Chapter 737: Fae From The Outside

Lucien was nowhere to be found after that incident.

Not that it surprised anyone. After such a public humiliation, only a fool would linger, and Lucien was far too proud for that. Moreover, the crowd did not miss him.

With the gifting ceremony over, it was time for the princess to dance and the Fae watched with open curiosity, — and barely disguised anticipation.

The crowd began to whisper. How would she do it? The princess had three mated wolves and tradition demanded only one partner for the dance.

Then there was Asher. He was the unmated one in the princess harem and they intended to see how she’d handle that without him feeling left out.

Violet knew exactly what they were thinking. So when she stepped forward and all four cardinal alphas moved with her, murmurs started in the hall.

Was she planning on dancing with all four of them? But that wasn’t the way it was done. Unfortunately, the Queen was not talking so all the Fae could do was grumble as the cardinal alphas moved towards Violet and flanked her.

Then the music rose and Violet began to move. Fae dancing was not stiff, but fluid and instinctive, and she let the music guide her.

Griffin was the first of the Alphas to reach for her, his hand on her waist as he guided her through measured steps. With his size, it was easy to conclude that Griffin could not dance but the reverse was the case. His steps were so light and accurate as they danced to the rhythm. They turned once, only for Roman to steal her.

A laugh burst from Violet as Roman spun her out of Griffin’s hold, his grin wicked, and his movements smooth. Roman

pulled her close, their hips aligning just long enough to draw a sharp breath from her before he sent her flying again, arms outstretched, with her dress catching the light like a living thing. The sight was stunning.

Then Alaric caught her next. His steps were elegant and he slowed the tempo with nothing more than a hand at her back and a look that burned like the lightning he wielded. Their bodies moved in a tight circle, the sexual tension between them thick and undeniable.

Then he dipped her low.

So low the world tilted, and for a suspended heartbeat his gaze dropped to the swell of her chest and her pulse betrayed her.

Alaric lingered there, and from their position, it would have been easy to steal a kiss—or at least what the crowd imagined would happen. The Fae who had been grumbling about Violet not dancing the traditional way were now so invested they could practically feel the sexual tension wafting off the group—and wouldn’t have minded being given a show.

Alaric must have sensed it because he leaned in, and the crowd held its breath. Violet’s breath stuttered too. In this position, she was completely under Alaric’s control, and they were so close there might as well have been no clothes between them.

She wanted him. Them. This was supposed to be a dance, but it had turned into foreplay—and the goddess help her.

Just when the Fae thought Alaric would crush his lips against Violet’s, he pulled her upright, and the hall groaned in disappointment.

Such a tease.

Alaric wore a knowing smirk as he whirled Violet in Asher’s direction.

The air in the room sharpened as soon as she ended up in Asher’s arms. Violet was unable to breath, spellbound in the magic that was Asher’s stunning slitted eyes. Asher didn’t even smile nor tease her, instead he danced with concentration as if making a mistake would have devastating consequences.

He drew Violet in with a hand at her lower back, their foreheads nearly touching as they moved in a slow rhythm. Then Asher lifted her—not high, but enough that her feet left the ground—and turned with her in a slow, powerful arc. Violet laughed softly, trusting him completely. When he set her down, she followed his lead without hesitation, then he spun her away.

Griffin reclaimed her, only for Roman to intercept, then Alaric pulled her back. It felt chaotic the way they passed her between them, yet it was so seamless and natural that the Fae were completely hooked.

By the time Violet reached the center again, her heart was pounding, and her cheeks flushed. Her head was swimming, it was all too much.

The music climbed as one by one, the alphas closed in, circling her, their hands brushing her body as they guided her through a final sequence. Griffin, Roman’s Alaric’s, and Asher’s scent enveloped her until Violet felt she was losing her mind.

On the final note, they struck a pose.

Violet arched back slightly with one of her arms around Asher and the other braced against Alaric. Roman knelt at her side, while Griffin stood behind her with his arms around her waist.

There was silence for a moment until applause thundered against the walls, cheers breaking loose as the Fae rose to their feet. This was incredible. They had never seen a dance like this.

Violet stood breathless, her heart racing, and surrounded by her alphas as the music faded and the crowd’s roar washed over them.

Then out of nowhere Alaric grabbed her face and his mouth was on hers, stealing her breath away. He kissed her hard and

Violet stumbled from the shock of it, a small gasp slipping between them. Alaric steadied, and kept her from falling. His other hand cradled the back of her neck, his thumb brushing her jaw as he deepened the kiss just enough to make the crowd lose its mind.

The Fae had lost it now, screaming their lungs as Alaric gave them the show they wanted.

Someone even shouted,

“We love you, Violet!”

The words hit Violet like magic.

When she finally pulled back, breathless and flushed, her eyes were bright, her lips swollen, with her pulse roaring in her ears. She let out a giddy laugh, and lifted one hand to wave at the crowd, drunk on the attention, and relishing the way the Fae looked at her now.

They no longer thought of her as an outsider and it felt good.

Then Roman leaned in first, pressing a quick, shameless peck to her lips, followed by Griffin, and finally Asher whose kiss was much more brief, and restrained. But his hand lingered at her waist just a heartbeat longer than necessary, his eyes saying everything his mouth did not.

Then they returned to their seats as one, leaving Violet standing alone in the center of the floor.

It was time for the queen to dance with her daughter. Violet turned toward the dais, already smiling when her mother rose from the throne.

Queen Seraphira stepped forward, her expression alight with joy when suddenly the doors to the hall slammed open and Rhara burst into the hall.

Her steps were fast, and urgent, while her face was pale beneath the glow of the chandeliers. She didn’t slow as she crossed the floor, her eyes locked on the dais. Guards poured in behind her, weapons at the ready.

The shift was immediate as the joy drained from the room like a breath pulled from the lungs.

Rhara mounted the steps and leaned in close to Queen Seraphira, whispering something urgently. Violet watched her mother’s face change in real time, the joy hardening into a scowl.

The Fae noticed too and a ripple of unease spread as more guards flooded the hall, lining the walls, and blocking exits. Murmurs rose in the hall immediately.

Queen Seraphira announced at once. “There is a matter requiring my attention, the celebration will continue. There is no cause for alarm.”

But her words did little to soothe the sudden tension.

She turned and moved swiftly from the dais with Rhara at her side, the guards closing around them in a tight formation.

Lila stepped forward immediately, lifting her hands in a calming gesture. “Please,” she said, “enjoy the festivities. Everything is under control.”

Violet didn’t wait to hear the rest. She slipped into the crowd, moving fast, and weaving between bodies before anyone could stop her.

The cardinal alphas noticed instantly.

Asher cursed under his breath, going after her. Griffin was already moving. Alaric and Roman followed without a word.

The corridors beyond the hall were unrecognizable.

Guards lined every passage, weapons drawn, and their faces grim. Violet’s pulse quickened as she followed the flow toward the palace entrance as adrenaline took over.

Then she saw it.

Standing at the threshold were figures she did not recognize.

They carried banners unlike any she had seen, marked with foreign sigils. They were not Free Fae.

A woman stepped forward from their ranks.

She was tall, broad-shouldered with an expression that seemed to be carved from stone. Armor hugged her form, and her gaze was unflinching as she came to a halt before Queen Seraphira.

She bowed.

“Greetings, Queen Seraphira of the Free Fae,” she said, her voice calm and unyielding. “I am Annequin, Queen of Astaria. The neighbors you have hidden from all this while.”

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