Page 175 of The Aurora Marelup Complete Saga Omnibus

“Well, to start, his royal highness here,” Aurora jabs her finger in my direction, “allowed us to get away with ourselves, and I forgot to put the crown on Klaus’s head.” Aurora tilts her head, hoping for Dimitri to be on her side.

We all know he’s going to be, but it’s always interesting to see what that man comes up with. Dimitri strokes his beard and looks at me, then over to Klaus, then back down to Aurora. “Well, there’s only three of us standing here that knew exactly how this was supposed to go. Only two of us were up on stage.”

He looks between myself and Aurora and then back over to me. I think I’m in trouble. “There’s only one of us that was on stage that isn’t carrying multiple babies and isn’t only constantly either thinking of dick or food. Gee, I wonder who that is?” Dimitri just crosses his arms around Aurora tighter and then tilts his head, staring at me.

“Well fuck, I guess I did bogart this one, huh? Okay, okay, I get it. I let things get out of hand.” I raise my hands up in a placating manner. “It’s all right. We’ll fix it later, no big deal.” I slowly move away from the snuggling pair and go seek out Klaus. He’s standing with his brother Kaden, and Kaden has his brand new mate with him.

“Your Highness?” I say half-jokingly to Klaus and lightly bow to him with a big smile on my face, so he knows that I’m just messing with him.

“Why, hello, Your Highness.” Klaus imitates me and then bows to me the same way that I did to him, both of us being asses about the title.

“Oh great! Not only is my brother Alpha, but now he’s a King. There’s going to be no living with him now!” Kaden says as he snuggles his mate. It’s now that I notice she’s one of the females we rescued.

“Leandra, how are you doing?” I ask cheerfully as I smile at her. Kaden is beaming with pride, and she looks absolutely miserable.

“Better as soon as that bastard’s pup is out of me,” she growls almost viciously, turning her head away quickly.

Her growls set off a chain reaction, heads turn, and that catches Aurora’s attention. She grabs Dimitri’s hand and waddles herself over to where we are as fast as possible. “What seems to be the matter?” Aurora asks gently. The way her eyes are narrowed, she already knows what’s wrong.

“I want this thing out of me! I want the last of that bastard’s taint out of me.” Leandra starts crying and buries her face in Kaden’s chest.

As she cries, her water just so happens to break. Aurora tilts her head, and then her eyes take on an ethereal glow. Elsa comes over quickly with some of her medical staff. They pick up Leandra and carry her back to the infirmary. Aurora sighs softly, then lightly rubs her stomach before looking at us. “She’ll be okay. Unfortunately for her, she was too far along when we found her for anything to be done.” I can tell the thought of a female wanting to kill her pup really affects Aurora. Tears are threatening to break free from her eyes.

Carefully, I pull her to me, and Dimitri snuggles in close from behind. One by one, all of my bond mates come to us, sensing Aurora’s distress. We each lay a hand on her trying to soothe her beast. “I just don’t understand. Life is a gift. Poor Emma and her mate can’t have pups.” Aurora sniffles as she rests her forehead against my chest.

“These poor pups didn’t ask to be here. They don’t deserve to die.” She sighs softly and tightens her arms around my waistline.

“Love, Emma and her mate will be getting a pup as soon as its born. As will the other two who want a baby.” I smile down at her and kiss the crown of her head.

“I know, just Kayden’s mate…” Aurora sighs. “I do and don’t understand. I probably hate Vladimir more than everyone here.” She slowly pulls away from me and looks at everyone. “I’ll be okay. It’s just, all life is precious.” Aurora walks away, and Dimitri leaves with her.

Beneath the composed facade that Aurora presents to us lies a tumultuous sea of emotions, swirling with turmoil and uncertainty. The discovery of her twin’s skeleton has dredged up a wellspring of grief and anguish, shaking her to the core with its stark reminder of a life cut tragically short.

As I observe her, I can sense the waves of sorrow and despair that wash over her, threatening to engulf her in their depths. The weight of such a profound loss hangs heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the room and dimming the once-bright atmosphere.

The thought of a life so young and innocent snuffed out before it could even begin resonates deeply within her, stirring up a tempest of emotions that rattles her cage to its very core. Each heartbeat echoes with the weight of all the death and destruction that has plagued us over the past two years, leaving an indelible mark upon her soul.

In the silence that follows, the air is heavy with unspoken grief, the weight of it pressing down upon us like a suffocating blanket. And amidst it all, Aurora stands as a beacon of strength, her mask of composure faltering only slightly as she grapples with the enormity of the pain that threatens to consume her.

As I navigate through the bustling party, a cacophony of sounds and sights assaults my senses. Laughter and chatter fill the air, mingling with the lively melodies of music drifting from a nearby band. The aroma of savory dishes wafts temptingly through the crowd, intermingling with the sweet scent of freshly baked pastries.

Amidst the jubilant atmosphere, I find solace in the knowledge that our hard-fought battles have yielded some semblance of victory. The once imprisoned are now free, their spirits unshackled from the chains of oppression. It’s a bittersweet triumph, tempered by the losses we’ve endured along the way.

As I weave my way through the throng of revelers, I take a moment to express my gratitude to each person I encounter. Their unwavering dedication and sacrifice have been instrumental in bringing about this revolution, and I am humbled by their bravery.

I pause to exchange pleasantries with members of other dragon households, their presence serving as a reminder of the unity forged in the face of adversity. It’s heartening to see Lycan packs finding refuge within their borders, offering hope for a brighter future amidst the chaos.

In the midst of celebration, I can’t help but ponder the potential implications of this newfound alliance. Perhaps, with the integration of these packs, the longstanding issue of mate scarcity within the German pack may finally find resolution

I walk outside to find my son, Ladon, and Austin’s son, Draven, playing by the koi pond. From my position, I watch the boys interact, having fun and roughhousing. In the shadows, my daughter. Tiamat, has taken a liking apparently to Draven. I move over and gently caress the back of her head to get her to look up at me. “Little one? Why aren’t you playing with the others?”

“Daddy, the boys don’t want me to play.” Tia frowns and hugs my leg tightly. “They say it’s not a princess’s place to be able to play rough,” she says again, rubbing her tear-stained cheek on my thigh.

My thoughts race as to how my mate would handle this situation. Aurora does not like when the boys feel that girls are not strong enough to do as they do. I reach down and cup my daughter’s cheek and smile at her. “You are the direct descendant of the great Blood Queen. You bear her scales down your spine.” I lightly trail my fingers over the scales that I just mentioned.

“In the years to come, you will surpass your mother and me by leaps and bounds. Pay no attention to the ramblings of silly boys.” I smile as I bend down to pick my daughter up. I cradle her to my chest and kiss her cheek fondly.

“You are the heir to the Ice Dragon throne. As firstborn, you have the choice to rule or to abdicate the throne.” I nuzzle hercheek gently. “When the time comes, and you choose your mate, I will respect your decision.”

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