Giovanni

Epilogue

Thora Hawthorn:

~One month later~

"Santiago would love this!" Rayan says happily looking at himself in the mirror. He wears a nice red and black suit. His hair is slicked back and he looks formal. Gone is a guardsman uniform replaced with the write of my Beta.

"He would've," I say back looking at him.

The castle mourned for almost four weeks. We shut down all operations. We had no communication with the outside world. We had nothing to do but cry.

Gio got everything together while I mourned. He did the majority of the work of the castle. He cleaned everything up, made the official statement about the passing of my Mother, Father, Santiago, and Santiago's dad. He communicated with the other kingdoms and took their condolences. He did it all.

Finally, Rayan and I decided we needed to do what they would want us to do. We got off our asses and decided on a few things.

My coronation was an hour ago. We decided to have it on Giovannis' birthday. I wanted to make the day special for him again. We also decided to make Rayan our beta. He has a lot to learn but he's pretty much there.

Gio walks into the room and smiles. "How does it feel to finally be twenty-two?" Rayan asks and Gio shakes his head.

"Another long year for you to get on my nerves? Just great!" he says back sarcastically.

"I'll be there a lot more. As the Beta, I declare we have Monday off!"

"Not what a Beta does but keep trying," I say back with a laugh.

I look at both of them and smile. This is the first full day since the fight that we've been happy.

"Well jokes on the two of you," Rayan laughs. "I was the best Head Royal Guard you'd ever have," he says smugly.

"Speaking of that, who is running it tonight?"

"We actually had an application. Just one," Rayan laughs. "Why anyone would apply is beyond me but I had some intel check her out. She's legit. Her name is Annie Stamos and she is the best warrior out of our top three packs."

Gio looks at him skeptically. "She's a stranger."

"She won't be alone. She knows none of our rotations. This is just a chance. We are going to need to trust to hire someone. I have a good feeling about her," Rayan explains. Gio and I look at each other and then back at him.

"You are risking this on a feeling?" I ask him and he rolls his eyes.

"Just trust me."

****************************
The night is going about without a hitch. Annie seems to be doing her job. Even with Rayan as a distraction. He'd walked in and when she came to introduce herself they'd instantly identified as mates.

For someone who claims not to want a mate, he wanted to whisk her away right then and there. But like the amazing woman, she is she denied him and told him he still wanted the job.

She had been watching the crowd with glances at Rayan every now and then. Honestly, it's cute.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look?" I hear and I look at Gio. He smiles widely at me as we look from our thrones. He wears his uniform and crown so sexily I can't help but think about later.

"Did I tell you how sexy you look?" I say back. The blush that graces his cheeks makes me giggle. After everything, he's still the same shy man I met months ago.

"I love you," he says

"I love you more," I tell him back and he shakes his head.

"Impossible."

"Cheesy," I smile and he laughs.

He shrugs and grabs my hand. "Cheesy but true."

"Okay, horndogs!" Rayan yells. The crowd laughs and I make a mental note to kill him later. "Cake time!"

"Cake?" Gio asks me confused.

I jump up excited to do something for him. It's his birthday and he'd do well with a reminder. I pull him up with me and off the stage as we stand in front of a large beautiful white cake. My mouth waters just looking at it.

"Let's give his majesty; King Giovanni Xavier Ellis a warm werewolf birthday song!" Annie yells over the crowd from the stage. The crowd goes silent.

I tip my head back letting my wolf forward and let out a loud and long howl. Howls follow mine in perfect harmony for a couple of minutes before we all look at Gio. He smiles happily at all of us and shakes his head.

"Thank you all for being here. It's been a hard month but this is a great way to end all of the pain a sorrow. Thank you again," he bellows "it means so much to us. To me."

"Awe that's so sweet!" Rayan yells "brings a tear to my eye. Blow out the candles so we can eat it!"

"Rayan!" I say with a laugh and Gio also lets out his own laugh.

"Okay okay!" He says. He leans down to blow out the candles and as soon as they are out I grab a fist full of cake and shove it in his face.

He reels back in surprise letting go of my hands and whipping the cake from his eyes. The crowd gasped as he looks at me. "Thora!" He laughs. "You remembered."

"How could I forget," I say back beaming. He leans down to kiss me but fore he does he shoves a fistful of cake in my face.

"Gio! My makeup!" I screech and he laughs loudly.

"Oops," he says with no regret in his voice. I wipe cake off my face just in time to see Rayan smiling evilly.

"I'm getting in on this!" He yells just before throwing cake at Gio.

"Rayan! You got cake on my weird sash thing!"

"You hate it anyway!" Gio launches cake at Rayan and it hits Rayan square in his face. "Jokes on you because this cake is delicious!"

Everyone laughs as Annie goes over to Rayan wiping his face or cake with her hand. He smiles down at her and Gio smiles down at me. I look up to him and tiptoe to kiss him.

The crowd claps and the music resumes leaving us cleaning cake off ourselves and each other.

This is my family and my life and I wouldn't have it any other way.