My hand trembled in Theo's grip as we approached the dining room entrance. The noise from inside—clinking cutlery, murmured conversations, occasional laughter—faded to a distant hum beneath the thundering of my own heartbeat. Two days. It had been only two days since I'd met this man, this Lycan King who now claimed me as his mate, and here I stood, about to face a room full of people who would call me their Queen. I felt Theo's thumb trace a gentle circle against my skin, and through our newly formed bond, I sensed Aeson—his inner Lycan—stirring with protective instinct.
"Ready?" Theo whispered, his breath warm against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine that had nothing to do with fear.
I nodded, not trusting my voice, and we stepped through the grand archway into The Golden Compass
