Epilogue Part Two

He turned to face us directly. "Your Majesties, you have already chosen each other in the most ancient way known to our kinds. You have marked each other as equals, bound by something deeper than law or custom. Today's ceremony merely acknowledges what is already written in flesh and blood."

The archbishop raised a small, ornate book. "Will you now make your declarations before your people, binding yourselves not just to each other, but to the realm you will guide together?"

"We will," Theo and I answered in unison.

What followed was a series of ritual questions and responses, each more solemn than the last. We pledged to uphold justice, to protect the innocent, to hear the voices of all our subjects regardless of birth or status. We promised to preserve the ancient traditions worth keeping while having the courage to discard those that no longer served the greater good.

"Do you, Theodore Lykoudis, acknowledge Emeline Maxwell as your equal in all matters of state and governance, bound to you?" the archbishop asked.

Theo's voice rang clear through the hall. "I do so acknowledge, freely and without reservation. Her voice shall carry the same weight as mine, her decisions the same authority. Where I am king, she is queen—not consort, but ruler."

The archbishop nodded, satisfied, then turned to me. "And do you, Emeline Maxwell, accept the crown and all responsibilities it entails? Do you pledge yourself to this realm and its peoples, to uphold its laws and forge its future alongside your mate and king?"

I felt the weight of history pressing down upon me, countless eyes—living and painted—watching for my response. "I do accept, freely and with full understanding of the burden I take upon myself. I pledge my strength, my wisdom, and my heart to this kingdom and all who dwell within its borders."

"Then kneel," the archbishop commanded gently.

Together, Theo and I sank to our knees on the velvet cushions placed before the ancient throne. The archbishop spoke words in an older dialect, blessing us with phrases that had been used for a thousand years. The scent of sacred herbs filled the air as he waved a bundle of smoking plants above our heads.

Then came the moment I had been both anticipating and dreading. Theo rose first, turning to face me as I remained kneeling. An attendant approached, bearing a cushion upon which rested a crown of breathtaking beauty—delicate silver filigree interwoven with gold, studded with sapphires and amethysts that matched my dress perfectly.

"This crown," Theo said, his voice thick with emotion, "was worn by my mother at her coronation. Before her, it graced the head of my grandmother, and her mother before her. Today, it finds a new guardian—one worthy of its legacy and capable of building upon it."

He lifted the crown with reverent hands. "With this crown, I acknowledge you as my Queen, my equal, my partner in all things." Slowly, he lowered it onto my head. The metal was cool against my skin, lighter than I expected yet somehow weighty with responsibility.

"Rise, Emeline Maxwell, Queen of the United Realm," Theo proclaimed.

I stood on legs that threatened to tremble, facing my mate and king. Theo took my hand in his, raised it to his lips, and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. Then, to my astonishment, he sank to one knee before me.

"My Queen," he said, voice clear enough to carry to the farthest corners of the hall.

Like a wave following the shore, every person in the vast space descended to their knees—Lycans and werewolves, nobles and servants, guards and ministers. Hundreds of heads bowed in acknowledgment of my position. The sight stole my breath. This wasn't just ceremony; this was acceptance. This was change made manifest.

The archbishop let the moment stretch, allowing its significance to settle into the stones of the palace itself, before gently motioning for the assembly to rise. Bodies shifted, fabric rustled, and the congregation returned to their feet.

All except Theo.

He remained on one knee, still holding my hand, his amber eyes locked on mine. Confusion flickered through me as whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

"Emeline," he said, his voice suddenly intimate despite our grand surroundings. From within his robes, he produced a small red velvet box. My heart, which had only just begun to settle, launched into a wild rhythm against my ribs.

"A month ago, we bound ourselves together in the way of our ancestors—with blood and instinct." His thumb brushed over the back of my hand. "Today, we have bound ourselves as monarchs in the eyes of the law and the kingdom."

He opened the box, revealing a ring that caught the light and shattered it into a thousand sparkling fragments. The central stone was neither diamond nor any gem I recognized—it seemed to contain swirls of amber and midnight blue, reminding me of our eyes when transformed.

"You came into my life like a storm, challenging everything I thought I knew, forcing me to be better, to see clearly, to fight harder." His voice wavered slightly. "You have faced dangers I could not protect you from, shown courage I can only aspire to, and revealed wisdom that humbles me daily."

Theo's eyes never left mine as he continued. "You are the best thing that has happened not only to this kingdom but to me. You've made me more than a king—you've made me a partner, a mate, a man who understands what truly matters."

The hall had fallen so silent I could hear the distant call of birds outside the high windows.

"I know we are already bound in ways more ancient than words can express, but I find myself wanting you to be mine in every way." His smile was tender, vulnerable in a way few ever saw. "Emeline Maxwell, my queen, my mate, my heart's keeper—will you marry me?"

The tears I had been fighting since the beginning of the ceremony finally spilled over, tracing warm paths down my cheeks. In this moment, he wasn't the ancient Lycan king but simply Theo—my Theo—looking up at me with nervous hope in his eyes.

"Yes," I managed, my voice breaking on even that single syllable. "Yes, Theodore Lykoudis. Yes, I will marry you."

His smile blazed like the sun breaking through clouds. He rose to his feet and removed the ring from its velvet nest with slightly trembling fingers. As he slid it onto my finger, I noticed engravings along the band—ancient symbols of protection, love, and unity.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. "What stone is this?"

"It's called moonfire," he murmured. "Found only in the deepest caves of our oldest mountains. Legend says it forms only where Lycan and werewolf blood has mingled and seeped into the earth."

Before I could respond, his lips found mine in a kiss that managed to be both restrained enough for our public setting and passionate enough to make my knees weak. The hall erupted in applause and cheers. Theo's arms encircled my waist, and suddenly my feet left the ground as he spun me in a joyful circle, my coronation gown flaring around us like midnight wings.

When he set me down, we were both breathless and laughing. I reached up to touch his face, marveling at the journey that had brought us here—from suspicion to respect to love deeper than I had ever imagined possible.

"I love you," I told him, the words inadequate yet essential. "Forever and always, Theo. Forever and always."

His forehead pressed against mine, crown to crown, king to queen, heart to heart. "Forever and always," he echoed, the promise settling around us like an invisible cloak, protecting and binding us to a future we would build together, one day at a time.