Chapter 106 Why Can’t You? Aleksandr’s POV
I pulled back reluctantly, letting myself slip from her warmth as I moved to lie beside her. The night air cooled the sweat on my skin, a pleasant contrast to the heat still radiating between us. I gathered Amelia against my side, her small body fitting perfectly against mine as if we’d been designed as complementary pieces of the same puzzle. Her breath came in soft pants against my chest, her heart racing in time with my own. I pressed my lips to her forehead, breathing in the scent of her – lavender and vanilla mingled now with the musk of our lovemaking, a combination that made Skoll rumble with satisfaction in our shared mind.
‘Mate perfect,’ he observed, his presence warm with contentment. ‘Ours.’
The possessiveness in his tone made me smile against Amelia’s hair. For all his primal simplicity, Skoll understood some things better than I ever could – the bone-deep certainty that this woman belonged with us, that our souls had somehow recognized each other long before our minds caught up.
But as my heartbeat slowed and reality crept back in, my smile faded.
Tomorrow loomed before us, a gauntlet of ceremonies and traditions that would officially crown Amelia as my Queen. Including the one ritual that filled her with such dread it soured her scent whenever it was mentioned.
“If I could get rid of the fertility rite, I would,” I said softly, the words escaping before I could consider their effect. The peaceful afterglow shattered as Amelia stiffened against me, her eyes wide as she looked up.
“Why can’t you?” she asked, a sudden hope lighting her features. “You’re the king.”
The innocent logic in her question made my chest ache. How simple it should be – I ruled this kingdom, commanded the loyalty of hundreds of thousands, held the power of life and death in my hands. Yet in this, the one thing that mattered most to my mate’s dignity and comfort, I was frustratingly powerless.
I rubbed my eyes, suddenly weary beyond measure. “Certain current laws, like that one, can only be repealed by a crowned and serving Queen,” I explained, hating each word as it left my mouth. “It’s a safeguard built into our oldest governance structures, meant to ensure that Queens had certain protected powers that even Kings couldn’t overrule.”
“But that’s—“ She stopped, frustration clouding her expression. “That makes no sense. How am I supposed to change a law that requires me to... to perform before I have the power to change it?”
“Exactly,” I agreed, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. “It‘s one of many circular protections in our ancient laws, designed to be difficult to circumvent. In theory, to protect traditions from capricious rulers. In practice...”
“In practice, it traps us in outdated rituals no one actually wants,” she finished, sinking back against me with a sigh.
“I have Nora reviewing the laws,” I added, stroking her hair back from her face. “Looking for some loophole, some exception we could invoke. But it isn’t going well.”
Skoll growled his displeasure, images of him tearing through dusty law books flashing through our shared mind. ‘Stupid papers. Stupid rules. Mate should be happy, not afraid.’
His sentiment matched mine exactly, though his solutions tended toward the more destructive end of the spectrum. If it were up to Skoll, we’d burn the entire legal code and start fresh, writing only those laws that protected what was truly important – pack, mate, territory.
“So we don’t have a choice,” Amelia said, her voice so small it barely carried over the gentle sounds of the forest night. “I’ve got to let Kaela and Skoll mate in front of however many hundreds of people are going to be there?”
The resignation in her tone cut deeper than any knife. I squeezed her hand, drawing her closer as if my body could shield her from the reality we faced.
“Nora is working out what the minimum number of people is for it to be considered valid,” I said, offering the only thin comfort I could. “But that isn’t going well either. The ancient texts are frustratingly vague on specifics while being absolutely clear on the necessity.”
She nodded against my chest, her breath warm on my skin. “So we don’t have a choice, then.”
It wasn’t a question anymore, but I answered anyway. “No, my Queen. Not if you want to be recognised as the rightful Queen, with all the powers to change the very laws that put us in this position.”
For a long moment, she was silent, her fingers tracing abstract patterns on my chest. When she finally spoke, her voice was steadier than I’d expected, a quiet determination replacing the earlier resignation.
“After it’s done, after I’m crowned and recognised, we’re changing that law first,” she said. “Before anything else. So no other Queen ever has to go through this.”
Pride swelled in my chest, so intense it nearly choked me. This was why she was perfect, why she would be the greatest Queen our kingdom had ever known. Even facing her own humiliation, she thought of those who would come after, determined to spare them what she could not avoid herself.
“First on the agenda,” I promised, pressing another kiss to her forehead. “The moment you have the power, we’ll burn that law to ash.”
She shifted against me, tilting her face up to meet my gaze. “How many people, do you think? At minimum?”
I considered the question carefully. The coronation itself would be attended by representatives from every pack in the kingdom, foreign dignitaries, the full council, and countless nobles jockeying for position and favour.
“The full council must witness,” I said finally. “And at least one representative from each major pack. Beyond that...” I shook my head. “Nora is still researching.”
Amelia nodded, calculations visibly running behind her eyes. “Seven council members. How many major packs?”
“Five,” I answered. “Stone Bridge, Silver Lake, Blood Moon, Blue Moon, and Frozen Mountain.”
Her jaw tightened at the mention of her former pack, but she pressed on. “So twelve people, minimum.”
“Plus the officiator,” I added reluctantly. “Thirteen.”
She took a deep breath, her body tensing then deliberately relaxing against mine. “Thirteen is better than hundreds. If Nora can make that work...”
“She’ll try,” I assured her. “If anyone can find a way to minimise this, it’s her.”
We lay in silence for several minutes, the forest sounds washing over us – the distant call of a night bird, the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze, the soft gurgle of the nearby river. I wished we could stay here forever, just the two of us, away from the weight of crowns and kingdoms and ancient traditions.
But tomorrow would come regardless of our wishes. Tomorrow, Amelia would become Queen in truth, would gain the power to begin reshaping our world into something better, something worthy of her vision. We just had to get through this one last trial first.
“We should head back soon,” I murmured against her hair, though I made no move to rise. “Dawn comes early, and tomorrow will be long enough without adding exhaustion to its challenges.”
She nodded but burrowed closer against me. “Five more minutes,” she whispered, and I felt her silent plea through our bond – just a few more moments of peace before facing what awaited us.
“Five more minutes,” I agreed, tightening my arms around her as if I could protect her from the world that waited beyond our private sanctuary.