Chapter 129

Logan

Two Months Later

The room was awash with candlelight from the hundreds of candles lining the space. They collectively cast their amber glow on the stone walls, giving our surroundings a soft appearance.

Laughter and music poured through the air, filling every corner with celebration. Tonight was Alex’s big night, the one he had fought and sacrificed for; it was his wedding. And for once, politics and power struggles seemed far away, even if the couple’s union came on the heels of many, many political discussions.

Evelyn stood beside me, radiant as always, especially the swell of her belly now visible beneath her gown. Her pregnancy was now noticeable, and she seemed to glow even brighter with each passing day. She placed a hand protectively over the swell, rubbing circles absentmindedly. The sight of her—my mate, carrying our child—nearly brought me to my knees every time I paid her a glance.

As I guided her deeper into the ceremony space, wolves whispered as we passed, their eyes flicking between her and me. Of course, this was to be expected. We were coming off of the heels of so much discussion about the line of succession.

Unlike Alex, not everyone had taken the news of this change in succession so well. There were some who disapproved of a woman taking on the role, as there had never been an Alpha Queen in all of our kingdom’s history. But Evelyn, even in her fragile state, was unwavering and resolute.

“It is not their decision to make,” she had said simply on an evening when we had been discussing it. Her unyielding approach made me smile; it was already the sign of a good leader.

So as we passed the murmuring audience, I hardly cared. Let them see and talk. Let them know she was mine, and I was hers, and that we would one day rule over them, with me proudly by her side.

We took our positions at the front of the room. I was Alex’s best man, and Evelyn stood as the maid of honor, dressed beautifully in a dark blue that was nearly the color of the night sky.

Alex was there already, fidgety in his nervousness, but looking happier than I’d ever seen him. In their crowd, the Alpha King watched on, his expression unreadable. But he was present, and there had to be something to be said for this silent extension of his support.

When Annalise walked down the aisle, she seemed to float. Tears of joy glistened in her wide eyes and streaked down her rosy cheeks. Beside me, I heard the air rush from Alex and the remaining tension in his face flee.

It was easy to see that Annalise was glowing too, in her own quiet way, her omega grace a perfect balance to Alex’s boisterous spirit. They were opposites in almost all ways, but in these differences, they uniquely balanced each other. That much was clear as they joined hands and began to seal their love with words before us all.

When they sealed their vows and the crowd erupted in cheers, Evelyn’s hand slipped into mine, and she leaned against me, smiling through tears. It was a joyous moment, even with the quiet disapprovals anyone in the room might hold. This moment, watching this new couple in love, was indescribable.

I watched as Alex embraced his new bride, this woman he had given up everything for, and I knew he was experiencing the same realization I had come to: that none of it mattered, the titles, the status, even revenge, not when it came to love. Everything paled in comparison. Even the Alpha King wasn’t able to stifle the growing grin that spread across his face at the sight of his son’s elation.

I gave Evelyn’s hand a small squeeze and wondered if she was thinking of our own wedding, too. Back before we knew what it really was to love each other, to commit and feel an eternal bond tying us so neatly together. I grinned down at her. Look at how far we’d come.

The reception afterward was a blur of food, dancing, and toasts that grew progressively more drunken as the night went on. And for a while, I let myself simply enjoy it all. I savored the sound of her joyous bursts of laughter, the sight of her hand resting over the life we’d created. It was a rare reprieve from the duty that had driven us for so long.

But later, when the crowd thinned and the music softened, Evelyn pulled me aside. She sat down at one of the abandoned tables that had been littered with food and held my hands gently. Her eyes shimmered with something heavier than the glow of wine most people wore or the veil of merriment that coated the whole evening.

“Logan,” she began, her voice quiet but sure, “I’ve been thinking about the coronation. The one Father has planned. And I wanted to hear what you think about it.”

I studied her carefully. “You mean the ceremony to name you his heir.”

She nodded, her hand tightening around mine. “I want to do it. Not just because he wishes it, but because… I think I’m ready. For all of it. I’ve weathered the disapproval of some of the court members already, but it hasn’t shaken my resolve. So I think I’m ready. For leading, for protecting our people. For becoming who I was meant to be. And that all starts with me being properly coronated, for everyone to see.”

Her words sank deep into me, stirring a wave of pride in me. Here was the strongest woman I had ever known, who had overcome so much adversity to become a woman ready to walk in her full potential. Seeing her grow into this confident person poised to lead was an honor.

I cupped her face gently, forcing her gaze to meet mine. She looked at me through wet eyes, holding my gaze and waiting for me to speak.

“You were born ready,” I told her, no hesitation in my voice. “And I’ll be at your side through every moment. Every challenge. Every triumph. You’ll never face it alone.”

Her lips curved into a trembling smile, tears threatening again. Her pregnancy had made emotions such as this so easy to see. She pressed her forehead to mine, our bond humming strong and steady between us.

“I know you will be there. I’m glad you’re with me in this,” she whispered.

“Always,” I promised. “Tonight we celebrate Alex’s love. But soon, we’ll celebrate your future. Our future. Together. And I can’t wait to stand beside you when the world sees the queen you are.”

“I am so lucky to have you,” she whispered.

I brought the back of her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss into the warm skin.

“Not as lucky as I am,” I said.

For the rest of the evening, she carried herself differently. She was visibly changed by my reassertion of support, drifting through the room and looking both lighter and stronger. And though the night belonged to Alex and his bride, I knew we’d just taken our first step toward a destiny neither of us could run from anymore and that we were prepared to embrace with open arms.