much of your life. I want to be here for this new chapter.”
She’s really trying. We’re both trying.
“I’d love nothing more than to show you around.” Lila’s excitement bubbled over. “Draven says there are places here that would take your breath away.”
“Speaking of breathtaking,” Gerri interjected with a sly grin, “have you given any thought to what comes after the coronation? Because something tells me your king is going to have a very hard time keeping his hands to himself once you’re officially his queen.”
The mate bond pulsed at Gerri’s words, sending a surge of anticipation through Lila’s veins. Even separated by castle walls, she could feel Draven—his alpha energy, his desire, and his protective love.
“Gerri!” Lila protested, though heat flooded her body.
“What? I’m just saying that dress is going to drive him absolutely wild. And the way he looks at you...” Gerri fanned herself dramatically. “That man is completely and utterly devoted to you, sweetheart. It’s written all over his face.”
A sharp knock interrupted their laughter. “Your Majesty?” Nyra’s voice carried through the wooden door. “It’s time.”
Time. The word sent a fresh burst of nerves and excitement racing through Lila’s system. In minutes, she would officially become Queen of the Southern Dragon Dominion. She would rule beside Draven, help guide his people, and step fully into the destiny she’d never seen coming.
“Ready?” Harper asked, offering her arm.
“I’m so ready.”
Moments later, as they were approaching the castle gardens, Lila could hear the murmur of voices—the witnesses to this momentous occasion. Her heart beat wildly, but the mate bond steadied her, Draven’s calm strength flowing through their connection.
He’s waiting for me.
The gardens came fully into view, transformed into something from a fairy tale.
Jarek and Nyra had outdone themselves—the ancient fountain served as a backdrop, its water cascading in glittering arcs while Nova Aurora’s native flowers splashed color around the ceremonial space.
Council members, nobles, and clutch members filled ornate chairs arranged in a semicircle, their formal attire a sea of rich fabrics and glinting jewelry.
And there, at the heart of it all, stood Draven.
Dear God, he’s magnificent.
Her king wore his ceremonial suit like armor—midnight blue fabric that emphasized his broad shoulders and powerful frame.
The obsidian and gold crown rested on his dark hair, catching the twin suns’ light and throwing it back in brilliant flashes.
But it was the object in his hands that made Lila’s breath hitch.
Her beautiful tiara—delicate gold adorned with crystals and rubies that would mark her as his queen.
Liam stood to Draven’s right, grinning widely and looking completely at ease despite being surrounded by alien nobility. On Draven’s left, Lyric waited with solemn dignity, ready to perform the ancient ceremony that would bind her to this world forever.
This is really it. This is my destiny.
But as Lila’s gaze swept the assembled crowd, unease pricked at her spine. Something was missing. Someone was missing.
“Where’s Veyra?” she whispered to Harper, scanning the faces again.
She should be here. This was supposed to be when we exposed her.
Harper frowned, following Lila’s gaze. “Maybe she got word and fled?”
Or maybe she’s planning something even worse.
Veyra’s words from yesterday echoed in Lila’s mind. This isn’t over. A chill ran down her spine despite the warm morning air.
We should have arrested her last night. Draven’s need for public justice might have just put everyone I love in danger.
But as Draven’s golden eyes found hers across the garden, as that familiar surge of love and desire crashed through their bond, Lila forced herself to breathe.
Today, I become his queen. Everything else can wait.
The silk of her coronation gown whispered against the stone pathway as Lila approached the ancient fountain. Every step felt momentous, weighted with centuries of tradition and the promise of a future she’d never dared imagine.
I’m about to become a queen.
Draven’s golden-brown eyes locked onto hers as she drew near, and their mate bond hummed with a fierce intensity. Even with his crown gleaming on his dark hair, even surrounded by the formal pomp of nobility, he gazed at her like she was his entire world.
My king.
Lyric stepped forward, his voice rising above the assembled crowd with the weight of ancient ritual. “We gather today to witness a miracle that has not graced the Southern Dragon Dominion for over a century—the crowning of the Queen of Fire.”
“For generations, our kingdom has waited for this moment,” Lyric continued, his weathered face solemn yet radiant. “A queen whose very essence can stabilize the dragonfire that runs through our king’s veins. A queen whose heart burns with the same intensity as the flames she commands.”
Lila felt the collective gaze of every noble, every council member, every witness pressing against her like a physical weight. But Draven’s presence steadied her, his love flowing through their bond like liquid courage.
“Lila Reyes,” Lyric intoned, “descendant of our ancient bloodlines, healer of hearts, stabilizer of flames—do you accept the sacred responsibility of ruling beside our king? Do you vow to protect this realm and its people with your life, your heart, and your fire?”
“I do.” The words emerged clear and strong, surprising her with their conviction.
Draven stepped forward, the delicate tiara catching the twin suns’ light in his hands. The rubies and crystals embedded in the gold seemed to pulse with their own inner fire.
“You are my heart,” he said quietly, his voice meant for her alone though the crowd could hear every word. “My anchor. My queen.”
The moment the crown touched her head, something profound shifted inside her. Power, ancient and wild, awakened in her veins. The world seemed sharper and more vivid—she could feel the heartbeat of every dragon in attendance and sense the ebb and flow of their collective energy.
Rightness. That was the only word for it.
Draven’s hand found hers, their crowns gleaming side by side as he faced the crowd. “Behold your queen!” His voice rang with pride and possession. “Queen Lila of the Southern Dragon Dominion!”
The cheers erupted around them, but Lila could only focus on Draven’s face as he leaned down to claim her lips in a kiss that sealed their bond.
This is forever.
The world faded to nothing but the taste of him, the strength of his arms, the—
Two massive shadows passed overhead, blotting out the twin suns.
Lila’s eyes snapped open just as emerald and blue dragons swooped down like vengeful furies. Veyra’s claws closed around her mother’s waist, lifting her from the crowd with brutal efficiency. Marvin’s blue dragon seized Liam, her brother’s shout of alarm cut short as he was yanked skyward.
“No!” The scream tore from Lila’s throat.
How did she know they were here? She must have been watching, waiting for the perfect moment to destroy everything.
Veyra’s telepathic voice slithered through Lila’s mind like poison. Get ready to watch everyone you love be murdered. Then, you’ll have no one and you’ll be destroyed. You will never be the queen of Southern Dragon Dominion. I was supposed to be queen, not you.
Movement in her peripheral vision caught Lila’s attention. Corin Vale emerged from behind a cluster of ornamental trees, a gun gleaming in his hands as he advanced on Draven with predatory focus.
The three people I love in danger.
Panic clawed at her throat, but then her training kicked in.
Assess. Prioritize. Act.
“Draven!” she shouted, pointing at Corin.
But before her king could turn, the sharp crack of a gunshot split the air. Corin screamed, clutching his leg as blood bloomed across his pants. A second shot shattered his gun hand, sending the weapon skittering across the stones.
Gerri stood twenty feet away, a smoking pistol in her perfectly manicured hands and murderous fury in her blue-gold eyes.
“Nobody threatens my clients,” the matchmaker said with deadly calm.
Draven moved like lightning, scooping up Corin’s fallen weapon and training it on the wounded man. “Stay down,” he growled.
Lila tilted her head back, watching in horror as her family dangled from dragon claws high above the ceremony. Her mother’s terrified face was visible even from this distance.
I won’t lose them. Not today. Not ever.
Together, Draven said through their telepathic link, his mental voice fierce with alpha determination. We shift together. I’ll take Marvin—you handle Veyra.
Let’s end this.
The transformation hit her like wildfire in her veins. Bones cracked and reformed, muscles expanded, and scales erupted across her skin in waves of crimson power. Within seconds, her dragon launched skyward on powerful wings.
Draven’s obsidian dragon rose beside her, a force of nature wrapped in midnight scales and golden flame.
His massive form barreled toward Marvin with strategic precision, using his superior size and experience to outmaneuver the younger dragon. Marvin twisted desperately in the air, trying to maintain his grip on Liam while defending against Draven’s relentless assault.
A powerful blow from Draven’s wing sent Marvin tumbling, his claws loosening just enough for Liam to break free and plummet toward the ground. Jarek’s blue dragon appeared from nowhere, catching her brother mid-fall and spiraling down to safety.
One saved. Now for Mom.
Lila banked hard, her crimson wings catching the thermal currents as she closed the distance to Veyra. The emerald dragon was larger and more experienced, but fury gave Lila speed and desperate cunning.
She dove low, then shot upward, her claws finding purchase on Veyra’s sensitive tail. The emerald dragon shrieked in pain and surprise, her grip on Lila’s mother loosening.
Lila struck again, this time managing to grab her mother from Veyra’s claws. She spiraled downward in a controlled dive, depositing her safely in Gerri’s waiting arms before wheeling back toward the sky.
Veyra’s telepathic voice was a snarl of rage. You little bitch! I’ll tear you apart piece by piece!
The emerald dragon dove at her with the fury of someone who’d spent eighteen years plotting revenge, only to watch it crumble in a single morning. Claws raked across Lila’s flanks, drawing lines of fire across her scales.
She’s stronger. More experienced. I’m going to lose.
Veyra’s next attack sent Lila tumbling through the air, her wings struggling to find the air currents. Pain lanced through her shoulder where emerald claws had found their mark moments ago.
I’m not strong enough.
But then Draven’s obsidian form slammed into Veyra like a battering ram, his roar of protective rage echoing across the sky. The force of his attack sent the emerald dragon spinning, her surprised shriek cutting through the air.
Nobody threatens my mate. His telepathic voice was pure alpha dominance, eighteen years of patience finally snapping. Nobody.
What followed wasn’t a battle—it was an execution. Draven’s dragon moved with the lethal precision of a king who’d finally had enough. His claws found Veyra’s throat, his fangs sank deep, and his fire burned hotter than anything Lila had ever felt through their bond.
Veyra’s struggles grew weaker, then stopped altogether. Her emerald form went limp in Draven’s grip before plummeting toward the volcanic ridges below.
It’s over. Finally, it’s over.