Chapter 38: A soft side

Alyssa watched the guards violently drag Samantha, her brother, and her father out the door. She almost felt a flicker of pity for them, especially for Samantha, who looked like nothing more than a victim of her father’s manipulation.

But then the memory of the terror she faced when Arrow kidnapped her rushed back. She remembered the intense pain and trauma of the ordeal, and the pity vanished instantly.

Once they were gone, Dorian turned his attention to Jake and Alec. "Jake, send the decree to the council immediately. I want it documented and sent out to the neighboring packs, as well as the other three territories."

"Yes, Alpha," Jake nodded, snapping the document shut before stepping out of the room.

"Alec, go with the guards to Reynold’s home," Dorian continued. "Make sure everything Alpha-related is cleaned out completely. I want a report on it by dusk."

Alec nodded sharply. "Will do, Alpha."

With the room finally quiet, Dorian turned his full attention to Alyssa. A soft smile touched his lips as he held out a hand to her.

"Come here, little lamb," he murmured.

Alyssa lowered her eyes shyly and walked over, placing her hand in his. With a gentle tug, he pulled her straight into his arms, his hands wrapping securely around her slender waist as he nuzzled the curve of her neck.

"Did I scare you?" he whispered, his lips tracing up the smooth column of her throat.

She shook her head, her eyes drifting shut as he nibbled lightly on her skin. "No," she breathed, moaning from the sensation of his hands slipping beneath her cropped top.

His fingers grazed the lace edge of her bra, trailing up the soft swell of her breast with a light, possessive squeeze.

Alyssa had just started to melt into his touch when he withdrew his hand, pressing one final, lingering kiss to her lips. He pulled back, an amused smile curling his mouth as he regarded her flushed state.

"We’re getting married in two days," he said softly, taking her hand to lead her out of the Conclave. "Are you nervous?"

"A little," she giggled. "But I’m more nervous about being the right Luna. I know I have a lot to learn."

"You’ll do just fine," Dorian assured her. "I’ve already spoken with a tutor. After the wedding and our honeymoon, she’ll come by twice a week to instruct you on everything you need to know about the North, and about being the perfect Luna."

He lifted their joined hands to his lips, kissing her knuckles as he led her toward the side door opening into the courtyard.

"Everything will be fine, okay?"

Alyssa nodded, trying to hide the hot blush creeping up her cheeks at the mention of their honeymoon. "Do you have anywhere to be today?" she asked softly.

"Not right now," he shook his head. "I want to spend time with you."

He flashed her a rare, charming smile, causing another wave of color to stain her cheeks.

The moment they stepped into the courtyard, she was completely blown away. An elegant marble fountain stood in the center of the wide space, surrounded by clusters of flowers that filled the air with a sweet fragrance.

The spray from the fountain caught the light in a shimmering arc of rainbow mist, while birds chirped loudly as they flitted from petal to petal.

"Oh!" Alyssa exclaimed, her eyes alive with delight. "It’s so lovely."

Dorian chuckled, deeply pleased by her genuine reaction. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," she said, pulling away from him to move toward a cluster of roses, leaning down to breathe in their rich scent.

Dorian watched her, feeling Shadow purr in pure satisfaction. He could watch her all day, drinking in the sight of her breathtaking smile and the way her blue eyes lit up, and he would never grow tired.

She was changing him without even knowing it. He laughed more now. He talked more. He didn’t spend all his nights isolated on the roof anymore. He finally had a reason to live, and Alyssa was that reason.

But as he stared at her, his smile slowly faded. The conversation he had with Jake a few days ago resurfaced, bringing back the exact same heavy question.

Would the North ever truly accept a wolfless Luna? And even if they did, would they respect her? He didn’t want to put Alyssa in a position where she would be surrounded by a kingdom that despised her.

He made a mental note to send for Nina right after the wedding. There had to be a reason why Alyssa’s wolf hadn’t manifested yet.

"There you are," a cheerful voice broke his thoughts. Pandora stepped out from the side exit and hurried toward them. "I’ve been looking everywhere for you two."

"We were just taking a walk," Alyssa said brightly. "The flowers here are so pretty."

"Yeah, Dorian loves them. He actually planted every single one himself," Pandora chuckled.

Alyssa’s eyes widened in surprise. "He did?"

"He did. The brooding Alpha of the North actually has a soft side. You should see the way he tends to them..."

"That’s enough, Pandora!" Dorian cut in sharply. His warm expression vanished, replaced by an annoyed scowl. Yet, despite his cold exterior, it was obvious just how deeply he cared for his sister. "What do you want?" he muttered.

"Nothing much," Pandora grinned. "I’m just here to steal Alyssa. Now that there’s another girl in the mansion, I won’t have to spend all my time listening to your war talk and boring pack politics."

Alyssa giggled softly, and for a split second, Dorian’s expression softened at the delightful sound. But it disappeared just as fast as he scowled back at Pandora.

"You’re interrupting our private time," he stated flatly. "This is exactly why I kept her from you."

"Oh, lighten up, Dorian," Pandora smiled cheekily. "You have her to yourself most of the time. Besides, don’t you have a meeting with Anthony right about now?"

Dorian’s scowl deepened. He did have a meeting, an important strategy session with the perimeter guards concerning the recent rogue attacks. He hadn’t disclosed it to Alyssa because he badly wanted to spend time with her, but Pandora’s big mouth had ruined it.

Before he could argue, Anthony’s voice sliced through the mind link. [Dorian? The elite guards have gathered at the arena. They’re waiting for you.]

Dorian let out a deep sigh, his eyes briefly glazing over as he responded. [I’m on my way. Bring the car around.]

[Got it.] Anthony replied, cutting the link.

Dorian’s focus snapped back to reality. "Don’t let her out of your sight," he muttered to Pandora. "I will be back by dusk."

​"You can count on me, Alpha brother," Pandora replied, smiling sweetly.

Ignoring her, Dorian pulled Alyssa into his arms and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Stay with Pandora, okay? I’ll come back soon."

She nodded. "Okay."

To her surprise, he leaned down and caught her lips in a quick, firm, possessive kiss. Then he turned on his heel and walked away.

Alyssa glanced at Pandora, who was already smiling knowingly.

"Stop," she laughed shyly, quickly changing the subject. "What did you want to show me?"

"Come with me," Pandora smiled happily, taking her hand. "It’s a surprise."

...

Across the territory, Reynold stood absolutely motionless, his jaw grinding furiously as the Northern guards ruthlessly emptied out his private study.

They cleared out everything: the pack maps, the ancient ledgers holding centuries of Bennington history and laws, the lineage records, the generational trophies, and even his personal silver weapons and family heirlooms.

By the time they finished, the study was stark empty, left with nothing but his desk and a solitary chair. He had been violently brought to his knees, demoted from a feared, respected Alpha to an ordinary shifter.

The brutal humiliation burned through his veins, feeding a raw, monstrous rage. He would not let Dorian get away with destroying his life. It was time to rally the other small packs of the territory and bring down the bloody tyrant from his throne.

Dorian might think himself completely untouchable, but he made a fatal mistake; he openly displayed his weakness to the world. The wolfless girl.

Reynold’s expression darkened into something deeply sinister as a murderous plot cemented in his mind. To kill a monster, you had to strike at its most vulnerable part.

The girl would be the first to die.