Chapter 154 My Forever - Adele's POV

Chapter 154 My Forever - Adele's POV
I woke up three days later. At least, that was what I was told.

I had no idea I had been asleep that long or that I had even fainted. The last thing I remembered was Craven holding me, his arms wrapped tightly around me as I tried to keep my eyes open.

Apparently, I had failed. I opened my eyes slowly, staring up at a ceiling I didn't recognize.

For a moment, I didn't move, then I sat up. A sharp pain moved through my body, and I groaned as I fell back against the pillows.

“Don't do that.”

I turned my head. Craven was sitting in a chair beside the bed, his arms crossed over his chest.

He looked terrible. His face was bruised, and there was still a small cut near his eyebrow. His arm was wrapped tightly against his body, and I could see the edge of the bandages beneath his shirt.

I stared at him. “You're hurt.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I'm fine.”

“You don't look fine,” I said, raising one hand to point at his face.

“You're one to talk.”

I looked down at myself. I was still wearing the same dress, although it had been cleaned. There were several tears in it, and I was fairly certain that there was still blood on the hem.

I looked back at him. “What happened?”

Craven leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “The attack ended shortly after you used your magic.”

I frowned. “I don't remember much after that.”

“You don't remember my father disintegrating?”

I shook my head.

Craven smiled faintly. “You probably should. It was rather impressive.”

I stared at him. “I did that? What else did I do?”

“Everything.” He sighed. “Your magic spread through the kingdom. It stopped the fighting. It stopped the vampires who had been attacking us. And then it did something else.”

“What?”

Craven's expression softened. “It reached everyone. Mira said it was normal.”

I swallowed. “What does that mean?”

“It means they felt you.”

I didn't understand. He reached for my hand, slowly intertwining his fingers with mine.

“They knew you were there. They knew you were their queen.”

I stared at our hands and was amazed. “What happened to Corwin?”

“He's alive.”

I wasn't sure if that was good or bad, considering what he had done. “Where is he?”

“Being held in custody,” he said softly.

I blinked in surprise. “Oh.”

“Mira is determining if she can accept him,” he said finally, after a moment. “And he is the heir. There is no king currently since my father…disappeared.”

I looked down at our hands again, trying to process everything he had just told me. His father was dead. Corwin was being held somewhere in the kingdom. Mira was apparently deciding whether or not she could accept him after everything that had happened.

And I was a queen.

I wasn't sure which part of that was the most terrifying.

“So what happens now?”

Craven was quiet for a moment. “That depends on what we decide.”

I looked at him, my gaze widening in shock. “What we decide?”

He nodded. “Corwin thinks you should rule with me by your side.”

I immediately shook my head. “No.”

Craven laughed, and I frowned at him.

“What?”

“You've been awake for less than ten minutes, and you've already rejected the crown,” he scoffed.

“I don't know how to rule a kingdom.”

“Neither do I, but I think it might be best. I did make one suggestion,” he added.

“And what kind of suggestion was that?”

He sighed heavily as if it pained him to tell me. “I told Corwin that if Mira accepted him back and we could move past our differences, then maybe we could rule together with the two queens. It would be an eternal kingdom of peace.”

“Rule together?” I asked, my voice cracking. “What did he say?”

“He said that if Mira accepted him, he would do it, but only if you were okay with it?”

I didn’t know how I felt about him. He had kidnapped me and planned to use me, but in the end, he had protected me and told me to run. He couldn’t be that bad of a man, right?

There was a soft knock at the door. Craven glanced at it, then said, “It’s open.”

It cracked open, revealing Mira. Her cheeks were flushed crimson as she peeped inside.

“She’s awake.”

“Yes,” I said, trying to smile. “Just now.”

“Good. There was something I came to say.”

By the smile on her face, I already knew. “You chose him.”

She nodded, her eyes landing on the stone floor. “I did. We want to work through this as mates, and I’ve told him everything about what his father did. We’re not really sure why he threatened me or sent others after me, but it’s in the past, and I’d like…to move forward with all of my men.”

“I’m happy for you, Mira,” I said softly.

She looked up at me then, sighing. “He’d also like to discuss ruling together, Craven. If Adele accepts.”

My smile faded for a second, but then I looked at her and knew that what my answer would be. “I accept.”

And just like that, everything changed.

I had spent my entire life believing I would never have a place in this world. I had been the girl without magic. The girl with the strange mark. The girl who had been sent away and forgotten.

Now I was a queen.

Not because I had earned it or because I had been born knowing how to rule. I was a queen because I had finally accepted who I was. And I wasn't going to do it alone.

Craven's fingers tightened around mine, and I looked at the man who had somehow become the one person I couldn't imagine living without. He smiled at me, and for the first time, I didn't see the dangerous vampire who had once terrified me.

I saw my mate. My king. My future.

There was still so much to do. A kingdom to rebuild. A family to mend. A new life to create from the ruins of the old one.

But I wasn't afraid anymore. I had found my magic. I had found my family.

And, most importantly, I had found him.

My forever had finally begun.