Chapter 65: Testing a theory

The moment the G-Wagon pulled into the driveway of the villa, the front doors swung open.

An elderly couple stepped out, dressed in matching attire. The man was bald, with kind brown eyes and a warm, fatherly aura. The woman beside him looked slightly younger, her dark hair framing pale green eyes that crinkled with an excited smile.

Dorian stepped out of the vehicle first, reaching back to take Alyssa’s hand and help her down. The enormous hoodie completely dwarfed her petite figure, and he could instantly tell the thick fabric was becoming uncomfortable. Ashgard was far warmer than Wintercrest.

"Why don’t you take it off, my love?" he suggested, running the back of his hand gently over her forehead. "You’re beginning to sweat."

"I guess I should," Alyssa sighed, offering a relieved smile. "I didn’t expect Ashgard to be this warm."

She carefully pulled the heavy hoodie over her head, revealing the cropped black shirt she wore underneath. Dorian draped the hoodie over the crook of his elbow, took her hand again, and led her toward the entrance where the couple waited.

They stepped forward, bowing deeply in unison. "Welcome back, Your Majesty. We hope your journey was pleasant."

"Thank you, Alden. It is good to be back." Dorian responded.

Alden turned his gaze to Alyssa, his expression shifting into awed shock. "And this must be our Luna," he said softly. "It is an absolute honor to finally meet you."

Alyssa smiled warmly. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alden."

Alden gestured proudly to the woman beside him. "This is Mary, my mate."

"It is a privilege, Luna," Mary said, curtsying deeply. She seemed unable to tear her gaze away from Alyssa’s face.

"Hello, Mary," Alyssa replied, immediately drawn to the woman’s motherly energy.

Dorian pulled Alyssa a fraction closer, supporting her weight against his side because he knew the exhaustion was catching up to her.

"Alden and Mary are the housekeepers," he explained to her. "They manage the villa a few times a week to keep the place in order. They will be catering to us during our stay."

He turned back to the couple. "This is Alyssa."

The couple bowed once more, then stepped aside to let Dorian guide her into the villa.

The interior was just as magnificent as the mansion in the North, sharing many of the same architectural styles and dark designs.

As Alyssa climbed the grand staircase beside Dorian, the quiet echoes of the foyer carried Mary’s hurried whisper from below:

"She is so beautiful, Alden. And she seems like such a sweet girl."

Alden mildly hushed her. "Quiet, Mary. She might hear you."

"But it is the truth. I said nothing wrong. She is a breath of fresh air compared to that spoiled brat, Samantha."

Alyssa’s lips twitched with amusement at the exchange. She glanced up at Dorian to see if he had caught the gossip, but his expression remained perfectly composed, giving no indication that he had heard a thing.

The master bedroom was slightly smaller than the one back in the North, but it was no less exquisite. Alden entered a moment later, quietly placing their luggage inside the walk-in closet before hurrying back out to give them privacy.

Alyssa lowered herself onto the edge of the large bed, struggling with the laces of her sneakers. "Who is Alpha Cole? I heard you mention his name at the docks."

"He’s the Alpha of Ashgard," Dorian murmured, unbuttoning the top collar of his shirt. He crossed the room and crouched before her, casually placing her foot over his thigh to unlace the sneaker for her.

​Alyssa’s heart gave a wild lurch at the intimate gesture. A soft blush stained her cheeks as she looked down at the powerful Alpha King tending to her so easily. "So he rules a part of this territory?"

Dorian shook his head, slipping the shoe off her foot before moving to the other one. "He rules all of it. Ashgard operates differently than Wintercrest. It’s not as vast as Wintercrest, so there are no other packs. Just one large continent, one unified pack, and one Alpha."

"Oh," Alyssa murmured, processing the information. "I understand now. Were we supposed to see him tonight?"

"Yes. Cole is an old friend. He has been dying to see you."

Alyssa perked up, her curiosity piqued. "Really? Why?"

"He wants to see the woman who dared to capture my heart."

Alyssa let out a soft laugh, but deep in her mind, the warnings of Sage and Morgana suddenly resurfaced; their insistence that a Lycan’s heart can only be given away once, and that Dorian’s heart would forever belong to the ghost of Elvira.

She quickly pushed the unsettling thought aside. "So we are meeting him tomorrow instead?"

Dorian nodded, sliding the second sneaker off. He briefly massaged her soles, using the warmth of his hands to ease the stiffness of travel.

"It should have been tonight, but it is late and you are exhausted. Cole can wait. My only priority is that you rest."

He stood straight, picking up a pair of soft indoor slippers and sliding them onto her feet before pulling her up to stand.

"Are you hungry? You can request whatever you desire from Mary. She will prepare it immediately."

Alyssa thought for a moment as he took her hand, leading her back down to the ground floor. The rich, comforting scent of freshly baked bread was already drifting through the corridors, making her mouth water.

"I’ll eat whatever she is making," she said.

Mary was busy at the kitchen island, organizing the ingredients for dinner when they walked in. Alden was nowhere to be seen.

The moment Mary noticed them, she turned around with a broad, welcoming smile. "Is there anything specific you require, Alpha? Luna? I have just brewed a fresh pot of coffee."

Dorian shook his head. "No coffee for Alyssa. Prepare a sweet tea instead."

"Right away, Alpha," Mary nodded, turning to the kettle.

"Where is Alden?" Dorian asked.

"He went out to the garage to wash and prepare the vehicle for tomorrow."

Dorian turned back to face Alyssa. "Stay here with Mary for a moment, alright? I will return shortly."

Alyssa creased her brow. "Where are you going?"

"Just checking the perimeter. I won’t be long."

She nodded, closing her eyes as he leaned down to press a soft, lingering kiss against her forehead. "Okay."

She watched him walk away, knowing exactly why he was doing it. Ever since the poisoning attempt back home, Dorian’s paranoia had intensified.

Turning back toward the counter, Alyssa caught Mary staring at her with an intense, unreadable expression. The housekeeper blushed, quickly averting her eyes to look at the tea.

​"Is something wrong, Mary?" Alyssa asked gently.

Mary offered an apologetic smile. "Forgive me, Luna. I am simply stunned. It has been a long time since we have seen the Alpha King with anyone in his life. Most of the staff assumed he would remain alone forever."

Alyssa stepped closer, sliding onto a high stool by the island. "Because of Elvira?"

Mary looked startled, her hands pausing over the tea tray. "You know of her. Yes. Her death completely shattered him. The grief was so severe he required suppressing medication just to function. And then, the war happened. His family was slaughtered in the chaos. He lost everyone."

Alyssa froze, a cold dread settling into her chest. She had heard whispers of the great war, but no one had ever detailed the casualties. She had no idea that was how Dorian lost his bloodline.

"So the war was the cause of their deaths?" she whispered, leaning forward. "What happened, Mary? Which creatures caused the war?"

Mary opened her mouth, leaning in to whisper the history, but the click of the back door cut her off. Alden stepped into the kitchen, his expression firm.

Mary straightened instantly, her warm, professional smile masking the slip. "The past is where it belongs, Luna. We shouldn’t be digging up old bones," she said smoothly, placing the steaming cup of sweet tea directly in front of Alyssa. "Now, let us discuss dinner. Is there any particular dish you prefer?"

Alyssa’s curiosity was burning fiercely, but she knew the wall had gone back up. Mary won’t speak further. Dorian was the only one who held the keys to the secrets hidden in the shadows of the North.

If she was ever going to truly understand the husband she married, she would have to get the truth from him.

...

Down at the edge of the Ashgard shoreline, Dorian met the guards of the North that had traveled ahead of him.

A hundred of them stood in perfect formation against the crashing waves. In the dim twilight, they looked like statues carved from granite; stiff, silent, and lethal.

The moment Dorian stepped out from the treeline, their postures snapped to attention.

Owen, the commander of the guards, stepped forward and bowed deeply. The ninety-nine men behind him followed in flawless synchronization.

"Good evening, Alpha King Dorian," Owen reported.

"Owen. Any signs of rogue movement along the borders?"

"None, sire. The warriors have secured every entry and exit point on the continent. We are watching and waiting."

Dorian’s jaw tightened, his arms crossing over his chest as he stared out into the dark ocean. There was a reason he brought Alyssa all the way to Ashgard, and it went far beyond a peaceful honeymoon.

He was testing a theory.

He needed to verify the suspicion Gaten’s words had left behind. He needed to know if the sudden return of the soulless rogues was truly tied to Alyssa’s presence.

Ashgard was an isolated continent; it had never suffered a single rogue attack in its entire history. If those beasts suddenly materialized here, crossing the sea just to breach these borders, it would provide an undeniable confirmation. They were tracking her scent.

Decades ago, before the great war, the Onyx King had commanded the soulless rogues like mindless slaves. If those same monsters were now hunting Alyssa, it meant she was tied to the bloodthirsty lineage, or she was something far worse.