Damon stands up and faces everyone.
‘Let this be a lesson to us all, we must not fear each other, and we must embrace and accept each other’s differences. Do this, and we can live together in happiness,’ Everyone cheers.
Hugo approaches.
‘I hear you’re looking to hire a nanny?’ Hugo asks. Damon and I both look at each other and burst into laughter.
‘Hugo, I think we have a position more suitable to your liking that needs filling at the castle?’ I say.
‘Oh, what position would that be?’ Hugo asks with keen interest.
‘I’m looking for a knight, but he must be the best and most loyal knight I could ever ask for. So, what do you say, Sir Hugo?’ I smile at him.
Sir Hugo looks at me with the greatest respect and kneels before me.
‘It would bring me the utmost honour to serve you, my Queen Maia, and you Alpha King Damon if you would have me?’
Damon smiles and nods in approval.
Hugo walks away proudly.
The Orc children run up to Hugo and playfully begin to tackle him without any fear. He gives up, trying to push them away gently. There are too many of them. He begins to laugh as they continue to try and tackle him to the ground, but he is too large and strong, and they are too little. Troy and Vivian approach hand in hand, smiling. Grace, Ella and Zayden run towards the other children and play.
‘Vivian, since Troy lives at the castle as Beta, you are welcome to come and live there together with your children. We will also need some teachers for all the little orcs, sprites, vampires, witches and fae. You would make a great teacher in etiquette and literature for them,’ I smile.
‘Thank you, Maia, I would love that,’ she returns the smile.
‘Ember, will you also live with us at the castle?’ I ask her. Ember jumps up and down in excitement.
‘Maia, you couldn’t stop me living with you at the castle even if you tried to,’ she laughs.
I laugh too. Ember is probably right. I couldn’t stop her if I tried.
I see Raven in the distance. I whistle to get her attention, and she comes trotting over to me, nudges my face and neighs. Damon takes my hand, and we gaze into each other’s eyes and kiss.
‘I Maia, your mate, Luna and Queen, would like us to go back home to our castle in Moon Crest Valley,’
Damon tucks my long black hair behind my ear and smiles.
‘I Damon, your mate, Alpha and King accept your proposal,’ he smiles.
He swiftly lifts me into his arms, kisses me on the lips, and then helps me onto Raven. Damon sits behind me and wraps his arms around my body. He nuzzles and kisses my mark.
Hugo and the warriors and soldiers help the children into the wagons and follow behind us. We set up camp each night as it’s a long way back to Moon Crest Castle. Hugo tells the children stories around the campfire. He easily entertains the children. The little orcs admire his great strength and mimic his movements as they follow behind him.
Mooncrest Castle is just as large as West Wallow Keep. It’s made from a light-colour stone, with towers at each corner. The Gates are large and brown with golden handles. The Gates open, and a young masculine man approaches us. Damon jumps down from Raven, runs towards the man, and almost topples him with a firm hug. They laugh and slap each other on the back.
‘Maia, this is our Gamma, Eric,’ He says.
Ryker helps me down from Raven, and I approach Eric.
‘I’m happy to finally meet you,’ I say.
Eric kisses my hand.
‘It’s the utmost honour and pleasure to meet you, my Queen and Luna. You must all be exhausted?’ He says.
‘Yes, we are. You can organise the staff to cater a massive feast for tonight. We have a lot of little guests that will be arriving here at any moment. You will also arrange rooms for them until they are adopted.’ Damon says.
Damon scoops me up and carries me into the castle, and he takes us straight to our chamber.
I walk around our bedroom, admiring the décor and furnishings.
‘It’s so beautiful, the castle that is,’
‘Wait until you see the rest of it,’ he says as he gives me a wink.
Exhausted, we lay entangled in our bed, holding each other. Damon gazes into my violet eyes.
‘I love you, Maia, my Mate, Luna and Queen. I would do anything for you,’ he says, sweetly caressing my cheek.
‘I love you too, Damon. I’m so glad the Moon Goddess chose us to be together.’ I smile and sweetly kiss him.
‘And that’s the story of the alpha king and me,’ I say to my new friends Nina, Magnus and Alec, who arrived through the portal to Mysteria hours earlier.
Nina, Alpha Magnus, and Vampire King Alec applaud, and the rest of their friends clap along too.
