His Sweet Little Mate

“You know it’s not possible, little one,” Micah broke it to her. “I can’t cancel it.”

“What?” The word left Abby’s lips as a soundless gasp as she stared at him in utter disbelief and hurt.

‘Shocked‘ would be too weak a word to describe her expression as she searched Micah’s eyes, which looked a little hard, a look that had never been directed at her.

After explaining, or more precisely complaining for half a day, how she had been struggling about the ceremony, how could he reject her without a second thought?

“We can’t cancel it a second time, little one,” Micah said, when he saw the tears she had been holding back finally make their way down her cheeks. “Everyone is already here, just waiting for us to appear.”

Hearing him, Abby’s hands that were still clinging onto him until now fell to her sides as she couldn’t help but lower head in disappointment and hurt.

She wanted to wring her hands again, but managed to curb it down as she clutched her dress hard enough. She needed a minute, long enough for her to go through her thoughts, to process what just happened. But then she knew she wouldn’t be able to calm herself even if she had days allocated to the same task. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“But I’m scared…” Abby blurted out. “After what happened earlier, I’m not sure I’ll be able to go through this ceremony.”

“Nothing like that will happen ever again, little one,” Micah told her in a gentle voice when he noticed how rattled she was getting just at the mere idea of talking about the incident from earlier.

He could see how hard it was for her to admit her fears after holding everything in for so long, but just crowning her as the queen of this kingdom wasn’t the only purpose of this procession tonight.

His other plan to lure those rogues to the capital city also needed to be considered when he was thinking about the ceremony.

It wasn’t easy to deceive every single person in the palace, who ceremoniously included that lowlife of a spy who was clearly working for Calpin while hiding in plain sight, that he was totally occupied with the ceremony and making his newly found mate happy.

He might be able to get another chance to deal with them, yes, but he didn’t want to let all the effort everyone put into making this plan go well into waste just because his father couldn’t be sensible enough to leave a pair of mates alone.

Everything was already set in motion, he couldn’t afford to let a single misstep of letting his father grasp a chance to hurt Abby ruin everything.

“Moreover, I’ll be right next to you at every single step during the procession. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Just trust me,” Micah explained to her softly. He took both of her hands that were clutching her dress tightly and rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles, looking into her eyes with this gentle yet reassuring expression on his face. “Let’s not give my father and others any more reasons

to point fingers at us, hmm?”

Hearing his words, more tears flowed down her cheeks which were then wiped by the King who kissed her forehead next. He hugged her close to him as he let her calm down a bit.

On the other hand, Abby couldn’t help but notice how instead of saying you, he said ‘us‘, and Abby finally realized she was focusing on the wrong thing completely.

How could she forget such an important thing? She had been working her ass off for the last two weeks, just so she wouldn’t let anything go wrong and attract negative attention to herself.

Indeed, she was attacked and would have lost her life if Neesha had been successful… no, she should say if Arthur had been successful in inciting his mate today.

But wasn’t she fine and the attack was nowhere near as brutal as the one Calpin put her through?

Her mate kept his word and didn’t let any harm befell on her, but she was actually rattled by Arthur’s scheme, and letting him achieve his goal tonight.

After everything Micah did, if she just crumbled like that after facing a single hardship which she escaped unscathed, how could she stay by his side as the queen of this kingdom, where she would need to face thousands of such scheming people?

Wasn’t she just letting what Arthur said to her come true?

“You are not suitable to stay beside him.”

He declared when he pointed out how she was very weak by always letting Micah take care of her.

This kingdom needed a queen who could put its people and their welfare above everything, someone tough enough to stand their ground in the face of adversities, not someone who would need constant supervision like a child.

Abby let her intrusive thoughts get the better of her and her fears cloud her initial determination to change for Micah, to toughen up herself and become someone suitable for the King.

– But after calming down a bit, she could finally think clearly and look at the bigger picture.

Didn’t she promise to stand by his side? So why was she backing down at the first obstacle that was thrown into her path?

She needed to learn to be hard on herself, or else she would only make Arthur and his supporters‘ beliefs come true…

“Okay…” Abby finally gave in. “Let’s take it one step at a time.”

All the way to the great hall, Abby clutched onto Micah’s hand as if her life depended on it, while using her other hand to lift the front of her dress a little to prevent herself from tripping on her own feet.

“We will go in once you feel ready,” Micah told her as he stopped them right before the humongous

doors of the great hall, patting her hand to provide her some comfort.

Abby closed her eyes for a moment before nodding her head to let Micah know that she was re “Let’s get it done and over with.”

She pulled her hand out of Micaly’s as she stood straight, so as not to look too weak in front of everyone. She schooled her expression, trying to keep it blank as her mate led her into the great

ball.

“Bow to the werewolf king!” Someone shouted as the guards pushed open the huge doors, and immediately everyone bowed to their King solemnly.

“Greet the future queen!” The same voice hollered next, making them bow to her as well.

Receiving their respect, Micah nodded gracefully. “All of you can raise!”

Following his lead, Abby too bowed her head a little in response as she walked beside him with her head held high.

From the doors to the throne, she made them lay a moss green carpet, she especially made them prepare for the ceremony, to complement the flower decor she chose as the theme.

She even made them change the tapestries that hung high from the ceiling to pale yellow ones to bring in a subtle yet festive look for the ceremony.

Around five needlewomen were employed to embroider the royal insignia onto a few of these drapes, indicating how hard Abby worked to incorporate all the little details she could into the arrangements.

No one would be able to find fault with any of these, however, Abby couldn’t pride herself over her accomplishments while walking to the high throne, nor could she dare to stray her eyes over to the guests that were now standing on either side of the carpet.

She didn’t think she could take it if people had any disapproving looks in their eyes.

Even though she promised herself she wouldn’t let her fears get the best of her again, it was obvious she couldn’t control her emotions that well when she could feel her hands get drenched from sweat just taking the few steps toward the high platform where the majestic throne sat, looking all profound.

Abby couldn’t help but sigh at the intimidating sight. Even though she had practically lived in this room while preparing for the ceremony, looking at the throne all the time, still, walking toward it with Micah by her side today was completely different.

Not to mention how her emotions were all over the place for the last few hours.

But she still gritted her teeth and turned around to face their audience along with Micah as she could see Arthur walking forward from his seat with his former third in command, Emile in his

tow.

Abby didn’t dare stray her eyes when Arthur got ready to address the audience, as she stared ahead while praying to the Moon Goddess repeatedly.

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She had enough for one day, she didn’t think either her heart or body could take it if one more trouble came her way, so when Arthur spoke in a clear voice, greeting the people on behalf of Micah and Abby, as the officiant, the girl couldn’t help but thank him in her heart, for at least letting her have some room to breathe.

As the former king of this kingdom, the responsibility of overseeing this procession and acting as its officiant fell on Arthur.

Maybe because he needed to keep his front here, he didn’t let his hostility seep into his words. “Now the King and Lady Abby will bow to the Moon Goddess, and pray for peace and prosperity in our kingdom.”

However, she didn’t indulge in this little reprieve too much as she went through the motions with Micah’s aid.

Micah turned toward the window through which they could see the moon, which was now at most a crescent in the sky, and then bowed low along with Abby.

And once they were back to standing straight, Arthur made them face each other. “King Micah, mark your destined in front of everyone.”

Since Abby was already marked by Micah, he just bit on the same spot which almost healed by now. Abby felt her nerves sing when his teeth sank into her skin, drawing enough blood before he licked over the wound, to stop the bleeding.

“Now the King will carry out the coronation,” Arthur announced, his voice taking an almost unnoticeable edge at this point. Even though he felt like he wanted to be anywhere but here right now, he couldn’t do anything anymore to stop the inevitable.

He tried everything in and out of books, but still couldn’t get his son to think clearly. He was clearly disgruntled, but still needed to act like he didn’t find the girl in front of him an eyesore.

Instead, he had to smile when Micah proceeded to pick the crown with both hands to place it on Abby, that burden of a girl’s head.

The rest of the royal council behind him didn’t feel otherwise as well, as they put on practiced smiles when Micah picked up the crown studded with various gemstones along the band, while a large diamond glinted off light right in the front of it.

Their hearts were filled with discontentment, but they could only grit their teeth secretly and watch as Micah crowned a woman they could all find problems with.

Abby could feel all their hateful gazes on her. Even though they all tried their best to conceal them, even with experience, hatred wasn’t something you could mask so easily.

But the thought of giving the speech she prepared sooner rather than later overwhelmed her five senses as she couldn’t care about anything else.

“I pledge to honor you, love you and cherish you for the rest of our lives,” Micah promised to her solemnly as he placed the crown on her head.

Now it was her turn to finally open her voice and address the whole kingdom where she needed to

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convey how she was going to strive for the prosperity of this kingdom.

But the only problem was, Abby couldn’t find her voice at all. No matter how hard she tried, her scattered brain couldn’t let her string the few words she worked hard to write into a meaningful sentence in front of the anticipating audience.

I’m going to ruin everything, oh my god, what should I do?

Abby almost let her tears fall down her cheeks when something really unexpected happened as vicious growls erupted in the otherwise silent great hall.