<h4>Chapter 172: Queen - Somebody To Love</h4>


    Frowning, he wandered toward the west wing. He found the butler reorganizing a wine cart. "Where’s the princess?" Damien asked, already unbuttoning his coat.


    The butler gave a gentle smile. "Top floor, Your Highness. On the balcony."


    He trudged up the spiral staircase, and pushed open the double doors leading to the balcony.


    Shey sprawled on a mattress that had clearly been dragged out just for herfortplete with a throw and a fluffy pillow. Her hair spilled around her, one hand resting on her belly, her eyes closed as if the chaos below didn’t exist.


    He stopped at the doorway, heart loosening.


    "Wow," he muttered, to no one in particr. "I’m marrying a goddess."


    She opened her eyes and smiled, azy, satisfied sort of smile that made his exhaustion melt away. "Hey, husband-to-be."


    "Hey, queen-of-the-rooftop," Damien replied, walking toward her and crouching beside the mattress.


    "Are you hiding?" Damien asked as he stepped onto the balcony, his tone yful but tinged with concern.


    Luna sighed and rolled onto her back. "Yes. Guilty as charged. Hide-and-seek champion of Blood City."


    Damien chuckled, toeing off his shoes and copsing beside her.


    She smiled faintly, her gaze drifting to the city lights below. "It’s just... it’s all a bit too much. The guests, the expectations, the royal protocols. I miss my mum. She somehow managed to n all my birthdays, castle dinners, and ceremonies without ever breaking a sweat."


    "Why didn’t I take after her? She always seemed soposed. So... queenly."


    Damien’s smile faltered just a little. "I think it has more to do with the person who really raised you. You spent more time with your father. You learned how to be an Alpha King, not a Queen. It’s not a w, Luna."


    "Yeah, I guess you’re right," she said. "But sometimes I wish I had more of her grace. Instead, I feel like I’m just faking it until someone notices I have no idea what I’m doing."


    Damien shifted beside her and gently bumped her shoulder. "Hey, newssh: everyone is faking it. Except maybe my dad."


    "Did you get everyone settled in?"


    "Yeah," he groaned. "It was like herding immortal cats. I’ve aged a century."


    Damien leaned back and exhaled. "The strange thing is, my father swore he didn’t invite most of these people. I didn’t want to seem rude by interrogating them, but it’s weird. It’s like everyone just... showed up."


    "It was your uncle," Luna said quietly, her voice now sharpened with intent. "I found out."


    Damien groaned, dragging a hand over his face. "Oh boy. What is he up to now? nning to auction off the wedding venue for profit?"


    "I don’t know yet," she replied, turning to look at him fully. "But I have my guards up. I’ve started watching him closely. Whatever he’s nning, he’s not hiding it well."


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    "Good," Damien murmured as heid back and draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. His hand naturally settled on the gentle swell of her belly, instinctive and reverent. "He has never hidden his intentions. But I honestly don’t care. Let him scheme. Let them all scheme. We are finally getting married."


    Luna ced her hand over his and closed her eyes for a moment. "It feels surreal."


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    "Yeah. Like we’ve been holding our breath for this."


    Damien turned his head to meet her gaze. "Then let’s make sure no one ruins this."


    "I can’t believe how far we’vee," Luna murmured, her fingers tracing idle patterns across Damien’s chest. The warm night air drifted around them, scented faintly with rosewater from the balcony garden. "And how far we still have to go," she added, shifting slightly to face him, her hand now resting on his chest.


    Damien, already knowing the trajectory of the conversation, stretched and yawned in an exaggerated motion.


    "Damien," Luna said. She gave his arm a sharp tug, making him grunt. "I’m not kidding. Come on. We need to see Morvakar. We agreed, remember? You said we’d go together and find out if he has a solution to the whole... dying thing."


    He peeked out from under his arm, giving her a boyish, guilty smile. "You know how I feel about the subject. It’s morbid. It’s stressful. It’s the worst kind of bedtime story."


    "Are you really going to leave me? By myself? With a child that may not even be born yet?"


    "I don’t want to," Damien said quietly, turning to face her. His hand found hers and squeezed. "Goddess, Luna. All the things I want to do with you, for you, to you..."—he gave a teasing wiggle of his brows, making her snort despite herself—"there will never be enough time."


    He exhaled, gaze darkening. "Even before you agreed to be mine, the idea of being with someone else felt... wrong. The few times I was with Seliora—"


    Her eyes narrowed instantly.


    "—which I deeply regret and barely remember, by the way," he said quickly, kissing her knuckles. "It felt like my veins were being pulled out of my skin. Like every part of me was resisting her, even if duty said otherwise. I was bound by obligation, but every inch of my soul was screaming your name. I have always been yours. Always yours."


    "Goddess, marry me right now," she said. "That’s the sexiest thing you’ve ever said."


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    Damien rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at his lips.


    "I’m serious, Damien. We have to talk to Morvakar again. He might know something—anything—to stop this... this death sentence."


    "I did," he said finally, brushing his thumb against her jaw. "He still hasn’t found another way."


    "He gave us a way already. You just don’t want to ept it."


    Damien tilted his head toward her. "Let’s say, hypothetically," he began, tone dripping with underlying dread, "I find the true mate Morvakar speaks of. Let’s say she exists. I ept her, I mark her and cement the union, hypothetically. What happens with you? Are you just going to smile politely and watch me be bound to another woman like some kind of royal side sd?"