“If I…” his words are broken by a familiar voice calling his name, and I looked behind him at the same time that Killian turned back to see Leah’s voluptuous figure walk up to us in her bright red dress.I had never been this happy to see Leah. And that had to be something.“Leah! Thank the goddess that you are saved!” I exclaim out of excitement and rush forward, planning to hug her, but I’m pushed back by Killian, who pulls her into a tight hug.“My sweet mate. I was almost scared that something had happened to you,” he crooned, then ran his hands on her back in circles.Memories of me being the girl in Killian’s arms flashed through my mind. But this time, they didn’t hurt.I had my mate now.“K...Killian… do... do you know how scary it was without you? I was all alone and got lost so many times,” Leah cried out, and I shot her a cynical look.She looked every bit fine with not a crease on her dress. It was hard to imagine that she had really been lost.Besides, she was right here
Zira’s POV I had never been one to likebeing touchy or anything of that sort. Despite how much Killian had wanted usto go all the way in our relationship, I had constantly refused. But somehow,around Ronan, I always seemed to lose any bit of restraint. “You should change,” I told him as I tried to step back. Henods and then starts to loosen all his buttons carefully. A part of me still felt guiltythat I had allowed his coronation to end with him having to jump in a pool tosave me, but I was grateful that he haddone that. I watch, entranced, as he pulls off the regalia, leaving a black shirt that wasglued to his body from all the dampness and heat. Earlier, when we met, he had been a lot more casual,but seeing him now with all his body outlines, it was easy to see that he wasone of those men that would look a lot slimmer when dressed. It was hard to look away fromit. Like every part of me seemed to want to reach out to him, I eventually pulled my gaze away. There was a
Zira’s POVI gasped in surprise as I watched myselfin the floor-to-ceiling mirror in front of me.The Royal Palace stylist certainly hadmagical hands,as I felt like my whole person had undergone some surgeries that humansloved to do so much. My hair was rolled up into ahigh bun with some curled tendrils framing myface while my make-upwas delicately done to highlight all of my features. The only thing wrong with all ofthese, with the stunning blue dress and the teardrop pearl necklace seated on mychest, and Ronan gifted, was that today, I was going to watch my mate getbetrothed to another woman. “Your beauty certainly has norival even in the capital,” Ana, the head stylist, says with an adoring smile as she looks at me through the mirror. “Thank you,” I mumble, notwanting to seem impolite. “If you are ready, I’ll lead youto the hall. Weare already quite late.” Itturns out Ana was correct; the entire buildingwas alive withmusic and conversation as soon as we steppe
Zira’s POVAtfirst, it seems like I’m the only one that notices as heads are bowed inreverence to him. But hell breaks loose the moment Ronan sits down, and theeunuchs permit us to be seated.One ofthe girls beside me nudged me in the waist with her elbow.“Whatpack are you from? Your father must be daring to have allowed you to use thesame Arlen-silk that our king has used,” she says with scorn, deliberatelymaking her voice loud enough for others to talk.“Ialready felt there was something about her dress the moment she sat down,”someone added from behind. And I wished I could understand what they weresaying more than anything.Arlen-silk?Seeing thatthe color and patterns were the same, I was more than certain that I would bein trouble. Yet, it appeared to be some unusual substance at this point.Whywould Ronan put me in such a spotlight on a day like this?The queendowager raised her glass and, with cutlery, tapped on it twice to get theattention of everyone in the ha
Zira’s POVI hadall the skills that the ladies here had, but at this moment, no one cared. Allthey knew was I didn’t deserve to be here, and that was all.Foronce, I felt like I was nothing more than a lowly and weak omega with all thegazes of the people in the hall.Iwatched from the corners of my eyes as I stood alone in the middle of the halland their whisperings.The queendowager raised her wineglass, and the hall descended into empty silence.“Thisyoung girl, can you introduce yourself?” In the already quiet hall, her voicewas loud and clear, and as I met her gaze, I could feel some pressure pressingdown on me.Isquared my shoulders a little but still avoided Ronan’s gaze.“Yourhighness, I am Zira Clark, the second daughter of the Beta from the Blood Moonpack.” I gave a little head bow to her as soon as I was done talking and wentback to looking at the intricately designed floor of the ballroom.“Youare from a third-tier pack. Can you tell me how you came to be here
Zira’s POVI don’tthink I have been this scared in my entire life. Maybe something close when I lostmy mother, but it wasn’t this way.Thistime, I was desperate and scared. I was also desperate to be proven wrong.As soonas Ronan made signs to speak, the tension in the hall intensified with everygaze on him.Iallowed my eyes to focus on him for the first time since he had stepped intothe hall. Even without a crown, besides all the royal princes, Ronan’s bearingand appearance were too eye-catching. He sat there, back ramrod straight likehe was born to be a ruler.“Queenmother, I’m afraid you would have to ask my dear brothers to use today as anopportunity to pick their brides as the moon goddess has blessed me with a matewhom I intend to make my queen,” he announced, standing up from the Royal seatthat he was in.My bodystiffened, unable to believe that what I was hearing was the truth. Ronan justsaid he wanted to make his mate his queen, right?“Youhave a fated mate? Wh
Zira’s POVUntilwe got to Ronan’s Bailey, neither of us said a word. Ronan looked like he wasstruggling to understand his emotions while I had so many thoughts swirling inmy head.I hadno idea that Ronan would ever consider me for the role of queen until that verymoment. I wanted it. However, not the position, but if it was the only way Icould have my mate to myself, I could even handle such an arduous position.But Ialso understood that just because I wanted something, it didn't always mean Iwould get it. After Killian, I had been more than prepared to walk away fromhere the very moment I realized that I was some inconvenience.While seatedbeside all those girls, my mind had been running on so many scenarios. So manyreplies that I was prepared to give to the man that I was certain wanted me tobe his consort or maybe replace some omega concubine.Ronan’sguards rushed forward and pushed the door to his courtyard open. Theydisappeared almost immediately, and Ronan turned fo
Ronan’s POV Seeing the expression of disbelief on Zira’s face as I approached her to take her to the middle of the stage had me in conflicted emotions. While everyone thought the Queen Dowager to be my mother, I knew very well that she wasn't. Although her life had been taken from her early, my mother, who was my father’s fated mate, had always talked about how beautiful the mate bond was. The mate bond was so strong that she could willingly sacrifice all of her life for that one man that didn’t even give her his whole heart.And even on her deathbed, my mother had made me promise not to hate my father. Because of this, I had always had a longing for my own mate.That experience made me want the mate bond even more. Besides, I only had two choices, the Moon Goddess’s choice or the Queen dowager's choice, and from the moment I had laid my eyes on Zira, I had known it was going to be her. The moon goddess’s choice was just perfect, and god dammit that, I was going to let anyone separ