Taken by the Alpha: Return of the Witch

Clarice

My husband, Cerberus, set one hand on my waist and held my other outright. Fast and melodic classical music erupted throughout the ballroom.

“Ready, my Regina?” Cerberus asked, his handsome grin nearly sweeping me off my feet.

“More than ever, my King!” I responded, gripping his hand tightly. I’d been his Regina for months, yet each moment we spent together felt like our first electric encounter.

It made me excited for the future we would grow together, and for the heir, we would soon bring into this world.

Together, Cerberus and I spun off into the middle of the bustling dance floor.

A giant chandelier hung above us, and candelabras decorated the walls, giving the entire room a golden glow.

Although Cerberus and I had barely rehearsed our dance for the ball, we moved swiftly, as if we were professionals.

Couples beside us all stepped back, their eyes big and their mouths open as Cerberus twirled my body, and I dove backward into his arms, extending my leg outwards.

I felt free, happy, and like everything was exactly as it should be in the world.

My cheeks flushed red when I noticed all the attention that we were drawing to ourselves. I had hardly gotten used to having royal subjects than having this much attention on me!

Yet, it feels so good to know that these people can see the love that I feel for my husband.

“Everybody can see us,” I mentioned from the corner of my mouth, swaying slower with Cerberus as the music changed to something not so fast-paced.

Cerberus beamed with a huge grin. “Let them look to us for what they may aspire to in a relationship one day.”

My heart fluttered into the back of my throat. Since Cerberus had regained his humanity, he had become quite the charmer and a gentleman with words.

I brushed my nose against Cerberus’ and then danced close to his chest.

“Close as they may come,” I whispered, “they will never have the exact type of mate-bond that we do.”

Cerberus chuckled as we continued to move in perfect harmony. “Of course not. Fate pulled us together through all obstacles. But we now must use our gift of love to give back to them.”

“I like the sound of that,” I said, snuggling up against his chest.

He was warm, and his tuxedo was soft.

“Besides,” I added, “there are many villages like the one that I had been raised in which are struggling to get by.”

Cerberus held me tightly as if to say that he wished he had been there through the harder times to help me.

“Together,” Cerberus said, “we will build better lives for our people.”

He darted a brow toward a group of couples dancing only a few feet away from us.

“Look at all of them,” Cerberus said.

I observed the crowd beside us, then the groups of people dining and drinking champagne. The ball was a collection of many people from our various villages, and each and every person in attendance wore a wonderful smile.

“This is only the beginning of what we create together, Clarice.”

Cerberus’ words gave me chills in the best way possible.

I now had a responsibility as a ruler, and I was ready.

Mostly ready, that is.

A leader of a large village approached us. He was in a blue pinstripe suit and his mate was in an elegant and matching blue dress.

The couple bowed to us.

“My king,” the man said, nodding to Cerberus. He nodded to me next. “And my Regina.”

“This was a lovely event,” he continued, “and on behalf of our village, we thank you for the invitation.”

The woman smiled at me and said, “It’s reassuring to see everybody here, together and united. Thank you for that.”

Cerberus returned the bow and said, “No. It is you both whom I should be thanking.”

The boom and confidence in Cerberus’ voice turned heads. People looked on and listened with wide smiles.

“I thank you and ~everybody~,” Cerberus said, “for giving me a second chance as your ruler.”

The couple snagged four flutes of champagne from a waiter with a silver tray, and the couple raised their glasses.

“Long live the King and his Regina!” everybody echoed out.

Cerberus and I shared a glance. We quickly discussed what to say over our mind link.

We raised our own glasses and exclaimed, “Long live our people! May we always stand united!”

The entire room clapped and cheered and sipped on their champagne.

I, of course, handed my glass to Cerberus, who graciously accepted and sipped from it.

I would never think of bringing any harm to the little one in my belly.

Cerberus held his hand to my stomach. I hadn’t begun to show yet, but his palm over my belly gave me a certain joy.

A joy of anticipation of what was to come.

My stomach rumbled.

I kissed Cerberus on the cheek. “I am going to get a snack from the refreshment tables. Would you like anything, my love?”

Cerberus smiled and tucked a loose lock of hair behind my ear. “No, thank you. Go off and eat for two. We need our child healthy and strong!”

I flashed him one more smile.

How perfect my life is.

Cerberus

I watched Clarice’s hips sway in her emerald ball gown as she approached the refreshment table, then I scanned the room fully.

Everybody was gathered around one another, singing and dancing and eating. Everybody was happy, except for one person in the corner.

Kim, Clarice’s adoptive mother.

I grabbed two more glasses of champagne from a waiter’s tray and strode over to Kim.

“Good evening,” I said, handing her a glass. “I hope you are enjoying yourself.”

Kim forced a smile and accepted the glass. She ran her thumbs around the rim but didn’t sip from it.

“This is lovely,” Kim murmured. “I am happy for you and Clarice.”

I took a seat beside her. “Are you sure everything is alright?”

Kim sighed and avoided eye contact with me. “It is only that my life has been flipped upside down since Nate’s fit of madness. I do not feel as though I belong here.”

“That is nonsense!” I insisted. “You have been a wonderful mother to Clarice, and a dear friend to me.”

Kim smiled again, though this one was not forced.

“Perhaps,” I said, offering my hand for a dance, “if you moved a muscle, it would change a thought.”

Kim accepted my hand and together we waltzed.

“Clarice often speaks of how amazing you were,” I reminded Kim. “She says that you were always supportive of her. For that, I am grateful.”

Kim sniffled and held back a tear. “I love her very much, King Cerberus.”

“Of this, I am sure.”

I smiled brightly. “That is why Clarice and I have discussed names for our child. Should it be a girl, then we wish to name our daughter Kimberly.”

Kim gasped softly, and I had to catch her from fainting. She fanned her chest.

“That is such an honor,” she remarked. “Thank you.”

Happy tears rolled down her cheeks.

We continued our waltz, and Kim cried softly on my shoulder. She was a good woman who was in mourning after losing her mate.

However, she would endure. She was, after all, Clarice’s mother, and Clarice was the strongest woman that I knew.

She had to get that behavior from someone.

Suddenly, I noticed footsteps clattering from around the ballroom. These were not dancing footsteps.

These were the rushed footsteps of my guards.

Kim noticed too.

She wiped a tear away and asked, “Is everything okay?”

What is happening? And why are the guards rushing about?