He looked at her
The way she needed to be looked at,
Like the whole world crumble
And he wouldn't blink.
------------------------------*
"You meant to sit on this throne and rule."
Titus turned to the crowd, letting his gentleness fall. "Now that all you have witnessed this from your own eyes, and this proves more. This throne chose her, Now I hope whatever doubt you had before is clear now. If anyone has an objection, please come forward now!" Leon looked around with Titus to see if anyone had any objection, but instead, they saw everyone standing more straight with a sign of respect.
Titus smiled as he continued. "This is our Queen, and now we all take this oath to protect, respect and support our Queen as we have always been, it's such a heartwarming moment to finally see this throne being given to its rightful owner after a very long time." People made sounds of approval.
James came forward, the crown in his hand, Ella could not tear her gaze away from the crown that stole her heart in just one glance.
"Do you have anything to say, my queen before we start?" Ella nodded as she stepped forward.
"I, Ella Winters, the mate of Leon De Luca, your King. I take this oath that from today I will try to do what will keep this family safe and in love with each other, I will do everything to bring justice and peace. I know many of you won't believe a little human girl, with no power and very basic knowledge of the supernatural, I know it will be hard but I will try my best to be fair. I won't take advantage of this position. I hope I live up to your expectations. All I want in return is your love and trust in me." She ends her speech with a bow.
Claps echoed in the hall, and Leon joined them with a proud smile on his face that made People turn in his way, not believing what they saw.
"Now the time has finally come, which for all we were waiting for," Titus spoke again, gaining everyone's attention.
Ella faced the crowd and the crown was brought towards her. Leon stood before her on the stage keeping his gaze on her. Titus took the crown in his hands from James and chanted a spell under his breath.
He opened his eyes as he said. "We claim Miss Ella Winters, the mate of our King Leon De Luca, with the witness of every supernatural kind here. Now I declare. Ella to be our queen." Just as he said that Titus gave the crown to Leon.
Leon walks close to Ella, with pride in his eyes that shine with love. He smiled down at her, making her smile back as he put the crown on her head where it rightfully belonged.
Ella felt a very heavy crown placed on her head, but then, She heard something else, she look ahead and gasped at the scene that unfold before her eyes.
Every single one that was present in the, dropped to their one knees, with their right hand curled into fists and kept over their hearts with their head bowed down.
She looks around to find Ama, Josh, and even Eric and Jennifer doing the same but proudly. She looked beside her and saw Titus and James doing the same.
When she looked in front of her, she saw Leon slowly get down on his knee, still looking into her eyes, with his fist to his chest where his heart resides. He lowered himself and bowed like everyone else in the room. But the wide smile never left his face.
°
°
°
Light music plays in the background, as bodies sync with the beat of the music.
Ama smiled looking at her nervous mate, who had his arms around her waist. She couldn't help but love him more for every single thing he does. Ama could see Eric he really was good dancer but afraid of people around.
Meanwhile, Josh was pulling Jennifer impossible close to him, she fought but gave in with a scowl on her face when he pulled her for the dance but her eyes got close when Josh started to kiss her neck softly making her lose in his affection.
Everyone was too lost in their world, with their world who happens to be their mates that they forget their surroundings.
Smiling face, adoring eyes, graceful moves. With sheer power slipping into the room of lovers while every different one entangles with one another, willingly.
Ella saw that all with a smile on her face, she snapped her eyes from the view in front of them and looked up when a soft kiss was placed on her now crown free head.
"Is my Queen enjoying herself?" Leon teased, pulling her closer to his chest.
Ella humm. "Yeah, all because of my King!" She kissed his neck, making him shut his eyes, feeling her warm lips against his skin.
"Well then, don't you think I deserve a dance?" He asked softly, looking down at her with adoration in his orbs.
"Leo! You know I am horrible at dancing!" Leon smirked.
"Just follow my lead, darling!" He pulled her with him to the dance floor. People move out of their way, as he took in her in the middle of the dance floor and other couples now surrounding them.
Ella put one hand in his and the other on his shoulder, Leon's hand wrap tightly around her waist, keeping her close to his chest. "You made me so proud today!" Leon's complement made Ella go red.
"I didn't do anything!" Leon shook his head.
"You step out of your comfort zone when you so confidentiality give a speech with being so humble and honest. I don't think that is something you call 'anything'." He twirls her before pulling her back in his arms.
Ella laughs loudly, gaining attention from others as Leon tries to soften his voice to sound like hers, but fails miserably.
Leon smiled, looking at his little flower laughing and smiling so freely. Now that he thinks about it just one thing left, for him to give her
Her freedom.
From all that keeping her away to get what she wants, and how she wants. Leon never tries to control her life nor does he intends to, all he wants is her to be safe and in love with him, and for that he would do anything.
So he lifted her hand that had the Ruby ring that was keeping her safe from the unknown pain.
Ella panicked when Leon slowly removed her ring. "L-Leo, what are you doing?"
He stared back into the brown eyes that he adores so much, with the intensity that made her knees weak. "Do you trust me?" Without knowing her head moved, she silently agreed with him.
"Of course I do!" Ella frowned at his question.
"Then let me do what I am doing, if I fail then, you. My Queen, I will have my head before you!" Ella smirked at his claim.
"If that is the case, I have few plans!"She whispered in his ear.
"Now you are putting thoughts in my mind, little flower!" He deeply whispered back, as his eyes darkened at the thought.
"It's not my problem that you have a dirty mind, Leo!" She says in the same tone, before removing her ring on her own, and keeping it inside his pants pocket.
Ella waited for the pain to, but a warm hand softly came in contact with her cheek. She frowned, however, everything was clear when Leon nodded in the direction of where James and Titus were.
Sharing the pain made their bond strength and it weakened to the point where Ella could not feel it, but Leon can though not to the point where he can't handle it.
Leon could feel it because the moment she fell for him, he made sure Ella could not feel it with the help of James and Titus.
"Now, go and enjoy yourself with your friends. They must be waiting for you to meet them and please eat something. Okay?" Leon said, pointing towards, where Eric and Jennifer were standing alone in the corner.
Ella kissed his lips, before he could move she pulled back, grinning brightly. "Okay!" She said as she picked up her gown and ran to Eric and Jennifer.
Leon couldn't help but smile, looking at his little mate so happy and so cheerful but his smile vanished when remember he had few things to make it permanent.
He looked around to see Josh and Ama were close to them, and everyone was a quite high alert around Ella, which is what he wanted.
Leon walked out of the ballroom to the dungeon where Titus, James with other two priests and guards followed behind.
The guard opens the cell to let them in. As Leon entered, a wicked smile took over his face that actually seemed to scare people around him.
"Finally, I found you!" He said and the female in front of him flinched. She was sitting on the chair with nothing stopping her from attacking them but she knew better than to do it.
"You haven't found me, Leon De Luca, I came here on my own." She exclaimed, even though Leon could see the fear behind her bravery.
Leon sat on the chair that was kept there for him. He chuckled. "Well, coming into my castle with the thought of killing our Queen, but unfortunately getting caught, does not seem to be part of your plan now, Rebecca?"
Rebecca's eyes widened as Leon called her by her name but composed herself. She grits her teeth. "This is not your castle, you don't deserve this. You bastard!"
Leon's brows raised in amusement. The guard steps forward to get revenge for their King's disrespect, but Leon stops him.
Leon leaned back, resting one leg over another and resting his chin on his fist. "Then tell me Rebecca, who deserves it? You or your ancestors?" He questioned.
When Leon did not get the answer he continued. "The one I killed with my bare hands, ripping his heart out?"
"You are a bloody monster!" She stood up only to sit back when a guard from behind push her down.
Leon rolled his eyes. "Look Rebecca, I don't have time for your bullshit. You can call me with these names when I am done with you and actually give you reason because trust me I will." He said strictly, as he seems to be clearly irritated because he wants to go back to his mate already.
"I won't ask you how you knew about Ella being my mate and why you sent her to me with your pathetic excuse of the story because it worked in my favour. Let's get straight to the point. Why did you use your magic on my mate?" His jaw clenched when remember Ella's tear-stained face and her loud cries in pain.
"To make you suffer!" Was her immediate answer.
"Care to explain."
"I wanted to give that, taste of love and then snatch that away from you, I wanted you to suffer just the way we did. You don't deserve love, you don't deserve a mate. But when I got to know you had one, I planned to send her to you and then kill her. Then you have to live your whole life in regret for not saving the only person you love like before!" Just as she finishes, a loud sound echoes in the room. Rebecca's chair fell with her as she cried out pressing her hand to her cheek.
Leon got up from his chair and walked towards her at the speed a human could possibly not see him coming. He slapped her, he grabbed her by her hair pulling her back on her legs, his eyes were getting darker with each passing second. "When I said I see everyone as equal, I really meant it. Did you think, I will leave you after what you did to my Mate?" He shook his head, pulled her head back, and yelled in pain. "I could have left you gladly only if you have hurt me, but you have hurt my mate, my Ella. Now I will make sure to hurt you in ways you will beg for death.
He threw her, stepping back with a look of disgust on his face. "There was a time when it was terrifying to even think a royal witch using her magic. But now it was not even fun to play."
"Let me guess, you can't even curse. The most powerful thing a witch is known for, right?" Rebecca turns her gaze away from his manic ones.
Leon laughs, throwing his head back, scaring everyone in the room. "This is what you offer, for using black magic, really and I think you were intelligent!" A tear fell down Rebecca's face.
To a witch, the power of the curse is overall the magic she was given especially for a royal witch however if they use black magic on someone they have to offer the most precious thing or gift they have given.
Leon bent down, grabbing her chin making Rebecca look up. "We choose to be who we are, Rebecca. You made your choice, now I will make mine.
"Won't you serve your King?" He added. An evil smirk plays on Leon's face.
•
•
•
"So, what do you guys think?" Ella questioned as she grabbed the drink Eric offered her.
"Think, about what?" Jennifer questions, sipping her drink.
"Whether you want to give your mates and this relationship a chance or to go back?"
Jennifer choked, as she looked at Eric who looked equally bewildered. They seem to actually forget about it, they won't deny that their mates are making their way in their hearts, but.
"I want to go back!" Jennifer said, Ella looked at her with clear disappointment on her face.
"But you seem to be closer to Josh now, what happened all of sudden?" Ella asks gently to try not to sound judgemental.
"A forced closeness and a few kisses here and there, will not change the fact this is not what I want." She answered sternly.
"Eric...?"
He hesitated but nodded. "I am with Jenny in this. I have dreams and goals to achieve, and I can't achieve them while living here, with a very protective werewolf to whom everyone is a threat against me!" He turned his face away only for Ama to catch his gaze who was at the other end of the ballroom. She sent him a wide grin, Eric could not help but look down at his feet in guilty.
Ella frowns. "But you can talk to her, Eric I'm sure. Ama would never stop you from doing what you want, in fact, she will support you!"
"I did talk to her about it, though not directly but even the mention to meet my family made her eyes change color!" Eric could feel a shiver down his spine as recalled their conversion.
"You should Eric, and if you want I will be there with you!" Ella put her hand on his shoulder. He shook his head.
"No El, I want a normal life with a human partner, with someone I do feel like I am equal to."
"But...," Ella was cut-off by him. "Just let it be Ella, I want to get out of here already. I can't handle these stares anymore!"
"Jennifer, at least you should talk to Josh?"
"There is nothing to talk about, El. Besides I don't want a relationship let alone with a vampire!"
"Guys, please think about it just one more time. Ella pleaded.
Jennifer signs, her eyes seem to search for something or rather than for someone but when she was unable to find him she turned to Ella giving her full attention. "I am proud of you Ella, for you choose this life and accept it. I am so happy to call you my friend who is not just my friend anymore but now a Queen as well. But we are not you Ella, we are different from one another, you could adjust does not mean we can too."
When Jennifer saw Ella protest again, she took Ella's hand in her hand. "And don't you say, the more you think the more it makes your decision weak. So I don't want to think about it." Ella nodded, signing in defeat.
Jennifer nugg her shoulder. "Hey, cheer up. It's your day and you are not allowed to be upset, especially not because of us." Eric nodded in agreement.
"And look, your King is coming towards us to get you." Ella laughed when she saw Leon coming her way.
Before Leon could make them aware of his presence as they were so lost on their own, he watched Ella's gaze on him and she laughed. Eric and Jennifer walk away from them the moment he comes before them.
His arms instantly took her in his embrace. "Hey, my queen!" He grinned.
Ella laughed. "Hey, my King!"
"Where were you, Leon?" Ella asked, playing with a button on his shirt.
"Just making sure, everything is perfect, so no one can disturb us later!." He shrugged. Ella shook her head at her silly Leo.
He gazed down at her softly and she felt herself melting. "I still can't believe you are here with me. Thank you so much for standing by my side, thank you for being my light in darkness, thank you for loving me, for loving us thank you for choosing me, for choosing us, when you have better choices. Thank you for just existing. I am not the person you deserve, but I will try my best every single day to be the one you will choose every day."
Ella felt her brown eyes wet as her vision turned blurry, looking into his green-blue eyes to see so much love and honesty in them just for her, Ella hugged him tightly. "I love you, Leo." She whispered, unable to say anything else.
He placed a chaste kiss on her head, hugging her more tightly with a content look on his face as he achieved everything he ever wanted and indeed he did. "I love you, my little flower."
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(Not edited)
So here is the end of the story, of course, the epilogue is still here.
I know many of you would think I rushed out the story or what about Eric, Josh, Jennifer, and Ama. I just want you to know that there will be bonus chapters ahead, where I will be giving one or two chapters about them but why I didn't add them here is because I wanted this story to only focus on Ella and Leon, no other side characters to darg the story. I wanted this story to small and quite simple, with love and fluffiness with character development.
I am feeling so proud of myself after finishing this but at the same time sad, that I will miss writing. H.L.F I love Leon and I love Ella.
I hope you enjoyed it, thank you so much for your support and time. I will forever be grateful.