Chapter 99: The Coronation

Maeve

“Where the hell is he?” | asked Myla, who was leaning against one of the columns in the ballroom, looking a little flustered herself. She was dressed in an insanely flattering sea -green colored gown, the same color as the silky ribbons wo ven into her braids. She shrugged, tilting the remaining cham pagne in the flute she was holding into her mouth.

“Where is anyone we know? There has to be five-hundred people here, if not more. I haven’t seen Keaton since we en tered the castle!”

“I’m surprised Keaton even agreed to come. It sounds like he and Troy had a major falling out-”

“Keaton is mad at Troy for leaving their little group of pi rates, that’s all. They’re brothers in all aspects but one. They’ll be friends again.”

“Just not Alpha and Beta.”

To my surprise, Myla shrugged, tapping her flute with her nails.

“I should probably get another drink. Gemma is way ahead of us, you know. Last I saw her she was tearing up the dance floor with Ernest. I don’t think she knows up from down at this point.”

“Oh, they deserve a little fun. Especially now that Ernest isn’t tied into being all poised and proper. I’ve never seen him

so happy, honestly.” I ran my hands down my dress, wonder ing if I’d be able to dance in it.

“I can get you another drink, if you want?”

“No, it’s okay. I should probably go to the nursery and, uh, use that Goddess-forsaken breast pump again. It’s basically what they use on cows, you know. That’s what I am. A dairy cow. I hate to pump and dump and waste this liquid gold, but the babies have enough to last them for the night, and I have been drinking.”

“From breeder to feeder,” Myla uttered dramatically, and I almost choked on what little remained of my champagne.

Just thinking about pumping made my breasts ache, but they were full and threatening to soak through my gown if I didn’t do something about it, and fast. I had pumped enough milk to see the boys happily fed for the rest of the night, but that didn’t stop my body from deciding it needed to make more.

I sighed, looking around once more for Troy before leav ing the ballroom and heading toward the servants’ quarters, which were bustling with noisy activity. The nursery was on the second floor and was a cozy little apartment of sorts with a room for the nanny, a playroom, and a bedroom for the ba bies of both our family and those who belonged to the ser vants.

“Can I help you with anything, Princess?” said a maid, her face flushed and hair frazzled from the activities of the evening.

“Oh, no. It’s alright. I was just going up to the nursery to uh, to uh…” I trailed off, feeling sheepish.

“Oh my dear, the babies have gone to bed hours ago. In gra is upstairs with them,” she replied, tilting her head toward the servant’s stairwell that led up to the upper floors of the

castle.

“I just need to uh, to um…” Goddess, I should’ve had that second glass of champagne.

“You need the pump? Ingra thought you might eventually. Come with me.” She turned on her heel and sped off, and I hiked up my skirts to follow her, careful not to get in the way as servants passed by with trays stacked with used plates and silverware.

She led me to one of the sitting rooms reserved especially for the use of our workers, which was cozy, comfortable, and a quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the servants’ quarters and busy commercial kitchen.

She closed the door behind us, helping me undo the clasps on the back of my dress so I could free my arms from my sleeves and fold the fabric that covered my chest down over my lap.

And ah, what a relief it was to sit in solitude for a moment, letting the milk flow. I felt renewed in a way, ready to face the rest of the evening as the maid silently carried the pump away and helped me redress.

“The boys are just fine upstairs. Master William had a bit of a fuss but settled down once he was placed in bed with the others,” she told me softly, clasping my dress and reaching up to adjust my immaculate updo.

“He doesn’t like being alone,” I said with a somber smile, a wave of guilt washing over me. I should be with them, I

a fluffy, star-covered dress and

right in that I needed a moment to just be

the wall, unsure of what I saw. I looked regal.

An imposter.

for that second

quarters, telling her repeatedly to find me if anything were to happen to the boys, even if it was the smallest thing that felt huge to me, like they

fineries. I began to walk back toward the ball room, taking my time. People

thought, taking a deep breath. Rowan would

Alpha of Luna of a pack we only

whisked into one of the many small sitting rooms that lined the main hallway on the

for you -” | stammered, my heart racing. He gave me a hungry look, and then slammed the door closed,

want you,”

now? You’re about to be come an Alpha in

plenty of time,” he said as he closed in on me, em bracing me roughly. “We haven’t done this in

like scotch –” he kissed me thoroughly, and I pulled

against the wall, running his hands over my

“Troy, you are wasted!”

“… yes, I am.”

for a moment before he

a blur of motion, he disappeared beneath my skirts. I yelped again

out of there! If

and ripped them clean off of my body. I lost all ability to think rationally at that moment, and in a

I succumbed to

tered the room they would have caught us in a very compro mising position as

Goddess,” | moaned, breathless, arching my hips

were gripping my thighs, keeping me pinned

to vibrate the entire castle, the sound coming from the ballroom. It distorted as a wave of ecstasy washed over my body, weakening my knees to the point that Troy’s grip on me was the only

of blue fabric on the floor then

of fabric. I helped him out,

fought with him for a moment as

my hand away as he bent back to

I fussed, pointing to the lacey fabric that was

49

them into

be needing them,” he said shortly, then glanced at me, a boyish gleam in his eyes,

Let’s go before we miss

my arms. “I love you,” he said, having lost some

were just using me to sober

then took me by the hand and led me out of the

standing on the stage, facing the crowd as Dad pinned the royal broach of

it from here!” I asked Troy, who narrowed his eyes as

didn’t understand

flame?” | asked, knitting my brow. I looked back up at the stage,

moved out of the way and the High Priestess of the Church of the Moon

Rowan, then stopped to face

stepped onto the stage and was quickly ushered

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