COLORS WERE SPLAYED OUT around Aida, her desk in Draco's home office cluttered with preparations for the upcoming coronation. Pictures of dresses ranging from red to light blue to white, were all her eyes could take in. "Go away Draco," she grunted when the office door opened for the fifth time that hour. "I'm still busy."

But he ignored her and walked up to the dark wood desk. "I like this one," he said pointing to an elegant mint green dress with white floral designs at the end.

"The train is long though," she massaged her temples. "I think five or six feet?"

Draco nodded, pretending like he knew what a 'train,' was. "How much does it cost?"

She shrugged, "it's one of my moms, I doubt she'll charge me, but probably $3,000. When are we going to Greece?"

"Monday."

It was Thursday, her shift was in two days and their first visit to their new home was only four days away. "Right," she muttered, rubbing her temples again.

"Headache?" He watched her nod and then walked over to her and pulled her to her feet. The high ponytail she sported, looked tight, and Draco gently tugged the hair tie out and put it around his wrist. "Better?" He asked whilst massaging her scalp.

Aida shrugged slightly, dropping her head against his chest and breathing in his scent. "I think I'm going to puke," she said nonchalantly. Her stomach gurgled, bile filling her throat and she stepped away from him quickly.

"Oh okay," he fumbled with his hands and led her to the bathroom. "Shit," he screeched when she bent over the toilet bowl and threw up her chili cheese omelette from the morning. Pulling her hair away from her face, he leaned his head against the wall. He had never done well with people throwing up, that was the only downfall if she ever got pregnant, he wouldn't be able to handle the morning sickness.

Pregnancy.

"Oh my god." He dropped her hair in surprise, "Celeste—oh my god."

"What Draco," she snapped. "My head is in a toilet bowl, what the fuck is so important?"

"I think...Celeste I think you're pregnant." He scooped her up in his arms, his thundering footsteps causing heads to turn as he raced out of the palace and through the pack grounds. "Kevin!" Draco screamed the moment he reached the hospital.

A plump man with rectangular glasses came around the corner.

"I think she's pregnant."

Kevin nodded, directing his King and Queen to an empty room. Aida stirred in Draco's arms, her eyes fluttering open.

"Alpha Rivers," Kevin smiled, "our Luna is pregnant."

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, causing Draco's head to snap down and look at her.

"I want to do an ultrasound if that's okay with you?"

"Okay." The cold gel against her stomach made her flinch, but neither the King nor Queen's eyes left the screen in front of them.

"There we are," Kevin beamed. "Two healthy pups! I estimate you're about three months along, so you'll be giving birth anytime between now and six months. Wolves in the wild give birth after about two and a half months, whereas if everything runs smoothly for humans they're pregnant for nine months before birth. Because you're both, then these lovey little pups will come when they feel like it. Because Lycans tend to give both faster than humans, we'll be able to find out gender next month."

The two higher ups thanked the doctor and walked in silence back to their castle. The goals they had planned for the day were long forgotten.

Aida walked through the house and made way for their bedroom, gingerly climbing into their California King bed.

Pregnant.

Twins.

Too busy trapped in the maze in her own mind the hybrid Queen had yet to notice her counterpart slipping into the bed beside her.

"Sweetheart," Draco pulled her closer to him, so her back was flat against his front. "I know you're scared, you have every right to be, but I'm not leaving you. I will be here every step of the way, I promise."

"Pinky Promise?" She held up her tiniest finger for him to grab in his.

"Pinky Promise." They both let out a sigh as his caramel tattooed fingers danced across now flat stomach. "I love you," but all he got in return was her even breathing.

The copper silk robe was a perfect contrast against her latte colored skin. Honey colored locks cascaded down the middle of her back, she had never been fond of having long hair—it was far too much work—but for some reason, she felt like it suited her better. It suited her role as Queen better. A knock tore her gaze away from the mirror, Draco.

He stood with a smile on his face as he stared at the women who would become his Queen in a few hours.

"You'll be there the whole time right?" Aida looked up at her mate.

He had a look on his face, like he was trying not to worry about what could go wrong, but she saw right through him. "Of course," he dropped her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist instead. "I don't plan on leaving you, I love you."

"I love you too." She leaned against him as they walked out of the palace and towards the pack. Chairs were set up in rows, surrounding an empty square of land. From the corner of her eye she could see her mother and father sitting in the front row, neither of them doing a good job of hiding their fear. Beside her parents, her friends sported worried looks on their faces. Well except for Chris, he looked quite smug. She turned away from them, knowing that if she dived into their fear too much, she would start believing in it too.

"Are you ready?" He stood behind her, both hands resting on her shoulders.

A shiver went down her spine as he kissed her mark and simultaneously pulled her robe away from her body.

"I love you." He whispered one last time, before taking a seat next to her mom. He was worried. He knew physically she was strong enough to survive, but if she went into this with a bad mental headspace, it was going to mess with her in more ways than one. The entire pack held their breath as they watched the moonlight bleed out from over the tree tops and onto the grass.

Her skin looked milky under the bright light, and then her cry was heard. Aida fell onto her knees, her breath raggedy and inconsistent. She had been beat up before, but this was a different kind of pain. Her bones were breaking, joints being twisted, tendons and veins stretching, she could feel her heart beating faster trying to accommodate for the 150 beats per minute. It hurt like hell. A cry pierced the ears of the bystanders as they watched their Luna slump forward, her naked body pressed right against the lush green grass. It had rained recently so one side of her face was covered in mud. Her blue and green orbs peeled open, watching as her nails turned to claws, and her arms to front legs. The pain was all too much, and she blacked out.

"Celeste."

A melodic voice called out to her.

"Draco?" She whispered hoarsely, for he was the only one who called by that name. But this voice was too harmonious, too feminine.

"Celeste look at me..." She gasped, cold air filling her lungs as her eyes acclimated to the A woman sat beside her, her skin was pale and looked even paler under the white dress flowing dress, dark hair fell down her front and back. It was longer than Aida had ever seen someone's hair in real life, probably reaching to below her hip bones.

"Who are you?"

"I am the Moon Goddess, but you can call me Selene." She had the laugh of an angel.

"You're Draco's mom?"

Selene nodded. "You know I've never seen someone as powerful as you before, other than your mate of course. He has always been my greatest creation—"

"Creation?"

"Mhm," her eyes twinkled. "Draco was the first Lycan I created,"

Aida's mouth fell open.

"I wanted something different, someone different. Many moons ago I fell in love. He was—is—my mate, Draco's father. Draco is old," Selene said with a laugh. "Very old."

"But he looks so young?"

"He's not. Draco would die every 25 years, but now that he's met you, that's all done. You've both stopped aging physically."

"I'm going to be 18 forever?"

"Yes and no. To the rest of the world, you'll look 18, but the both of you will continue to age."

Aida nodded, her mind swirling with thoughts. Her mouth opened, ready to ask another question but Selene and the cave were gone and instead she was back on pack lands, surrounded by clapping pack members. She was clumsy when she first rose off the ground. The switch from two legs to four was spooky. Golden eyes searched for Draco, her tongue falling out of her mouth when she found him. She watched as his eyes turned silver, Tobias no doubt checking out his mate in her wolf form. Long legs carried him in her direction. When he reached her, a large hand ran along her body and through her fur. She was pure white, except for one ear that was as dark as the darkest night sky, matching that of her mates fur.

For the King and Queen, each possessed one ear that matched the color of their mate.

"You have to lead the hunt now, my love." Tobias's voice echoed through Verity's skull.

Around her, the hunters gathered by the edge of the woods, waiting for their Queen. A loud howl could be heard leaving Verity's mouth, before she turned and dashed through the woods.

~*~

The ceremony was almost finished. All that was left to do was the formal crowning. Draco and Aida stood in the middle of the training field, where the moonlight shined at its brightest. He still sported his all black suit, but gone was her silk robe and replaced with a more Queen appropriate dress. It was a high neck long sleeve lavender tulle style dress, it was sheer from just above her knee down and on her arms.

It was different, not something she would ever wear, but it was beautiful. The flowers made it even more so. There was a silver bowl in front of them and priest of sorts. "Aida Rachel Celeste De Luca," the priest had a weird voice, sounding more closely to a heavy chainsmoker than anything else. "Do you promise to protect and serve this Kingdom with your life?"

"I do." Her voice was strong, like that of a stern but caring mother. Someone like her own mom, who looked and sounded mean but she is really nothing but a loving and caring human being.

"Do you promise to stand by Draco Basileus Xander Rivers?"

"I do."

"By the power vested in me by the Moon Goddess herself, I hear by present to you, the Lycan Kingdom, your new Luna Queen; Aida Rachel Celeste Rivers." It wasn't an official mundane wedding, Lycans don't typically do one, but as Queen it is customary to change their name to that of their mates. Aida gasped at the amount of energy that ran through her body. It was hard at first because she could hear and feel them. All of the Lycans swarmed her mind.

Within seconds she was whisked away from the field and towards the ball room, her arm looped through Draco's. Their place at the head of the room was set and flanking either side of their throne were their friends and her parents. An empty burger—made from the meat of one of the many deer she and her hunters had killed—sat in front of her, ready to doctored up.

Draco sat beside his Queen, watching as she took a bite of her burger. The way she ate wasn't like that of your stereotypical royal because she didn't care what other people thought about her. It was one of the many things he loved about Aida, her ability to stay true to herself.

"What?" She chuckled, uncomfortable with the way Draco had been so intently staring at her.

"Nothing, I just love you." His lips pressed against her temple, "so much." He smiled at her flushed face, thinking she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"So," Blaise spoke up from beside her daughter. "When do I get more grandkids?"

Draco choked on his red wine and looked at Aida, his eyes pleading for her to tell them the news.

Aida's laugh seemed to soothe the pack even more. "Maman, I'm actually—"

Blaise gasped. "You're pregnant?"

Aida nodded, a blush on her face. "Twins."

"Boys or girls?"

"Boys." She gripped Draco's thigh under the table.

"Did you hear that Luc?" Blaise poked her husband's bicep. "We're going to be grandparents again."

But the Mafia Don just grunted. He was excited to be a grandfather again, he knew Aida would make a perfect mother. However, the thought of her having sex at only 18, rubbed him the wrong way. Glancing over his glass of bourbon he stared at Draco, loving the way the King squirmed under his gaze. "I know you'll make a wonderful mother, Princess."

~

you know in the first version she wasn't supposed to be pregnant this early on but then i changed quite literally everything. also i know in some werewolf books your not supposed to shift when you're pregnant but like fuck that i'm the author (#blackauthor)

question of the day: if you could live anywhere in the world rn where would it be?

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