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

not parading around in a fluffy, star-covered dress

maybe Troy was right in that I needed a

wall, unsure of

An imposter.

time for that second

her repeatedly to find me if anything were to happen to the boys, even if it was the smallest

servants and party-goers dressed in their fineries. I began to walk back toward the ball room, taking my time. People were starting to funnel inside from the garden,

be time, I thought, taking a deep breath.

be crowned Alpha of Luna of a pack we only knew

someone had me by the waist, and I was whisked into one of the many small sitting rooms

heart racing. He gave me a hungry look, and then slammed

you,” he

mouth dropped out. “Right now? You’re about to be come an Alpha in

he closed in on me,

kissed me thoroughly, and I pulled away,

as he backed me up against the wall, running his hands over my waist. “I want you out of this

“Troy, you are wasted!”

“… yes, I am.”

for a moment before he arched his brow, giving me a curious

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

out of there! If someone

my underwear between his teeth and ripped them clean off of my body. I lost all ability to think rationally at that moment,

succumbed to

door. If anyone had en tered the room they would have caught us in a very compro mising position as he knelt, all of his body hidden by the skirt of

| moaned, breathless, arching my hips to ward

hands were gripping my thighs, keeping

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 righting myself and pre tending like Troy hadn’t just forcibly

to free himself from the many layers of fabric. I helped him out,

fought with him for a moment as I tried

it!” he swatted my hand away as he bent back to

the lacey fabric that was now torn in two

49

tossed them into the fireplace.

be needing them,” he said shortly, then glanced at

enough. Let’s go before we miss our

me, running his hands over my arms. “I love you,” he said, having lost some of the slur

you. You were just using me to sober

hand and led me

broach of Drogomor on his sash. I was clasping Troy’s hand, squeezing it,

say? I can’t see it from here!” I asked Troy, who narrowed his eyes as

said something in a language I didn’t understand be fore clarifying, “it means Keepers of the

my brow. I looked back up at the stage, trying to get a glimpse of the crest of Winter

seemed pleased with his work, patting the brooch of Drogomor gently as he moved out of the way and the High Priestess of the Church of the

over Rowan, then stopped to face

stepped onto the stage and was quickly

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