Chapter 2: His Queen

-Roman-

I was standing on the big balcony that faced the front of the enormous mansion. I watched the people stream inside, their voices carried with the wind and brought up to me. There were so many of them and they were expecting big things for tonight. They were expecting a new queen. Daphne hadn’t officially been named queen. I hadn’t marked her yet either. Tonight was just her introduction as my queen. A lot still had to be prepared for the official ceremony, and then there was the marking. I felt little about the marking, though. Many lycans would be excited, even wolves, but such an excitement was reserved for when you found your true mate. The one chosen by The Moon Goddess, and someone who was your perfect match. The missing piece who had been looking for. It was a blessing to be given a mate. Not everyone was. Among werewolves it was very common… Among Lycans? Not so much. We didn’t know why this was. Maybe it had something to do with the fact we were just born more powerful. Maybe there was a price to pay for that or that we were the rulers of the wolves. There were also fewer of us. Wolves bred easier than we did. Our power and slow-aging had to be balanced in some way. We lived longer than werewolves. A hundred years more, actually. Some could even be up to 300. It was rare, but it happened.

I was still very young for a lycan. I had not even lived 30 yet. I was 28. Many would probably find it weird why I was so quick just to choose a queen. Why not wait a little longer? What was the rush? I was a young king, but I had taken over even before I had turned 17. My father had actually been so lucky to find his mate, but after a rogue pack killed her… he simply… couldn’t go on. The powers of the mate bond were tricky. It could fill you with power, making you stronger than any of your enemies, or it could bring you to your knees. It owned you and it broke you. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to ever be weakened in the way my father was. I didn’t want to become him one day. I didn’t want to leave a son behind who needed him. No, I wanted to be there for my child. If I was lucky enough to have one. I would definitely put in the effort. Sadly, lycans had a hard time conceiving. Hopefully, we succeeded. In order to be my queen, Daphne had to go through many tests. I went through them too to figure out if we gene wise were even compatible, but we were. It could work with us. Of course, it might still not happen. Losing the pup was easy. So easy among lycans. A price to pay…

Daphne wasn’t just some random lycan woman I had chosen. No, we had known each other really most of our lives. We had grown up together. Our families were friends, and we had been to many gatherings and parties together. We had talked, and we had become friends too. I knew her, and I knew she would make a good queen and a suitable partner. She was born to be luna. Her family was very powerful, so it was only fitting I chose her. I had made my intentions clear. I had told her why I thought we were a good match, and while she had been hesitant, she had said yes. I knew why she had agreed in the end, despite wanting love in her relationship, and I knew this seemed cruel. Daphne was in love with me. I knew it. She had never confessed it, but she had dropped many hints and the way she looked at me… Yeah, it could not be mistaken. I was cruel for taking advantage of that, because how could she say no despite me telling her I chose her because on paper we were perfect together, and we were good friends, so we would make suitable partners? But I had also made it clear I was not looking for love in this partnership. I was not looking for someone to open my heart to and let in. It was why she had hesitated, but I knew she wouldn’t say no. Some might wonder, why go after her? Why not choose someone else when they knew I couldn’t offer her what she truly wanted? The thing was, I didn’t want others. I had looked elsewhere, and they all seemed to either annoy me in some way or I knew in the future we would just grow tired of each other. I didn’t share the same connection to other female lycans as I did with Daphne. There really was no better option than her, and I knew I had been cruel. I had taken advantage, but I needed a queen, and I knew no one would be better than her.

I sighed as I tightened my hands around the stone railing. Then I pushed away. I turned the family ring on my middle finger around and around. When I was nervous, I always did that. I wasn’t very thrilled about this party. It wasn’t that I hated parties. I didn’t particularly enjoy them either, but I didn’t hate them. This one, though, made me anxious. It made me anxious because I didn’t really think it was anyone’s business who became my queen, but more importantly, it felt stupid to present her and put such a massive target on her. I knew everyone wanted to know who their queen was going to be. That was only natural, but I was not without enemies. Even the people who entered the mansion I knew had things against me. People who wanted power for themselves. They didn’t want such a young king. They didn’t want me, someone they felt was inexperienced and maybe a little weak too. I bet they saw me as vulnerable because I had been put on the throne so young and had no one to guide me. I heard the poisonous words. Many of them whispered in my ears. But I heard what they truly wanted from me, and I didn’t listen. I had learned quickly enough that I could trust no one. No one even on the council could be trusted, and they were supposed to be working together to make it better for all lycans and wolves. They were hungry for power… that was all.

Knock. Knock.

I looked over my shoulder and into my room as someone knocked on my door.

“Enter,” I said.

The door opened, and the smell of rain was carried towards me. I knew then who it was who entered. Daphne stepped in moments after, wearing a beautiful tight white dress that hugged her slim and tall body. She looked amazing and with her blond hair running down her back. Daphne smiled as she walked closer to me, and then stopped by the open balcony doors. She leaned against one of them and took me in. The look in her eyes changed, and she seemed concerned.

“Are you okay, Roman?” she asked.

“Just fine.”

I leaned against the stone railing behind me and glanced over my shoulder.

“Seems like we will have the house filled tonight,” I said.

I turned to Daphne, but she was smiling happily. She enjoyed these parties. She always had, but she had always been the center of attention. Daphne was a very beautiful woman, and everyone always praised her for her beauty. I felt saddened by it though. It felt like I was the only one who really noticed the clever and fun person who laid beneath the surface. Sometimes it felt like Daphne even fell too much into the role others wanted her to play, and that only saddened me more. She had much to offer. More than just beauty, and yet somehow it felt like I was the only one to see that. Maybe that was why she had fallen for me. Because I saw an actual person, who didn’t just want her for her beauty, and yet… yet I had still used her. I felt the sting in my heart. The guilty clawing at it.

“It’s exciting,” she said, and I tried smiling a little.

“You always loved these things.”

“Yes, but there is also a lot of food,” she said teasingly.

Despite a love for food, she was still very slim. Some could really just enjoy what they wanted. I chuckled a little, and I knew she had tried to make me laugh and worry less. Daphne walked out onto the balcony, and reached out, running a hand through my hair and trying to calm me.

“You know I can always see when something is bothering you, right?” she asked.

I nodded. I knew she could. She had told me this many times.

“What’s going on?”

“I just… feel this party isn’t a good idea,” I told her. “I mean, we are inviting everyone!”

“We are,” she said and leaned against the railing too.

I turned to her and looked at her worriedly.

“It’s like telling the enemies, "look here, hit her right here and you will see the king go down",” I told her. “I am scared this will just give them something to use against me.”

“Do you think someone will just assassinate me at that party?”

I shrugged.

“We do not know who all of those people are,” I reminded her and pointed to the ground where people were still streaming inside. “We have invited wolves and lycans from… well, pretty much all the corners of the world! Why aren’t you more worried?”

“Because I trust you have the security in order,” she joked a little.

I sighed and shook my head.

“It’s not time for jokes… but yes, I do,” I quickly added.

She chuckled, and the sound of it made me smile. No, I had no plans of falling in love. I knew I never would. So many years had passed, and I had never felt those feelings for her. I had never felt the need to be more than friends, but friends were good at cheering each other up too, and I liked the sound of her laughter.

“You know you do nothing but worry,” she said.

“That’s not true.”

“You can’t have fun.”

“I can have fun!” I defended.

”Oh, well, you highness, how about you prove it then?” she challenged me and crossed her arms. “Go down to that party. Smile. Laugh. Enjoy!”

“Are you giving me commands already, my queen?” I joked.

She chuckled and nodded. “Better get used to it.”

We both laughed, and the energy between us was nice, but I had a hard time letting go of this worry. I did, of course, care for Daphne. I didn’t want her to get hurt, but she easily could.

“It’s going to be okay,” she said, and placed a hand on my arm. “You will see.”

I just nodded a little and tried smiling.

“I’m glad you’re so calm.”

“Well, someone has to be,” she teased.

I pushed away from the railing and placed myself in front of her. I placed a hand on her neck and brought her closer, kissing her. This wasn’t the first time we had kissed. We had done it a few times, but to me it was more duty and getting used to it, because I knew there would be more of it. I felt a bit bad about it because every time I pulled away it was like her eyes were glistening with want for more. More I couldn’t give. I kissed her anyway, moving my lips against hers and tasting her. She did taste good, and it was not that the kiss was bad. It would never be more, though. I slowly pulled back, and I saw that glistening look again. She smiled back as I smiled at her. I stroked a thumb over her bottom lip and I watched her eyes grow heated.

“Okay, let’s go down to the party,” I said. “You stay by my side, though.”

“Where else would I be, my King?” she teased.

I held out my arm for her, and she took it as we left my bedroom and went to join the many guests who had arrived.