Page 82 of Dragon King’s Bullied Mate

Emotion flickered quietly between them before Mikael crossed the room toward her. His hands settled gently at her waist. “I remember.”

Then he kissed her slowly beneath the filtered sunlight. Not desperate this time or afraid. But absolutely certain. When the kiss finally broke, his arms remained wrapped securely around her.

“The cottage could remain ours,” he continued quietly. “A place away from court when we need peace.”

Lyra smiled faintly. “You? Escaping responsibility voluntarily?”

“I am capable of learning.”

She laughed softly against him. Then Mikael’s expression gentled into something so open it nearly stole her breath.

“Stay with me permanently,” he said quietly. “Not because you owe me anything. Not because of duty or fear or obligation.” His thumb brushed carefully across her cheek. “Stay because I love you, Lyra.”

Tears filled her eyes immediately. “You already proposed.”

“In front of everyone. Now I’m asking you. Just you.”

She had spent years believing love always came with conditions attached. Yet somehow Mikael kept choosing her freely over and over again.

“Yes,” she whispered shakily. “Yes, I’ll stay with you forever.”

Something fierce and relieved crossed his face before he kissed her again. A small voice interrupted from the doorway.

“Um…”

They turned simultaneously. Beckett stood there clutching a crooked bundle of wildflowers while staring at them with visible uncertainty.

Lyra smiled softly. “What is it, sweetheart?”

Beckett shifted nervously from foot to foot before finally blurting:

“If you’re staying together forever…” He looked between them anxiously. “Can I stay too?” His voice dropped smaller. “Forever, I mean.”

Chapter 29

Mikael

Spring returned slowly to the mountains, melting the last stubborn traces of winter from the cliffs surrounding the kingdom while rivers swelled with fresh snowmelt and green life crept steadily back across the valleys below the castle.

For the first time in years, the season did not feel fragile to Mikael. It felt permanent.

The castle itself had changed alongside it.

Gone were many of the cold ceremonial chambers that had once existed solely to intimidate diplomats and nobles into obedience. Sunlit sitting rooms now occupied formerly unused wings while warm rugs and overflowing bookshelves softened spaces that had once echoed with emptiness. Nearly every corridor contained some sign of Lyra’s influence from the climbing ivy along balcony railings to the fresh flowers arranged carefully beside windows and herbs growing in stone planters beneath open skylights.

The gardens within the castle had transformed most dramatically of all.

Lyra oversaw them personally now, moving through the grounds each morning with dirt smudged across her gloves while gardeners followed her instructions with increasing admiration. Flowers spilled across terraces overlooking the mountains in vivid bursts of color that made the ancient fortress seem less like a stronghold and more like something alive again. She still coaxed beautiful things from damaged ground.

Mikael often found excuses to walk through the gardens simply to watch her there. She belonged everywhere all at once now.

Their wedding happened quickly after his second proposal, mostly because the adoption proceedings for Beckett would move far more smoothly once their marriage became official.

The ceremony took place in the castle gardens beneath flowering trees while spring wind drifted softly through the mountains. Malaya cried exactly once before aggressively denying it afterward. Sherrell cried openly.

Beckett looked personally offended by emotional adults until he nearly burst with excitement when Mikael allowed him to stand beside them during the vows.

Lyra looked devastatingly beautiful.