Chapter 221

For one moment after I arrived in the garden, the sun blinded me, and then my eyes cleared. Before me spread an amazing event: the wedding of our country's princess.

It still hadn't fully sunken that I was that princess.

The guests sat in orderly rows of brilliantly white chairs festooned in lovely shades of blue and lavender. I had chosen them because they most reminded me of the moon, and I wanted to honor the goddess at this event, as well. Without her, I would not only not have been at this wedding, but I wouldn't have been alive. She had done so much for me. The least I could do was throw a little recognition her way.

I clutched the bouquet in my hand, and Theo hooked his arm through my elbow. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“I'm ready.”

We took a step toward the altar on the red carpet spread out in front of me, and the music swelled. The quartet played a beautiful melody full of promise and love.

I didn't see the people looking at me, specifically, only that all eyes were on me. My gaze was locked on Charles.

He stood at the altar, a huge grin spread across his face and love shining from his eyes. For a moment, I thought my heart might burst from my chest and go dancing up that carpet all on its own, just thrilled to be finalizing this union between the two of us.

Like I didn't register the faces, the words of Monk Blythe bounced in one ear and out the other. I had called him months ago, furious that he leaked my blood test to the public, only to find out that he, in turn, was furious with the lab.

Evidently, they had a new database, and one of the technicians was playing with it. Using it, they could cross-reference criminals and such. But, of course, the information on the king's DNA and the late queen’s was in the database, too.

So, when mine drew up a match, the technician, in their excitement, didn't even think to check back with Monk Blythe or me before releasing that information to the public. I couldn't fault him for that, and we reconciled.

I brought him back from exile, and he was serving as a monk in the local moon goddess temple. I had so few friends that I fully trusted that I wanted to keep them all near me, especially as I took over the city and the country on my own.

Monk Blythe cut through my emotions and thoughts when he said, “Do you, Elena, take Charles to be your mate under the law and under the moon goddess? To love and cherish as your husband for as long as you both live?”

“I do,” I answered.

He repeated the same vows to Charles, who also answered, “I do.”

“Then, under the eyes of the moon goddess, I am happy to present Mr. & Mrs. Rafe. You may kiss the bride.”

Charles swept me sideways, dipping me as if we were in some romantic movie, and pressed a long, deep kiss to my lips.

Luckily for me, his usual desire for public antics didn't make it into this moment, and he didn't do anything embarrassing like grab my butt.

He set me back on my feet and pulled my hands up, kissing the back of those, as well. “Are you ready to begin forever?” he asked.

“I am,” I replied.

He kept my hand in his, and we turned and walked down the aisle back toward what was now my palace.

Epilogue:

“Push Elena, come on.” Charles gripped my hand and glanced between me and the midwife, ordering me to bear down on the imminent arrival of our child.

I huffed, my hair sticking to my head and my body overheated and tormented by contractions. When that one ended, I gasped for breath, knowing that I would only have a minute or two before the next wave of pain forced me to bear down again.

“How much longer?” I gasped out.

Charles used a damp cloth to wipe the sweat from my forehead, and he looked at the midwife.

“Just a few more pushes,” she assured me. “I can see the top of the head.”

Again, my stomach cramped, trying to unburden my body of its cargo. I gritted my teeth and let out a howl of pain, curling in on myself and willing the child out of my body.

The midwife made a bit of a cry. “You're almost there,” she said. “I can see the head.”

For all of the pleasure that Charles had brought me between my legs, being my first and only lover, tenderly using his tongue and his cock to stimulate that area, now, the result of all of those unions burned as if someone had set fire to my loins. Who knew such pleasure could lead to such evil?

I let out a scream, dropping back on the pillow as the contraction ended. “I can't,” I huffed.

“You have to,” everyone urged me on.

“I can't.” I shook my head, wanting to cry, but I was too tired.

“You can,” the midwife demanded.

Charles squeezed my hand. “You can do this. You faced down the king and took over Orlune, bringing it back under the control of a worthy ruler. This should be nothing in comparison.”

I turned and snarled at him. “Tell me it’s easy when you're pushing a grapefruit out of your penis.”

He choked for a moment and then burst out laughing. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I'm not laughing at you. I just didn't realize you could be so mean and blunt at the same time.”

“Try me,” I snapped, curling in on myself as the next contraction started. I cried out again and squeezed his hand, bearing down.

“It’s crowning,” she said. “Keep pushing.”

I let out a roar that hurt my throat and forced the head from my body. This time, when I fell back gasping, the midwife kept her hands between my legs.

“One more push for the shoulders,” she said, “and then the rest is easy.”

I braced myself for yet another wave of pain, vowing that this would be our only child. I was never doing this again.

With one last Herculean effort, I curled around myself and pushed my child into the world. Fresh cries slit the room, tiny and wailing, coming from a baby. Everyone cheered, and I craned to see over my knees.

“What is it?” I asked.

A new scent filled the room, something citrusy and zesty, but I couldn't quite pin it down. It smelled like happiness or energy.

The nurses and the midwife were making a fuss over the infant, and still, no one had told me whether I had a son or a daughter. I dug my nails into Charles' palm.

“Well?” I demanded.

Charles gave me a wide, toothy smile with unadulterated joy on his face. “We have a son,” he said. “A strong, healthy son.”

Just then, the midwife pushed in past Charles, holding a bundle in her arms. She brought the baby down and placed him against my chest.

Smiled at us. “You guys make a fantastic family. I'm so glad we got to be here for the birth of the new prince.”

I cuddled my son against my chest. His head was still too squished from the birth to tell who he looked like yet.

“His scent is a perfect complement to yours,” The midwife cooed delightedly. “If you smell like peace, then he smells like happiness, joy. Really. He smells like I want to kick up my heels and run through a summer Meadow. Between the two of you, I think you are exactly what we need for a bright future in Orlune.”

Charles put one hand on the baby’s head and one on mine. “He’s perfect, Elena. I love you both so much.”

My heart swelled around the feeling that I had found family and love together with my fated alpha boss.