Chapter 129: I miss my wife

The days that followed passed in the usual quiet routine. With Joffrey and Serena reinstated into the hierarchy, their presence at the estate became a daily occurrence.

Joffrey was appointed to the gamma position directly beneath Alec, a decision on Dorian’s part to ensure his cousin remained under constant surveillance.

Serena was assigned as one of Alyssa’s ladies-in-waiting, though she was placed under Pandora’s sharp scrutiny and strictly forbidden from ever being left alone in a room with the Queen.

Alyssa ignored them both, treating their presence as if they were invisible. Instead, she retreated into the sanctuary of the grand library, spending endless hours digging into ancient books and scrolls, desperately searching for any recorded history on Hybrids.

Watching her slip back into the isolated, defensive shell she had once inhabited broke Dorian’s heart. He had poured enough patience and devotion into pulling her out of those walls, slowly coaching her until she felt safe enough to bloom.

Now, the weight of her secret was forcing her back into the shadows. He needed his Alyssa back; the vibrant, radiant girl whose laughter filled his world, before this burden consumed her entirely.

One morning, he was scheduled to conduct his mandatory monthly rounds through the territory. It was a tradition to visit ailing families, distribute resources to impoverished districts, and listen to the needs of his people.

​In the past, he had never brought Alyssa along, primarily because her status had not yet been formally announced to the continent.

Now that she was recognized across all of Wintercrest, it was time for her to stand at his side as Luna Queen.

He made his way to the library to retrieve her; she had locked herself inside there since morning, refusing to leave even when Pandora and Henna tried to coax her out after breakfast.

When he stepped through the door and saw her curled up on the sofa, holding an old leather-bound volume close to her face, he stopped. His heart swelled with an overwhelming wave of love and fierce devotion.

She took his breath away. Dressed in a soft navy-blue gown with delicate slippers. Her legs were tucked beneath her skirt, her long hair spilling over her shoulders as her eyes tracked the pages on the book.

Her sweet, intoxicating scent saturated the entire room, wrapping around his senses until he was completely consumed by it. The small tray of tea and pastries on the side table remained untouched.

His wife. His young, stunning, extraordinary wife. What on earth would he do without her?

Noticing his presence, Alyssa lifted her eyes from the page. The moment her gaze locked onto his, a radiant smile bloomed across her features.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked softly.

A charming grin touched Dorian’s lips as he stepped further into the library. Her smile alone had the power to shatter any darkness in his mind.

"A while," he admitted. "I could stand here for an eternity just watching you, and it still wouldn’t be enough."

She closed the book, set it aside on the cushion, and swung her legs to the floor. Closing the distance between them, she let him pull her against his broad chest.

He buried his face in the curve of her neck, breathing in her scent like it was the very oxygen keeping him alive. Alyssa closed her eyes as his lips began leaving soft kisses along the side of her throat.

"You’re all dressed up," she murmured, her breath hitching as his teeth grazed her collarbone. "Where are you going?"

Dorian nipped lightly at her skin, instantly soothing the sting with the tip of his tongue. "My monthly rounds through the territory," he murmured against her skin. "Except today, my Queen is coming with me."

Alyssa pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his. "You want me to come?"

Dorian nodded. He trailed his thumb over the curve of her cheekbone. "You are their Luna. The people need to see that you care for them. And besides, I refuse to spend another second away from you. You have been so distant lately, my love. I miss you."

She let out a soft sigh and looped her arms around his neck. "I’m sorry, Dorian. I’ve just been so exhausted. And I’m trying so hard not to rely on you for everything because..."

Dorian’s brows pulled into a sharp frown, his golden eyes darkening. "Because what? Why would you say that?"

"Well," she said, lifting her shoulder in a light shrug. "You won’t always be beside me. I need to learn how to be strong on my own."

"Don’t say that," he shook his head firmly, a rare flicker of fear flashing across his face. "I am always going to be right here. Nothing in this world or the next will ever come between us. Nothing. I am your husband. You are meant to depend on me."

"I know," she chuckled softly, her heart melting at his fierce protectiveness. "But you understand what I mean, don’t you? I’m not just a fragile girl anymore. I am your Queen. I need to possess my own strength."

"You are stronger than you give yourself credit for," Dorian murmured, his gaze softening with profound admiration. "Which is precisely why you belong by my side today. I want to share this day with you. I miss my wife."

Alyssa’s heart overflowed. She threaded her fingers through his dark hair, pulling his head down and pressing her lips firmly against his.

A quiet sigh escaped her as Dorian’s arms tightened around her waist, lifting her slightly off her feet and pulling her flush against his body. The kiss deepened into something possessive, electric, and thick with the raw desire he had been holding in check for days.

His hands slid down the soft fabric of her gown, tracing the slender curve of her waist before settling over the flare of her hips and pulling her tightly against the thick bulge in his pants.

"Dorian," she squealed softly against his mouth, letting out a breathless, flustered laugh. "You’re going to get me aroused before we even step out the door."

He grinned against her lips, leaning down to nuzzle the tip of her nose. "Perhaps that was my intention all along."

Her smile widened, her cheeks flushing warm. But just as he lowered his head to capture her mouth again, Jake’s voice cut sharp and clear through the mind link.

[Alpha, we’re ready. André just brought the car around. We are waiting on your command.]

Dorian let out a muffled, frustrated curse, a look of irritation washing over his sharp features.

[I’ll be out in a minute.] he replied.

Alyssa burst into a soft laughter, recognizing the foggy focus in his eyes that told her he was using the mind link.

"I suppose your wife will have to wait until we return before you get her aroused, Alpha Dorian," she teased with a cheeky grin.

Dorian let out a deep, rumbling laugh, shaking his head as he wrapped one arm securely around her waist. "I absolutely adore it when you tease me, my love."

With her spirits lifted, Alyssa walked beside him down the stairs toward the driveway, where André stood waiting beside the white Rolls Royce.

As she stepped through the foyer, her eyes caught Samantha. Following the turn of events at the Moon Ceremony, Alyssa had personally thanked her, establishing a quiet, mutual understanding between them.

Dorian had even elevated her status from a low-level house servant to one of Alyssa’s formal ladies-in-waiting. Though that didn’t mean he trusted her. His watchful eyes were still on her.

The drive through the Northern territory was mainly in comfortable, peaceful silence, broken only by the occasional stops at the homes and communities of the shifters.

Alyssa found herself genuinely enjoying the rounds; engaging with the pack members provided a welcome reprieve from the overwhelming weight of her secrets.

However, when they pulled up to the final residence for that day, the mood instantly shifted.

The woman who opened the door was dressed entirely in black mourning attire, her face obscured behind a dark lace veil. She refused to step out onto the porch to welcome the Alpha and Luna.

After making inquiries with neighboring families, Dorian learned that the woman’s husband had been executed just days prior. When Alyssa gently asked for the man’s name, her blood ran cold.

He was the archer Dorian had condemned to the Blood Hunt alongside Fabian and Melinda.

Her heart twisted with a sudden pang of deep empathy for the grieving widow, and she asked the guards to respectfully invite the woman outside.

But when the widow finally stepped onto the porch and was instructed by the guards to bow before the Alpha King and Luna Queen, the woman firmly refused.

"She is not my Luna," the widow spat, her voice dripping with venom. "And she never will be. I would rather die where I stand than bow to her."