Chapter 255

Cara’s POV

So many pack members wanted to attend the coronation that we needed to hold it outside in a large park. Even with as big as the space was, many of the neighboring streets needed to be closed to accommodate the massive crowd that arrived for the event.

Loud speakers and cameras had been set up, with large screens and projectors to display what was happening for those in the back of the crowd. It was also televised so those in distant corners of the pack or those otherwise unable to attend could still witness it.

As I stood in front of Eamon, as he lowered an actual crown down onto my head – a symbol of the power of an Alpha King, or Queen, in my case – all of the pack shared in the moment.

It wasn’t just one pack.

Alaric stood beside me, my husband and mate. We’d been married in a private ceremony a full month ago, with our kids as the ring-bearers. The rings were on our fingers now, and the mating bites on our necks. He and I were bound to each other in every way a person could be to another person.

Now, we were also becoming partners in rule.

Alaric already wore his own crown, that of the DuskWood pack. Yet, though the DuskWood pack crown sat upon his brow and the BloodyMoon pack crown upon mine, we decided, with permission from the elders and a vote from the people themselves, to combine the two packs into one and rule together.

A peaceful pack combination was almost unheard of. Even in the days of old, pack borders were decided through bloody battles.

In this case, the combination was built on love and respect. BloodyMoon and DuskWood have worked closely together for years, even before Alaric and Eamon took over, though it was through their efforts and mine that the packs became so tightly bonded. Now, with the union between Alaric and me, a pack combination feels like the next logical progression.

When the crown is on my head, Eamon smiled at me. It was a private smile, from brother to sister, even though it was being televised to the whole world. I was the only one who knows that this smile was showing his pride and his happiness for me, and his confidence in Alaric and me and our ability to look after the pack.

After a moment, Eamon looked around. He held out his arms. “May I present to you, members of pack DuskMoon, your Alpha Queen, Cara!”

His voice echoed as the speakers repeated his words. When all of the park has heard him, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause so loud, I was certain that the whole of the continent heard it.

Alaric held out his hand and I took it. Together, we turned to face our people.

It felt as if the whole of the world was celebrating in our joy.

After the official event, the true celebration began, in the form of music, laughter, and wine. Even the kids were enjoying themselves, playing at being King or Queen. Mia enjoyed the games, playing with the other children, but Ethan sat out, watching from nearby.

Sensing something amiss, as the party continued, I broke away from Alaric to approach our son.

“Is everything alright, Ethan?” I asked him.

He looked up at me, revealing the troubled look on his face. “I was kind of mean to Dad at first.”

“That was a long time ago,” I told him. “And your father understands. You were being brave for all of us, especially me.”

Ethan glanced away. “I still feel kind of bad…”

“He’s not thinking of it at all, Ethan, I assure you. He loves you.” The words didn’t seem to be enough to soothe him, so I tried something else. “Why don’t you go and hug him? That would be a nice surprise and a way to show him how sorry you are without bringing it up?”

Ethan perked at that idea. Then, with a nod, he turned toward Alaric, who just at that moment, was walking toward us, looking a little worried.

Ethan rushed over to him and hugged him. Alaric leaned down to return the hug at once.

I was close enough to hear Ethan say, “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, Ethan,” Alaric said easily, as he smiled.

Ethan pulled away from the hug almost as quickly as he gave it, then turned and ran off, joining the other children at last.

Alaric’s smile remained, a proud and happy father.

As I approached him, he lifted his arm for me to slip right up against his side. Then he lowered his arm again, encircling it around me.

Around us, all of our friends and family shared in our joy.

The Claw Sisters danced with their new fiancés, Aidan and Ryan, while their brother Clyde enjoyed himself at the bar.

Ruby and Richard had come out of the lab long enough to a toast and a cheer, before receiving a lot of teasing from my other brothers for their new relationship. Grayson was there too, shaking his head but with apparent fondness.

Georgie and Colin were sitting quietly at one of the tables arranged at the edge of the park. They might have been talking about their new project, a revised princess competition, but I know I caught them holding hands, even if they were trying to be discrete.

The only two missing were Landon and Noel, but they’d already sent their well wishes and regards. I received a post card from them once a week and a phone call every so often. This morning, they’d called me early, first with Landon on the phone and then Noel.

His hurt wasn’t apparently anymore. In his voice, I could only detect joy for me, as well as excitement about the new trajectory of his own life. I believed, like Landon, he truly enjoyed searching out the unknown.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Alaric said, but he couldn’t have been talking about the weather. Though the rain had held off, the sky had been overcast with clouds all afternoon. “All of our people are happy.” He looked at me. “And so am I. Cara, I’ve never been so happy in my life. I’ve been happy even since before our marriage, and… I can’t believe I get to keep feeling this happiness every single day.”

“Not every day will be a joy,” I reminded him, even as my heart took flight. “We will still have troubles, and bad days will happen.”

“I know,” he said. “I promise I’m not looking at this lightly. But knowing you and the kids will be there on those days too… It makes everything seem possible. I feel like I could do anything.”

When he put it like that, I knew just what he meant, because I felt that way too.

I’d always been determined, with or without Alaric, and even before having our kids. I was determined to make my dreams come true, even if it took a lot of hard work, and nothing was going to stand in my way.

Now that I had my family, with Alaric ruling the combined pack at my side – now that I had all of my dreams – I felt my focus shift. I didn’t need to be so determined anymore, at least not about moving forward.

Now I just needed to fight to keep what I had.

But with Alaric as my partner, that didn’t seem impossible. It didn’t even feel particularly difficult.

With him, I felt secure in my happiness. As if even a terrible day wouldn’t be able to shake me from my overall joy.

I leaned back enough to look up into his face. He was so handsome, this man I loved. This man I chose.

He smiled at me. “I love you, Cara,” he said. “And I will for the rest of my life. Gods willing, even longer.”

With the love in my heart overflowing, I leaned up and kissed him in reply.

We had a rough journey reaching this moment, but everything we’d suffered had been worth it.

For the happiness we shared now.