Page 67 of Dragon King's Cursed Mate
Kael sat beside Seraphina. “I’m sorry I doubted you. You helped Dain figure out who he was. He’ll be an even stronger warrior and king.”
“Everyone in the brotherhood has his own strengths. Together, the nine of you are complete. You’ll all succeed in taking back the throne. Dain, with your help, will make Drakon Realm prosperous and a wonderful, peaceful place for everyone. The gods will make sure Malakar faces the consequences of what he’s done.”
Valon stoodin front of the thousand people who stood behind Dain as their king and looked to be protected by him.
Seraphina looked at Dain and her stomach fluttered. He wore a black sleeveless tunic that showed the tattoo markings on his arm, symbolizing his power. His black pants fit him perfectly. The metal amulet had been replaced with her dragonfly. Dain looked every bit like the storm that had come into her life and turned her world upside down.
She wore her cobalt blue tunic, symbolizing when they first met. Some of the girls had made her a crown woven of the wildflowers that grew in the nearby forest. The baby kicked inside of her.
Dain reached for her hand. A bolt of lightning exploded overhead when they touched, mirroring the electricity that coursed through her body. This man knew how to make her feel more alive than she’d ever known.
Valon smiled at them and held up his hand to get the audience’s attention.
“There was a time when these stones only knew ruin. But look at you all now. This is no longer the Ruins of Arkhadia. It’sa foundation for something better. A new life and someday soon, a new rule over the Drakon Realm.”
Everyone clapped and Valon waited for the applause to die down.
“We’re gathered here, not just to witness the mating of two hearts and the joining of two souls, but the binding of something older—a bloodline that refused to die, a woman who would not break, a man who became more than a legend. He became ours.”
The courtyard was silent as everyone listened to Valon’s words.
“This is not the binding of a king and his queen—soon, but not yet. It’s the binding of two warriors who’ll fight to protect each other and the world around them safe.” He paused. “May the fates and the old gods and goddesses watch. May the earth remember and may the storm bear witness.”
He smiled at Dain and Seraphina. “Let the ceremony begin. Dain, you have your vows?”
“I remember the first words you spoke to me—you came. From that moment, I knew you were my fated mate, my destiny. It’s been difficult because my first instinct was to protect you like you were some kind of delicate doll. You, my love, are stronger than most warriors. You’ve endured more than most ever could. Yet, you are still a loving, caring woman, not just toward me, but to everyone. You are my treasure, as all dragons must have one.” He grinned and the audience chuckled. “I vow to love you for the rest of eternity. I vow to protect you—when you need protecting, and trust you when you say you don’t. I vow to love you, honor you, and cherish you for all time. You complete me.”
Seraphina heard a sniffle and looked over at Jasmine who was wiping a tear away.
She looked into Dain’s stormy eyes. “I remember the first time I saw you in my visions. You were wild and untouchable. The anger and frustration you felt over the way your people werebeing treated showed me that you were a fiercely compassionate man deserving of the title of king. I knew that this untamable man was mine.”
Seraphina inhaled deeply, trying not to cry from the deep love she had for Dain.
“You’ve called me your treasure, but you are the rarest gem I’ve ever known. You are fierce, loyal, and stubborn beyond reason.”
For a moment, Seraphina thought Valon was going to choke on his laugh.
“But underneath all of that power is a heart that loves so deeply that it undid me. I vow to stand beside you in peace and war. I vow to challenge you when you’re being stubborn. I vow to hold you when the world tries to break us. I vow to love you without fear, without end, and without holding back.”
Her fingers tightened on his. “You’re my storm, my heart, and my peace, and I’ll choose you, in this life, in the next, and everyone that comes after.”
Valon’s gaze swept over the gathered crowd — soldiers, families, survivors who had followed Dain from the ruins, their faces filled with hope.
“Today, we do not just witness a mating. We witness the rise of a new era — forged not by fear, but by love stronger than death, loyalty fiercer than war, and a bond that no enemy will ever break.”
He lifted his hand.
“By the old ways and the new, by blood and by choice, I declare this union sealed. Let them be one, now and forever.”
The crowd erupted, not in polite applause, but in a roar of happiness and celebration. They knew they were a part of a legacy of greatness yet to come.
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