7.

Chase and I stepped forward, ready to exchange tokens of our commitment.

I swallowed. “I don’t have a token for you. I’m sorry.”

He chuckled, which made my stomach do numerous backflips. “Well, I didn’t expect you to have one. All of this has caught you by surprise.”

“Oh, I might have something,” I started with a smile, an idea coming to mind. I reached for the pendant that sat on my neck, and one I’d worn since childhood.

It was a precious keepsake that carried a lot of memories of love and laughter. I’d wanted to give it to Asher before the wedding, but I could see why I thought against it.

“This may not be the grandest of tokens or a wedding band,” I began, my voice trembling with emotion. “But it carries the weight of a lot of love and memories in my life. The love of my mother. I’d like you to have it.”

I pulled the pendant from my neck and pressed it into his palm.

“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“Well, I don’t have a token here, so I guess we’ll just improvise.”

He looked around, searching for something that could serve as an impromptu token for our marriage. Spotting the delicate blue ribbon that sat on his suit lapel, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Chase plucked the ribbon from his lapel, holding it up between us; he met my gaze with a silent question,

“May I?” he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached out to take my hand in his.

I couldn’t stop my beating heart as I watched him loop the ribbon around my ring finger to make a makeshift ring. I glanced at his face, which was set in concentration, wondering what kind of person he was.

I was so immersed in watching him that the crass words that Asher muttered startled me.

“She’ll always be a whore and never a queen.”

Chase and I both turned to face him, and I was about to lash at him and let him have it because I was sick and tired of listening to him spit insults at me all morning. He wasn’t a saint either if he had been having an affair with Lina behind my back.

But before I could speak up for myself, Chase was already speaking.

He turned to face Asher in anger, their eyes meeting as a ripple tore through the hall.. “Kneel before Zara.”

“But-” Asher started, but Chase cut him off.

“Chase…”

“I said kneel!” His command boomed around the building, tension filling the air, cutting off both Asher and Clinton from speaking.

All of a sudden, Asher began kneeling, albeit begrudgingly. It looked like something or someone was forcing him, and I couldn't help but think it had to be a power Chase commands. Just how powerful was he?

He kneeled before me, head hanging down with his hands balled into fists.

“Apologize to my wife.” Came Chase’s clear command. “Now!”

“I…I…I’m sorry.”

“Again!”

“I am sorry!”

“Good,” Chase had a small smirk on his face as he turned to me. “What do you think?”

I felt a power course through me, and suddenly, I wasn’t the weak Zara getting married to Asher an hour ago. Not that I was ever weak, I was lycan myself, albeit not royal. Yet, there was something that Chase ignited in me, something I couldn’t quite place my finger on.

“I think that’s fine for now.”

Chase closed the little distance between he and Asher, lifted his head up and began to speak in a small controlled voice.

“Next time, do well to remember who you are speaking to. She's a queen. A damn royal, and my fucking wife. Never ever forget that!”

With a dismissive wave of his hand, Chase turned away from Asher, placed his hand by the small of my back, and led me out of the building. My heart was beating fast and wild, as though I had run a marathon. I was excited. Thrilled. Anxious. Scared.

There was something entirely so sexy watching Chase put Asher in his place. While I had wanted to do that myself, I enjoyed knowing I now had someone on my side.

We got to a black jeep waiting outside, and we both got in without a word.

“Where to sir?” The chauffeur asked.

“To the airport, please,” Chase responded, meeting my gaze.

With a nod, the chauffeur shifted the vehicle into gear and began to drive. As the kingdom of Zakori blurred all around us, I felt a sense of relief, but I couldn’t help but be scared of what was to come.

I was a wife, just like the day started out to be. But I wasn't just a wife now, but a queen.