Chapter 204 CHAPTER 204 - EPILOGUE

Chapter 204 CHAPTER 204 - EPILOGUE
The council room buzzed with quiet discussion.

Maps, reports, and neatly stacked documents covered the long oak table, each one waiting to be reviewed before the end of the day

Queen Ariel sat at the head of the table, one hand resting on an open report while the other tapped lightly against the polished wood.

"The eastern villages are requesting another shipment before winter," she said, glancing up at the others. "Approve it. No one should have to ration food when we have more than enough."

Andrew nodded as he made a note. "I'll have it arranged before sunset."

Across from him, Cassian slid another document toward Ariel.

"The new recruits from the southern territory have completed their training. The instructors are recommending thirty-seven of them for the royal guard."

Ariel skimmed the report before smiling.

"Thirty-seven? That's better than last year's class."

"They had an excellent instructor," Cassian replied with a smug grin.

Andrew snorted.

"You mean you spent six months terrifying them."

"It worked."

Cassian leaned back in his chair, completely unapologetic.

"They'll thank me one day."

"They'll probably spend years recovering first," Andrew muttered.

Ariel chuckled softly before turning another page.

"And the trade agreement with the neighboring packs?"

"Signed this morning," Zack answered. "No objections from either side."

"Good."

Ariel closed the folder with a satisfied nod.

"That settles the first half of the meeting. I think we should take a break…"

Just then, three soft knocks echoed through the room.

"Come in," Ariel called.

The door opened slowly.

Heavily pregnant Jenna stepped inside carrying a silver tray with a steaming coffee pot and several cups balanced carefully across it.

"I thought all of you could use a break," she said with a bright smile.

The smile instantly disappeared from Ariel's face.

"Jenna."

"What?"

"What are you doing carrying that?"

Jenna blinked innocently.

"A tray?"

Andrew was already on his feet.

He crossed the room in three quick strides and gently lifted the tray from her hands before she could protest.

"I had it," Jenna complained.

"I know," Andrew replied. "That's the problem."

He set the tray safely on the table before turning back to her.

Her rounded stomach stretched the soft blue dress she wore, and despite her attempt to hide it, her ankles were noticeably swollen.

Ariel folded her arms. "I thought the healer ordered you to rest."

"I am resting."

Cassian raised an eyebrow. "While carrying a tray full of hot coffee?"

Jenna looked at him as though he were missing something obvious.

"I walked very slowly."

Andrew pinched the bridge of his nose. "I honestly don't know what to do with her anymore." He looked back at his wife with exaggerated defeat. "I'm seriously considering tying her to the bed every morning before I leave for work."

Jenna smiled sweetly at her husband. "If you ever try something like that..." She stepped closer until she was standing right in front of him. "...you'd better start looking for somewhere else to come home to every evening."

Cassian burst out laughing first, as Zack chuckled beside Ariel, shaking his head. Even Ariel couldn't hold back her laughter.

Andrew lifted both hands in surrender.

"Fine."

He leaned down and kissed Jenna's forehead.

"You win."

"I always do."

The room filled with easy laughter, the kind that only came after years of friendship, trust, and peace. Ariel looked around the table for a brief moment. Ten years ago, none of them could have imagined this. The very thought of ruling Ashwood had frightened her, just thinking of ways she could mess everything up. But for ten years there had been no battles, betrayals or impossible decisions to make. With her husband and her friends working beside and behind her, Ashwood had experienced peace and prosperity and more alliances than any other ruler before her, had ever managed to negotiate.

Still smiling, Ariel reached for the coffee pot.

"Now," she said, "before these two start another argument…"

She poured coffee into Zack's cup, then Andrew's and Cassian's. Finally, she filled her own and sat down. As she picked her cup and the rich aroma drifted upward to her nose, her smile disappeared.

A strange wave rolled through her stomach.

Ariel froze.

Her face paled.

Zack noticed immediately.

"Ariel?"

She swallowed hard.

"I..."

Another wave hit her, stronger this time.

She clamped a hand over her mouth before pushing back her chair so abruptly that it scraped loudly across the floor.

Without another word, she hurried toward the door.

"Ariel!" Zack called after her.

Ariel barely made it into the washroom before she dropped to her knees. Her stomach lurched violently, and she gripped the edge of the sink as she threw up. A moment later, Zack was beside her. One hand gathered her hair away from her face while the other rubbed slow circles across her back.

He waited until she was finished before handing her a damp cloth.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Ariel nodded weakly as she rinsed her mouth.

"I'm fine."

"You've been saying that for days now."

She sighed.

"I've just been tired, it'll pass."

"No."

His answer came so quickly she looked up at him.

"We are going to see the healer right away."

Ariel frowned.

"Zack, we were in the middle of an important meeting."

"They can finish it without us."

His hand gently caught hers.

"We're going now."

She looked at him, already knowing from the determination in his eyes that there would be no changing his mind.

"The kingdom can wait an hour," he said quietly. "You can't."

For a second, Ariel simply stared at him.

Then she smiled.

"You're impossible."

"So I've been told."

He intertwined his fingers with hers and led her from the washroom.

The healer looked up the moment they stepped into his clinic. He was an elderly wolf with kind eyes who had served Ashwood long before either of them had been born. The instant he saw them, a knowing smile spread across his face.

He rose from his chair and bowed.

"Congratulations my Queen, my King."

Ariel blinked.

Zack frowned.

"You haven’t heard why we're here."

The healer chuckled.

"Oh, I have a pretty good idea."

He gestured toward the chairs across from him.

"Let me guess."

He looked directly at Ariel.

"You've been feeling nauseous."

She nodded.

"And you've been more tired than usual."

Ariel reached over and squeezed Zack's hand.

"I told him it was probably nothing."

The healer's smile widened.

Zack leaned forward.

"Is something wrong?"

"Not at all."

The old wolf folded his hands together.

"In fact, everything is exactly as it should be."

Ariel exchanged a puzzled look with Zack.

"I don't understand."

The healer paused just long enough to build the suspense.

"It's not nothing as my Queen suggested here."

Zack's shoulders immediately tensed.

"But..."

The healer's eyes sparkled.

"...it's also nothing to worry about."

He looked from Ariel to Zack.

"My Queen..."

A warm smile crossed his face.

"...you're going to have a baby."

For a moment there was silence in the room as they processed what they had just been told.

"I'm pregnant?" Her voice caught.

The healer nodded.

"Congratulations."

The words had barely left his mouth before Zack closed the distance between them.

He cupped Ariel's face in both hands as though he needed to be certain she was real.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered, a grin spreading uncontrollably across his face.

She laughed through the tears already filling her eyes.

"I heard."

He kissed her forehead, then her cheeks, her lips.

His laughter filled the room as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her effortlessly off the floor then spun her around. Then suddenly froze.

"Oh, Moon Goddess."

He carefully lowered her back onto her feet.

"I shouldn't have done that. Will that hurt our cub?"

Ariel laughed so hard she had to wipe at her eyes.

"You've officially lost your mind."

"I have."

He didn't even try to deny it.

"I'm going to be a father."

The words sounded almost unbelievable coming from him. He rested one trembling hand against her stomach.

"So... our baby is in there?"

Ariel placed her hand over his.

"Our baby."

A thousand emotions crossed Zack's face in the space of a heartbeat - Joy, wonder, disbelief and gratitude.  The healer quietly slipped from the room, leaving them alone.

Zack leaned his forehead against Ariel's.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too."

He smiled through eyes that shimmered with tears.

"I can't wait to meet our little one."

Ariel rested both hands protectively over the tiny life growing beneath her heart.

Just years back she had been  clueless of who she was. Then she had searched for the truth about her past. Now, she carried the future of Ashwood beneath her heart.

And for the first time in a very long time, the future held nothing but hope.

THE END

MY DEAR READERS,

This is where we part ways with our Lycan Queen... for now.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for walking this journey with me. Your love, support, comments, and encouragement have meant more than you'll ever know. I hope you've enjoyed every chapter as much as I've enjoyed writing it, and I can't wait for us to explore many more worlds together.

As for Ariel and her King, I wish them a blissful reign and a lasting legacy for the future of the Ashwoods and the Millers.

With love,

Honeybird ❤️