EPILOGUE 1 —THE BANQUET

A MONTH LATER

DARIUS.

The banquet went better than Darius had anticipated.

He had hoped for a low-key and personal ceremony in which he could deliver the glad news to his people and seal the everlasting union with his partner, but the event planners had other ideas. They'd gone over and aboard, and he surprisingly approved.

Every area of the castle was artistically ornamented with gold and scarlet decorations. Everything was stunning, from the beautiful wall tapestries to the intricate floral arrangements, and the crystal chandelier glowed like a light in the hall's center. It was ethereal. Just like the woman for whom this entire charade was intended.

Darius smiled as he continued to glance around.

His gaze swept through the guests in the room, mingling, drinking, and speaking in groups. He also watched the servants rushing around carrying platters, refilling drinks, and doing almost anything to keep the party going.

Finally, his wandering attention was interrupted by the most intriguing sight that happened to be entering the hall at the time.

It wasn't just anybody. It was Brielle. His woman. His mate. And dammit, if she wasn't beautiful.

However, Darius wasn't only referring to her beauty. He was talking about her gracefulness. Her elegance. The way she made every movement appear effortless. The way she carried herself as if she were floating on clouds. And the way her long, goofy strawberry-blonde hair fell behind her, perfectly framing her face as she entered the hall. Her dress gleamed in the light from the chandelier, and the silk fabric shimmered and shined, complementing her skin tone perfectly.

She appeared like a deity falling into their midst, like an angel.

Even from across the room, Darius could see the admiration on everyone's faces. As she walked past, some people turned to look at her more than others. However, they all stared with reverence and wonder.

Darius felt his chest constrict cruelly.

By the moon goddess, Brielle was incredibly gorgeous. She was perfect. And she was all he saw now as everything else seemed to drift away.

She soon reached him and, halting, gazed sheepishly. "Hello. Your Highness." A slight flush rose on her cheeks after the greeting.

Darius smirked at the polite welcome, and instead of responding, he snaked his hand around her waist. He pulled her close and kissed her passionately on her delicate, pink lips. Brielle melted against him immediately.

He deepened the kiss, stroking his tongue around the insides of her mouth, and she moaned in response.

When he finally pulled his lips away from hers, he whispered in her ears. "You look stunning, my queen."

Brielle's cheeks became flushed again. She smiled brightly at him. “Thank you. "You look quite dashing, too.”

And it was true, Darius thought, staring down at himself in his royal robes.

Again, she spoke. "This is all so perfect, Darius."

Taken aback, he saw Brielle's eyes light up as she took in the entire room. "Wow!" She exclaimed. "This is all so beautiful."

"I was hoping you'd like it."

"Like?" She scoffed, her eyelashes fluttering. "I love it. And I love you."

That one sentence almost broke his heart. Every time she spoke, 'I love you,' it sounded new to his ears. Every syllable was pure nirvana for his senses.

He swallowed deeply.

"I love you too, Brielle, so fucking much." He pulled her to his chest and hugged her fiercely.

"Can't breathe." She stifled her laughter slightly.

"My apologies, darling." He released her with a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Let us join the festivities. I have an important announcement to make."

"Oh…" Brielle nodded slowly. "Okay."

They strolled side by side to the center of the room, and a silence fell over the assembled crowd. Everyone looked at them carefully.

Darius led the way, pulling out a chair and gesturing for Brielle to sit in it. Her face was initially confused, but as she looked up at him, it quickly changed to comprehension.

He smiled assuringly and kissed her hand before turning back to face the guests. Then he cleared his throat and started.

"Good evening, everyone! And thanks a lot for accepting my invitation." He paused briefly before facing Brielle, his lips forming a pleased smile. "As you all know, this gathering honors a strong and resilient woman I've come to cherish wholeheartedly."

Darius took a long breath before continuing. "When I lost Eve, I felt that was it for me. The end of ever falling in love, having a mate, and starting my own family. Despite my transgressions, the moon goddess viewed me as worthy of a second opportunity, and she brought Brielle to me." He hesitated and sniffed. "And even when she was in my grasp, I mistreated her. I still screwed up. Even now, I regret many of the things I did. But she did not give up on me. You know, Brielle and I have faced far too many challenges. Most of them threatened to break us apart, but genuine love, like clockwork, always finds its way back together, and we did.”

Hums of appreciation and whispers filled the room.

Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I could talk all night about how lucky and thankful I am to have found her, but still, it wouldn't cover the depth of my feelings and appreciation for this woman right here." His gaze returned to hers, his look now one of pride, an implicit assurance that she was loved and cherished.

She grinned back, a blooming wide smile lighting up her face, and Darius' heart tightened in reaction.

He turned to continue his address. "So… all I can say now is that I've met my soulmate. The one I want to spend the rest of my life and have kids with.”

Brielle let out a gasp, which he heard but ignored. Continuing his remarks, he stated. “And for the special announcement I have tonight... I present my Luna and Queen of Washington City, Brielle Warrens Havix."

An instant ovation erupted in all directions, filling the entire hall. The crowd erupted in applause and celebration of their new Luna queen.

Darius let his gaze return to Brielle, and his eyes softened even more when he observed how happy she was. Despite her astonished appearance, she appeared thrilled.

He approached her.

"What did you just do…"

He did not let her finish. Instead, he down and swept her up into his arms, whirling her about with such ease that she couldn't help but laugh out loud at his antics.

"My goodness, Darius. Could you please put me down? We should not be doing this. People are watching."

But Darius only chuckled and continued to swing her gently, ignoring the stares of visitors and aristocrats.

This was what happiness felt and looked like. It was joy, ecstasy, and contentment. This was the life he desired and the one she deserved.

There was no need to worry. No need to fear. There were no more enemies. It was just him and Brielle. Together forever.

"They can watch us for as long as they want to, my love," Darius whispered, laying his chin on her temple and swaying her gently back and forth. "I'm not bothered, and you shouldn't be."

“Okay. I won’t.”

“Good. Good girl.” Darius muttered.

As he continued swirling her around, Darius, in that moment, was confident that things couldn't get any better than this.