Chapter 30: Your eyes look different

"You can’t touch him, Dorian," Anthony said, his tone dead serious. "He’s a part of your lineage. If you execute him for what he did to Alyssa before she is even crowned, the fallout will destroy the pack."

"I am well aware of that," Dorian muttered coldly, his jaw tight. "I have no plans to touch him."Yet.

He deliberately left the last part unsaid. He didn’t care if the betrayal had happened years ago. The brat had caused Alyssa agonizing pain, and he would pay for every single tear she had shed.

He drew a slow, deep breath into his lungs and let it out, forcing his inner beast down. Then he whirled around, pinning his freezing stare directly on his beta.

"Jake, you are going to find every single detail you can about Alyssa’s step-family."

Jake nodded, his posture instantly straightening.

"The stepmother goes by Ingrid. The stepsister is Melinda. I want their history, their connections, and their current location. Find out everything."

"Consider it done, Alpha."

"Anthony," Dorian muttered next, shifting his gaze. "You and Alec have the critical assignment. I need you to find out who Alyssa’s biological parents actually were."

Anthony frowned, his brow furrowing. "Her parents? Didn’t she say they were dead?"

"That is what she was told," Dorian replied darkly. "But in cases like this, especially when it involves a step-family, secrets are buried deep in the mud."

He stepped closer, locking eyes with Anthony. "Turn the Southern pack upside down if you have to. Dig into the old registries. Ask the council. I want absolute confirmation on who brought her into this world. Understand?"

"Perfectly," Anthony nodded. "But what about your cousin, Fabian? Do we bring him in?"

Dorian turned his back to them, his fingers twitching against his thighs as he stared at the glittering glass shards on the floor.

"No," he said quietly. "Word of my marriage to Alyssa will reach his ears in a few days. I want to see the look on his face myself."

With a final nod, Dorian dismissed them. He walked back down the quiet hallway and stepped into the bedroom, the heavy tension instantly draining from his shoulders the moment Alyssa’s intoxicating lavender scent washed over him.

He slipped beneath the covers beside her, wrapping a large arm around her waist to pull her back against his chest. She stirred slightly in her sleep, snuggling deeper into his familiar warmth.

Out of the blue, a soft, breathless whisper left her lips. "Dorian..."

Dorian froze, his heart hammering against his ribs as he watched her face in the moonlight. She hadn’t awakened; she was simply drifting back into a deeper slumber, her fingers loosely clutching his shirt as her breathing evened out.

"I’m right here, little lamb," he murmured softly. He rested his head near hers, letting her sweet scent lull him into a rare, peaceful sleep.

The next morning, Alyssa woke up to the sensation of radiating heat.

Dorian was fast asleep beside her, his face so close she could feel the steady, warm rhythm of his breath brushing against her skin. She lay perfectly still for a long time, simply staring at him, admiring the flawless, sharp angles of his jawline.

Unable to resist the pull, she slowly reached out, skimming her fingertips over the soft, dark stubble framing his jaw. His eyelashes were impossibly thick, casting long shadows over his closed eyes, and she wondered how a creature born of winter and war could look so utterly breathtaking.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, freezing her in place. Her breath hitched, a scorching crimson blush rushing up her neck as she was caught red-handed.

But as she looked closer, a thrill of sudden apprehension shot through her. His irises weren’t their usual golden-brown, nor were they pitch-black. They were a deep, glowing crimson-red, locking onto her with a heavy, hypnotic intensity that made it impossible to look away.

"Dorian?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, half-expecting him not to answer.

"Yes?"

​The syllable was a low, vibrating rumble, deeper and rougher than his usual velvety timbre. It sounded less like Dorian and more like the primal monster living beneath his skin. It was the second time she had heard this voice.

"Your eyes," she breathed, her heart hammering against her ribs. "They look different."

Dorian remained completely silent, his glowing red gaze raking slowly down her face before locking on her parted lips.

Instead of answering, he muttered in a raw, gravelly voice. "You are so beautiful."

Before she could process the shift, he leaned forward, capturing her mouth in a bruising, possessive kiss. Alyssa’s mind went entirely blank, her lips instantly tingling under the staggering pressure of his mouth.

His large hand slowly skimmed up the bare curve of her waist, his palm burning like fire against her skin before reaching up to cup her full breast.

​Her eyes drifted shut, a soft, muffled moan escaping the back of her throat. The strange color of his eyes vanished from her mind as a wave of pure, intense pleasure surged through her veins.

He squeezed the soft mounds deliberately, molding the flesh to his palm before flicking his thumb over the sensitive, tightening bud.

Alyssa arched off the mattress, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. Goosebumps erupted across her skin, and when he expertly rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, a sharp, breathless cry tore from her lips.

Dorian rose above her, hovering over her frame while supporting his massive weight on his elbows so he wouldn’t crush her. He deepened the kiss, a dark growl vibrating deep within his chest. Pinning her hands to the bed above her head, he interlocked their fingers.

The moment the thick, rigid length of his arousal throbbed heavily against the aching sweet spot between her thighs, Alyssa lost her mind. She lifted her legs, wrapping them tightly around his waist and shifting her hips to rub directly against him.

​He broke the kiss with a ragged, breathy curse. "Fuck!"

Burying his face in the curve of her neck, he trailed his lips up the delicate line of her throat, leaving a trail of scorching heat in his wake. He nipped her earlobe between his teeth, pulling the sensitive skin into his mouth to suck on it aggressively.

Alyssa was openly moaning now, her head tossed back against the pillows, her lips parted as she panted for air. When his tongue swirled around the sensitive shell of her ear, she cried out his name.

He responded with a savage, guttural growl. Releasing one of her hands, he buried his fingers deep into her hair, angling her head to the side. His kisses turned wild, untamed, and entirely chaotic as he bit down gently on her bottom lip before devouring her mouth all over again.

His hips were moving in a slow, torturous rhythm now, grinding his heavy length against her center. His cock strained violently against the fabric of his trousers, thick and swollen, begging for release. He was on the verge of parting her thighs and claiming her right there on the sheets.

​Slowly, his fangs extended, grazing the burning skin right over her pulse point. The sharp friction sent a shudder through her entire body, and instead of pulling away, she turned her head further to the side, submitting completely to his dominance.

He opened his mouth wide, fully prepared to sink his teeth in and mark her, then–

​Knock. Knock. Knock.

A heavy, urgent pounding rattled the bedroom door.

Dorian’s eyes flew open, the brilliant crimson bleeding out until it entirely consumed the whites of his eyes. He whipped his head toward the door, a terrifying, monstrous growl ripping from his throat that vibrated the floorboards.

When the pounding came a second time, a sudden shift jolted through his massive frame. The red glow in his eyes abruptly receded, the primal beast retreating deep back into his subconscious. The familiar golden-brown shade returned to his irises, his fangs instantly withdrawing into his gums.

He blinked, shook his head and looked down at Alyssa who lay completely flushed, disheveled, and breathless beneath him.

"Alyssa?" he murmured, his brow furrowing in utter confusion, his voice returning to normal. He looked like a man who had just awoken from a trance.

He began to pull back, his muscles tensing to rise, but Alyssa instantly tightened her legs around his waist, locking her ankles securely behind his back to trap him.

She looked up into his golden eyes, her chest heaving as she pulled him back down.

"Make love to me, Dorian," she whispered.