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The guests stand up as one when I enter the abbey. I sense their eyes on me as I pass row after row all the way to the altar. My family is sitting in the front, and even though I know she’s not there, I still search for her.
It’s your fault for believing in those old and silly superstitions, my wolf gently chastises. Plenty of grooms have seen their brides before the wedding and nothing bad happened to them.
Are you willing to take that risk? I counter. After everything we’ve been through, after everything we’ve done, we’re finally happy. Are you willing to take a risk and lose it all?
Well, when you put it that way...my wolf allows, and even though he doesn’t physically have them, I can sense him rolling his eyes.
Since we’ve scheduled two massive royal events in one day, my father allowed me to shorten both of them by only sticking to the highlights. That’s why as soon as I arrive at the altar, I’m being escorted to a symbolic throne, but I don’t sit. Instead, I turn toward the guests and wait for the archbishop to say his prayers to Fenrir, Lupa, Hati, Skoll, Medeina, and Akkadian. He doesn’t name the other deities, but he does his best to humbly pay respects to the ones he didn’t mention.
While he’s making his speech, I allow my eyes to take in the grandeur of the abbey. Its walls have been donned in the black and red colors of the Grey family. While the flower arrangements are all in bright red, the rows are adorned with black ribbons. The carpets are a nice mix of black and red, with the red being through the middle part while the dark marks the sides.
The archbishop’s assistants carry over the scepter and the crown. It’s the last part of the coronation, followed only by everyone kneeling, and then me making my first speech as the new Grey King.
I am too nervous to properly listen to the archbishop as he hands me the scepter, but I do my best to keep it up without shaking too much. The crown is too big and too heavy to be used on a daily basis, but its value is incalculable.
“Long live King Garren Grey,” the archbishop announces after what seemed like an eternity of what I thought was cut out from the official event.
“Long live the king. Long live the king. Long live the king,” the guests echo as one.
My eyes travel along the first rows of seats, noting my and Alyssa’s family. No one seemed to have questioned Alyssa’s absence yet, but they’ll get their answer soon enough.
Dark Hunters are in a row of their own, Esme among them. Her face is hidden behind a dark veil to keep her scars protected. Even her wolf can’t completely heal them, but in a couple of weeks, they’ll further settle and some may possibly disappear. She’s here to show support both for me as well as Alyssa. She’s the only one that I offer a small smile before facing the rest of the abbey as their newly appointed king.
With the scepter in my hand and the crown on my head, I finally sit down as the Grey king. It’s at that moment that the guests sink on their knees, lowering their heads in respect. There are only two people left standing, only two that aren’t expected to bow.
While Gavin and Leia make a stark contrast to the kneeling crowd, they don’t radiate any disrespect or ill will. Quite the opposite, because they both meet my eyes and slightly incline their heads in a polite acknowledgment from one monarch to another.
After an appropriate amount of time has passed, with my scepter in hand and the crown on my head, I stand up again. The crowd, including Gavin and Leia, sit down while I make my way to the microphone that has been put in front of the altar for my speech.
I can’t wait for this to be over with, and I can be reunited with Alyssa again. The speakers in the back room are on, so I know she’ll be able to hear my every word.
“My fellow brothers and sisters,” I say into the microphone that amplifies my voice, so it reaches even the furthest corners of the big abbey. “As your new king, chosen both by our gods and the legitimate blood that’s running through my veins, I accept the role to lead our kingdom into prosperity. With my guidance and your help, we will thrive and grow.”
I take a moment to pause, giving the people a chance to process my words before I tackle the two big topics, one that shouldn’t stop being taboo, and the other that we shouldn’t hide from anymore.
“In the spirit of all that, my first order of business as your king will be to address the threat that’s been looming on us for far too long,” I say, my voice firm and serious. Several gasps come from the crowd, but I don’t budge and only confirm their suspicions. “Yes, people, I am talking about the witches.”
A hushed murmur spreads like wildfire, but I don’t immediately shut it down. I watch it spread, smelling the fear in the air as the guests are forced to talk about our mortal enemies. It’s good. It’s something I can use to rally them the way I want.
“With the help of my brother, King Gavin, and his lovely wife, Queen Leia, we have managed to combine the forces of two kingdoms. Therefore, we were able to strike the witches twice as hard,” I say, allowing myself a small, triumphant smile in hopes that they’ll perceive it as confidence.
You’re doing great, my wolf tells me, carefully studying the crowd’s reactions as I speak.
“The threat is real, people,” I continue, making sure that I come off sounding as strong and determined. “While we managed to get them into hiding for now, we can be sure of one thing. They will recover again, and they will come back to finish us off. You might be asking yourselves, what has changed now? We’ve been enemies for so long, but what’s so different now is that they’re willing to step up their game and kill every last one of us.”
I pause for effect again. My eyes briefly meet Gavin’s, and he gives me a subtle nod. The coronation is the best time to address this delicate but important matter.
“Right now, the witches have a new young leader who’s both ambitious and ruthless,” I say into the microphone, making sure that everyone hears my speech. “It’s the worst kind of combination, and let me tell you one thing, that witch really doesn’t like us. She’s uniting covens and inviting other witches to come to New York where the first stage of extermination will take place. We have to start laying down some plans and take the battle to them. I’m afraid that I have to begin my reign with a declaration of war. As of this moment, the wolves are at war with the witches!”
Gavin’s the first one to start clapping, followed by the rest of the guests as they give me a standing ovation. It’s not an ideal way to start my reign, but I don’t have any other choice. If we don’t do anything to protect us, we might not survive as a species.
I think it’s safe to say that you have the support of your kingdom on your side, my wolf tells me, a hint of pride in his voice.
That’s only the first step of what we need to do, I reply. The worst is yet to come. You know the same as I do that it’s not over until it’s over.
Geez, do you have to be so gloomy on your wedding day? my wolf teases, trying to lighten up the mood as well as gently nudge me to move ahead with today’s events. It’s safe to say that we’re both looking forward to some alone time with our mate.
I lift my hand up, wordlessly asking the crowd to calm down. When they sit down again and the silence stretches across the abbey, I give them a little smile.
