Chapter 107
Alphas and Lunas from all over the world had gathered in the wide courtyard of the old royal mansion. It stood empty for months but in the last few weeks cleaning crews had prepared it for their visitors. Rather than disrupt every pack’s Winter Solstice celebrations the king and queen opted to move the Royal Solstice Ball to the New Year.
And that wasn’t the only change.
In the past the Ball had been one night and only the most prestigious alphas invited. This year, the festivities were stretched out for a week and all alphas and lunas regardless of status encouraged to attend. The king and queen would remain in attendance and make themselves available for the duration but all others were welcome to come and go at their convenience.
The royal mansion was being treated as a hotel with rooms available for attendees as well as a full kitchen and maid staff to provide proper amenities. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on -.-___-.-. Visit -.-___-.- to read the complete s for free. Many packs maintained estates nearby where they would stay for the duration of their visit so the mansion was mostly for alphas of smaller packs. Even the king and queen were staying in their own estate though they would spend most of their time at the mansion for the various scheduled events.
While a few muttered about tradition, the changes were definitely welcomed. The king had not limited the attendees’ escorts, allowing them to bring what they were comfortable with for support and security of themselves and their lunas. They were also encouraged to bring their pups making it a real family-friendly event.
Expanding the Ball to a full week meant alphas could stagger their visits, though as expected, the first night was the most crowded and highly anticipated. This would be the first official public appearance of the king and queen and none wanted to miss it. In years to come, they would brag that they were there to witness this momentous event. This was truly the beginning of a new age for werewolves the world over.
Icicle lights and lanterns hung along the eaves, creating a bright and magical atmosphere. Pups darted from one buffet line to another, filling plate after plate with delicious offerings. There was even an ice cream bar for them to indulge in as they saw fit as they sat the numerous tables to enjoy. As there was no assigned seating there was no need to stand on ceremony and the pups had no difficulty relating to each other regardless of status. For the adults, there was an open bar as well as servers who carried platters of drinks and hors d’oeuvres. All drinks and food was free
wolfsbane and some of the finest to be found. In past years, royal guards had stood along the edge of the courtyard as a subtle reminder they were under the jurisdiction of the king. However, tonight those guards were missing. In fact, they didn’t see any security personnel for the king or queen not realizing the servers themselves were the guards. Their disguise allowed them to mingle with the crowd, keeping an eye out for any dangers to their king and queen. The atmosphere was pleasant and low-key. Everything had been painstakingly arranged to create a welcoming and relaxed experience, quite different from the tense one they were used to at such gatherings.
As the night progressed, a call turned their attention to the royal entrance, “Now entering King Jason Aiman, Queen Phoebe Aiman, Prince Blake and Princess Emma Aiman.”
With a smattering of applause they now understood why pups had been allowed as their gazes looked at the young prince and princess rumored to be adopted. They stood mirror images of their parents with the young prince sporting a tailored suit and his sister in a pretty blue dress.
The king wore a black suit with a tie that matched the color of his queen’s ice-blue gown. But it was the queen who was the real star. She stood regal in her gown sparkling with rhinestones. It hugged her gentle curves and accentuated her ever-growing belly, confirming the announcement made a few weeks ago. Very soon the royal family would be expanding, though the attendees weren’t sure if they believed she was really caring twins.
The queen’s rich, dark hair was carefully tamed in a bun and she was crowned with a dazzling diamond tiara with topaz accents. Though Jason preferred simple attire for himself, he had no qualms in making his Luna shine. She seemed a little embarrassed with the attention but not to Jason’s gentle caresses. A server brought them a tray with drinks for them and the prince and princess.
Finally tearing his attention away from his queen Jason addressed the crowd raising a glass for a toast, “Friends, fellow wolves, the last year has been a year of change and upheaval. It hasn’t been easy and it has left some very deep scars. But we stand here tonight: stronger and better.
“As your King, I swear to rule with a clear, level-head, and to honor the Moon Goddess who bore us. We are wolves with bonds that bind us to our packs, our families and to our mates. And I swear, I will always respect and defend those bonds with my life. So tonight, let’s celebrate our bonds and through them honor the Goddess who continues to bless us.”
He raised his glass to the moon shining above. They followed his gesture, toasting the moon. Phoebe followed suit though her glass was only filled with the same sparkling juice as the pups. There was no evidence to suggest werewolf pregnancies were affected by alcohol like human ones but she and Jason were not taking any chances.
After the toast, Jason led his queen down to mingle with the crowd. The newly-crowned prince and princess followed them for a time before growing bored and moved off to find guests their own ages. If the others thought Jason and Phoebe would be more anxious about their pups wandering off they were mistaken. With security out in full force and mingling among the guests there was never a moment watchful eyes were not monitoring the pups’ every move.
The first to greet the royal couple were those with the closest personal ties: Alpha Reed and Luna Chloe, Alpha Zain and Luna Chandler, Alpha William and Luna Lily, Alpha Hymen and Luna Kleio, Alpha Atticus and Luna Koko. All were eager to catch up especially Lily who was showing her own baby bump. The lunas chatted easily as if they were sisters and the alphas were completely at ease with one another, showing no signs of aggression or animosity despite the difference in their overall rank. Gradually, others found themselves drawn toward their queen. It was like the tide slowly coming. Jason watched without comment but his chest swelled with pride. None could compare, none even came close.
“I can’t wait for our pups to be able to grow up together,” Phoebe chuckled, drawing Lily close. Pups had an easier time getting along when the age gap between them was not overly great.
“I know,” Lily agreed, “although I’m so nervous.”
“No need to be,” Chloe assured her. “You’ll be a fantastic mother.”
“But you, twins?” Kleio clapped. “I can’t believe it! This has never happened before… or at least has never been recorded.” “Neither can we,” Phoebe said. “I still don’t know if it is a fluke or completely normal. I’ve reread Eris’s journal so many times but she makes no mention of it.” “I can’t believe you have her journal!” Kleio said. “I hope I can see it sometime.”
“Of course, I actually brought it with me intending to give it to you,” Phoebe said. “I was hoping New Moon could make a copy to preserve it. There are also several entries that are too hard to read. I wondered if they could be restored.” “Absolutely! It’s our area of expertise, after all!”