Chapter 1
"All hail our king and queen," Frederic, one of the oldest council members, yelled to the crowd as he lowered the crown on Thalia's head. A current of loud cheering filled the air. The trees shook and the wind turned direction from the force of happiness of thousands of werewolves.
Rafail and Thalia stood tall in front of the crowd, waving at them from the grand balcony of the new palace as the werewolves rose from where they stood down on their knees and screamed their royals' names in adoration.
The sun was high in the sky that day, its rays warming up the whole mountainside of Chaumont. The trees were taller and the grass was greener. The vast range of flower species planted around gave off a mix of sweet aroma that filled their lungs. Everyone was ecstatic.
Everyone but the king and queen.
While his wolf felt pumped with energy by his people's acceptance, Rafail felt so drained that he couldn't wait to be done with the day. The crown that his father had once tried to balance on his head, now stood there proudly, unmoving - like that's where it had always belonged. But the gold of the crown was cold. It was so cold and heavy.
Rafail turned slightly to look at his mate. Her crown, made of diamonds that sparkled in the sunlight, rendered her more of a goddess than a queen. Her hand moved in all directions, waving at people she didn't even know. Her eyes were wide open but they remained unfocused. Her face showed nothing of what was going on inside her. She seemed more of a doll than a human, going through motions instinctively. She was never really present in the moment.
The sight of her, once the whole reason for Rafail's happiness, now made his stomach churn in pain. She was so close to him and yet, he couldn't reach her. His hand burned with the need to grasp hers but he clenched his fist tightly, letting his claws draw blood from his palm. It took all the energy he had left to rip his eyes off of the side of her face.
Finally, the cheering stopped and Frederic invited everyone to join the party they had prepared. Rafail took a huge gulp of air as he unbuttoned his shirt and removed the crown from his head. Before he had a chance to say anything, Thalia made her way inside without sparing him a glance.
"Are you okay?" Roi patted Rafail's back and took the crown from his hands, helping his brother get inside too.
"Just tired," Rafail sighed as he let his body plop down on a nearby chair. Sarin appeared by his side with a wet cloth on her hands. She wiped some sweat from his forehead. The cold towel felt good against his skin, unlike the crown.
Roi looked at him with sadness. His brother was wasting away in front of his eyes and there was nothing he could do. Physically, Rafail was okay. Hell, he could take down armies. But his mind... it tormented him.
"Is she..." Sarin didn't finish her sentence as she rose her eyes to look at her mate.
"With Eve, I suppose," Roi answered quickly. Sarin nodded before excusing herself to go and find the queen.
Rafail kept his eyes closed. Tears burned in their corners but he knew they'd never fall down. He couldn't remember the last time he cried. It must've been the last time he felt anything but numbness.
"Your majesty," Cedric bowed slightly even though Rafail couldn't see. The old man's worried eyes found Roi's, making the beta shake his head in defeat.
"Raf," Roi spoke lowly. "You need to show up to the party at some point."
"I know," Came the mechanical answer of the king. "I will."
***
"Hold my hand," Thalia linked him as they made their way through the crowd. Seeing how he was too starstruck to do anything, she reached out and took his hand in hers. They both let out a quiet gasp as their skins electrified and sparks ran up their spines.
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Crowned King (Throne of Thorns #2)
Fantasy'Heavy is the head who wears the crown.' Rafail knew the words to be true as he weighed the gold piece in his hands. He had finally managed to avenge his father and take back a kingdom that was rightfully his. But at what cost? As a new threat cam...
