Magnus

I have never seen my cousin more serious than he is now. This ordeal has aged him, matured him and toughened him up. He is sitting on his thrown with a deep pensive look on his face and he regards everything and everyone with a sense of responsibility. I am afraid Sig is gone. All I have before me is King Sigvard. To think that I was pushing him back in the day to become what he is now, to drop that lightness that got him in trouble, to abandon the playfulness that made him look inadequate to be the Alpha King. Now? I regret this.

Because behind that wisdom the pain has brought him, it also weights a sorrow that is not suiting him. My cousin, the only blood family I have left, is unhappy.

"He will find himself again," Antiope says.

She doesn't need the link to read my thoughts. Rarely does either of us needs it. I turn to her and her sight is enough to bring a smile on my face. My mate is the most beautiful female in the world. And her swollen belly makes her even more beautiful. I reach out and I put my hand on it.

"Alpha Magnus will be my second-in-command," Sigvard announces.

My hand on the belly presses a little more firmly. Till the Alpha King has offsprings, my son will be third in the line of succession. Too open a target, too dangerous. I tried to avoid this responsibility. I begged Sigvard to let me be just the Alpha of my pack, resting with my family in the quiet corner of our paradise. But he would not listen. He trusts no one but me and Antiope.

"Everything will be OK," Antiope whispers in my ear as she pushes me lightly to stand next to the King.

We need to project a united, unbeatable force. I killed the imposter and Sigvard did not do so bad himself. His... brother underestimated the light-hearted twin and mistook him for weak. But the same day I ended the man threatening us, Sigvard arrived in my territory. Alone.

He has killed every last follower of his brother and has executed with his bare hands his own Royal Guard under suspicion of conspiracy. I haven't seen it, but the rumors of the massacre in that place we were both kept have traveled to the corners of the werewolf community. And the public, gruesome way he killed the Royal Guard... Let's just say, people would think twice to fuck with the Alpha King in the future.

But still, he is not satisfied. He is withdrawn, suspicious, almost paranoid, guarded against everyone. After the ceremony, Sigvard went to his office where he spends all of his days and didn't even come out to bid me and Antiope farewell.

---

"Come on, Magnus," Antiope says while caressing her belly absent-minded. "He will be fine."

"Is he?" I look up from the paperwork Sig has dumped on me.

"I know he will. I mean you are fine."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"Oh, you think you were any different when we first met?"

I scowl.

"You are right," Antiope raises an eyebrow. "You were a lot worse. I doubt Sigvard would stoop so low as to kidnap a girl so he could blackmail a female to be his mate."

The scowl deepens but inside I do not regret a thing. I get up and approach her as she is standing at the window. I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.

"You know I was here when I first realized," I whisper in her ear.

"Realized what?" Antiope leans against me.

"Realized that I couldn't live without you. You went swimming in the lake and I-"

"You came down and grabbed me in the water and kissed me."

Without a word, I pick her up in my arms and run down the stairs and out to the lake. Antiope yelps and laughs hard and everyone we pass by smiles at us. We reach the lake and I rush in the waters. Antiope opens her mouth to protest but I do not let her. I take her mouth in mine and I kiss her hard.

I do not know what future lies ahead and Goddess knows I am terrified and scared and paranoid. But with her by my side, it will all work out. I was given a second chance in happiness and I intend to prove worthy of it. Though hard as I might, I will always feel that I do not deserve a woman like her in my life. Better this way. It means I will be proving myself every day.

"Jag älskar dig," I breathe over her lips. "I love you, little girl."

And I mean it with all my heart.

"I love you too," Antiope smiles. "How about a run?"

We laugh once more and we shift letting Maximo and Henrar enjoy what I and Antiope have. What we will always have.