Chapter 431


    ns in Motion E “So you two,” Cora says, flicking her gaze between Roger and Sinir, ” you’re all


    right now? After fifteen minutes, it’s all cleared up?” Sinir shrugs. “We kept it pretty cut and dry. He’s


    on probation.” “No, I’m not,” Roger murmurs, dismissive, shaking his head to Cora.


    “He is,” Sinir growls. Roger just leans down, pretending to whisper in Cora’s ear but speaking loud


    enough for all of us to hear, “probation doesn’t mean anything. But it made him happy to p a word on


    theck of consequences.” Coraughs, her face turned up to her mate, and I bite my lip to stifle my


    own giggle, wanting to be loyal to Sinir, who just sighs behind me.


    “Either way,” Sinir says, moving on. “Congrattions, Cora,” he says, his focus on her now and his


    voice sincere. “I’m very happy for you – for both of you. It’s a big event.” “Thank you, Dominic,” Cora


    says, smiling at him softly and turning her head to the side, clearly touched. I beam at my sister as well.


    It’s not that I’ve let her off the hook for keeping the baby name a secret when I want to know so terribly


    badly – but? Well. I’ll bug her about itter.


    “We are sorry though,” Cora says, reaching up to take Roger’s hand. “I know that…the wedding meant


    a lot to you, and that it was going to do good things for the nation. But…” she bites her lip, hesitating,


    and I can tell that she feels selfish. I open my mouth to protest against this but she continues before I


    can start. “But – I needed it to be like this, to be personal. I hope that you’ll forgive me.” “There’s


    nothing to forgive, Cora,” Sinir murmurs, smiling at her warmly. “Ipletely understand you’ve


    done nothing wrong.” And quite suddenly, somethinges to me. “Cora,” I say, turning my head to


    the side and leaning forward. “Does.. anyone else know? About your mark, or your little personal


    ceremony, besides us four?” She frowns at me, confused. “Well, no,” she says quietly. “I mean, neither


    of us really have social media or anything -” “Or any friends,” Roger murmurs, a little chagrined, which


    makes meugh.


    They don’t need friends, they have us!


    “Well then,” I say, a big smile breaking out on my face. “Would you consider… doing it anyway?”


    “What?” Cora asks, confused.


    “Well, if no one knows,” I say, my smile growing – because this could work!


    “Why not just have the wedding/ mating ceremony publicly, like we thought of before?” “Oh!” she says,


    surprised, and then she starts tough, I think a little inspired by the idea. But then she realizes that


    she already has her mating mark and her fingers go to it, brushing it “We could get makeup artists to


    cover it up,” I suggest with a little shrug. ” I’m sure they can do it – they do magical things in the


    movies.” “Um,” Cora says, looking up at Roger, who just gives her a simple shrug, clearly


    communicating that it’s her choice. And then she grins, turning back to me.


    “Really?” she says, “You think it would work? And – and it would help you?” “It really would, Cora,”


    Sinir says warmly behind me. “I think it’s precisely the message we want to send to both our people


    and some of our honored guests:


    that humans are equals in our eyes, that they’re part of our family. But, if you’d rather not – if you’d


    rather just keep the memory of it to the beach, because it’s special to you “No,” she says, interrupting


    with a huge smile on her face. “No, I want to do it – I think…it will be fun!” “I’m going to mark this side


    this time,” Roger murmurs, drawing a finger down the opposite side of her throat and shoulder. “See if I


    like how it looks any better…” She scowls and swats his hand away. ” Enough of you,” she murmurs,


    though I know she doesn’t mean it. Cora hasn’t had nearly enough of Roger, and I doubt she ever will. I


    hug my baby close and grin at both of them, so incredibly excited for their life together.


    And to throw them a wedding!


    Time moves quickly once the four of us have made our ns, and my days and weeks quickly fill with


    tasks. I wake up early earlier than Sinir, even to take care of the baby and begin to make my ns.


    He scolds me for it every morning, telling me I need my sleep or that I should wake him up to help but


    every morning I brush him off.


    Because I feel the same way about him and I’m happy he gets to sleep an extra hour while I take care


    of things. He needs it.


    Sinir is busier than he’s ever been. He reminds me, in some ways, of the cold, brooding, discerning


    business man I met at the beginning of all of this. In some ways I lost track of that man I fell in love with


    in all of our odd adventures in Vanara, and in the bunker, and in the RV, and everywhere else.


    But now, as our lifees back together to resemble what it looked like before?


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Steady days, routines, living in our own home (even if it is a pce now )? I see shes of hime


    back. And it’s not that he’s lost the sides of him that he’s shown to me over the past months but…well,


    he’s just moreplex now, isn’t he?


    And, if at all possible, I love him even more than I ever have.


    Sinir made his formal im for the throne a few days ago, and no one contested it. Now all that’s left


    is for the governors to ratify the im, and the packs to demonstrate their support by paying fealty at


    the coronation. It’s all gone smoothly, as Sinir predicted it would, and so we’ve moved forward with


    the ns. Delegations from all the neighboring countries are set to begin arriving in our beautiful Moon


    Valley over the course of the next few days.


    Of course, I’m most excited about the delegation from Vanara including King Gabriel – but I’m also very


    curious to meet our other neighbors.


    But the thing I’m most worried about predictably is that the Atxians have indeed signaled their intent


    to attend, and they’re bringing arge delegation.


    I do my best to spend a little time every day with Sarah and Jessica, usually in the evenings, bringing


    Rafe with me to chat and y. They’re thriving now, and I think that they’re happy and excited about


    the future that they’re building for themselves but… Well, I haven’t had the heart to tell them that


    Xander is in Atxia, and that they’re sending a delegation. It’s not that I’m keeping it from them – if


    they asked, I’d tell them in a minute, of course. But they’re safe here, and moving forward, and I don’t


    want Sarah to have to worry about the past unless she absolutely has to.


    So, I keep putting it off, and she keeps not asking so…we’re at a happy little stalemate, I suppose.


    “What do you think the Atxians be like?” I ask Sinir one night,ying naked with my belly pressed


    to his, a little sweaty and still catching my breath after our evening activities.


    “Really, E?” he murmurs, tracing azy hand down my back. “I do my best work, and you want to ask


    about the Atxian delegation?” I giggle a little and rest my chin on his chest, looking up at him. “If you


    wanted to keep me from askingplicated questions, Dominic, you shouldn’t have gone and be


    King, making me a Queen. Should have just stayed a businessman and lived in our old house, kept me


    locked away in the bedroom as your happy little mate – ” He growls, sliding his hands down my body to


    grip two firm handfuls of my ass.


    “Don’t tempt me, trouble,” he murmurs, and I bite my lip as I feel warmth pool at my core, again. “But


    you’re right,” he sighs, using his grip on me to pull me upwards so that my face is even with his, so that


    I can dip my head and press teasing kisses to his mouth. “You’re a Queen now, and these are good


    questions.” “So?” I murmur, each of my kisses getting longer and longer. I can’t help it.


    “What do you think?” “I think they’ll be strict,” he says, giving me a healthy smack on the ass to


    illustrate his point, making me flinch and thenugh.


    “And?” “And distant. They’ll want to seem neutral on everything, even though they’re decidedly not.”


    “The women too?” I ask, curious, dropping my head further to trail kisses down the length of his jaw as


    Sinir’s hands idly explore my body.


    “They won’t bring any women,” he murmurs, which makes me sit up in surprise.


    “What?” I ask, a little shocked. Sinir opens his eyes, a little hazy with desire, and blinks up at me.


    “This isn’t new news, E – the Atxians don’t understand women as equal citizens. They won’t see


    them as useful participants in a party of ambassadors.” “But even…their wives? Their daughters?” He


    sighs, raising a hand to my face and stroking gently at my cheek. ” Their wives and daughters are


    those they will seek to protect most. And by protect, yes, I mean iste. They wouldn’t even think of


    bringing their women out of their homes, let alone allowing them to see the rest of the world.” My mouth


    drops open in horror and surprise.


    “I know, darling,” he says, shaking his head as he looks up at me. “It’s horrible.


    But…it’s their nation and their customs. We have no control over it.” I sigh then,ying back down on


    top of my mate and resting my head against his warm chest. “This is going to be difficult for me,


    Dominic,” I murmur.


    “I know, sweetheart,” he sighs, wrapping his arms tight around me, letting me know that he


    understands and takes my side. “For me as well. We’ll get through it together.” I nod, understanding,


    believing him but suddenly my earlier jokes about being happily locked away in his bedroom aren’t as


    funny as they were before.