Page 57 of Lycan King’s Claim (Lycan King’s Reign Duet #2)
The palace's huge ballroom glows brightly, crystal chandeliers casting a radiant light over guests who are here to honor Anna's first birthday. The air is alive with color, streamers, and flowers cascading down, appearing like vibrant waterfalls paused mid-descent.
“Xandros, just look at her,” I breathe out, holding our daughter, her eyes shimmering with the marvel of it all.
“She's growing so quickly,” Xandros replies with a gentle touch to her raven curls. “It feels like she was just born.”
“The wonders of raising our Lycan princess,” I muse, laughter tinting my voice.
He presents a delicate circlet, placing it atop Anna’s hair. “My beautiful girl,” he whispers. She reaches for him, their bond evident in every giggle, every touch as she tugs at the beard he's growing.
“Are you excited about today?” I ask Anna, pressing a soft kiss on her cheek. Her babble only adds to my joy.
The soft fairy lights make them look ethereal, reminding me of stars as they twinkle, though Anna seems to like them too. She thrusts her hands in the air, forcing Xandros to repeatedly lift her, so she can grab them.
The moment has arrived for the highlight of the evening, as our guests gathered around a table adorned with an elaborate cake, decked with colorful frosting and a single candle.
Anna's eyes dance with excitement, her little hands reaching out towards the flickering flame.
Xandros holds her securely on his lap, while I stand beside them.
After dinner, the cake draws everyone's attention. Our guests move around the exquisite cake. “Ready everyone?” I call out, and the room fell silent in anticipation. “One, two, three!” A chorus of voices rang out in harmony, singing “Happy Birthday” to our daughter.
“Make your wish,” Xandros coaxes. With his guidance, Anna blows out the candle or more slobbers on it, as spit goes flying when she blows a raspberry.
Laughter and applause erupt as we cut the cake, serving up generous slices to our eager guests. Friends and family members approach us, their arms laden with beautifully wrapped gifts for our little girl.
“Sienna, Xandros, look at this adorable dress Aunt Tasha made for Anna!” exclaims Carina, as she unfolds a delicate garment adorned with intricate embroidery.
“It's perfect for her! And will go perfectly with the shoes Aunty Carina got her!
Come, princess, let's put these on,” Carina says, quickly kidnapping our daughter out of Xandros' arms to dress her.
“When are you knocking her up? My daughter has enough clothes for ten children with how clucky Carina is?” Xandros asks Toby.
“Not any time soon, Carina wants to ensure the kingdom is in a good place, so until then, Anna has her own stylist,” Toby chuckles.
When Carina returns with Anna, she is wearing her new clothes, looking as cute as a button. “Thank you, Carina, and thank you, Tasha,” I tell them.
“Of course, Sienna,” Tasha replies, her smile warm. “We wouldn't have missed this for the world.”
As the evening progresses, our guests engage in games and activities, filling the air with peals of laughter and cheerful banter, especially when Xandros joins a warped game of twister.
All the women bail out halfway through because of our dresses and skirts, leaving a bizarre scene of all the men tangled as they try to shove each other over.
It eventually turns into a wrestling match and Adina has to intervene, giving them a scolding when the testosterone becomes too much.
Laughing, I watch as they pick themselves up off the ground when Tasha comes over.
“Come on, Sienna,” urges Tasha as she hands me a blindfold. “It's your turn to 'Pin the Tail on the Lycan'!”
“Alright, but only if Xandros plays after me,” I agree, laughing as I allow her to secure the blindfold over my eyes.
“Deal!” she exclaims, guiding me towards the makeshift Lycan poster hanging on one of the walls.
The room echoes with encouragement and good-natured teasing as I stumbled about, attempting to pin a paper tail onto the elusive creature, instead pinning it on a painting of Xandros that hangs on the wall.
“Goes with your beard,” Carina laughs with a playful nudge.
“It really makes your eyes pop,” Toby snickers.
As the room echoes with the cheerful chatter of our friends and family, my eyes find Xandros. There he stands, engrossed in a conversation with some guests, a content grin on his face.
I feel a sudden urge to be close to him, and the thought of his warm embrace sends shivers down my spine. As if reading my thoughts, Xandros turns his gaze towards me. Our eyes meet for only a moment before someone interrupts him, pulling him away from our conversation.
Disappointed but not discouraged, I continue mingling with our guests as they compliment us on throwing such an amazing party. However, my heart still yearns for Xandros' comforting touch.
The night wears on and people start filtering out of the house one by one until it’s just me and Xandros left in front of all those cleaning up.
Xandros pulls me into his arms without missing a beat; suddenly everything feels complete again – like all those pieces that were previously scattered have finally come back together seamlessly within each other's embrace once more!
“Let's get Anna to bed,” Xandros whispers and I nod, glancing over to Adina and Rehan where Anna is nestled between them, her head resting on Adina's shoulder as she fights sleep.
As Xandros picks up Anna, his hand brushes against mine and sends a jolt of electricity through my body. I can feel the heat from his touch long after he pulls away, leaving me wanting more.
We make our way upstairs to tuck Anna in for the night before retiring ourselves. As we lay down next to each other in bed, I can't help but think about how much I want him—all of him.
Xandros must sense my hunger because suddenly, he leans over and kisses me passionately on the lips while running his hands along every inch of my body. My heart races as our bodies entwine like two serpents becoming one.
It doesn't take long for us to become lost in passion as we explore each other's bodies until finally reaching an explosive climax that leaves us both panting and satisfied.
As I snuggle into Xandros' arms afterward, feeling contentment wash over me—everything feels perfect; just right!