Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Chapter 55

The sun had dipped below the horizon a long time ago, and now the night had occupied its position while the moon rested as a crescent in the sky, messily shadowed by dark clouds that threatened the creatures below with the possibility of rain. The air had gone cool and heavy. Under the beams were Kai and me. We sat by the swing, my legs atop Kai’s thighs. He was helping me cut my toenails while I ate the ice cream he got me from the kitchen a few minutes ago, while he nursed himself a gin. The clippers clicked in small, careful sounds. His palm stayed warm under my calf. The ice cream melted against my tongue faster than I wanted it to.

In truth, I was driven to take a taste, but not after the news he spilled.

"The reports are none I can ignore any longer. I must attend to them," he mentioned and carefully waited for my response.

"And when are we to leave here?"

"When Clawface showed me the charts..." he paused, then resumed, "the Jury is planning something hideously perilous, and I don’t think Father would stop them even if he knew about it."

That was clear to me as well. Kai’s father hated him, and he wouldn’t mind if Kai was even overthrown. I think, to him, he believed that since he had no other sons he could make heir other than Kai, he didn’t fear losing the throne to another family. After all, his entire generation had been wiped out.

I’d spent enough time in the library to know that Kai’s father was the only son of Kai’s grandparents. If Kai should forfeit the ownership of the Alpha King title, then the entire family would lose their kingship. Kai was basically the last of them. The knowledge sat in me like a stone I had already turned over too many times.

"I don’t think so either," I commented as I chewed on the plastic spoon.

"So, we leave tomorrow. I need to see how far up their asses the devil has his fingers, and exactly how to cut them off and take back my respect."

Perhaps on another occasion, I’d have been mad that Kai had left the throne for too long, making things harder on himself, but he spent all those times with me, and for that, he did deserve my support. Even though I was scared to face the Jury, I knew it was what must be done. The swing moved a little when I shifted my weight.

"If you’re not okay with it, I can..."

"Please, no. No more," I cut in, the chiming of my voice halting him. "Indeed, I’m scared, but I can’t continue to let fear dictate how I live. I don’t even know if I can face the Jury when we get there, but you must secure your place, and we’ve had our fun and I enjoyed being here, but none of this would’ve been possible if we lost the throne or let some old men steal it from us."

As I continued, Kai’s smile broadened. He looked proud. Like a father who had just taught his son how to ride a bicycle or steer a skateboard. I went back to eating the ice cream, but this time a little harsher, and my grip on the spoon tightened.

My thoughts danced like a flickering fire and resembled the waltzing clouds passing by the moon, briefly shadowing its light. I thought of the library stacks, of the throne I had never sat on, of the way his hand always found mine before I asked for it.

The rest of the night blurred into other conversations, fits of laughter, and more teasing. Kai caught me up on more of his day, and I mentioned my time with Marcellan and the surprise on my face when he was serious and actually giving me points that made sense.

Kai too was in disbelief, and it was funny to recollect. We talked until the cup was empty and the gin was gone. The clouds never quite opened.

We slept in each other’s arms that night, and while I struggled to sleep for the first few hours, my thoughts reeling far beyond valleys and seven seas, I eventually came to a settlement, reminding myself that I was with Kai, and all things were well as long as that remained my truth. His chest rose and fell under my cheek until my own breathing matched it.

∆∆∆

Morning came with a lot to prepare for. Packing clothes. Early breakfast. Hastened showers. Drawers opened and closed. Water ran. The house felt like it was already letting us go.

Eventually, Kai and I were seated on the kitchen island as the maids loaded up the booths while I fed Kai the dish I made. He savored its sauce and the rest of the delicacy, never failing to repeat how grateful he was that he married me. Each bite he took came with that same low sound of approval.

Crazily enough, I almost forgot that we were married. Like, we were actually married. The thought landed in the middle of lifting the next spoon and stayed there.

When we were done, we got ready to dress up, and before the sun rose too high, we got into the car. Clawface was the driver today. In fact, he was many things to Kai, or so I’d come to realize. The gates opened. The road stretched.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," I answered simply.

Kai hummed, fiddling with my fingers.

"You are full of energy this morning. Is something the matter?"

I shrugged before adjusting my position so I could look out the window. "I had much to think about last night, and I came to a conclusion. I’m helping you."

"Tell me more."

"Well, if the universe is behind me, I’ll exert power today. If things go south, then I’ll believe maybe I don’t deserve any of this after all." I glanced at Kai, catching the glint of approval on his face. One could tell he needed that motivation and the support that came with me standing by his side. Then, I faced the windows again, looking out at the streets beyond them. Trees. Stone. The first people of the day.

Today’s going to be a long day.

∆∆∆

Our drive seemed nearly endless until we arrived at the castle. Kai and I strode toward the throne room, maintaining the same gait. The corridors held the same cold they always did.

He leaned in to whisper into my ears. "We are one. We can do this."

I simply nodded, agreeing and allowing our bond to strengthen us.

As soon as we got to the throne room, Kai was summoned while I was made to sit with the rest of the Jury. Seven seats and a long circular table formed a cage that enclosed Kai in the middle.

This was certainly what the Court meant, and what the Jury did.

Kai faced the north, where in the near distance sat his father upon the throne. He was a man who had seen many battles and witnessed countless affairs such as this. He looked unimpressed and unfazed. Eyelids heavy, breathing stable, he looked down on us all as though we were nothing but subjects beneath him.

Truly, that’s what we all were. At the moment.

If this went well, I’d become the true Luna of SilverFang, and that meant I had to learn how to be like that too. To accept the power Kai had always wanted me to claim for myself. To realize I hadn’t stolen it. I simply deserved it. I kept my back straight against the chair and my hands still in my lap.

"May I, Your Highness?"

I recognized the man as Count Barry. He was one of the Jury and the most vocal among them. He spoke every time. I made sure to keep my eyes on him, observing every detail. The set of his jaw. The way he stood as if the floor belonged to him.

Kai’s father simply gestured, and he proceeded.

"Even though you’ll never be forgiven by the Jury, still we’ve taken mercy upon you to hear your reasons before we judge. Why have you delayed your coronation, meant to happen three days after your marriage, to three whole weeks?"

Kai focused his gaze on his father, as though it was him who had asked the question. Count Barry sat to the left, three seats away from me. His voice boomed, filling the entire space with authority.

He had also been doing this for a long time.

I’m forced to think: how can I compare?

Kai’s reply drew my attention. "I’m a newlywed. I’m only performing my duties to sire an heir. The bed of my beloved was so warm I forgot I had other duties," Kai said.

Shit, he didn’t have to say the second sentence. He was mocking the man, and it was working. The man gritted his teeth.

"Is that what you have to say for yourself?"

"I cannot split myself into many, can I? I can only fulfill my duties one at a time. And now, I’m back."

"And how are we sure you won’t leave the throne at a time of war, or tell us it’s because of your beloved that you’re abandoning your post again? We can’t trust you to be Alpha King, can we?"

I certainly wished this man could be stripped of his position once Kai became Alpha King. I mean, they wouldn’t win. I believed that.

The bond shared between Kai and me revealed his anger, a turmoil brewing in his gut, and so I stood up without thinking.

"I’d like to ease out this case, please."

Without giving me room to breathe, Count Barry was quick to dismiss me. "Please, Luna. You’ll be questioned too, and when it’s your turn, you’ll speak."

For a second, I was taken aback.

The court shifted its attention from him until I spoke.

"I stopped MoonBlade from attacking this Pack and this Court. Surely, I deserve to speak."

Count Barry planned to shun me again, but I continued, carrying my voice above his.

"The Constitution is clear, Count Barry. Only the Alpha King can dismiss a member of the Court, and although I may be uncrowned, I am still the probable Luna, and that means I have full authority to speak," I said, but Count Barry was a man of persistence. "No, you will not shun me," I repeated, and finally, he retreated.

Once the floor was passed to me, I proceeded.

"I’ve spent enough time reading the law, and the regulations it carries are clear. Count Barry is in charge of weapons. I don’t see why he’s interrogating Alpha Kai when that’s Count Aaron’s job. And when it comes to martial matters and the advisories that come with such performances, it’s Count Fenvire’s duty."

I looked over each of their faces. Trust me, I didn’t know where this confidence came from... or whatever this courage to face these people was, but anyway, I continued.

"That brings me to one conclusion. If the Jury themselves don’t know their duties or possess the simple decorum to support the Alpha King, isn’t it hypocrisy if they’re blaming another for simply performing his duties?"

Then, I delivered the final blow.

"When Kai becomes Alpha King, it’ll simply be just for him to relieve you all of your duties if you don’t start reassembling yourselves and doing what you must to keep the Pack stable. That’s what the Jury is for. For when the Alpha King wishes to rest, they can take over and protect the Pack even in his absence."

My chest plummeted, and I imagined my voice was shaking from the sensation of my airflow tightening, like adrenaline was endlessly pumping through my blood. I was scared as hell to face them, but I actually did, and it felt freeing.

Perhaps after all, the universe was behind me.

Kai looked at me.

And he was proud.

So proud.

Chapter 56

Truly, the universe was in agreement with me. Kai, the Court, the Luna position, and everything else.

Now, I believed it, and I accepted it. The belief settled in slowly, like something I had been holding at arm’s length and finally let rest against my chest.

The Court meeting blended into our favour, earning a succession that now leaned towards the arrangement of the coronation. Words were spoken. Dates were set. Faces that had been hard a few hours ago grew careful instead.

Hours ticked past, and it was finally the day of the Coronation. Kai and I were placed in separate rooms. The distance felt strange after so many nights of sharing the same bed.

I’ve never been one to watch the news or witness how a coronation works, and being that it rarely happened, I didn’t even think to watch the documentary of Kai’s father’s.

Now, everything was happening a bit too fast for me, and simply put, I was trying to keep my head high and my eyes sharp. The room smelled of powder and pressed fabric. Mirrors caught me from more than one angle.

I was dressed in a robe, an overly large one to begin with, with sigils on it, signifying the authority of being the Luna. The cloth hung heavy on my shoulders. Every time I moved, the embroidery caught the light.

There were many maids here, each of them making sure I came out through that curtain slide in my best look and grandest finesse. Hands adjusted hems. Hands smoothed hair. Hands checked the fall of the sleeves again.

One of the maids, a young woman in her early twenties, apparently whispered as she applied light brushes to accentuate my features.

"You look absolutely gorgeous, Luna."

My cheeks flushed, and I believed it was hard to hide the redness, especially with the light makeup on my face.

"Thank you."

"I’m a fan. Your journey is really inspiring."

A part of me wanted to question her, to know what she meant by my journey, but I decided against it. It’s better left for the curious minded, and this wasn’t the time for that conversation.

I smiled yet again. "Thanks."

Finally, it was time. Helped to my feet, I felt like I weighed about a ton. The curtains slid to the left, and I was exposed to the stairway. Light hit me full in the face. Sound rose from below.

I was guided but left alone once I could manage my own steps. From the opposite direction, to the right, Kai came out as well. He was in a similar setting, except he looked more magnificent.

Whatever could I have imagined from a man already sculpted with perfection?

My breath was taken short, my chest punctured by the grace of him, and it was beautiful. His hair caught the light in a bewitching glisten, his skin golden and reflective, like glass or melted sand. He looked like a painting from the shelf of a grand master of art.

Our mate bond swirled around me, engulfing me in his warmth as we neared each other, and he took my hand before winking.

"We’ve got this."

My intestines flopped with bubbles as we walked down the red carpet. Kai was called first while I was positioned at the Luna’s place, which was a step behind the Alpha King’s throne, signalling his full authority and my support behind his decisions.

The realization didn’t even offend me. The Luna position wasn’t my feat anyway. Kai was my focus, and being with him was the highlight of everything I was concerned with. I stood where I was meant to stand and kept my eyes on him.

The booming voice of the priest filled the entire space.

"Do you accept these laws?"

"Yes, I do," Kai spoke with utmost honesty.

I felt it in our mate bond. The yes traveled through me as if it had been spoken into my own mouth.

Ahead of us, on the lower ground, were the rest of the Court. My eyes caught Count Barry, and almost immediately, he shifted his gaze upon me, causing me to look anywhere else. Wherever I could find. Stone. Cloth. The edge of a banner.

The other six Counts that made up the Jury were in attendance, and so was Kai’s father. None of them moved more than they had to.

Once Kai was crowned, it was finally my time.

Compared to Kai’s huge crown, mine was shorter and simpler. Placed upon my head regardless, I felt the heaviness of the role. The metal sat cold for a second before it warmed.

Asked the same question by the priest, I agreed. Kai’s eyes and mine met, and it was the best assurance I needed that I wasn’t alone.

The Coronation had just begun. For Kai, that is, as in SilverFang, titling him the Alpha King was only the start. More rituals and challenges would be met by Kai to ensure he was indeed fit, and these things would probably last for a week.

I couldn’t be entirely sure. The thought stayed at the back of my mind while the hall kept moving around us.

The rest of the finesse blended into celebration on the other side of the Castle. The paparazzi wouldn’t let us breathe. Thankfully, Clawface and the rest of the men in black were able to give us a chance to walk through the carpet. Flashes burst and died. Voices called names we did not answer.

Kai’s hand locked with mine, and we pushed inside, away from the blinding camera flashes, questions from journalists, and whatnot.

The ballroom was an exquisite sight to behold. A warm chandelier shone from above, caught in the beauty of the glass beaded roof that looked up to the clear sky where the moon shone brightly with fewer stars. Light broke itself into pieces across the floor.

"Tonight’s really beautiful. I couldn’t have imagined such grandeur in my entire life."

Kai leaned towards my left ear. "I’m happy to have spent every moment with you."

Sharing the mate bond was the utopia of our alliance. It was as though I knew Kai even more, and once again, right now, he was expressing nothing but how he truly felt. He didn’t even have to speak it aloud before I’d read the truth from him.

We could both simply feel it from each other. The warmth of it sat under my ribs and did not leave.

Minutes later, my ears picked up the background violin. My sight focused on the scenery ahead where men and women danced in the ballroom. Skirts turned. Hands found waists. The music kept a slow, even pace.

"You don’t look like you want to join them. How can I be of help?"

My attention shifted to the man behind the counter. A barman.

A lad with a mischievous grin. I wondered how many he’d used that on. His blue eyes were mesmerizing, like being caught in the beauty of the beach. The waves danced and clashed into each other while you watched from the shore, away from the conflict itself.

"Who are you?"

"I’ll be managing your drinks tonight, Luna," he replied with a pleasant accent. He was educated, and his articulation was crystal clear.

Kai had been called away by further members of the Court. I might as well get myself involved in something else. The space he left felt larger than it should have.

"Pour me a drink then," I said, and the young man sneered like he’d won a lottery. Something about him was eye catching.

The glass landed before me, sliding across the counter from his side to mine.

"Hm. What is this?"

"My best magic yet. I made you the best drink."

"And why do you think that’s what I need right now?" I questioned, more intrigued.

"I see you’re not communicating with others, and they look like they don’t want to approach you either. I get it. They’re scared of you."

"Or they plainly don’t know me."

"Perhaps. They fear what they don’t know. You’re a mystery. You came into Alpha Kai’s life and secured an unshakable seat. It’s graceful. I’m sure they’re all shivering in their pants when you’re near, and some of us believe you have magic."

The lad was one to speak a lot. He was entirely focused on this conversation. His hands stayed busy even while he talked.

"Hm, you’re an interesting character," I muttered as I drank from the cup.

My taste buds agreed with the mind blowing sensation in my head. He was really good. The drink went down easy and left a warmth behind it.

"Maybe I just don’t want to indulge in any conversation, who knows.

"Maybe I’m just tired."

I finished my statement, and he snickered.

"Fair enough," he said, bowing lightly.

From behind me, the clicks of footsteps made me turn, having felt him before he even touched me.

He looked drained. The brightness of the hall sat poorly on him now.

"Oh, my poor Kai," I mused, causing him to roll his eyes.

He almost stole my drink, but I caught on and gulped it all down before saying, "You better have this lad make yours. He’s a good mixologist."

"I see you’ve made a friend of the barman," Kai commented, and I shrugged.

"Oh, you bestow me with much grace, Your Highness," said the barman once he heard Kai.

Kai’s next words muffled into something I couldn’t hear. More of his incoherent speech sent a spike through my nerves, stirring fear from within.

"I feel..."

My stomach suddenly hurt. Hot, as though placed on lava, and my body weakened, my muscles becoming limp. The glass in my hand no longer felt like something I could hold.

"I..."

I saw Kai scream at the barman before he caught me right as I slipped from the footstool. He was yelling, but I couldn’t hear anything. It was as though I was far away, and my body was only here.

Before I knew it, the darkness reeled me away.