Page 174 of The Aurora Marelup Complete Saga Omnibus

Alaric is in deep discussion with the King of the Bronze Dragon court and two other powerful males. “Klaus, excellent timing! We have matters to discuss.” He excuses himself from his current conversations and drags me through the house to the main floor’s bedrooms. He reaches into the closest and pulls out a fancy suit, and lays it out for me. “You need to get changed, or Aurora will murder me.” He winks before he adjusts his crown and tie.

I tilt my head and decide to get changed quickly without protest. It’s very odd going from warrior alpha to being stuck in this three-piece monkey suit. Alaric moves in front of me and adjusts everything so that it’s sitting properly. The suit itself is worth more than most of the things I currently own. Alaric throws a sheet over my suit and then proceeds to trim my beard, making sure it is well manicured. He looks me over one last time and then removes the sheet.

We start to leave the room when he stops and grabs two boxes I didn’t notice on the table. He ushers us through the house and out into the gardens where Aurora is waiting at the altar with Nicodeamus behind the pedestal. Alaric walks with me down the aisle and moves me to stand before Aurora. Sometime during my wardrobe change, she went and changed as well. Her gown is as black as pitch and hugs her generous curves and the swell of her belly. Blood red roses are in her hands mixed with black calla lilies.

Nicodeamus raises his hand, and the guests quickly become silent. “We are gathered here today, after the victorious liberation of the Marelup castle. Today we witness the joining of two true and fated mates.” Nicodeamus looks down and flips the page in front of him. “There has not been a Marelup descendant on the throne in over two hundred and thirty years, since the time of Queen Anca.”

The crowd whispers, “May the Goddess bless and keep her.”

Aurora’s eyes get all misty, and I can’t help but smile at her. Nicodeamus begins again. “Standing before you is my daughter and Anca’s Heir, Aurora Marelup-Kraus, rightful Queen of the Lycan court. Rightful Queen as my heir to the Ice Dragon court.”

Nicodeamus’s voice is commanding and leaves no room for argument. “Before you stands Klaus Schmidt, Alpha of the German Lycan pack. Soon to be King Consort of the Lycan court.”

My head whips back to look at the dead serious look Nicodeamus has in his eyes. Shit, this is really happening. “My daughter has chosen the ancient right of branding to anoint her new King.” Alaric steps forward with the long wooden box and opens it.

Aurora slips on the leather gloves within and pulls out a small branding iron with the Marelup crest on it. “I, Aurora, last Marelup Heir, choose you, Klaus, to be my King Consort. To help me rule over our people from this day forth till our last breath,” she says and extends a hand to me, palm up.

Carefully, I unbutton my jacket sleeve and roll it up, then repeat the process with my dress shirt. I lay my right forearm in her waiting hand and smile. “I, Klaus, Alpha of the German Lycan pack, accept the duties that come with helping you to guide our people from this day forth. I will support you and protect our people till my last breath.” Once the words arespoken, she says to me through the bond that the branding will hurt. I subtly nod and smile.

With deft precision, she presses the brand in the exact same place as hers on my arm. I grit my teeth to keep from showing how much the brand hurts. A king cannot show weakness in front of others. The metal used is an ancient mixture that burns without fire and scars the skin black for life. As soon as Aurora pulls the branding iron away, she places her hand over it and sends a chill directly into my skin, stopping the burning immediately. She leans forward and kisses my lips passionately before pulling away and showing the crowd my new brand. Cheers erupt, and everyone stands, clapping for the two of us.

Aurora drags me forward to stand at the edge of the platform. Her pale-grey eyes look up to me adoringly. Through the bond, she speaks to me.Klaus, it would be wise for you to address everyone gathered now that you have been crowned King Consort. She remains smiling up at me and then kisses my jaw, theoohsandahhsthat erupt, giving me butterflies in my stomach.

I raise my hands up to silence the crowd. “Thank you to our friends and allies that have traveled near and far to be here for this momentous day.” I motion towards Nicodeamus and call him forward with us. I then motion towards Alaric and call him forward with us.

“I have been thrice blessed in these recent days. Firstly, by receiving my angel who stands beside me from now until forever.” I kiss Aurora’s temple and smile, looking down at her.

“Secondly, I have been blessed with the gift of her father being present in our lives from this day forward. His wisdom and guidance will prove invaluable in the days to come.” I motion next out and over the crowd.

“To all of you here that have not yet met everyone, my bond mates, my brothers in arms.” I smile at them and bring myfist up and over my heart. “The five of them each have been a blessing in their own right. I don’t know what I would do without them and their guidance.” I can see that Jayce, Arnulf, and Alaric have unshed tears at the corner of their eyes. Next, I seek out where Dimitri and Dominik are standing. I raise my fist over my chest to them as well, no mate above the other.

“Let’s have everyone adjourn back to the great hall. Let’s eat, drink, and be merry. Tonight is a night for celebration,” I say, smiling broadly, happy in the little surprise that was given to me tonight. Though, kind of like my mate, I don’t really like being the center of attention. I am a warrior, not an aristocrat, just like she is. This will take some getting used to.

CHAPTER 136

Alaric

The atmosphere is chargedwith a sense of accomplishment as Klaus seamlessly navigates the social intricacies of the evening. Despite his upbringing as a warrior, he moves through the crowd with a grace and poise that belies his origins. Each interaction is executed with precision, a testament to his adaptability and determination.

Aurora’s pride radiates from her as she observes Klaus’s performance, her hand tenderly caressing her swollen belly. There’s a softness in her expression, a mixture of admiration and affection, as she watches her mate effortlessly integrate himself into the gathering.

I approach her, drawn in by the warmth of her smile, and press a gentle kiss to her cheek. The sensation of her soft skin beneath my lips sends a wave of tenderness through me, and I can’t help but feel a surge of affection for her.

“My love, how are you holding up?” I inquire softly, my voice filled with genuine concern. “Do you need anything for the babies?”

She smiles at me and then shakes her head no. “Just when I didn’t think my heart could get any fuller, it does. What you andDad did for Klaus was amazing,” she says, smiling at me as she watches him make his rounds with the visiting dignitaries.

“Well, the fun has yet to begin, my love. Under the full moon tonight, you need to crown him as king. The ceremony can only do so much; the crown itself is what does the rest for your people.” I motion to the second box—it’s in my hand—then I motion out to Klaus. “In all the excitement, we forgot to place the crown on his head.”

Aurora starts giggling, shakes her head, and shrugs her shoulders. “You can’t honestly expect me to think straight carrying another litter of babies at this point in time, do you?” I start to laugh and shake my head no.

“Of course not, my love, though these are your people.” I smile and tilt my head to the left, then back to the right again. “How is it that the Americans say? Not my circus, not my monkeys.” I start to laugh and then poke her side gently.

“This is your circus, and these are your monkeys.” The broad smile that graces my lips apparently infuriates my darling mate. She pokes my chest several times and utters a soft growl.

“Not funny, Alaric, definitely not funny,” she says, inflecting as much anger as she can, trying not to laugh at the situation. Apparently, her poking my chest got Dimitri’s attention.

“So what did the pretty boy do now?” Dimitri asks as he scoops her up in his arms and snuggles her to his chest.

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