Chapter 27: Promise

The sudden proposal made Alyssa choke. She swallowed her food too quickly, and it slipped directly into her windpipe, causing her to break into a violent fit of coughing.

"Oh shit!" Dorian flew out of his seat, reaching her side instantly. He angled her chair toward him, stabilizing her shoulder with one hand while delivering firm, steady thumps to her upper back with the other.

Alyssa’s eyes watered as she struggled to draw in air. The moment the obstruction cleared and the coughing fit subsided, she grabbed her glass and gulped down the water.

Dorian kept stroking her back, murmuring soothing words, his face a mask of deep annoyance. He was angry at himself. How the hell had he blurted out a marriage proposal when she had asked a completely different question? That wasn’t how he had intended to ask her at all.

He waited tensely, already bracing himself for a rejection. But to his utter surprise, she started to laugh.

He pulled back, frowning in confusion as she broke into a fit of genuine giggles. Her eyes were wet and red, her nose was runny, and yet, she was laughing.

"I’m sorry," she gasped, hiccupping as she wiped her eyes. "I just... I don’t even know why I’m laughing."

Dorian found himself chuckling along with her, feeling the tight knot in his chest finally loosen. The sound of her soft laughter completely soothed him, causing his inner beast to purr contentedly.

"Okay, enough," he smiled, shaking his head. "You’re completely out of breath."

He gently wiped the remaining tears from her lashes, then pulled a folded silk handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

Alyssa accepted it with a raspy thank you and wiped her nose. As her laughter fully subsided, the weight of his question rushed back. She grew serious, raising her head to lock eyes with him.

"Did you actually mean the question you just asked me?"

She waited for his response, a part of her secretly wishing he would say yes, while another part felt completely torn.

But Dorian didn’t answer immediately. He straightened up and returned to his seat across the table, a guarded look overtaking his features.

"Dorian?" she called softly.

"I’ll tell you after we finish breakfast," he said finally, offering a reassuring smile.

Silence reigned over the room afterward. Alyssa controlled her burning curiosity as she ate, but her mind was spinning. Did he really mean it? If he did, could she actually bring herself to marry him?

After breakfast, the maids returned. They quickly cleared the plates, curtseyed low, and left the room, leaving the two of them alone again.

"Come here, little lamb," Dorian murmured, extending a hand toward her. "Sit with me."

Alyssa placed her hand in his and followed him over to the leather couch in the corner of the master suite. It was the weekend, so Dorian knew Jake would handle all pack operations for the day.

He settled onto the cushions, propping one foot against the edge of the frame while keeping his other foot flat on the floor. Then he pulled her down to sit directly between his thighs.

His large hands curled around her waist, tugging her back firmly until her spine was pressed flush against his broad chest.

"Lean back on me," he commanded softly.

She let her body melt into his warmth, her head resting near his shoulder. Lifting her legs onto the couch, she crossed her ankles. His arms wrapped completely around her waist, clasping loosely over her stomach.

"Much better," he murmured, his warm breath causing her skin to tingle. The close proximity made her breathless, and with every small shift of her weight, she could feel the hard, solid weight of his arousal pressed against her ass.

"You wanted to know about me," he began, the deep rumble of his voice vibrating against her back.

"Did you mean it when you asked me to marry you?" she cut in, her curiosity entirely getting the better of her. She needed to know the truth.

"Yes. I meant it," Dorian said without a second of hesitation. He began tracing slow, lazy circles over the bare skin of her arm, raising instant goosebumps.

"But I don’t understand," Alyssa said softly, twisting slightly to look at his profile. "You told me you were marrying Samantha to secure a political alliance."

"Yes, I did say that," Dorian sighed, resting his chin on her shoulder. "But that was before I met you, Alyssa."

"I still don’t get it," she mumbled.

Dorian changed their position, shifting her body until she was sitting sideways across his thighs, forced to look directly into his face.

"Let me explain," he said gently. "You already know I am not an ordinary Lycan. Our bloodline is distinct, which makes it rare for us to find a fated mate. The same applies to Pandora and a few others in our lineage."

Alyssa listened intently, her eyes round with curiosity.

"Marrying Samantha was originally intended to join my pack with her father’s, to protect their weaker territory from the frequent attacks of the soulless rogues."

Alyssa nodded. She knew what the soulless rogues were. They were creatures of the dark, wolves who had lost their humanity and succumbed to primeval bloodlust.

​"I was also leveraging the marriage to expand the North’s border," Dorian continued. "But word reached me that the Bennington pack was in massive financial debt. They only want this marriage to steal the North’s wealth. That is why I stalled the wedding for five years. I couldn’t just cancel the marriage alliance without a good reason."

"But you’re the Alpha King," Alyssa argued. "Can’t you just do whatever you want?"

Dorian laughed softly, shaking his head. "It doesn’t work that way. I recently discovered a decree my mother finalized before her death. To retain my rightful Alpha title, I must be married before the next Moon Ceremony."

Alyssa’s eyes widened. "The ceremony you told me about?"

"Yes," Dorian paused, his intense gaze raking over her face. "As it stands now, I cannot marry Samantha anymore. Not just because of their debt or their plot to steal my wealth, but because of you."

He took her hands, lifting them to his lips to press soft kisses against her fingertips. "I cannot explain why I am so drawn to you, or why my wolf craves your scent, but I know it means something. And I want to find out what it means. Marry me, Alyssa. Even if you feel nothing for me, for the sake of my title and my throne, marry me."

Alyssa couldn’t believe Dorian actually thought she felt nothing for him. The frantic way her heart hammered whenever he drew near, the flush that heated her cheeks whenever he flashed his rare smiles, and the way her body instinctively responded to his touch were proof enough.

She exhaled slowly, finally tearing her gaze away from his intense eyes. There was one more thing she needed to know before giving him an answer.

"Do you promise to tell me what happened to your ex-wife?"

Dorian stiffened. His facial expression remained flawlessly calm, but his grip around her waist tightened just a fraction.

​"I will tell you what you need to know," he said finally, his voice dropping an octave.

"Promise?" Alyssa prodded, staring at his sharp jawline. She didn’t know why she suddenly felt such an overwhelming urge to know the fate of the beautiful, blonde woman in the portrait.

He offered her a slow nod. "I promise."

Alyssa finally looked up into his golden eyes and opened her mouth to answer his proposal.