THEY MOCKED THE CHUBBY GIRL WHO TALKED TO ANIMALS — UNTIL THE ALPHA KING’S WOLF CHOSE HER

They mocked the chubby girl who talked to animals until the alpha king’s wolf chose her.

Prologue.

Princessia.

Thornwick had spent 22 years learning exactly how small she needed to make herself to avoid disappointment.

Not beautiful like Rowena, whose golden hair inspired sonnetss from visiting nobles.

Not accomplished like Saraphina, [music] who spoke five languages and could negotiate treaties while playing the harp.

[music] Just the odd middle daughter with copper red curls that refuse taming and the deeply embarrassing ability to communicate with animals like they were sharing state [music] secrets.

“Such a shame about the middle one,” the corders would whisper.

Voices carrying just loud enough for you to [music] hear.

The other two are so accomplished.

But that one talking to horses like their people, utterly strange.

her father’s disappointed [music] size, her mother’s gentle suggestions that perhaps Eusebia might try being more like her sisters, the endless comparisons that always [music] ended with Eusebia falling short of some impossible standard she could never reach.

So tonight at the spring selection ball where the alpha king himself would choose a mate, did what she always did, made herself invisible, stood at the edges, and tried very hard not to exist too loudly, which was working perfectly until the song [music] birds in the ornamental golden cages started expressing distress about the overwhelming noise from the orchestra, [music] and Ucia, without thinking, began mentally soothing them with reassurances that the music would end eventually and they were perfectly safe.

Princess Ubia.

Her father’s voice cut through the ballroom like thunder and 300 conversations [music] died instantly.

The alpha king has requested an introduction to our family.

Every eye in the kingdom turned to stare.

Every noble craned their neck to witness the spectacle.

And there stood copper curls escaping their elaborate braiding.

rose gold gown that made her feel like an oversted cushion.

Caught staring at decorative bird cages with her hand outstretched in a gesture anyone paying attention would recognize as communication.

King Nolan Silverman stood beside her father, [music] golden and devastating and impossible.

Looking directly at Ucia with amber eyes that saw [music] straight through every defense she’d ever built.

“You can hear them?” the Alpha King asked, wonder threading through his voice.

You can actually communicate with creatures.

Use a braced herself for the familiar disappointment, [music] the polite dismissal, the moment where someone decided she was too strange to matter.

Instead, King Nolan’s voice dropped to something raw and reverent.

My wolf just recognized you as our mate.

The ballroom exploded into chaos.

Rowena’s wine glass shattered against marble.

Saraphina’s face went white with shock.

And Usbia’s [music] father looked like a man who just watched his carefully organized world tilt [music] violently off its axis.

But Useabia barely registered any of it because she was staring at the Alpha King at the fierce certainty in his eyes at the way his wolf seemed to be looking out through those amber depths directly [music] into her soul and feeling something inside her recognize him back.

Something that had been waiting dormant and patient for exactly [music] this moment.

something that whispered this wasn’t a fairy tale ending.

This was a beginning and it was going to change absolutely [music] everything.

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Chapter 1.

The Thornwick Castle Ballroom had never felt quite so much like a hunting ground, and Princess Yucia Thornwick had never felt quite so much like prey.

She stood at the edge of the gleaming marble floor, trying to make herself as small as possible, which given that she was decidedly not small and had never been good at disappearing, was an exercise in futility.

Around her, the spring selection ball swirled with music and laughter and beautiful people doing beautiful things beautifully.

Her two sisters were at the center of it all, naturally, because that’s where they belonged.

Lady Rowena, the eldest, danced with perfect grace in the arms of some duke or earl or possibly a very well-dressed horse.

Eucia could never keep the nobility straight.

Rowena’s golden hair caught the candle light like spun sunshine, and her figure was the kind that made sculptors weep with artistic inspiration.

She moved like water, like silk, like all the things romance novels described when they wanted you to know someone was ethereally beautiful.

Lady Saraphina, the middle sister, held court near the refreshment tables with a circle of admirers who looked like they might actually fight each other for the privilege of fetching her wine.

Saraphina’s dark hair cascaded down her back in artful curls, and her emerald gown made her eyes look like precious gemstones.

She laughed at something one of her suitors said, and the sound was like windchimes, delicate and musical, and probably capable of summoning woodland creatures.

And then there was Eusebia.

Usebia, whose copper red curls had escaped their elaborate braiding within approximately 6 minutes of the ball starting.

Ubia, whose rose gold gown, specially designed to be flattering for her figure, still somehow made her feel like an oversted cushion.

Eczeia, who had already stepped on two noble feet during the obligatory opening dance, and had apologized so profusely that one of them had looked genuinely concerned for her mental health.

“You’re lurking again,” said a voice at her elbow.

“And youbia turned to find her lady in waiting, Beatatrice, holding two glasses of wine with the expression of someone who knew exactly how this evening was going.

” I’m not lurking, you protested, accepting one of the glasses gratefully.

I’m strategically positioning myself near the exit in case I need to flee suddenly.

That’s literally the definition of lurking, Beatatrice pointed out.

She was a thin, sharp woman in her 40s who had been assigned to Ucia 3 years ago and had somehow become her closest friend despite their difference in station.

Also, your father is giving you that look again.

You didn’t need to turn around to know which look Beatatrice meant.

It was the why can’t you be more like your sisters look with subtle undertones of I have three daughters and only two of them are useful for advantageous marriages.

King Edmund Thornwick loved his daughters.

Eucia genuinely believed that.

But he loved them the way one might love a collection of decorative voses, with appreciation for the ones that were beautiful and functional, and with mild disappointment for the one that was slightly the wrong shape, and kept trying to have conversations with the house plants.

“The house plant thing had only happened once, and Eusebia still maintained that the fern had started it.

” The Alpha King hasn’t arrived yet, Beatatrice said, sipping her wine with the casual air of someone dropping an explosive piece of information into a conversation.

Usabia’s stomach did something complicated that felt like it was trying to escape through her throat.

He’s coming tonight, apparently.

Sent word this afternoon that he’d be attending the ball after all.

Beatatrice paused.

They say he’s finally ready to choose a mate.

All the noble families are practically vibrating with excitement.

Your sisters have been pining for hours.

Of course, they had because the Alpha King choosing a mate from the Thornwick family would be the alliance of the century.

A union between the wolf territories and the royal house that would cement power, ensure peace, and probably come with very lucrative trade agreements.

And everyone knew he’d choose either Rowena or Saraphina because who wouldn’t choose one of them? They were beautiful, accomplished, skilled in court matters, and didn’t spend their free time talking to animals like they were conducting very important diplomatic negotiations.

Eucia had been doing that since she was 6 years old when she’d discovered she could somehow understand what animals were thinking and feeling.

Not in words exactly, but in emotions and intentions and a kind of knowing that went deeper than language.

Her parents had been horrified.

Her sisters had been embarrassed.

The palace advisers had suggested very gently that perhaps the princess might benefit from spending less time in the stables and more time learning proper court etiquette.

She’d tried.

She really had.

But horses were so much more honest than people, and the palace cats had better gossip than half the nobility.

Princess Eusebia.

A familiar voice interrupted her thoughts, and Eusebia turned to find Lord Persal bowing slightly, his smile as thin as his patience.

“Might I have this dance?” “No,” Ucia’s brain screamed.

“Absolutely not.

You smell like old cheese, and last time you danced with me, you spent the entire song explaining why women’s feet were mysteriously smaller than men’s feet, as though this was a scientific puzzle that required solving.

” “Of course, Lord Percal.

” Usabia’s mouth said because her mouth was a traitor that prioritized politeness over self-preservation.

The dance was exactly as terrible as expected.

Lord Persal held her too tightly, stepped on her feet twice, and launched into a detailed explanation of his theories about the economic implications of sheep breeding.

Eusebia made appropriate listening noises while her mind drifted to more interesting topics, like whether the horse in the royal stables was still worried about that stone in his shoe, or if the kitchen cat had resolved her ongoing feud with the garden cat.

“Are you even listening?” Lord Perl asked suddenly, his tone sharp with offense.

“Absolutely, lied.

You were saying something about sheep economics being the foundation of civilization.

Infrastructure, he corrected coldly.

I was speaking about infrastructure.

Right.

Yes.

Very infrastructure-y.

Uia tried to look appropriately interested and probably failed spectacularly.

The music ended finally mercifully and Yucia curtsied her way out of Lord Persal’s company as quickly as socially acceptable.

She was heading back toward Beatatrice and the safety of wine when a ripple went through the ballroom.

Conversations quieted.

Heads turned toward the main entrance, and even the musicians seemed to hold their breath.

The Alpha King had arrived.

Eusebia had never actually seen King Nolan Silver in person before.

He rarely attended court functions, preferring to rule his wolf territories from his fortress in the northern mountains.

But she’d heard the descriptions.

powerful, imposing, with golden hair and eyes like winter storms.

They said his presence could make grown men nervous and that his wolf form was massive enough to make legends seem modest.

What they hadn’t mentioned, what absolutely no one had thought to mention, was that he was beautiful in a way that made her forget how to breathe properly.

He stood in the doorway flanked by two guards, and every person in the ballroom was staring at him like he’d personally invented sunlight.

His hair was indeed golden, long and pulled back from his face in a style that somehow looked both warrior-like and elegant.

His features were sharp and striking, all strong jaw and high cheekbones, and a mouth that looked like it rarely smiled, but would be devastating when it did.

He wore black and silver formal clothes that fit him perfectly, and moved with the kind of unconscious grace that came from someone who’d never doubted their right to occupy space.

He was, Usbia thought with resignation, exactly the kind of man who would choose one of her sisters without even noticing she existed, which was fine, completely fine.

She’d [clears throat] already accepted her role as the forgettable sister who would eventually marry some minor noble for strategic purposes and spend her life managing estates and talking to farm animals.

It was a perfectly reasonable future that didn’t involve alpha kings or ballrooms or any of this elaborate social theater.

Uia was so busy convincing herself she was fine that she completely missed the moment when King Nolan’s eyes swept across the ballroom and stopped on her.

Completely missed the way his expression shifted from polite interest to something that looked like recognition.

Completely missed the way he took a step forward, then another, moving through the crowd with single-minded purpose.

What she didn’t miss was Beatatrice grabbing her arm hard enough to bruise and hissing.

Oh my god, he’s coming over here.

What? You looked up from her wine glass, which she’d been studying with intense fascination to avoid making eye contact with anyone, and found herself staring directly at the alpha king, who was now standing approximately 3 ft away and looking at her like she was the only person in the entire ballroom.

His eyes weren’t like winter storms, she realized with distant hysterical clarity.

They were golden amber, like honey held up to sunlight, and they were focused on her with an intensity that made her skin prickle with awareness.

“Princess Eusebia,” he said, and his voice was deeper than expected, rough around the edges in a way that suggested he didn’t waste time with unnecessary small talk.

Your majesty, you seeia managed, dropping into a curtsy that was probably technically correct, but felt wildly inadequate for the situation.

I need to speak with you, King Nolan said.

Not may I speak with you, or would you do me the honor of a conversation, or any of the polite social phrases that were supposed to accompany such requests, just a flat statement that he needed to speak with her, as though this was a fact as basic as the sky being blue.

I of course, Ucia stammered, acutely aware that every single person in the ballroom was now staring at them with expressions ranging from shock to confusion to, in her sister’s cases, something that looked distinctly like betrayal.

King Nolan offered his arm, and Ucia took it with trembling fingers, letting him lead her away from the ballroom, away from the music and the staring faces and Beatatric’s expression of absolute bewilderment.

They walked in silence through marble corridors until they emerged onto oneto one of the castle’s many balconies.

This one overlooking the gardens where moonlight painted everything in shades of silver and shadow.

The music from the ballroom drifted out like a distant dream, but out here it was quiet enough to hear the nightbirds calling.

“I’m sorry if I startled you,” King Nolan said, releasing her arm and turning to face her properly.

I don’t have much patience for social nicities when something important needs to be addressed.

It’s fine, you said automatically, even though her heart was still racing fast enough to qualify as cardiovascular exercise.

What did you need to speak about, your majesty? King Nolan was quiet for a long moment, studying her face with an intensity that made her want to either flee or maybe combust spontaneously.

Then he said slowly and carefully like each word mattered.

My wolf chose you.

Usebia blinked.

I’m sorry.

What? My wolf.

King Nolan repeated.

The moment I entered that ballroom and saw you standing there trying to disappear into the wall.

My wolf recognized you as ours as mate.

The word mate hung in the air between them like something alive and impossible.

But that doesn’t make any sense.

Ucia heard herself say, which probably wasn’t the most diplomatic response, but was definitely the most honest one.

I’m not.

I mean, my sisters are right there.

They’re beautiful and accomplished and actually good at managing court affairs.

I’m just the weird one who talks to animals.

Something shifted in King Nolan’s expression.

A flash of what might have been amusement.

You talk to animals? not talk exactly, you clarified, feeling her cheeks heat.

I can understand them.

What they’re feeling, what they need.

It’s hard to explain.

Most people think I’m strange.

Most people are idiots, King Nolan said bluntly.

That’s a gift, a rare one.

He took a step closer.

Close enough that you could smell pine and leather and something wild that made her wolfless human instinct sit up and pay attention.

And my wolf doesn’t make mistakes.

If he chose you, it’s because you’re meant to be ours.

Your wolf chose wrong.

You said desperately, even as some traitorous part of her whispered that maybe, possibly she wanted this to be real.

I’m not alpha queen material.

I’ll embarrass you at state functions and say the wrong things to important visitors and probably accidentally insult foreign dignitaries.

I don’t care about state functions or dignitaries.

King Nolan said, and now he was close enough that she had to tilt her head back to maintain eye contact.

I care about having a mate my wolf recognizes.

Someone real, someone who understands creatures and instincts and doesn’t spend all their time playing court games.

His hand came up to cup her cheek, thumb brushing across her skin with a gentleness that completely contradicted his fierce reputation.

Through his touch, Eusebia felt something impossible.

A warmth that seemed to spread through her entire body, a recognition that went bone deep.

I don’t understand what’s happening, she whispered.

I’m courting you, King Nolan said simply, claiming you as my intended mate, if you’ll accept.

And before you tell me again that I should choose one of your sisters, know that my wolf has never been wrong.

Not once in all my years.

If he says your hours, then you’re ours.

You’s mind was spinning, trying to process information that seemed to come from an entirely different universe than the one she’d been living in 5 minutes ago.

But everyone expects you to choose Rowena or Saraphina.

I don’t particularly care what everyone expects, King Nolan said.

I care about what my wolf knows to be true, and he knows you’re our mate.

Through the balcony doors, Eusebia could see the ballroom, could see her sisters dancing and smiling and being everything she wasn’t.

Could see her father speaking with advisers, probably already planning which daughter the alpha king would choose.

Could see the life she’d always expected, small, quiet, forgettable.

And here was King Nolan offering her something else entirely, something impossible and terrifying.

And maybe, just maybe, wonderful.

I need time, Usebia said, even though her heart was screaming.

That time was the last thing she needed when a gorgeous alpha king was standing there calling her his mate.

This is It’s a lot.

Can I have time to think? Something like disappointment flickered across King Nolan’s face, but he nodded.

Of course, take the time you need, but know that my decision is made.

My wolf has chosen you, which means I’ve chosen you.

When you’re ready to accept that, I’ll be waiting.

He stepped back and immediately felt the loss of his warmth like a physical thing.

Then he bowed formally, respectfully, like she was already his queen, and returned to the ballroom, leaving her standing alone on the balcony, trying to remember how breathing was supposed to work.

Beatatrice appeared approximately 30 seconds later, moving faster than Usebia had ever seen her move.

“What just happened? Why did the Alpha King take you to a balcony? Why does your face look like you’ve been struck by lightning?” “His wolf chose me,” Youbia said faintly, still staring at the spot where King Nolan had stood.

“As his mate,” Beatatrice made a sound that was somewhere between a squeak and a gasp.

“His wolf chose you? Not Rowena? Not Saraphina.

You apparently I’m just as shocked as you are.

You see managed.

This is Beatatric seemed to struggle for words.

This is going to cause the most spectacular drama this court has seen in decades.

Your sisters are going to lose their minds.

Your father is going to have 17 simultaneous heart attacks.

The noble families are going to riot.

I know.

Uia said weakly.

So, what are you going to do? Uia looked back toward the ballroom where King Nolan had rejoined the gathering, but was currently declining dance offers from approximately six noble ladies, including both of her sisters.

He stood alone despite being surrounded by people.

And even from this distance, Eusebia could feel his attention on her like a physical weight.

“I have absolutely no idea,” she admitted honestly.

But somewhere deep in her chest, in a place she’d learned to ignore years ago, when it became clear she didn’t fit the mold of perfect princess, something that felt suspiciously like hope was starting to kindle.

Maybe, just maybe, being chosen by an alpha king’s wolf wasn’t the disaster everyone would think it was.

Maybe it was exactly what she’d been waiting for all along without even knowing she was waiting.

Chapter 2.

The ballroom descended into barely contained chaos approximately 10 minutes after King Nolan’s declaration, which Ucia experienced from the relative safety of the balcony, while Beatatrice provided running commentary like a sports announcer covering a particularly dramatic tournament.

“Your father just grabbed Lord Aldrich’s arm so hard, I think he left marks,” Beatatrice narrated, peering through the glass doors.

“Now he’s heading toward the Alpha King.

” “Oh, this is going to be good.

Do you think we should intervene or just let it happen? Let what happen? Usebia asked, though part of her already knew the answer.

Your father attempting diplomacy while internally screaming, Beatatrice said.

Also, Rowena just spilled wine on Lady Cassandra.

But I think that was intentional because Lady Cassandra was standing too close to King Nolan.

The social maneuvering has reached beverage weapon levels.

Usebia should have gone back inside.

should have faced the consequences of King Nolan’s shocking choice with grace and dignity.

Should have done a lot of things that would have been appropriate for a princess in her situation.

Instead, she stayed on the balcony and tried very hard not to have a complete emotional crisis.

The problem was that Eusebia had spent 22 years learning exactly where she fit in the world.

Nowhere important.

She was the third daughter, the odd one.

The princess people remembered to invite to events but forgot to actually include in conversations.

She’d made peace with that role, or at least she’d convinced herself she’d made peace with it.

And now King Nolan’s wolf had apparently looked at all the beautiful, accomplished, appropriate options in that ballroom and chosen her instead.

It didn’t make sense.

It made so little sense that Usbia was actively suspicious of the entire situation.

Maybe there had been some kind of magical mistake.

Maybe Wolf instincts could be wrong, despite what King Nolan had claimed.

Maybe he’d actually been looking at someone standing behind her and had just gotten confused by the angle.

He’s coming back out here, Beatatrice announced suddenly.

I should probably make myself scarce.

Try not to do anything I wouldn’t do, which gives you considerable room for interesting choices.

Before Usabia could protest, Beatatrice had vanished back into the castle with the ninja-like stealth of someone who’d perfected the art of dramatic exits, which left Ubia alone on the balcony once again.

When King Nolan stepped through the doors, he’d lost some of his earlier composure.

His jaw was tight, and there was a muscle ticking in his cheek that suggested someone had annoyed him recently.

probably her father, possibly several other nobles who’d had strong opinions about appropriate mate selections.

“Your father seems to believe I’ve made an error,” King Nolan said without preamble.

He spent 5 minutes explaining why Rowena would be a much better choice with detailed charts of her accomplishments.

“Did he actually have charts?” Usebia asked.

“Because that sounded exactly like something her father would do.

metaphorical charts, but very detailed metaphorical charts.

King Nolan moved to stand beside her at the balcony railing, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him.

He’s not wrong that your sisters are accomplished.

Rowena apparently speaks four languages and has memorized every noble bloodline in three territories.

Saraphina has single-handedly negotiated two trade agreements and plays seven musical instruments.

Saraphina plays eight instruments.

Actually, Eusebia corrected, feeling something cold settle in her stomach.

She learned the doulamer last winter, and Rowena speaks five languages now.

She’s been studying Elvish.

King Nolan turned to look at her directly, his amber eyes reflecting moonlight.

And what do you do, Princess Ucia? The question should have been simple, but it felt like a testia had been failing her entire life.

I talk to animals.

I can tell when horses are frightened or cats are sick or birds are upset about changes in the weather.

I know which herbs help with different ailments because the garden plants tell me, not in words, but in feelings.

I can walk into the stables and know immediately if something’s wrong, because the animals trust me enough to communicate their needs.

She paused, waiting for him to look disappointed or confused or politely disinterested like everyone else did when she tried to explain her gift.

Go on, King Nolan said, and he actually sounded interested.

You see, blinked.

That’s it.

That’s my one skill.

It’s not particularly useful for court negotiations or diplomatic gatherings or any of the things an alpha queen would need to know.

It’s extraordinarily useful for an alpha queen.

King Nolan corrected.

Do you have any idea how many disputes in wolf territories involve livestock, hunting rights, or animal husbandry? How many problems could be solved by someone who can actually communicate with creatures instead of just guessing at their needs? Eusebia had never thought about it that way.

In her family, her ability had always been treated as an embarrassing quirk, something to minimize, to hide from visitors, to apologize for when it inevitably came up in conversation.

The idea that it might actually be valuable felt foreign and slightly impossible.

My wolf chose you, King Nolan continued, because he recognized something essential, something real.

You understand instinct and emotion and communication beyond words.

Those are exactly the qualities that matter to wolf kind.

But I’m not wolf kind.

Use pointed out.

I’m completely human.

I don’t shift.

I don’t have enhanced senses.

I don’t have any of the abilities that would make me a proper alpha queen.

You don’t need to shift to understand us.

King Nolan said quietly.

You just need to see us.

Really see us.

Not as dangerous beasts or strategic assets, but as creatures with feelings and needs and connections.

My wolf recognized that you already do that, that you’ve been doing that your whole life.

The words settled over like a warm cloak, wrapping around all the cold, rejected parts of her that had learned to expect disappointment.

Part of her wanted to believe him, wanted to accept that maybe, just maybe, she really was exactly what he needed.

But another part, the part that had been dismissed and overlooked and compared unfavorably to her sisters for 22 years, couldn’t quite silence the voice that said this had to be a mistake.

“What if your wolf is wrong?” she asked quietly.

“What if you choose me and then realize I’m not actually what you needed? That you should have picked Rowena or Saraphina after all.

” King Nolan was quiet for a long moment, and when he spoke, his voice held something that sounded almost like pain.

My wolf has never been wrong about something this important.

But I understand that trusting that is difficult when you’ve spent your life being told you’re not enough.

You see, Beia sucked in a sharp breath because he’d somehow identified exactly the fear she’d been carrying.

“How did you?” “I can see it,” King Nolan said simply.

“The way you try to make yourself smaller.

The way you apologized three times just for existing in my presence.

The way you assume everyone else is better suited for everything.

Someone taught you to think you were forgettable and they were wrong.

Tears pricricked eyes, which was mortifying because she absolutely could not cry on a balcony while talking to the alpha king about his wolf’s mate selection.

It’s not that anyone taught me.

It’s just reality.

My sisters are objectively better at everything courtly and diplomatic and appropriate.

I’m just the one who’s good with animals.

Just good with animals, King Nolan repeated.

And now there was definite amusement in his voice.

As though that’s a small thing instead of an extraordinary gift that most people would trade half their accomplishments to possess.

You don’t know that.

Use protested weakly.

I do know that.

King Nolan countered.

Because I’ve spent 30 years as an alpha king watching people struggle to understand their own animals, their hunting hounds, their horses, their livestock, watching disputes escalate because no one can determine what’s actually wrong or what creatures actually need.

And here you are treating it like a minor parlor trick instead of the incredible ability it actually is.

He turned to face her fully, and the intensity in his eyes made her breath catch.

I’m not asking you to be your sisters.

I’m not asking you to speak five languages or play eight instruments or memorize bloodlines.

I’m asking you to be exactly who you are.

The woman who understands creatures, who sees beyond surface appearances, who has compassion and instinct and honesty.

That’s what my wolf chose.

That’s what I’m choosing.

The declaration hung between them, and you felt something shift in her chest.

a small crack in the armor she’d built around all her disappointments.

“I’m still not convinced this isn’t a mistake,” she admitted.

“But I’m willing to consider that maybe it’s not completely impossible.

” King Nolan’s mouth curved into what might have been the beginning of a smile.

“That’s more encouragement than I expected, considering you spent the first part of this conversation trying to convince me to choose someone else.

” “I’m a realist,” Usebia defended.

You’re a pessimist who’s been treated poorly enough to mistake pessimism for realism.

King Nolan corrected gently.

But we can work on that.

Before Ucia could respond, the balcony doors opened again, and her father appeared, looking like a man who’d aged approximately 10 years in the past 20 minutes.

King Edmund’s crown sat slightly a skew on his head, something Ucia had never seen before in her entire life, and his formal robes were disheveled in a way that suggested he’d been gesturing emphatically at people.

“Your majesty,” King Edmund said, bowing to King Nolan with careful precision.

“Might I have a word with my daughter privately?” It wasn’t really a request, but it was phrased politely enough that refusing would have been diplomatically awkward.

King Nolan looked to Ubia, clearly waiting for her permission, which was somehow both touching and terrifying.

“It’s fine,” Ucia said, even though she had a feeling fine, was optimistic.

King Nolan nodded once, squeezed her hand briefly, a gesture that sent warmth flooding through her entire arm, and returned to the ballroom, leaving Eusebia alone with her father.

King Edmund waited until the doors closed, then turned to his daughter with an expression that managed to be simultaneously confused, concerned, and calculating.

“Usebia, what did you say to the alpha king?” “Nothing,” Usebia offered.

“He approached me.

” Said, “His wolf chose me as his mate.

I mostly just stood there being confused.

” “His wolf chose you?” her father repeated slowly like he was testing the words to see if they made more sense when spoken aloud.

They apparently didn’t because he continued looking confused.

Not Rowena, not Saraphina.

You that seems to be the general consensus.

Yes, said trying not to feel hurt by the obvious disbelief in her father’s voice.

King Edmund rubbed his temples like he was developing a headache.

You this is this is significant.

An alliance between our house and the wolf territories is exactly what we’ve been hoping for.

But I had assumed, we all assumed that he would choose one of your sisters.

Everyone assumed that, you agreed, including me.

But apparently wolf instincts don’t follow standard courtly logic.

No, they certainly don’t, her father muttered.

Then he seemed to collect himself, straightening his crown and looking at Ucia with something that might have been concern beneath the strategic calculation.

Are you comfortable with this arrangement? King Nolan is powerful and respected, but he’s also known for being fierce and somewhat intimidating.

If his wolf chose you, but you have reservations, we can discuss alternatives.

It was, Eusebia realized with some surprise, the closest her father had ever come to asking about her actual feelings on an important matter.

Usually, he just made decisions and expected his daughters to comply gracefully.

“I don’t know yet,” she admitted honestly.

“It’s overwhelming, but I don’t think I have reservations exactly.

just confusion and a general sense that everyone made a mistake and I’m going to wake up tomorrow to discover this was a very strange dream brought on by questionable cheese at dinner.

Her father’s mouth twitched like he was suppressing a smile.

The cheese was perfectly appropriate.

This is actually happening.

The alpha king has claimed you as his intended mate in front of half the noble houses.

That’s not something that can be easily undone or dismissed.

I know.

Usebia looked back toward the ballroom where she could see King Nolan speaking with some foreign dignitary, looking every inch the powerful alpha king he was.

“What do Rowena and Saraphina think?” “Saraphina is handling it with her usual grace,” King Edmund said carefully.

“Rowena is currently in her chambers having what your mother calls a moment of adjustment, which was diplomatic speak for Rowena is furious and possibly breaking things.

I didn’t ask for this, Usbia said quietly.

I didn’t do anything to make his wolf choose me.

I was just standing there trying not to be noticed.

Same as always.

I know, her father said.

And there was surprising gentleness in his voice.

But sometimes the most important things happen when we’re not trying.

The Alpha King has made his choice clear.

Now you need to decide if you’ll accept it.

He kissed her forehead.

a rare gesture of affection that made Ucia’s throat tight and returned to the ballroom, leaving her alone once again with her thoughts.

Ucia stood on the balcony for a long time, watching the celebration continue inside without her, watching King Nolan navigate court conversations with the patients of someone who’d rather be anywhere else, watching her sisters dance and smile and pretend the evening hadn’t just taken the most unexpected turn possible.

And slowly, carefully, she let herself consider that maybe this wasn’t a mistake.

Maybe King Nolan’s wolf had seen something real, something valuable, something worth choosing, even when conventional wisdom said to choose someone else.

Maybe, just maybe, being the odd princess who talked to animals was exactly what an alpha king needed.

The thought was terrifying and exhilarating in equal measure, and Usebia had absolutely no idea what to do with it, except hold it close and hope she didn’t accidentally ruin everything.

Chapter 3.

Use a woke the next morning to discover that royal gossip traveled faster than a spooked horse and was approximately three times as destructive.

Beatatrice entered her chambers carrying breakfast and wearing the expression of someone who’d just survived a natural disaster.

I have good news and bad news.

The good news is that the kitchen made your favorite honey cakes.

The bad news is that the entire castle is talking about you.

Your father has called an emergency family meeting and your sister Rowena has barricaded herself in her room and is reportedly composing tragic poetry about betrayal.

You see, Beia groaned and pulled her pillow over her face.

“Can I just stay in bed forever? That seems like a reasonable solution.

” “Unfortunately, princesses don’t get to hide from scandal,” Beatatrice said, setting the breakfast tray on the bedside table with a sympathetic pat to Eusebia’s shoulder.

Also, the alpha king sent a message asking if he’d like to join him for a morning walk in the gardens.

He was very polite about it, but there was a definite undertone of, “I’m an alpha king, and I’m used to getting what I want.

” Uczeia emerged from her pillow cocoon, looking like she’d been attacked by aggressive bedding.

Her copper curls had achieved new levels of chaos overnight, standing out in every direction like she’d been struck by lightning.

He wants to walk in the gardens now when everyone’s going to be staring.

That’s generally how courtship works.

Yes.

Beatatric said, “Public displays of interest, romantic strolls, meaningful conversations where you both pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist, even though approximately 50 people are watching from windows.

” “I hate courtship,” You seeia muttered.

“But she was already climbing out of bed and heading toward her wardrobe.

” “What does one wear to be courted by an alpha king while being judged by an entire castle?” something that says I’m worthy of being chosen, but also I didn’t try too hard, Beatrice suggested.

So basically an impossible combination that doesn’t exist.

I recommend the blue day dress.

It brings out your eyes and doesn’t have any embarrassing stains from that incident with the raspberry tarts.

The raspberry tart incident had been 3 weeks ago, and was still mildly traumatized by it.

She’d somehow managed to drop an entire platter while serving at a formal tea, and the resulting explosion of pastry and fruit had looked like a culinary crime scene.

One elderly duchess had declared it the most dramatic dessert presentation she’d witnessed in 40 years of attending court functions.

30 minutes later, Eusebia was dressed, marginally presentable, and trying not to panic as she made her way through the castle corridors toward the gardens.

Every servant she passed stopped to stare.

Every noble who saw her whispered to their companions.

By the time she reached the garden entrance, you seeia felt like she was walking to her own execution rather than a pleasant morning stroll.

King Nolan was waiting by the rose arbor, looking unfairly handsome in casual riding clothes that somehow made him appear even more imposing than formal attire.

His golden hair was loose today, falling past his shoulders, and the morning sunlight made him look like he’d stepped out of a legend about warrior kings and impossible quests.

“Princess Ubia,” he greeted her with a slight bow.

“Thank you for agreeing to walk with me.

I realize yesterday was overwhelming, and I wanted to speak with you in a less chaotic environment.

” “By which you mean an environment where only 40 people are watching instead of 300?” Uczeia asked, glancing at the castle windows where she could see multiple faces pressed against the glass.

King Nolan followed her gaze and had the grace to look amused.

I forget sometimes that privacy is a myth in royal residences.

Would you prefer we go somewhere more secluded and give the gossips even more to speculate about? Beatatrice would never forgive me.

Use fell into step beside him as they began walking the garden paths.

She lives for scandal almost as much as she lives for organizing my wardrobe by color and season.

Your lady in waiting seems formidable.

King Nolan observed.

She’s terrifying in the best possible way.

You agreed.

Last month she made a visiting Earl cry by pointing out that his crevat was tied incorrectly.

He tried to argue with her about fashion.

It did not go well for him.

King Nolan’s mouth curved into what was definitely a smile this time.

I like her already.

They walked in companionable silence for a few moments, passing beds of spring flowers and carefully manicured hedges.

Eczeia was acutely aware of his presence beside her, the way he moved with predatory grace, the way he seemed to take up more space than a normal person, despite not being significantly taller than average nobility.

There was something about him that made the air feel charged, like a storm waiting to happen.

You’re nervous, King Nolan said suddenly.

And it wasn’t a question.

I’m terrified.

You see, Beia corrected honestly.

Yesterday, your wolf chose me for reasons I don’t understand.

Today, I’m walking in gardens with an alpha king while my entire family has a collective crisis about it.

Tomorrow, I’ll probably wake up and discover this was all an elaborate dream.

And I’m actually still in bed.

You’re not dreaming, King Nolan said gently.

though I understand why you might wish you were.

It’s not that you said quickly.

It’s just I don’t know how to do this.

I don’t know how to be the person your wolf thinks I am.

King Nolan stopped walking and turned to face her directly.

My wolf thinks you’re brave, compassionate, and honest.

He thinks you see creatures, including wolf kind, as more than just animals or threats or tools.

He thinks you have a gift that’s rare and valuable and that you’ve spent your life being told to hide it instead of celebrate it.

He paused.

Are any of those things wrong? Eusebia felt her throat tighten.

No, but that doesn’t mean I’m alpha queen material.

What do you think alpha queen material looks like? King Nolan asked, and there was genuine curiosity in his voice.

Someone like Rowena, you said immediately.

beautiful, accomplished, skilled in diplomacy and strategy.

Someone who knows how to manage court affairs and negotiate treaties and host state dinners without accidentally setting anything on fire.

You’ve set things on fire only once, and it was technically the tablecloth’s fault for being too close to the candles, defended.

The point is, I’m not good at any of the things queens are supposed to be good at.

You’re good at understanding creatures, King Nolan pointed out.

You’re good at reading emotions and intentions.

You’re good at being honest instead of playing games.

Those are exactly the qualities I need in a mate.

But what about all the other stuff? You asked.

The formal events, the treaty negotiations, the endless dinners with important people who expect me to say intelligent things about trade routes and agricultural production.

We’ll figure it out together, King Nolan said simply.

I’m not asking you to transform into someone else.

I’m asking you to be yourself while I handle the parts you find difficult.

That’s what partnerships are.

Complimentary strengths, not identical capabilities.

You see, wanted to believe him.

Wanted to accept that maybe she really could be enough exactly as she was.

But 22 years of being the disappointing daughter didn’t disappear overnight just because an Alpha King’s wolf had made an unexpected choice.

Can I ask you something? You said after a moment.

Anything.

What happens if this doesn’t work? What happens if I accept your courtship and then we discover we’re completely incompatible and your wolf made a mistake after all? King Nolan was quiet for a long moment.

And when he spoke, his voice was serious.

My wolf doesn’t make mistakes about mates.

It’s not just attraction or preference.

It’s recognition.

sole deep knowledge that this person is meant to be ours.

But I understand that you don’t have that same certainty because you don’t have a wolf telling you what I already know.

He reached out and took her hand, his touch warm and grounding.

So, here’s what I propose.

Let me court you properly.

Let me show you why my wolf chose you.

Give us time to know each other without the pressure of immediate decisions.

And if at the end of that time you genuinely believe we won’t work, I’ll respect your choice.

Even though your wolf chose me, even though my wolf chose you, King Nolan confirmed, I won’t force a bond on someone who doesn’t want it.

No matter what my instincts say, you deserve to choose freely.

The words settled over Ucia like a warm blanket, easing some of the panic that had been sitting in her chest since last night.

That’s very reasonable for someone with a reputation for being fierce and uncompromising.

King Nolan’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

I’m fierce and uncompromising about things that matter.

But I’m also capable of patience when the situation requires it.

Besides, I’m confident that once you get to know me, you’ll understand why my wolf was right.

That’s either very sweet or incredibly arrogant, you observed.

It can be both, King Nolan said.

And now he was definitely grinning.

They continued walking and slowly Ucia felt herself relaxing.

King Nolan asked her about her ability to communicate with animals.

Genuinely interested questions about how it worked, what it felt like, what kinds of creatures she could understand.

He didn’t treat it like a curiosity or an embarrassment.

He treated it like the valuable gift he’d claimed it was.

In return, found herself asking about his wolf territories.

what they were like, how shifter communities functioned, what it was like to transform.

He answered patiently, explaining things she’d always wondered about but never dared to ask.

“So when you shift,” Usebia said, trying to wrap her mind around the concept.

“Do you still think like a human or do you think like a wolf?” “Both,” King Nolan said.

“It’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t shift.

The wolf and the man aren’t separate.

We’re the same person with the same thoughts and feelings, just expressed differently.

In wolf form, instincts are sharper, emotions are more immediate.

But I’m still me.

That sounds confusing.

It’s actually remarkably clear.

King Nolan said, “Humans overthink everything.

Wolves just know.

” “When my wolf recognized you as maid, there was no doubt, no second guessing, just absolute certainty.

Must be nice,” you see muttered.

My human brain won’t stop creating lists of reasons why this is complicated.

Your human brain is trying to protect you, King Nolan said gently.

That’s not a bad thing.

It just means we need to give it enough evidence to feel safe.

They were passing through a section of the garden where Eusebia had planted herbs the previous summer.

Lavender and chamomile and mint growing in neat rows.

Without thinking, she reached out to touch the lavender and immediately felt its contentment.

The plants were happy here, thriving in good soil with adequate sun.

They were They’re pleased you’re here, Eusebia said suddenly, then felt her cheeks heat.

Sorry, that sounds strange.

The plants, they recognize me, and they’re happy, content.

It’s hard to put into words.

King Nolan had stopped walking and was watching her with an expression of wonder.

You can communicate with plants, too.

to some extent.

Usbia admitted, “It’s not as clear as with animals, more like impressions and feelings.

But yes, my tutors used to get very frustrated when I’d insist that the classroom plants were unhappy about their placement near the cold window.

That’s extraordinary,” King Nolan said quietly.

“Do you understand how rare that is? How valuable?” “It’s weird,” Usebia said.

“Everyone’s always treated it like it’s weird.

Everyone’s been idiots, King Nolan said bluntly.

You have a gift that connects you to living things in a way most people can’t even imagine.

That’s not weird.

That’s powerful.

You looked up at him at the genuine admiration in his eyes and felt something shift in her chest.

Maybe, just maybe, he really did see her differently than everyone else had.

Maybe his wolf had recognized something real.

Thank you, she said quietly.

For not treating it like a problem that needs fixing.

It’s not a problem, King Nolan said.

It’s a gift, and I’m grateful my wolf was smart enough to recognize you before someone else did.

They walked until the sun was high overhead, and Eusebia’s stomach started reminding her that she’d barely touched her breakfast.

When they finally returned to the castle entrance, King Nolan bowed over her hand.

formal and proper despite the intimacy of their conversation.

“May I see you again tomorrow?” he asked.

“I’d like that,” Ubia heard herself say, and realized with some surprise that she meant it as she watched him walk away toward the guest wing where visiting nobility stayed.

Ubia felt Beatrice materialize at her elbow like a particularly nosy ghost.

“That looked like it went well,” Beatatrice observed.

“You’re smiling.

That’s a good sign.

Should I start planning a royal wedding or are we still in the courting with mild panic phase? Definitely still in the mild panic phase, YBI said.

But maybe, just maybe, the panic is becoming slightly less severe.

Progress, Beatrice declared.

Now come along.

Your father wants to have that family meeting.

Your mother wants to discuss appropriate courting wardrobe.

And your sister Saraphina wants to know everything that was said in the gardens.

It’s going to be a very long afternoon.

Yusbia groaned but followed obediently, already mentally preparing herself for the interrogation to come.

But underneath the anxiety was something new, something that felt suspiciously like hope.

Maybe King Nolan was right.

Maybe his wolf had seen something real.

Maybe being chosen wasn’t a mistake after all.

Chapter 4.

The family meeting was exactly as terrible as Usbia had anticipated, which was saying something because she’d anticipated it being spectacularly awful.

Her father presided over the gathering in his private study, looking like a man who’d spent the night wrestling with complicated logistics.

Her mother, Queen Helena, sat beside him, wearing an expression of determined optimism that suggested she’d decided to view this entire situation as an unexpected opportunity rather than a crisis.

Saraphina occupied the chair by the window, looking curious, but not upset, and Rowena’s chair sat conspicuously empty because apparently she was still in her chambers processing her emotions through interpretive verse.

Youbia, her father began, then paused like he wasn’t quite sure how to continue.

This is unexpected.

That seems to be the general consensus, Usbia said, perching on the edge of her seat and wishing she could be literally anywhere else.

The Alpha King choosing you as his intended maid is a significant development, Queen Helena said, taking over the conversation with the efficiency of someone who’d been managing family drama for 30 years.

It’s not what we anticipated, but it’s an excellent match for our house.

King Nolan is powerful, wealthy, and wellresected.

An alliance with the Wolf Territories would strengthen our position considerably.

Also, he’s incredibly handsome, Saraphina added helpfully.

So, that’s a bonus.

I mean, if you’re going to be courted by a powerful shifter king, having him look like he walked out of a legend is convenient.

Saraphina, their father said with a long-suffering sigh.

What? I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking.

Saraphina defended.

Usebia, are you actually interested in him? Or is this just you being polite because his wolf chose you and you don’t know how to say no? Usebia appreciated her sister’s directness, even if the question made her squirm uncomfortably.

I don’t know yet.

He’s interesting and he doesn’t treat my ability to talk to animals like it’s a character flaw, which is refreshing, but it’s only been one day.

I’m still trying to process everything.

That’s reasonable.

Her mother said, “Courtship takes time.

The important thing is that you approach this opportunity with an open mind and proper decorum.

King Nolan may have chosen you impulsively based on wolf instincts, but maintaining his interest will require demonstrating that you’re suitable for the role of Alpha Queen.

The words landed like small stones in Ucibia’s stomach.

Demonstrating that you’re suitable as though she currently wasn’t suitable and needed to prove otherwise.

As though King Nolan’s wolf might have made an initial selection, but could still be convinced to reconsider if Eusebia failed to measure up.

Actually, Usbia said and was surprised by the firmness in her own voice.

King Nolan was very clear that his wolf’s choice is final.

He’s not looking for me to transform into someone else.

He chose me specifically because of who I am.

Her mother’s eyebrows rose slightly.

That’s very romantic, dear.

But practicality matters in royal matches.

You’ll still need to learn proper protocol for formal events, diplomacy skills for hosting foreign visitors, and I think what mother means, Saraphina interrupted smoothly, is that we want to support you in being successful, not change you.

Right, mother? Queen Helena looked like she wanted to say something else, but nodded instead.

Of course, we simply want you to be prepared.

The meeting continued for another excruciating hour, covering everything from appropriate courting behavior to potential wedding timelines to how to handle the inevitable gossip that would follow this unexpected match.

By the time Eusebia was finally released, she felt like she’d been through a diplomatic negotiation rather than a family conversation.

She was heading back to her chambers when she encountered Rowena in the corridor looking dramatically tragic in a flowing dressing gown with her golden hair.

artfully disheveled.

Her eldest sister had clearly been crying.

Her eyes were red and puffy, but she’d managed to make even grief look elegant.

“Rowena,” Eusebia said carefully.

“Are you all right?” “All right,” Rowena’s laugh was bitter.

“My younger sister has just been chosen by the most eligible alpha king in three territories, despite the fact that I’m clearly more qualified in every measurable way.

So, no, Eusebia.

I’m not particularly all right.

The words stung, even though Eusebia had been expecting them.

I didn’t ask for this.

I didn’t do anything to make his wolf choose me.

I know that, Rowena said.

And there was something like resignation in her voice.

That’s almost worse, isn’t it? If you’d schemed or manipulated the situation, I could at least be angry at you.

But you were just standing there being your usual awkward self.

And somehow that’s what attracted an alpha king’s wolf.

Rowena, I’m not going to sabotage you, Rowena interrupted, despite what my tragic poetry might suggest.

I’m hurt and confused and possibly having an identity crisis about my entire life’s purpose.

But you’re still my sister, and I don’t actually want you to fail.

” She paused, wiping at her eyes.

I just need some time to adjust to the fact that the universe apparently has a sense of humor about these things.

The universe has a terrible sense of humor.

Youbia agreed.

I’ve been saying that for years.

Something like a smile flickered across Rowena’s face.

Try not to completely embarrass the family, will you? If you’re going to be an alpha queen, at least be a competent one.

That’s the most supportive thing you’ve ever said to me.

Usebia said and was only partially joking.

Don’t get used to it.

I’m still processing.

Rowena gathered her dramatically flowing dressing gown and swept down the corridor with the theatrical flare of someone who’d spent years perfecting her exits.

Eusebia made it back to her chambers and collapsed onto her bed with the exhaustion of someone who’d just survived a natural disaster.

Beatatrice appeared moments later with tea and sympathy.

“How bad was it?” Beatatrice asked, setting down a tray that included not just tea, but also several types of cookies and what looked like emergency chocolate.

On a scale of mild awkwardness to complete catastrophe, somewhere around moderately horrifying, Ucia said, reaching for the chocolate.

My mother wants me to prove I’m suitable.

My father is calculating trade benefits.

Rowena is writing tragic poetry.

Saraphina asked if I thought King Nolan was handsome.

“Is he handsome?” Beatatrice asked.

“Devastatingly,” Ucia admitted.

“Which makes everything more complicated because it’s hard to think clearly when someone looks like they were carved by artists with very specific ideas about attractive cheekbones.

” Beatatrice laughed.

“At least you’re attracted to him.

That will make the courting less awkward.

The courting is going to be spectacularly awkward regardless.

” Usebia predicted.

I don’t know how to be courted.

I’ve never been courted.

Lord Perl tried once, but that mostly involved him explaining sheep economics while I prayed for a natural disaster to interrupt us.

King Nolan seems considerably more interesting than Lord Perl.

Beatatrice observed.

A particularly charismatic rock would be more interesting than Lord Persal.

Ubia accounted.

But yes, King Nolan is different.

He actually listens when I talk.

He asks questions about my abilities instead of looking uncomfortable in changing the subject.

He makes me feel like maybe I’m not completely unsuitable for everything.

That’s called respect, Beatatrice said.

You should try accepting more of it.

Before you see Beia could respond, there was a knock at her chamber door.

Beatatrice went to answer it and returned carrying a small box and looking amused.

delivery for you,” Beatatrice said, handing over the box from King Nolan with a note.

Usebia opened the note first, her heart doing complicated gymnastics in her chest.

“Princess Eusebia, I noticed you mentioned planting the herb garden last summer.

I thought you might appreciate these seeds.

They’re from the northern mountains, varieties that don’t typically grow in your climate, but might thrive with someone who understands plants the way you do.

” Also, my wolf wanted me to tell you that we both enjoyed our walk this morning and look forward to tomorrow.

Nolan inside the box were several packets of seeds, each carefully labeled with planting instructions.

There were mountain time and alpine flowers and something called moonshade that apparently only bloomed at night.

“That’s actually very thoughtful,” Beatatrice said, reading over Youbia’s shoulder.

He paid attention to what you said and found a gift that matches your specific interests.

That’s good courting strategy.

It’s sweet, admitted, running her fingers over the seed packets.

He remembered something I mentioned in passing and turned it into a gift that shows he was really listening.

So, you like him? Beatric concluded.

I might like him, you hedged.

It’s too early to know for sure, but I don’t hate the idea of being courted by him, which is more positive than I expected to feel about any of this.

Progress, Beatatrice declared.

Now, shall we discuss what you’re wearing tomorrow? Because if King Nolan is this thoughtful about courting gifts, you’re going to want to look appropriately impressive when you see him next.

Use groaned but let Beatatrice pull her toward the wardrobe.

Already planning outfits with the enthusiasm of someone who’d been waiting years for Eusebia to have an actual romantic prospect.

As Beatrice held up various dresses and debated their merits, Yuseia found herself thinking about King Nolan’s note.

The way he’d signed it just Nolan instead of using his full title.

The way he’d included that bit about his wolf looking forward to seeing her again.

Maybe this courtship wouldn’t be a complete disaster after all.

Maybe, just maybe, she could actually let herself enjoy being chosen by an alpha king who seemed to genuinely value the things that made her different.

The thought was terrifying and wonderful in equal measure.

And Eusebia held on to it like a lifeline as Beatatrice continued her enthusiastic wardrobe planning.

Tomorrow she’d see Nolan again, and maybe tomorrow she’d be a little less terrified and a little more willing to believe that his wolf might have been right after all.

Chapter 5.

The next 3 weeks of courtship passed in a blur of garden walks, private dinners, and moments where Ucia forgot to be terrified and just enjoyed being with someone who made her laugh.

Because, as it turned out, King Nolan, just Nolan, as he’d insisted she call him when they were alone, had an unexpected sense of humor buried beneath his fierce Alpha King exterior.

“Tell me again about the incident with the Duke’s prized peacock,” Nolan said during one of their walks, his amber eyes gleaming with barely suppressed amusement.

Usabia groaned.

“Do I have to? It was deeply traumatic.

” I’m not sure it was traumatic for you so much as for the Duke.

Nolan countered.

From what you’ve described, the peacock was quite pleased with the situation.

The peacock was extremely pleased.

Usabia admitted that was the problem.

The Duke had been training him to perform this elaborate display for visiting dignitaries.

Very dignified, very impressive.

Lots of tail feathers spread majestically.

But when I walked past, the peacock decided I was much more interesting than dignified displays and started following me around, making these these encouraging noises.

Encouraging noises, Nolan repeated.

And now he was definitely grinning.

Romantic peacock noises, Ucia clarified.

He thought I was his mate, or possibly a very attractive female peacock.

The communication wasn’t entirely clear.

Either way, he refused to leave my side for 3 days.

The Duke was furious.

The peacock was delighted.

I was mortified.

Nolan laughed.

A genuine warm sound that made something flutter in Yusbia’s chest.

Please tell me there are more stories like this.

So many stories, said.

There was the incident with the ambassador’s hunting hounds and the situation with the stable cat who decided I was her personal servant.

And that time the crown prince of Elder Grove brought his trained falcon and it refused to hunt anything because it wanted to stay perched on my shoulder.

“You’re a disaster,” Nolan said fondly.

“I’m aware,” Ucia replied.

“Are you sure you want to court someone who causes diplomatic incidents involving wildlife?” “Absolutely certain,” Nolan said, catching her hand and lacing their fingers together.

“My wolf chose correctly.

You’re perfect.

” The casual certainty in his voice still took us breath away.

Even after 3 weeks of hearing similar declarations, Nolan never hesitated, never second guessed.

He’d decided she was his mate, and that was simply fact.

As far as he was concerned, was still working on matching his confidence.

But she’d made progress.

enough progress that when he suggested they visit his wolf territories so she could see where she’d be living if she accepted his courtship, she’d agreed without immediately panicking, which brought her to the present moment, standing in her chambers while Beatatrice packed traveling clothes and offered unsolicited advice about courting etiquette in shifter communities.

Remember that wolves value honesty over politeness, Beatatric was saying, folding dresses with practice efficiency.

So if someone asks you a direct question, answer directly even if it feels rude by our standards.

Got it.

Be honest, possibly offensive, said.

And don’t be surprised if people stare, Beatatrice continued.

You’re human.

You’re their king’s chosen mate, and you can talk to animals.

You’re basically a walking curiosity.

That’s comforting, you muttered.

I’m being practical, Beatatrice defended.

Also, Nolan sent over these.

She held up several beautiful dresses in rich fabrics, clearly expensive, clearly tailored specifically for Eusebia’s measurements.

He included a note saying that northern mountain fashion tends toward practical elegance, and he thought you might want appropriate clothing for the climate.

Eusebia took the note, which was written in Nolan’s strong, clear handwriting.

Usebia, the mountains can be cold even in spring.

I want you to be comfortable while you’re visiting.

These are traditional northern styles, but adjusted for human proportions.

Shifters run warmer and don’t need as many layers.

My wolf is pacing impatiently waiting for you to arrive.

Apparently, 3 weeks of courtship wasn’t enough time together.

Nolan, he’s thoughtful, Beatatrice observed.

And practical.

And apparently his wolf misses you after being apart for half a day.

That’s quite romantic.

It’s overwhelming, Usbia admitted.

But in a good way.

I think you’re falling in love with him, Beatatric said matterofactly.

Usabia’s first instinct was to deny it.

But she made herself pause and actually consider the statement.

The way her heart sped up when she saw Nolan, the way she looked forward to their daily walks more than anything else, the way his absence felt noticeable, like something important was missing.

Maybe, she admitted quietly.

Is that too fast? We’ve only known each other 3 weeks.

Wolfkind mate bonds tend to develop quickly.

Beatatrice said, “From what I understand, when a wolf recognizes their mate, the emotional connection follows rapidly.

You’re human, so it might take longer, but 3 weeks is reasonable.

What if I get to the northern mountains and realize I can’t handle being an alpha queen?” Uia asked, voicing the fear that had been lurking in the back of her mind.

What if I’m terrible at it? Then you’ll figure it out together, Beatatric said firmly.

Nolan didn’t choose you because you were already perfect for the role.

He chose you because his wolf recognized you as mate.

Everything else is just details you’ll work through.

Before Ucia could spiral into further anxious speculation, there was a knock at the door.

Beatatrice answered it and returned with Saraphina, who was carrying what appeared to be an entire armload of books.

Emergency pre-travel briefing, Saraphina announced, dumping the books on Usabia’s bed.

I’ve been researching shifter culture and northern mountain traditions, and there are things you should know before you arrive.

Of course, you’ve been researching, you said, eyeing the stack with mixed gratitude and trepidation.

How many books is that? Seven.

But don’t worry, I’ve marked the most important sections.

Saraphina opened the first book to a page flagged with approximately 15 different colored ribbons.

Did you know that shifter greetings involve scent recognition? They can literally smell emotions.

So if you’re nervous, everyone will know immediately.

That’s terrifying.

Usebia said, “It’s useful.

” Saraphina corrected.

It means lying is nearly impossible, which creates a culture of direct communication.

Also, pack hierarchy is important but fluid.

Respect is earned through capability, not just birthright.

And family bonds are sacred.

If you’re accepted as Nolan’s mate, his pack will treat you like you’re bloodrelated.

They take loyalty very seriously.

You absorbed this information while Beatrice continued packing and Saraphina flipped through her research notes with academic enthusiasm.

Are you nervous about me visiting his territories? Uia asked her sister.

It makes the courtship quite serious.

Saraphina looked up from her books.

Considering a month ago, I would have said yes because I was hoping he’d choose me or Rowena.

But honestly, after watching you two together, it’s obvious his wolf made the right choice.

You fit together in a way that makes sense once you see it.

Really? Yusbia was surprised by how much her sister’s approval meant.

“Really?” Saraphina confirmed.

“You make him smile, like genuinely smile, not just the polite expression he uses in formal settings.

And he makes you more confident.

You stand up straighter when he’s around.

You laugh more.

It’s actually quite sickeningly romantic.

” “I think that was a compliment.

” You said, “It was definitely a compliment.

” Saraphina assured her.

Now pay attention because I’m going to explain the significance of the full moon gathering and why you absolutely cannot skip it even if you’re tired.

The briefing continued for another hour covering everything from proper forms of address for pack elders to traditional foods to expect at formal dinners.

By the time Saraphina left us head was spinning with information.

You’ll be fine, Beatatrice said, reading Usabia’s expression correctly.

Nolan will be with you the entire time, and from what I’ve seen, he’s very protective of you.

He won’t let you stumble into any serious social errors.

“I hope you’re right,” Usabia said, looking at the traveling clothes laid out on her bed.

“Because I’m about to meet an entire community of wolf shifters who are expecting their king’s mate to be someone impressive.

” “You are impressive,” Beatatrice said firmly.

“You just don’t realize it yet, but you will.

Nolan will make sure of that.

The next morning dawned clear and bright.

Perfect weather for traveling to the northern mountains.

You seeia dressed in one of the outfits Nolan had sent.

Deep forest green with practical boots and a warm cloak.

When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself.

The clothes fit perfectly, making her look elegant instead of awkward.

“You look like an alpha queen,” Beatatric said approvingly.

“Now go meet your wolf king and try not to overthink everything.

” Eczeia hugged her quickly, grateful for Beatatric’s steady presence through all of this chaos, and headed down to the courtyard where Nolan was waiting with horses and a small escort of wolf shifters.

When Nolan saw her, his entire face transformed.

The carefully controlled expression he wore in public melted into something open and warm and so full of affection that Usabia felt her breath catch.

“You look beautiful,” he said, taking her hands.

“Are you ready?” Terrified but ready, Eusebia admitted.

Good, Nolan said, helping her mount her horse.

My pack is going to love you, though.

Fair warning, my mother is extremely excited to meet you and will probably ask approximately 7,000 questions about everything.

Your mother? Uia squeaked.

You didn’t mention your mother would be there.

Did I forget that detail? Nolan asked innocently.

My apologies.

Yes, the former Alpha Queen lives in the Northern Keep and is very invested in my mate selection.

She’s been sending me letters weekly asking when she gets to meet you.

I’m going to die of nervousness before we even arrive.

Usabia predicted.

You’ll be fine.

Nolan assured her, mounting his own horse.

She’s going to adore you.

Mostly because you make me happy, but also because she’s always wanted someone in the family who could explain what the castle cats are complaining about.

As they rode out of the castle grounds, Eusebia caught sight of her family watching from the windows, her father looking cautiously optimistic, her mother looking pleased about the advantageous match, Saraphina waving enthusiastically, and even Rowena standing in her window offering a small nod of acknowledgement.

Whatever happened in the northern mountains, whatever challenges awaited her as a potential alpha queen, Ucia knew one thing with absolute certainty.

Nolan would be beside her through all of it.

And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough.

Chapter 6.

The northern mountains were spectacular in a way that made Ucia understand why wolves had claimed them as territory centuries ago.

Towering peaks touched clouds that looked close enough to grab, their tops still dusted with snow despite spring’s arrival.

Dense forests of ancient pines covered the lower slopes, and crystal clear streams cut through valleys like liquid silver.

The air smelled different here, cleaner, wilder, like the world was less tamed and more honest about it.

It’s beautiful, breathed, taking in the view as they crested a ridge.

Wait until you see the keep,” Nolan said, looking pleased by her reaction.

“It’s built into the mountainside itself.

Half fortress, half natural cave system.

My ancestors chose the location specifically because it could be defended from any direction and provided shelter for the entire pack during harsh winters.

” As they descended into the valley that housed the northern keep, Ucia started noticing wolves.

Not shifters in human form, actual wolves moving through the trees with fluid grace, their eyes tracking the traveling party with intelligent curiosity.

Are those started pack members? Nolan confirmed.

Some prefer to travel in wolf form.

They’re running alongside us as escort.

It’s a sign of respect.

They’re acknowledging their king returns with his chosen mate.

They can tell I’m your chosen mate just by looking.

Youbia asked nervously.

They can smell my scent on you.

Nolan said we’ve been spending time together for weeks.

To shift her senses, you carry my mark even though we haven’t completed a formal bonding.

It tells them you’re under my protection.

Before Ucia could fully process what it meant that she apparently smelled like Nolan to wolf shifters, they rounded a curve and the keep came into view.

It was magnificent and slightly terrifying in equal measure.

Built directly into the mountainside, the structure blended natural stone formations with carefully crafted walls and towers.

Massive wooden gates stood open in welcome, and dozens of people, both in human and wolf form, had gathered in the courtyard to greet their kings return.

“Oh, no,” Usabia whispered.

“That’s a lot of people.

They’re excited to meet you,” Nolan said gently.

“But I won’t let anyone overwhelm you.

If it gets too much, just squeeze my hand and I’ll extract us from the situation.

” As they rode into the courtyard, the crowd parted respectfully.

Usebia was acutely aware of every eye on her, curious, assessing, wondering if their king’s human mate would be suitable for the role of Alpha Queen.

Nolan dismounted and immediately came to help Ucia down, keeping a supportive hand at her back as they faced the assembled pack.

Before anyone could approach, a woman emerged from the keep’s main entrance, and Ucia knew instantly this had to be Nolan’s mother.

The former alpha queen was striking, tall and regal, with the same golden hair as her son, though hers was stre with silver.

She moved with predatory grace, and her amber eyes were sharp with intelligence as they swept over Ucia in quick assessment.

Mother Nolan greeted her with genuine warmth.

This is Princess Eucia Thornwick.

Ubia, my mother, Lyanna Silvermain.

Your Majesty,” Ucia said, dropping into what she hoped was an appropriate curtsy.

“None of that,” Lyanna said briskly, pulling Ucia up and into an unexpected hug.

“If you’re going to be my son’s mate, we’re family.

You’ll call me Lyanna.

” She pulled back and studied Ucia’s face with unnerving intensity.

“My wolf says your spirit is gentle but strong, like a willow tree.

appears delicate but survives storms that break rigid oaks.

That’s good.

You’ll need that strength for what comes with being an alpha queen.

I thank you.

You see managed, still processing the fact that she’d just been hugged by a former alpha queen while dozens of wolf shifters watched.

Lyanna laughed, a warm, genuine sound.

Nolan warned me you’d be nervous.

He’s been pacing around my letters for weeks, writing paragraphs about your virtues and capabilities.

Very uncharacteristic for a son who usually sends two sentence responses to maternal correspondence.

Mother, Nolan said looking pained.

You’re embarrassing me.

That’s my maternal right, Lyanna said cheerfully.

Now come inside.

Youbia must be exhausted from traveling and we have refreshments prepared.

The full pack introductions can wait until tomorrow.

Tonight is just family.

Just family turned out to include approximately 20 people, which learned was actually small by wolf shifter standards.

They gathered in a large common room where a fire burned in a stone hearth big enough to roast an entire elk, and everyone talked over each other with enthusiastic chaos.

Nolan’s younger sister, Arya, was a whirlwind of energy and questions.

Is it true you can talk to animals? All animals.

Can you understand what wolves are thinking? What about birds? Do birds have interesting thoughts or are they mostly concerned with finding food? Arya let her breathe.

Nolan said looking amused.

I’m just curious, Arya protested.

We’ve never had someone with animal communication abilities in the pack.

It’s exciting.

It’s mostly feelings and impressions rather than actual words.

Youbia explained.

But yes, I can understand what creatures are experiencing emotionally.

Wolves are particularly clear because you’re very direct about your emotions.

Birds are She paused, searching for the right description.

Birds are mostly concerned with immediate priorities, food, safety, suitable nesting spots, whether that other bird is trespassing in their territory.

See, Arya said triumphantly to someone who must have been her brother.

I told you birds were dramatic about property boundaries.

The evening continued in similar fashion, warm, chaotic, full of laughter, and easy affection.

You found herself relaxing despite her earlier nervousness.

These weren’t the formal, careful interactions she was used to at court.

This was family, loud and messy and genuine.

You’re doing well, Nolan murmured in her ear during a lull in conversation.

My mother already loves you, and Arya’s been wanting a sister for years.

Your family is wonderful, said honestly.

Very different from my formal, slightly repressed relatives.

Wolves don’t do repressed, Nolan said with a grin.

We’re physically incapable of hiding emotions for extended periods.

It makes diplomacy with more reserved cultures interesting.

Later, after the meal had been cleared and people had started drifting off to their own quarters, Lyanna caught Usabia’s arm gently.

“Walk with me?” the former alpha queen asked.

It wasn’t really a question.

They walked through the keep’s corridors, which were carved partially from natural stone and decorated with tapestries depicting wolfpack history.

Lyanna was quiet for several minutes, and Eusebia tried not to panic about what this private conversation might entail.

My son’s wolf chose you, Lyanna finally said.

That’s absolute and not subject to anyone’s approval, including mine.

But I wanted to speak with you privately to say that I’m glad he chose you.

Usabia blinked in surprise.

You are? I am.

Lyanna confirmed.

Nolan has been king for 10 years.

He’s been beautiful, strong, excellent at leading the pack, but he’s also been lonely.

I’ve watched him carefully maintain distance from everyone, never letting anyone close enough to truly matter.

Then he met you and suddenly my son who writes two sentence letters is sending me pages about the clever thing you said about castle cats and how you made him laugh until his stomach hurt.

I didn’t realize I was featuring in his letters said feeling her cheeks heat.

You’re all that features in his letters lately.

Lyanna said dryly.

The point is you make him happy.

You make him laugh.

You make him remember that being king doesn’t mean being alone.

That’s worth more than any traditional qualifications for Alpha Queen.

But what if I’m terrible at it? Uia asked, voicing her persistent fear.

What if I make mistakes and embarrass him or the pack? You’ll make mistakes, Lyanna said bluntly.

Everyone does.

I made spectacular mistakes when I first became Alpha Queen.

There was an incident with a visiting delegation that we still don’t speak about, but you’ll learn and the pack will support you because that’s what family does.

She stopped walking and turned to face directly.

My son’s wolf chose you because you’re compassionate, honest, and see creatures, including shifters, as more than just assets or threats.

Those qualities matter more than knowing perfect protocol or being skilled at strategic negotiations.

You’ll learn the rest.

And if anyone in this pack gives you trouble about being human or being different, you tell me.

I may be retired, but I can still intimidate people when necessary.

You see, Beia felt something tight in her chest ease slightly.

Thank you.

That means more than you know.

You’re family now, Lyanna said simply.

Or you will be once Nolan stops being patient and actually completes the bonding.

My wolf can smell how much you two want each other.

It’s making everyone slightly tense waiting for you to figure it out.

I We That’s You see stuttered mortified.

Lyanna laughed.

Don’t worry.

Nolan’s being appropriately respectful of your human courtship timelines.

But wolf shifters can sense these things, so prepare for everyone to have opinions about your relationship development.

We’re terrible at privacy when it comes to pack matters.

When they returned to the common room, Nolan was waiting to show Ucia to her guest quarters.

A beautiful suite of rooms with a view of the mountains and a fireplace already burning warmly.

“How was the private maternal interrogation?” Nolan asked, looking slightly anxious.

“Your mother is wonderful,” Ucia said.

“Slightly terrifying, but wonderful.

She told me about an incident with a visiting delegation that you apparently don’t speak about.

” Nolan groaned.

She told you about that already? I was hoping to wait at least a month before you heard that story.

Now I’m extremely curious, you said, grinning.

Never, Nolan said firmly.

Some embarrassments should stay buried in history where they belong.

He paused at the door to her quarters.

Thank you for coming here, for meeting my family and my pack.

I know this was overwhelming.

It was overwhelming.

Uia agreed.

but also wonderful.

Your family is warm and accepting and makes me feel like maybe I could actually belong here.

You do belong here,” Nolan said softly, reaching up to tuck a copper curl behind her ear.

My wolf knew it the moment he saw you.

I’m just grateful you’re giving us a chance to prove it.

He left her at her door with a gentle kiss to her forehead that made her heart flutter traitorously.

As Eusebia prepared for bed in her borrowed quarters, surrounded by the quiet sounds of the keep settling for the night, she realized something important.

She was falling in love with Nolan.

Completely, irrevocably, terrifyingly in love.

And maybe, just maybe, that wasn’t the disaster she’d initially feared.

Maybe it was exactly what both of them needed.

Chapter 7.

The next three days in the northern mountains passed like a dream Ucia kept waiting to wake from.

Except it never happened because apparently this was her actual life now.

She met what felt like hundreds of pack members, each with their own personality and opinions about their king’s human mate.

Most were welcoming, curious, but kind.

A few were openly skeptical, which Nolan’s mother had predicted, and which Ubia tried not to take personally.

They’ll come around, Arya assured her during a tour of the keep’s extensive library.

Pack members are protective of Nolan.

They just want to make sure you’re genuine and not some court princess who will break his heart and run back to your fancy castle.

I would never, you started, then paused.

Wait, do they really think I do that? Some of them, Arya admitted.

Not because of you specifically.

just because humans and shifters don’t always understand each other.

But you’re doing great.

Yesterday, you helped the stable master figure out why the horses were agitated.

Turns out they could smell a mountain cat nearby and were warning everyone.

The stable master’s been singing your praises to anyone who will listen.

Youbia had indeed spent an enlightening hour in the stables where the horses had been extremely vocal about their concerns regarding a predator in the vicinity.

The pack had sent out scouts and found a mountain cat den uncomfortably close to the keep’s livestock.

Crisis averted, horses calmed, and Eusebia had apparently earned respect points with the pack.

Your ability is incredibly useful, Arya continued.

Half the pack keeps livestock or works with animals in some capacity.

Having someone who can actually communicate with creatures instead of just guessing, that’s valuable.

That’s what Nolan keeps saying.

Youbia said, “Because he’s right,” Arya said firmly.

“Also because he’s completely besided with you and thinks everything you do is amazing.

But in this case, he’s objectively correct.

” That evening, Nolan took you to see something he’d been promising since they arrived, the moonool.

They hiked up a winding trail as the sun set, painting the mountains in shades of gold and crimson.

The air grew cooler as they climbed, and Ucia was grateful for the warm cloak Nolan had insisted she bring.

“The moonpool is sacred to our pack,” Nolan explained as they walked.

“It’s a natural spring fed by mountain snow melt, and there’s magic in it.

Old magic that’s been here longer than shifters have claimed these mountains.

During full moons, the pack gathers here for ceremonies and celebrations.

” “What kind of magic?” Use asked, fascinated.

the kind that reveals truth.

Nolan said, “If you look into the pool during a full moon, you see yourself as you truly are, not how you appear to others or how you wish you were, but your genuine self.

It can be uncomfortable, but it’s also clarifying.

” Many pack members come here when they need to make important decisions.

They emerged into a clearing where a perfectly circular pool reflected the darkening sky.

The water was impossibly clear, and even in the fading light, Ucia could see smooth stones at the bottom that seemed to glow faintly with their own luminescence.

It’s beautiful, you breathed.

It is, Nolan agreed, but he was looking at her rather than the pool.

I wanted to bring you here because this place is important to me, to my family, to our pack’s history, and because I wanted you to see it before the full moon tomorrow night.

tomorrow night.

Usabia’s heart did a complicated flutter.

Is that when the ceremony happens? It’s when the pack will formally meet you, Nolan said.

Not as a visitor, but as my chosen mate.

If you’re ready for that, if you want that.

The question hung between them, heavy with implications.

This wasn’t just about courtship anymore.

This was about accepting a permanent place in Nolan’s life, in his pack, in his world.

I’m terrified.

You admitted.

But yes, I want that.

Nolan’s expression transformed into something so full of joy and relief that you felt tears prick her eyes.

You’re certain? Because once the pack acknowledges our bond during a full moon ceremony, it’s permanent, sacred.

You’d be Alpha Queen, bound to me and to this pack for life.

I’m certain, you said and realized she meant it with her whole heart.

I love you, Nolan.

I love your family and your pack and these ridiculous, beautiful mountains.

I love that you see my abilities as gifts instead of oddities.

I love that you make me laugh and feel valued and believe I can actually be an alpha queen.

So, yes, I’m ready.

Nolan closed the distance between them in two strides, pulling her into a kiss that was gentle and fierce all at once.

Through the physical connection, Eusebia felt something else.

A warmth that spread through her entire body, a recognition that went deeper than conscious thought.

“My wolf is celebrating,” Nolan murmured against her lips.

“He’s been patient for weeks, but he’s very pleased you’re finally accepting what he knew from the beginning.

” Your wolf is smug, you said, but she was smiling.

My wolf is correct, Nolan corrected.

There’s a difference.

They stayed by the moonpool until stars filled the sky, talking about the ceremony, about what would happen after, about the future they’d build together.

And when they finally hiked back down to the keep, you felt settled in a way she never had before.

This was right.

This was where she belonged.

Tomorrow night, she’d stand before the pack and accept her place as Nolan’s mate and their alpha queen.

And for the first time in her life, Eusebia wasn’t afraid of who she was supposed to become.

She was ready to be exactly who she already was.

Chapter 8.

The day of the full moon ceremony dawned clear and bright, which everyone assured us was a good omen, though she suspected they’d have found a way to make rainy weather auspicious, too, if necessary.

Lyanna appeared in Yucia’s quarters shortly after breakfast, accompanied by Arya and three other wolf women recognized from the past few days.

Preparation time, Lyanna announced cheerfully.

Every alpha queen undergoes ceremonial preparation before their bonding ceremony.

It’s tradition.

What kind of preparation? Youbia asked nervously.

The relaxing kind? Arya assured her.

mostly bathing in ceremonial herbs, having your hair arranged, getting dressed in traditional garments.

Think of it like getting ready for the most important event of your life while being pampered by women who want you to succeed.

The next several hours passed in a blur of activity.

Ubia was led to a private bathing chamber where she soaked in water infused with mountain herbs that smelled like pine and wild flowers and something else she couldn’t identify, but that made her skin tingle pleasantly.

The herbs are blessed by the pack’s elder.

One of the women explained, “They’re meant to strengthen the bond between mate and alpha and to help you connect with the pack’s collective spirit.

After bathing, her hair was dried and arranged in an elaborate style that incorporated small braids woven with silver thread.

The effect was elegant but wild, civilized, and untamed in equal measure.

Then came the dress.

It was unlike anything Eusebia had ever worn.

Made from soft leather and silk in deep forest green with intricate bead work along the bodice that depicted running wolves under a full moon.

The design was fitted but allowed for movement.

And when you looked at herself in the mirror, she barely recognized the confident woman staring back.

“You look like an alpha queen,” Lyanna said with satisfaction.

“Nolan is going to forget how to form complete sentences when he sees you.

That’s the goal, Arya said, grinning.

Making the Alpha King speechless is a traditional part of the ceremony.

As evening approached and the full moon began to rise, Yuseia’s nervousness returned in full force.

This was it.

The moment that would change everything permanently.

Deep breaths, Lyanna coached as they prepared to leave for the moonool.

The ceremony is simple.

You and Nolan will stand before the pack.

The elder will speak the traditional words.

You’ll both drink from the moonpool and declare your acceptance of the bond.

Then the pack will howl to acknowledge your union.

And it’s done.

You’ll be officially mated and recognized as alpha queen.

That sounds simple.

You said it is simple.

Lyanna confirmed.

The complicated part is remembering to breathe while everyone’s staring at you.

And the magic of the full moon makes everything feel more intense.

That’s not helping my nerves.

Youbia admitted.

You’ll be fine.

Lyanna said firmly.

You’re stronger than you think.

My wolf saw it in you immediately.

And my wolf is never wrong about these things.

The hike up to the moonool felt both endless and too short.

The trail was lit by torches held by pack members who’d already made the journey, creating a pathway of flickering light through the darkness.

As they climbed, Eusebia could hear wolves howling in the distance.

A sound that should have been eerie, but instead felt welcoming, like a song of greeting.

When they reached the clearing, Eusebia’s breath caught.

The moon pool reflected the full moon perfectly, making it look like there were two moons, one above and one below.

The entire pack had gathered, forming a circle around the pool.

And at the far side, wearing ceremonial clothing similar to hers, but in black and silver, stood Nolan.

His golden hair was loose, falling past his shoulders and catching moonlight like it was made of actual precious metal.

His amber eyes found hers across the clearing, and the expression on his face made Eusebia’s heart skip several beats.

He looked at her like she was everything he’d been waiting for his entire life.

The pack elder, a woman named Moira, who had to be at least 70, but moved with surprising grace, stepped forward and gestured for Eusebia and Nolan to approach the pool.

We gather under the full moon to witness the bonding of our alpha king to his chosen mate, Moira said, her voice carrying across the clearing with surprising strength.

The moon reveals truth.

The pool reflects spirit, and the pack bears witness to what is declared here tonight.

She handed Nolan a carved wooden cup, then turned to give you an identical one.

Drink from the sacred pool.

Let its magic bind what the wolves have already recognized.

Two souls meant to walk together as one.

Nolan knelt at the pool’s edge, filling his cup with water that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

Eucia did the same, her hands trembling slightly as she lifted the cup.

I, Nolan Silverman, Alpha King of the Northern Pack, claim Ucia Thornwick as my mate, Nolan said clearly.

I pledge my protection, my loyalty, and my heart for all my days.

May the moon witness this vow and bind us together.

He drank from the cup, and saw his eyes flash golden, his wolf rising close to the surface.

Now it was her turn.

Ucia took a steadying breath and spoke the words Lyanna had taught her earlier.

I, Ucia Thornwick, accept Nolan Silver as my mate.

I pledge my trust, my devotion, and my heart for all my days.

May the moon witness this vow and bind us together.

The water tasted clean and cold with a faint sweetness like spring flowers.

The moment she swallowed, warmth spread through her entire body.

Not painful, but intense and overwhelming.

She felt connected to everything suddenly.

The pack surrounding them, the wolves in the forest, the very mountains themselves, and strongest of all, she felt Nolan, his emotions, his fierce protective love, his wolf’s absolute satisfaction that they were finally properly bonded.

The bond is recognized, Moira declared.

Let the pack acknowledge their alpha queen.

And then the entire pack howled, a sound that started low and built into something wild and beautiful and full of welcome, even in human form, they howled, and the wolves in the forest answered, creating a symphony of sound that echoed through the mountains.

Nolan pulled Uczeia into his arms, kissing her with a joy that made her dizzy.

Around them, the pack began to celebrate, embracing each other, laughing, calling out congratulations.

You’re mine now, Nolan murmured against her lips.

“My mate, my queen, mine, yours,” Ucia agreed.

“And you’re mine always,” Nolan promised.

The celebration continued long into the night.

music and dancing and more food than seemed physically possible to consume.

Eczeia was embraced by pack members who’d been skeptical just days ago, now welcoming her as family.

Even the wolves who’d been watching from the forest came closer.

And through her ability, Usabia felt their acceptance.

She was packed now.

She belonged.

As the moon reached its highest point, Nolan led her away from the celebration to a quiet spot overlooking the valley below.

From here they could see the lights of the keep and the vast wilderness beyond.

“Happy?” Nolan asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

“Diriously,” Usebia admitted, leaning back against him.

“Though I still can’t quite believe this is real.

A month ago, I was the forgotten princess who talked to animals.

Now, I’m an alpha queen bonded to a wolf shifter king and apparently connected to an entire pack.

You were never forgotten, Nolan said softly.

You were just waiting for people who could see you properly.

My wolf knew it immediately.

You were always meant to be here with us, with me.

You saidia turned in his arms to face him properly.

I love you.

I know I said it yesterday, but I want to say it again now that we’re officially bonded.

I love you, Nolan Silverman.

You and your patient wolf and your chaotic, wonderful pack.

I love you too, Nolan said, pressing his forehead to hers.

My perfect, brave, giftbearing mate, who somehow thinks she’s ordinary despite being the most extraordinary person I’ve ever met.

They stayed there until dawn began to paint the sky in shades of pink and gold, wrapped in each other, and the certainty that they’d found exactly what they were meant to find, each other.

Chapter 9.

Being Alpha Queen turned out to be significantly different from being a forgotten princess, which Ubia discovered approximately 3 hours after waking up the morning after the bonding ceremony.

“There’s a dispute about grazing rights,” Arya said, appearing in the doorway of the quarters now shared with Nolan.

“Two farming families are arguing about whose livestock gets access to the western meadow.

Normally Nolan would handle it, but he’s dealing with a visiting delegation from the Eastern Territories.

So, as Alpha Queen, you’re expected to resolve the dispute.

Youbia, who’d been enjoying a peaceful breakfast and still felt slightly overwhelmed by the whole being magically bonded to an Alpha King thing, blinked.

I’m expected to what now? Resolve disputes, Arya said cheerfully.

It’s one of the Alpha Queen’s primary responsibilities.

Don’t worry, I’ll come with you for the first few until you get the hang of it.

The grazing dispute turned out to be complicated by the fact that both families had legitimate claims and deeply held opinions about property boundaries.

Ubia listened to both sides carefully, then did something that apparently no previous alpha queen had thought to do.

She asked the livestock.

20 minutes later, after having a very informative conversation with several goats and a particularly opinionated sheep, Eusebia had determined that the western meadow had better grass, but also had a predator denning nearby that made the animals nervous.

She suggested rotating the grazing schedule so both families had access while also organizing pack patrols to relocate the predator to a safer distance.

Both families left satisfied, and Eusebia earned a reputation for creative problemolving that spread through the pack faster than wildfire.

“You’re a natural,” Arya said as they walked back to the keep.

“Most alpha queens approach disputes from a purely logical standpoint.

You actually consider what the animals involved are experiencing.

“It’s brilliant.

It just seemed obvious,” Ubia said, though she felt pleased by the praise.

The next several weeks passed in a blur of learning, adjusting, and occasionally panicking when she had no idea what she was supposed to do in a given situation.

But every time you felt overwhelmed, the pack was there to support her.

Lyanna offered guidance on ceremonial duties.

Arya helped her navigate pack hierarchy and relationships, and Nolan was a constant, steady presence, always believing in her, even when she doubted herself.

You’re doing better than you think,” Nolan told her one evening as they sat together in their private quarters.

“The pack adores you.

Disputes are being resolved more efficiently than they have in years.

And yesterday, you prevented what could have been a serious incident with the hunting party by identifying that their tracking hounds were sick before they left on an extended expedition.

The hounds had eaten something that disagreed with them.

” Usebia said it wasn’t that impressive.

It prevented six pack members from being stranded in the wilderness with sick animals and no way to track game.

Nolan countered.

That’s extremely impressive.

Despite her occasional doubts, Yusebia was starting to believe she might actually be good at this alpha queen thing.

She’d found ways to use her abilities that helped the pack, and she was learning to trust her instincts about decisions that had nothing to do with animals.

But just as she was settling into her new role, a complication arrived in the form of a messenger from her family.

“Princessia, I mean Alpha Queenia,” the messenger said, bowing deeply.

“Your father requests your presence at Thornwick Castle.

There’s been a situation requiring your attention.

” “What kind of situation?” Youbia asked, her stomach sinking.

“I wasn’t given details, your majesty.

only that it’s urgent and involves Lady Rowena.

Nolan, who’d been standing beside her when the messenger arrived, immediately moved closer.

“We’ll leave tomorrow morning.

Whatever’s happening with your sister, we’ll handle it together.

” The journey back to Thornwick Castle took 2 days, during which Ucia’s anxiety steadily increased.

“What could possibly be so urgent that her father had sent for her? Was Rowena in trouble? Sick? Had something happened with their family?” When they finally arrived at the castle, Eusebia was surprised to find her father waiting in the courtyard, looking not distressed, but amused.

King Edmund greeted her with a hug.

Welcome home.

I apologize for the dramatic summons, but your sister insisted it was urgent.

Is Rowena all right? Youbia asked immediately.

Rowena is fine, her father assured her.

She’s in the gardens.

She asked to speak with you privately.

Eusbia found her eldest sister sitting by the rose arbor where Nolan had first declared his wolf’s choice.

Rowena looked different, less perfectly composed, more relaxed.

Her golden hair was in a simple braid, and she wore a casual day dress instead of formal court attire.

“You summoned me with an urgent message,” Usebia said, sitting beside her sister.

“I was terrified something terrible had happened.

” Something terrible did happen.

Rowena said dramatically.

I fell in love with a completely inappropriate person and I need your advice.

Youbia blinked.

You what? I fell in love.

Rowena repeated.

With the new ambassador from the coastal territories.

He’s charming and intelligent and makes me laugh.

And he has absolutely no interest in my perfect accomplishments or my noble bloodline.

He likes me because I accidentally tripped over his luggage and spent 10 minutes apologizing while he helped me up.

It was mortifying.

It was wonderful.

And I have no idea what to do about it.

And you called me home for romantic advice? You asked, starting to smile.

You’re the one who managed to attract an alpha king by being yourself.

Rowena pointed out.

I figured if anyone could help me navigate falling in love with someone unexpected, it would be you.

They talked for hours, really talked, more honestly than they ever had before.

Rowena admitted she’d spent months after Nolan’s choice re-evaluating her entire life and what she actually wanted versus what she’d been trained to want.

You shared what it had been like to accept Nolan’s courtship despite being terrified she wasn’t good enough.

You’re happy, Rowena observed.

I’ve never seen you this confident.

I am happy, Yia admitted, terrified half the time, constantly convinced I’m doing something wrong, but genuinely happy.

The pack accepts me.

Nolan loves me.

I’m using my abilities in ways that actually matter.

It’s everything I didn’t know I was waiting for.

I’m glad, Rowena said quietly.

And I’m sorry I was jealous for so long.

Watching you with Nolan these past weeks, it’s obvious his wolf chose correctly.

You fit together.

Thank you.

Uia said, squeezing her sister’s hand.

That means a lot.

Now tell me more about this ambassador who makes you laugh.

They stayed at Thornwick Castle for 3 days during which Eusebia met Rowena’s ambassador.

charming, genuinely kind, clearly besided with Rowena, caught up with Saraphina, who’d started a correspondence with a scholar from the Eastern Libraries and was glowing with intellectual stimulation, and reassured her parents that yes, she was happy, and yes, being Alpha Queen was everything she’d hoped.

“You’ve changed,” her mother observed during a private conversation.

“You carry yourself differently, more certain.

I found where I belong, Eusebia said simply.

That changes everything.

On their last evening, Eusebia stood in the castle gardens with Nolan, looking at the roses that had been blooming here since spring.

The same roses that had witnessed the beginning of their story.

“Ready to go home?” Nolan asked, wrapping his arms around her.

“Yes,” Usebia said, and realized she meant the Northern Mountains, not Thornwick Castle.

I’m ready to go home because home wasn’t a place anymore.

Home was wherever Nolan was.

Wherever the pack waited, wherever she could be exactly who she was without apology or fear.

Home was the northern mountains and the mate who’ chosen her and the life they were building together.

And she couldn’t wait to get back to it.

Chapter 10.

6 months after the bonding ceremony, Ucia awoke to the sound of wolves howling in distress.

Not the joyful celebration howls she’d grown accustomed to, but something urgent and frightened that made her bolt upright in bed.

Nolan was already moving, pulling on clothes with the efficiency of someone who’d trained for emergencies his entire life.

Something’s wrong with the livestock.

Multiple herds across different territories, all panicking at once.

They rushed down to the keep’s main hall where pack members were already gathering, their faces tight with concern.

The reports came in quickly.

Cattle refusing to graze, horses breaking through fences to flee, sheep huddling together and refusing to move.

Even the hunting hounds cowering and whimpering.

It’s affecting every domesticated animal in our territories.

The stable master reported looking bewildered.

Started about an hour before dawn.

They’re all terrified of something, but we can’t determine what.

There’s no predator scent, no signs of danger, nothing that explains this behavior.

How widespread is it? Nolan asked, already moving into Alpha King mode, commanding, focused, ready to protect his pack.

Every settlement within a day’s travel, another pack member answered, “The farming families are panicking.

If the animals won’t eat or work, we’re looking at serious problems.

Spring planting depends on the livestock.

And if this continues, it won’t continue.

Usbia heard herself say, her voice carrying across the hall with more confidence than she felt.

I’ll figure out what’s frightening them.

Every eye turned to her, and you felt the weight of expectations settle on her shoulders.

This was what she was here for.

This exact situation where her abilities could make the difference between disaster and resolution.

I need to speak with the animals directly.

Ubia continued, her mind already working through the problem.

Not just one or two, but multiple herds across different locations.

If they’re all reacting to the same thing, I need to understand what they’re sensing.

That’s a lot of ground to cover, Nolan said, concern flickering across his face.

And if there is a genuine threat, then I need to identify it before it hurts anyone.

Uia finished.

Nolan, this is exactly what your wolf chose me for.

Let me do this.

Something shifted in Nolan’s expression.

Pride mixing with worry.

Then we do it together.

I’ll take you to each settlement.

The pack will provide escort.

The next 12 hours were the most intense of life.

They traveled from settlement to settlement, and at each location, Eusebia opened herself fully to what the animals were experiencing.

It was overwhelming.

waves of fear and confusion crashing over her in sensory overload.

But gradually, through the chaos of panicked emotions, a pattern emerged.

The animals weren’t sensing a predator or a natural disaster.

They were sensing something wrong with the earth itself, a deep vibration, a wrongness in the ground beneath them that their instincts screamed was dangerous.

“There’s something happening underground,” Ubia told Nolan as they stood in the fifth settlement, surrounded by frightened cattle.

The animals can sense it even though we can’t.

It’s like like the mountain itself is uneasy.

Nolan’s expression went very still.

An earthquake maybe.

But the animals aren’t just afraid of shaking ground.

They’re sensing something specific.

Something concentrated in.

You seeia paused, reaching out to a nearby horse who was trembling with terror.

Through the connection, she felt direction, location, a pull toward the old mining tunnels, the abandoned ones north of here.

Understanding dawned on Nolan’s face.

The tunnels my great-grandfather’s pack dug two generations ago, looking for silver.

They were sealed off because they became unstable.

But if something’s shifted in there, if the tunnels are collapsing, the vibrations would travel through the mountain.

Use finished.

The animals can sense it even though we can’t.

And if those tunnels fully collapse, they could trigger larger cave-ins that would affect the entire settlement network, Nolan said grimly.

We need to evacuate the northern settlements immediately and get structural experts to assess the damage.

The next several hours were organized chaos.

Nolan coordinated evacuation efforts while Ucia worked with the animals, using her abilities to calm them enough that they could be moved safely to higher ground away from potential collapse zones.

She barely stopped moving, walking from herd to herd, speaking to frightened horses and panicked cattle, projecting reassurance and safety until her head pounded and exhaustion made her hands shake.

You need to rest, Arya said, appearing at Yucia’s side as she finished calming a group of goats.

You’ve been using your abilities non-stop for hours.

You’re going to exhaust yourself.

I can rest when everyone’s safe, Usabia said, but even she could hear how her voice trembled with fatigue.

You Nolan’s hands closed gently on her shoulders, turning her to face him.

You’ve done brilliantly.

The animals are calm enough to evacuate safely because of you.

But Arya’s right.

You need to stop before you collapse.

But the pack has the evacuation handled.

Nolan interrupted gently.

What we need now is for you to use your abilities to help the structural team understand exactly where the instability is worst.

Can you do that? Can you ask the animals what they’re sensing about specific locations? Ucia’s mind was foggy with exhaustion, but she understood what Nolan was doing, giving her a specific, manageable task instead of trying to solve everything alone.

Yes, I can do that.

Working with the Pax builders and Moira the Elder, who had surprising knowledge about ancient tunnel construction, you seeia systematically questioned animals throughout the Northern Territories.

The horses, she discovered, had the clearest sense of underground vibrations.

By carefully mapping their responses, she was able to identify three critical points where the old tunnels were most unstable.

“If we can stabilize these three points with support structures, it should prevent the full collapse,” one of the builders said, studying Ucia’s carefully drawn.

“But we’ll need to work quickly.

The tremors are getting stronger.

” The pack mobilized with impressive efficiency.

Builders and strong pack members descended into the dangerous tunnels, working in shifts to install wooden supports and stone reinforcements at the critical points Eusebia had identified.

Nolan wanted to go down himself, but his responsibilities as Alpha King kept him coordinating efforts from above, while trying very hard not to panic about his people in danger below.

Usabia stayed at the tunnel entrance, monitoring the animals responses to tell the workers if vibrations increased or shifted.

It was nerve-wracking work.

Every tremor made her heart race.

Every frightened Winnie from the horses made her certain something had gone catastrophically wrong.

But slowly, gradually, the animals began to calm.

The horses stopped trembling.

The cattle relaxed enough to graze.

The sheep stopped their panicked huddling.

It’s working.

You seeia called down into the tunnel.

The animals are sensing less instability.

Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.

When the last support beam was installed, and the workers emerged safely from the tunnels, exhausted but triumphant, the entire pack seemed to collectively exhale with relief.

The northern settlements are safe, Moira announced to the gathered crowd.

The tunnels are stabilized.

Thanks to our alpha queen’s abilities, we identified the problem before anyone was hurt.

And before we lost homes or livestock, the cheer that went up made Usabia’s eyes sting with unexpected tears.

She’d done it.

She’d actually used her abilities to protect the pack in a real crisis.

And it had worked.

Nolan pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly enough that she could feel his heart racing.

“You were extraordinary,” he murmured against her hair.

You saved lives today.

You saved our packs homes and livelihoods.

You were exactly what we needed.

I was so scared I’d fail, you admitted, exhaustion finally catching up with her now that the crisis had passed.

You didn’t fail, Nolan said firmly.

You did what alpha queens do.

You protected our pack using your unique gifts.

My wolf knew what he was choosing.

I knew.

And now the entire pack knows it, too.

That evening, as the pack gathered for an impromptu celebration of crisis averted, pack members kept approaching Ucia with gratitude and respect that felt nothing like the polite acknowledgement she’d received as a visiting princess.

This was genuine appreciation from people who understood that her abilities had made a real difference.

“You’re one of us now,” Moira said, settling beside Ucia with a cup of ceremonial wine.

Not just because you bonded with our alpha, but because you proved yourself when it mattered.

That’s how pack bonds are truly formed.

Through shared challenges and trust.

Later, alone in their quarters with Nolan, Usbia finally let herself feel the full weight of what had happened.

I almost couldn’t do it, she confessed quietly.

There were moments today when I thought my abilities wouldn’t be enough, that I’d fail everyone.

But you didn’t, Nolan said, pulling her close.

You trusted yourself and your gifts, even when it was terrifying.

That’s courage, you makes you an extraordinary alpha queen.

I spent so many years thinking my abilities were just weird quirks that made me unsuitable for everything, you said.

But today, they saved people.

They actually mattered in a way that changed outcomes.

They’ve always mattered.

Nolan corrected gently.

You just finally had people around you who recognized their value.

Your abilities are powerful, you watching you use them today, seeing you be exactly who you were meant to be.

My wolf and I have never been more certain that we chose correctly.

Youbia looked up at her mate at the fierce pride and love in his amber eyes and felt something settled deep in her chest.

She wasn’t the forgotten princess anymore.

She wasn’t the odd daughter who didn’t fit expectations.

She was Alpha Queen Uczeia Silvermain, bonded mate of an alpha king, protector of the Northern Pack, and someone whose unique gifts had saved lives and homes.

She belonged here, not because she’d transformed into someone different, but because she’d found a place where being exactly herself was not just accepted, but valued.

“I love you,” she said softly.

“Thank you for choosing me, for seeing me when everyone else looked past me.

I love you too, Nolan replied.

And my wolf says to tell you that he’s very smug about being right.

And you should stop doubting his judgment.

You see, Beia laughed.

Exhausted and emotional, but genuinely happy.

Your wolf can be smug.

He earned it.

Outside their window, wolves howled in celebration under the stars, packed songs of safety and gratitude and belonging.

And wrapped in Nolan’s arms, listening to the music of her new home, Ucia knew with absolute certainty that every moment of doubt and fear had been worth it to arrive at exactly this place.

She was home.

She was loved.

She was exactly who she was meant to be.

And that was the greatest adventure of all.

Epilogue.

Three years later, Princess Lyra Silvermain was 2 years old, had her mother’s copper red curls and her father’s amber eyes, and could communicate with animals before she could speak in complete sentences.

The garden cats told her about the mice in the storage room.

You explained to a bewildered kitchen staff, “She’s trying to warn you, even though her vocabulary consists mostly of mouse and bad and emphatic pointing, she’s going to be a force of nature.

” Arya predicted, watching her niece have an animated conversation with a very patient horse, possibly more powerful than you, which is saying something.

Usabia smiled, watching her daughter explain something very important to the horse in toddler Babel that somehow the animal seemed to understand perfectly.

Nolan stood beside them, one hand resting on Ucia’s growing belly where their second child was currently making acrobatic movements.

Our family is chaos, Nolan observed fondly.

Our family is perfect, corrected, leaning into his warmth.

Rowena had married her ambassador in a beautiful ceremony 6 months ago and was deliriously happy managing coastal trade relationships.

Saraphina had accepted a position at the Eastern Libraries and sent regular letters full of academic excitement and scandalous scholar gossip.

Their parents visited regularly, and King Edmund had stopped looking surprised that his odd daughter had become an extraordinarily successful alpha queen.

The Northern Pack thrived under Yucibia and Nolan’s leadership.

The animal communication training program had expanded to include students from other territories.

The settlements were prosperous and peaceful, and Eusebia had finally completely accepted that she belonged exactly where she was.

“Happy?” Nolan asked, pulling her close as they watched Lyra convince the horse to let her sit on his back.

Completely, you said, meaning it with her whole heart.

The mocked princess who talked to animals had found her purpose, her pack, and her home.

And she had never been more certain that being exactly herself was precisely enough.

The end.

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