The palace buzzed with a quiet sort of tension the night before the coronation. Servants prepared every detail for the grand event, while distant music echoed softly from the ballroom where final arrangements were underway. But in the royal suite, far away from the noise and bustle, a different kind of anticipation simmered.
Nova stood under the steaming water of the marble-tiled shower, letting it wash away the weight of the day. Her muscles relaxed, but her mind spun with emotions—pride, anxiety, disbelief. Tomorrow, everything would change. She would be publicly introduced not just as Max's mate, but as the future Lycan Queen. And though she still carried the secret of her pregnancy quietly, the weight of it nestled into every breath, every beat of her heart.
Steam curled around her a
