Page 41 of Royal Protector
And he does, his lips taking mine in a searing, passionate kiss that inspires whoops and hollers from whoever is still left in the room. Then, when we pull back, panting for air, Antoine scoops me into his arms and heads for the exit.
“Where are you going?” Leo calls after us, his voice tinged with laughter.
“To find our happily ever after!” I call back before we leave the ballroom behind us, our thoughts filled only with the fairy tale that, against all odds, Antoine and I will finally get to live at last.
EPILOGUE: ONE YEAR LATER
EPILOGUE: ONE YEAR LATER
“I’m going to have to do another damn waltz, aren’t I?” grumbles Antoine as he looks out over the swarm of people filling the ballroom.
“Of course,” I say, patting him lightly on the cheek. “But I think these are much better circumstances.”
“Me too,” he says, kissing my hair lightly. “Me, too.”
Once again, we’re back in the ballroom at the New Orleans event center, but a year later, Leo’s distaste of Old World opulence has made its mark.
The old burgundy wallpaper has been traded for simple cream paint, and simple, streamlined modern lines have replaced the swirls and crystals of the room’s former decor.
It feels lighter, airier, and, most importantly, nothing like the room where we had been attacked by Martina’s vampires. It feels like a brand new start.
Leo, Jack, and Anna had insisted on throwing this party for Himari, Bastien, Antoine, and me, for many reasons, all wrapped up in one. This made writing the invitations a little tricky, but it didn’t matter. We had so much to celebrate.
Last month, the Global Council officially abolished the Untouchable role, claiming it to be an outdated tradition that didn’t take into account the lives it affected negatively.
There was very little pushback about the decision, other than from scattered fundamentalist groups around the world, but none enough to make trouble. Himari and I are free, and no other girls will have to suffer the way we did.
The second event to celebrate was Bastien taking Antoine’s place as Second-in-Command for the Rougarou Pack. Already, he makes a fantastic support leader for the pack, his empathy, and enthusiasm ushering in many of the changes that Jack has put into place.
Himari moved to the Bayou to be with him, wanting to stay out of the public eye and politics for good. I’ve never seen her happier, and the Rougarou pack welcomed their first vampire with open arms.
And the third event? Well, the third event is especially important to me. After everything about the Untouchable lifestyle was revealed, the head of the Global Council, a werewolf named Kenji, called me to discuss a new role in their organization, which I quickly accepted.
As a Cultural Change Advocate, I now travel the world, visiting different packs and families to discuss removing various traditions and creating new cultural norms to support young werewolves and vampires better. Of course, this job isn’t without its dangers, and I had to hire a bodyguard to support me in my travels.
That’s where Antoine comes in. At last, he gets to satiate his wanderlust and thirst for adventure, and this time, it’s at the side of someone who loves him and whom he loves in return. Jack took his resignation in stride, knowing that Antoine and I would thrive in our new roles.
As he predicted, the musicians that Jack hired for the event begin to play a waltz. He groans, rolling his eyes, and I punch his bicep playfully.
“Come on, honey,” I tease. “Can I have this dance?” Instead of his usual sigh, Antoine only smiles, holding out his hand to me.
“Of course,” he says, bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss that makes my knees shake. “You can have all my dances, for the rest of our lives.” He takes me to the center of the ballroom, and although he steps on my toes at least twice and I nearly trip over the hem of my skirt, it’s the best dance I’ve ever had.
