Elis
I walked back to my chambers with the swagger of a man who had just reclaimed his throne. My muscles still hummed with the echo of the shift…Tika's fire coursing through my veins, primal and alive. The crowd's stunned silence, the disbelief turning into reverence, still rang sweet in my ears. For now, the doubters were silenced. I had shifted. I had ruled.
I pushed the chamber doors open to find Eunice already waiting, arms crossed, with that all-too-familiar amused smirk playing on her lips. "Well," she drawled, tilting her head, "that was quite a performance."
I chuckled, dragging a hand through my damp hair. "I told you I'd make them submit."
She poured me a drink without asking; spiced whiskey, sharp and comforting and handed it over with a raised brow.
"And yet," she said, watching me take the first sip, "you still reek of tension. This wasn't just about the shift, was it?"
I didn't lie. "No. The doubts linger. For now, I've won."
She gave a thoughtful hum, lifting her own glass. "So? How do you plan to celebrate your glorious resurrection, Alpha King?"
I didn't answer. I already knew. Lily.
I didn't knock. I didn't need to. I found her brushing out her hair, soft waves catching the lantern light. My breath caught for a beat. She looked like peace... and power. Mine. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. She gasped at the sudden intrusion, but her eyes…those wide, soul-baring eyes…lit up with recognition. "Elis," she whispered.
Her voice. Goddess, I had missed it. I was still half-dressed, my robe barely tied, my chest damp with the cool night air, but I only saw her. She started to speak, but I cut her off, voice low and resolute. "I told you, this was just the beginning." I moved toward her, drinking in her scent…spices, wildflowers and something only my wolf could name. Her eyes searched mine, her cheeks flushed, but she didn't back away. "You did it," she whispered as I stopped before her.
I reached for her, cupping her face, letting my thumb brush along the line of her jaw. "I did," I murmured. "And I couldn't have done it without you."
She laughed softly, eyes dancing. "All I did was tell you some silly childhood tale."
That tale was what had broken the wall inside me. What had reached the buried part of Tika and coaxed him forward. "That 'silly tale' woke my wolf," I said, my voice gruffer than intended. "It brought me back."
Her lips parted, her breath hitching. "And now?" she asked.
A slow smile curved my lips. "Now, I indulge Tika." Before she could say another word, I pulled her against me, tasting her gasp as my lips crashed into hers. This kiss wasn't an expression it was a claiming. She was mine. And tonight, the celebration would begin in her arms.
I woke before dawn, the feel of her body pressed against mine, her breath soft and steady against my skin. I stayed still, committing the moment to memory; the warmth, the quiet and the peace I hadn't felt in years.
She shifted in her sleep, curling closer, and I tightened my hold. I wasn't leaving. Not this time. Not ever again. Her eyes fluttered open, and when she saw me still there, her sleepy smile nearly unraveled me. "You're still here," she murmured, fingers tracing idle patterns on my chest.
I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her wrist. "Where else would I be?"
She looked at me, smile fading into something more serious. "Once upon a time, you left before dawn."
I tilted her chin up so she could see the truth in my eyes. "That was then." She stilled. "I want you, Lily. Not just for the night…for every night. I want to wake up with you like this. Every single day."
Her breath caught, her lips parting. I ran my fingers through her hair, holding her gaze. "I don't want to leave your bed before sunrise ever again."
"Elis…" she began, voice trembling.
I silenced her with a kiss, slower this time and deeper. Letting her feel it…the promise, the need and the certainty. When I finally pulled back, she whispered, "And your princess?"
I exhaled, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip. "We'll deal with her when the time comes. But you…" I rolled her gently onto her back, my body pressing hers into the mattress. "You are mine."
A shiver danced through her, and I saw it in her eyes…the surrender, the fear and the thrill. We stayed together through the morning, wrapped in nothing but sheets and each other. Eunice had taken care of everything…no knocks and no interruptions. The world could wait. For now, I had all I ever wanted. Her.
***
Lily's pov
Sara burst into my room without knocking, her eyes wide with urgency. I was still curled up in bed, Elis's scent lingering on the sheets, my skin still humming from the night we'd shared. One look at her face, and I sat up straight.
"What happened?" I asked, brushing hair from my face.
She shut the door behind her and folded her arms tightly. "Princess Zeena is losing her mind."
My stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
"She's furious," Sara said, lowering her voice. "Pacing like a caged lioness in her chambers. Her maid…well, actually your spy, Nita, told me everything. Zeena knows Elis spent the night with you again. And he didn't leave at first light this time. Last time, she saw the robe being brought to your door, saw him emerge later like a man well and truly…" She paused, blushing. "...satisfied."
I swallowed hard, my heart thudding. "She saw that?"
"She was watching from her window like a hawk," Sara confirmed, her expression tight with concern. "Apparently, she hasn't seen Elis in days. Not once has he entered her chambers since she arrived. And now, after last night… she's enraged."
I bit my lip. "Let her be."
Sara raised an eyebrow. "She's not the type to 'let things be,' Lily. She's brewing something. Nita said she turned from the window like a woman possessed, muttering that if he won't come to her, she'll make him."
I frowned. "That sounds like a threat."
Sara nodded. "It was a threat. She's not backing down. And knowing Zeena, she won't come at you directly, she'll strike where it hurts most."
"Elis," I whispered, my fists curling into the sheets.
"Yes. Or your position beside him," Sara said quietly. "She's playing the long game now, Lily. But I don't think she realizes, neither of you are playing the same game anymore."
I exhaled slowly, the heat of Elis's kiss still lingering on my lips, the weight of reality settling over me like a storm cloud. I had won the night but the war was far from over. And Zeena? She had just declared it.