And on that day, as Sonia looked around in wonder and beamed up at her mate who gave her all of this, the song was aptly named.
For she was joyous.
Surrounded by friends and family.
People who accepted for her who she was, exactly who she was.
People who loved her.
And in love with a man, well, a wolf, who she loved with everything she was, everything she was meant to be.
Therefore, Sonia Arlington-McDonagh beamed as the horns and strings played a masterpiece accompanied by a hundred voices, the air was filled with the scent of lilies and roses, thousands of wolves stood, their eyes watching her progress, their faces wreathed in smiles and she, a queen, walked to the mate the benevolent hand of fate had given her, a man she’d dreamed of most of her life, her handsome wolf, a king.
And she did so having no idea that in thirty short minutes, she was going to die.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Death
Callum stared in Sonia’s shining green eyes as he listened to her sweet, throaty words, up close and broadcast through the space via microphones, as she said, “I do.”
He smiled.
Tears filled her eyes.
“Right, uh… now, wolf,” the wolf official at their sides muttered and Callum tore his gaze from his queen and looked at the male. “Callum,” he prompted with a nod of his head Callum’s way.
Callum nodded back and looked back down at his bride.
“Are you mine?” he asked, his voice gruff.
“Yes,” she whispered immediately, her voice still husky and her eyes got brighter.
A deafening cheer tore through the crowd.
The official leaned toward Sonia. Callum, holding her hands in his, felt her start and her head turned slightly as the male whispered something in her ear. Callum’s smile grew wider as she blinked in shock, her head jerked to look back at him, her lips parted, her eyes warmed and she spoke.
“Are you mine?” she asked, this new nuance of The Mating something he came up with just that morning.
He was king.
He could do anything he wanted.
And he wanted to give to her what she gave to him.
“Yes,” he replied in a strong, carrying voice and another deafening cheer filled the space.
Sonia smiled, her hands tightening in his. Her smile was shaky but, even so, it was beautiful.
Callum let her hands go but only to push his into his trouser pocket and pull out what rested there.
A gold charm for her claiming chain, this one another wolf but with tiger’s eye for eyes to match the band he’d added to the ones he’d already given to her earlier. He opened the link with his thumbnail and closed it on her claiming chain.
When his eyes captured his bride’s and his hands again caught hers, he could see, even though her head was tipped down to stare at her new charm, she was biting her lip.
She lifted her eyes to his and they were still beaming but brighter, luminescent.
Happy.
He grinned.
“It’s my pleasure to pronounce you, King Callum, and you, Queen Sonia, husband and wife and, er, wolf and lifemate!” the official declared and both Callum and Sonia looked his way to see him smiling broadly. “I’ve always wanted to say this,” he went on then finished, “You may kiss the bride!”
Finally, Callum thought, the good part of this human ceremony.
He turned back to his bride and grinned what he didn’t know was a wolfish grin, her wet eyes dropped to his mouth and he heard her fluttering sigh.
Then he bent his head, tightening his grip on hers and he kissed his bride.
Another roar tore through the space.
Even as he heard it, tasted Sonia on his tongue, smelled her scent in his nostrils, he felt her hand rip from his and move to clutch his lapel.
He broke the kiss to look down at her and saw she was suddenly flushed, her eyes vague.
“Baby doll?” he muttered low so the microphones wouldn’t catch it.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “Just fine,” she stated quietly but she tore her other hand from his and pressed it to her forehead even as her fingers at his lapel gripped tighter and she leaned her body to his.
“Sonia,” Callum called when her eyes drifted to his chest.
He lifted a hand to her jaw and his gut twisted when he felt how hot her skin was. He gently pressed up, forcing her eyes to his and they were beyond vague.
They were pained.
“Little one,” he murmured, dipping his head close.
“Okay,” she said softly. “I think maybe I’m not fine.”
The instant she finished her statement, her legs went out from under her and this was such a surprise, she nearly dropped to the dais before Callum caught her in his arms.
The roaring crowd stopped roaring as a hush filled the space.
Callum didn’t notice it because, even through the lace and silk of her gown he could feel his wife’s body was afire.