Page 60 of Mane Attraction
He’s magnificent,she mused, feeling the mate bond pulse with warm contentment between them. The connection had only grown stronger each day since that accidental completion in the royal vehicle, weaving their souls together in ways that still took her breath away. She could feel his emotions as clearly as her own—his fierce love, his unwavering protectiveness, and his genuine pride in how well she’d adapted to her role as future queen.
“You know what I love most?” Lev asked, stopping to face her as the waves lapped at their ankles.
“The fact that we’re finally getting some peace and quiet?” she teased, smoothing down the skirt of her yellow sundress as the ocean breeze played with the fabric.
“That too,” he grinned, that boyish smile that had first caught her attention still capable of making her heart skip. “But mostly I love watching you discover who you really are here. You’re not just surviving in this world, Xelene. You’re thriving.”
She couldn’t deny the truth in his words. The woman who had arrived on Nova Aurora two weeks ago—controlled, guarded, focused solely on professional success—felt like a distant memory. In her place stood someone who had foundpurpose beyond her own ambitions, someone who could envision a future filled with love and meaning.
“Janice thinks I’ve gone completely soft,” Xelene laughed, thinking of her best friend’s delighted reaction to the changes in her. “She says falling in love has turned me into someone she barely recognizes.”
“Speaking of Janice,” Lev’s eyes sparkled with mischief, “Benjamin’s been walking around the castle with a permanent grin ever since she agreed to stay. I think he’s already planning their own mating ceremony.”
The thought of her pragmatic best friend finding love with Lev’s loyal friend filled Xelene with warmth. Janice had initially been skeptical about remaining on Nova Aurora, but Benjamin’s quiet devotion and genuine character had won her over completely. Not to mention, her and Janice’s decision to start a small consulting business—helping people reach their full potential rather than simply fixing their mistakes—had given both women a sense of purpose that felt infinitely more fulfilling than their previous careers.
“I never imagined my life could feel this complete,” Xelene admitted, her voice soft with wonder. “A few weeks ago, I thought happiness meant controlling every variable and managing every outcome. But this...” She gestured between them, encompassing the mate bond, the pride, their shared future. “This is so much better than anything I could have planned.”
Lev’s expression grew tender as he lifted their joined hands to press a kiss to her knuckles. “You know what else is better than anything?”
“What?” she asked, caught up in the intensity of his gaze.
“The fact that your parents are completely on board with everything. When you called them yesterday, I could hear your mother crying happy tears through the communicator.”
Xelene’s chest tightened with emotion. Her parents’ enthusiastic support for her decision to stay on Nova Aurora and accept her role as Lev’s queen had been the final piece of the puzzle. After years of feeling like their approval was conditional on her professional achievements, hearing them say they’d always known she was destined for something extraordinary had healed wounds she hadn’t even realized still hurt.
“They said they could hear the happiness in my voice,” she murmured.
“Because you are truly alive here,” Lev said, his tone carrying that alpha authority that never failed to send shivers down her spine. “This is where you belong, Xelene. By my side, ruling this pride, building something beautiful together.”
The mate bond thrummed, carrying waves of love so intense it made her dizzy. She could feel his certainty, his unwavering commitment, his absolute devotion to their shared future. The connection that had once terrified her with its intimacy now felt like the most natural thing.
“I love you,” she whispered, the words carrying the weight of complete surrender. “I love this life we’re building. I love who I am when I’m with you.”
Lev’s response was a smile that could have powered the twin suns above them. But instead of the passionate kiss she expected, he took a step back, his expression shifting to something that looked almost... nervous?
“Actually,” he said, his tone carrying an odd note of formality, “there’s something I need to address with you.”
Xelene tilted her head, her analytical mind immediately cataloging the change in his demeanor. “Oh? More pride business? I thought we were taking the afternoon off from royal duties.”
“Not exactly pride business,” Lev said, and to her amazement, he dropped to one knee in the warm sand.
Xelene’s breath caught in her throat as he reached into the pocket of his khaki shorts and withdrew a ring that made her heart stutter. The band was crafted from what looked like white gold, but the stone... the stone was unlike anything she’d ever seen. It seemed to capture and reflect the light of both suns, shifting between deep blue and brilliant gold with every movement.
“This was my mother’s,” Lev said, his voice rough with emotion. “My father gave it to her when they completed their mate bond, and she wore it until the day she died. I’ve been carrying it around for the past week, waiting for the perfect moment to ask you something.”
Tears were already blurring Xelene’s vision as the magnitude of what was happening crashed over her. “Lev...”
“Xelene Warren,” he said, his alpha authority now mixed with vulnerability that made her chest ache, “you saved my life in more ways than one. You saw the man I could become when I couldn’t see it myself. You stood by me through trials and danger, and you chose to build a life here even when it meant leaving everything you’d known behind.”
The ring caught the light as he held it up, and Xelene could swear she felt the echo of the love story it represented—the deep, abiding connection between Lev’s parents that had created the man kneeling before her.
“Will you marry me?” Lev asked, his blue eyes blazing with intensity. “Will you be my queen, my partner, my everything for the rest of our lives? Will you help me rule this pride and build something extraordinary together?”
The tears that had been threatening finally spilled over as Xelene dropped to her knees in the sand beside him, her hands framing his beloved face. “Yes,” she whispered, then louder, “Yes, of course yes!”
Lev’s triumphant laugh was swallowed by her mouth as she kissed him with all the love and joy and certainty flowing through their bond. When he slipped the ring onto her finger, it fit perfectly—as if it had been waiting for her all along.
“I love you so much,” she breathed against his lips. “Forever and always.”
