*Omario POV*
The ceremony goes smoothly. Mom and Terrence have really outdone themselves with the planning. To my relief, Floyd seems to be getting on well with Mom and Terrence.
We have the biggest show up of guests in the history of Lily town kingdom. We have Alphas and Luna’s of packs who have never come to our kingdom before because they hated Dad’s greed and leadership. Some are here to satisfy their curiosity about my inferno Luna while others are looking for trading opportunities with us.
All our servants and retired ones have also come in numbers. I have no doubt that they are here mainly for Abi. We also have, unfortunately, those who still act naive and ask me about Olivia, pissing my gorgeous mate off.
Abi looks exceptionally beautiful today, I keep suppressing the possessive feeling that rises inside me when other Alphas look at her.
It gets worse when we shift into our wolfs for the ceremony. Everyone gasp at the blazing Nina and all I want to do is hide her away. It’s as if she can tell my insecurities because she fondly blushes herself against a super proud Titan.
Maybe I am paranoid about losing my mate but I know that every Alpha dreams of having a gorgeous and powerful mate and Abi and Nina are both. I was indestructible before but with them, we are invincible.
We are walking around, greeting everyone when I spot my school friends.
“You go ahead. I will go greet my friends too,” Abi says, pointing at the table with the servant and former servants.
“You are avoiding my friends.” She is so predictable this mate of mine.
“Of course I am. They all have this superiority complex that makes me gag.”
I shake my head and watch her walk away. I don’t blame her for not wanting to spend time with my friends, most of them are Oli’s friends and do exhume the so called superiority complex.
Abi is still chatting to her friends when I finish with my friends. I’m almost jealous of how much she is at ease with them. Her laughter and smile lights up the hall, My Sunshine. I approach her, wrap my arms around her waist and plant a kiss on her forehead. She rests her head on my chest, hushing my deepest worries. Everything feels so natural with her.
“Your Highness,” a familiar old lady greets respectfully before everyone on the table bows.
“Good afternoon everyone. I’m so happy you could come,” I say before focusing my attention on the old lady, who means a world to Abi.
“Mother Telly, I hope my Luna has relayed the good news.”
They all exchange mischievous looks and cheer when I address Abi as my Luna.
“She was just informing me, Your Highness,”Telly responds respectfully.
“We would be honoured if you could serve as one of our elders and advisor.”
Telly is way past her retirement age but she chose to remain under horrific conditions in our castle to be Abi’s support. There is just no one more fitting of the position of an elder than her.
“The honour will be all mine, Your Highness.”
Bigger cheers and clapping from the table follow. Abi is also thrilled, I really love seeing her so happy.
.
The following day, we are seated in the study with our Beta’s to plan how we want to run the kingdom when Abi announces that she wants all the servants and retired ones to be paid their wages from the day they started slaving here.
“That’s a lot of people to pay. It’s going to send the kingdom into recession, Your Highness,” Floyd is the first to comment.
“I don’t care! Everyone will be paid,” Abi says decisively.
“I’m with Abi on this one,” Terrence responds.
That’s not surprising at all to me. I’m still thinking of a diplomatic way of dealing with this when Floyd responds again.
“Of course, you do,” he smirks.
He still does not like Terrence. I had hoped that they would have worked things out by now.
“Forgive me, Your Highness, but this is no way to run a kingdom,” he adds.
I curse under my breath and brace myself for the worst. Floyd does not get how personal this is to Abi and Terrence.
“You are right. We were slaves all our lives while you grew up in privilege with my likes cleaning after you for nothing. You should be grateful that we only want the slaves paid and not coming for those who once hunted us. Besides, which kingdom have you run before?” Abi snaps and Floyd drops his head.
“Babe.” Floyd was insensitive but I’m sure that he meant no disrespect.
“All slaves will be paid by tomorrow and that’s final,” Abi snaps and gets up.
“Babe.”
She shakes her head. “There is nothing to discuss. We were enslaved and exploited for decades. To move forward, we have to correct the wrongs of the past,” she says before storming out.
Terrence runs behind her. I guess the meeting is over. It’s going to be a long day.
Mother looks at us and shakes her head.
“I guess you agree with them.”
“I don’t, but how you tackle this matters a lot. It can build or completely destroy this kingdom.”
I already know this.
“Paying everyone will definitely destroy the kingdom,” Floyd responds.
“Have you ever thought of how they all feel?” Mother asks. “Your fathers killed their parents, made them slaves who lived under inhumane conditions. You might have not tortured them yourselves but you benefited from their suffering, yet they have let it go. This was their lands, we were rogues who killed and destroyed their packs, yet they have not said a word.”
“So, we should pay for our father’s sins?” Floyd asks.
“Be sensitive. That’s all I’m saying,” Mother says before also living us ashamed.
“Your mate does not like me,” Floyd complains the moment Mother is out of sight.
“No, she doesn’t. She does not trust you but you will prove her wrong.”
“You sound confident about that.”
“She’s loving, kind and very reasonable when not angry.
“And when angry?” Floyd asks but he already knows the answer.
“That’s when you stay away from her. Let’s just find a way to compensate everyone without bankrupting the kingdom. Can I rely on you for this?”
“Of course,” Floyd responds and leaves.
I go out and find my mate sitting on the bench in the garden. She is in deep thoughts and only notices me when I take a seat next to her.
“This is the most serene place here, but it was not always like that.”
I look at here but she continues staring at the roses bed in front of her.
“I grew those, Teresa grew the yellow ones. It was 37 degrees Celsius hot that day,”she says with a voice devoid of any emotion.
I swallow my saliva, my heart sinking.
“So beautiful from a distance, but they have the sharpest thorns and merciless when you handle them without gloves.m,” she continues.
“Abigail,” I call her softly. I can’t stand hearing about her suffering.
“I had none. None of us had them, but we worked on these roses every damn week for twelve years. We spent the nights getting the thorns out.”
“I can never change the past m, Abigail, but I will make sure that the future is different and that everyone is compensated.”
She finally turns to look at me.
“It won’t be tomorrow. I will get expects in the economy to do the calculations and start the ball rolling. Can you trust me to handle this?”
My hot volcano nods her head.
“Are you going to kiss your man now?”
She smiles and my world is perfect again.