I took my place at the front, beside the high priest of Agnathion. Then the music kicked in. It was a strange, high-pitched tune, very simple compared to Titan music. Underneath it, some Titan musicians played our most traditional song, the Dance of Death. Despite its name, it was quite a happy and sprightly tune.
She appeared at the other end of the temple wearing a slender white dress that hugged her thin frame. She carried a bouquet—Healer’s Touch—and a veil over her face. Titan children carried her train behind her.
She was mesmerizing.
The guests had never seen an Earth wedding before. They gasped and murmured how beautiful she looked.
I agreed. She was stunning.
She walked with the second most powerful man in the galaxy on her arm. My uncle and heir to the throne should anything happen to me.
I had eyes only for Hazel. She floated like a cloud in her frilly white dress, a dress I very much looked forward to tearing off her body later.
Her friends had tears in their eyes and grinned as she passed.
When she drew up to me, my uncle handed her over to me with a gracious bow before taking his seat.
Then the ceremony began in earnest. The High Priest read his sermon. He spoke about peace and fighting for what was right, for our freedoms and those of our family and friends. I tuned him out and spoke to Hazel out the corner of my mouth.
“You look gorgeous,” I said.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she said.
“I wish I could tear that dress off you right now and—”
“Focus on the ceremony, please.”
Even through the veil, I could make out her smile.
“Can I touch you?” I said.
“Now?” she said. “No.”
“But I want to.”
“Control yourself.”
“I can’t.”
I reached out and placed my hand on hers. After a moment, she held my finger.
“How do you think your friends are going to react to the news?” I said.
“They’ll be excited,” she said.
“You haven’t told them?”
“Nope.”
“What if they say no?”
“They won’t.”
“What if they do?”
“They won’t.”
The High Priest placed a fist on his heart and ended with a prayer. We, the guests, and everyone watching at home did the same.
“I believe the groom has some words he would like to say?” the High Priest said.
“I do,” I said.
Hazel and I turned to face the congregation and the dozens of cameras recording every moment. Sixty billion Titans were watching us right now. And that wasn’t including the other species. All told, up to a trillion viewers might be watching us.
And I felt like I was dancing on a cloud. I wasn’t nervous at all.
“We’ve endured a hard time lately,” I said. “The Changelings attacked us and took over our empire. They did a great deal of damage to us, our culture, and our way of life. It was partly my fault. If I’d kept a closer eye on the needs of the people, if I hadn’t blinded myself with just a few key advisors, I would have seen the harm befalling our empire and I could have stopped it.
“Instead, it happened, and we all lost loved ones because of it. I can give you my word that this will never happen again, but they are just that. Words. Our empire is vast, and I am only one man. I can’t listen to all of you, and you deserve to be listened to. That’s why I’ve decided to divide the empire into five parts. The north, the south, the east, the west, and the center. Don’t worry, we are still one empire and I am your emperor. But from now on, you will have your own mini-emperor to voice your concerns with, your own quadrant to make as good as you can.”
I took a breath before I continued.
“I’m pleased to announce the five members of the mini-emperor council are here with us right now,” I said.
The audience murmured among themselves.
I pushed through the whispers.
“They’re all Titans, and they represent a different segment of the Titan empire,” I said.
I turned to those in the front row. Hazel’s friends and their Titan fated mates.
The girls were excited. The men were not.
“To make this official, we need a ceremony,” I said. “That’s why your empress and I have decided to hold the event right now, while everyone is here, to solidify the relationship we share. They are my brothers and sisters, just as they are your brothers and sisters. Rise and take your place beside us.”
Hazel’s friends squealed as they got to their feet. They rushed Hazel and hugged her tight.
The Titans approached me a little more sedately. But they would go along with it. They loved their mates and the entire empire was watching.
Nothing like peer pressure to make you take the leap.
We turned to face the High Priest. We Titans gave our unbreakable pledge to the brides, who gave their own in return. Then we exchanged rings—most of which were hastily purchased from the only jeweler in town.
“You may now kiss the brides,” the High Priest said.
We did. The audience got to their feet and cheered. They tossed their hats in the air and gave us a loud round of applause.
It had been a long and hard few weeks but we got through it alive, and better still, in the arms of our fated mates.
I hope you enjoyed the FATED MATES OF THE TITAN EMPIRE series. It was a lot of fun to write and, as we speak, I’m in the middle of writing my next series FATED MATES OF BREEDER PRISON.
What happens when an alien slave master gets greedy? After being thrown into cages to pleasure brutal alien fighters, Ivy is broken—a mere shell of who she used to be. She’ll be used and forced to do the monsters’ bidding, it’s too much to expect a male to watch over her… Then the Beast claims her. You can grab BEAST IN THE CAGE now!
Want Hazel & Fiath’s Epilogue?
I wrote a special chapter for fans who want to see what happens
