I didn't need the reminder. My face already ached from smiling, but it wasn't forced - despite my nervousness, joy bubbled through me like the champagne in the crystal flutes around us. We moved into the crowd, accepting congratulations and well-wishes from what felt like hundreds of guests.
"Your Majesty," said an elderly Lycan duchess, her wrinkled hand patting mine. "Such a beautiful ceremony. Your vows brought tears to these old eyes."
"Thank you," I replied, genuinely touched. This particular duchess had been one of the first Lycan nobility to openly support our union. "Your presence means a great deal to us."
"Nonsense," she said with a wink. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world. About time these stuffy traditions got shaken up a bit."
Theo laughed beside me, his hand never l
