Chapter 72
Chapter 72
Isolde
The emerald gown Dorian had selected was stunning—elegant, flowing, with a modest neckline that somehow still managed to be flattering. When I emerged from the fitting room, Dorian's amber eyes darkened, his gaze traveling from my face down the length of the dress and back up again. The heat in his eyes made my cheeks flush.
"Beautiful," he said simply, but the intensity behind that single word made my pulse quicken.
I retreated to try Aiden's selection, a sapphire blue dress that was shorter and more contemporary. The color was striking against my pale skin, and the cut was sophisticated rather than overtly sexy. When I stepped out the second time, Aiden's expression remained controlled, but his eyes warmed appreciatively.
"As I thought," he said with a slight bow. "Elegant intelligence personified."
A low rumble—too quiet for human ears but unmistakable to mine after weeks among werewolves—emanated from Dorian's chest. It wasn't quite a growl, but the warning was clear.
"You both look like alpha males marking territory," Elissa stage-whispered, leaning toward me with undisguised amusement. "It's so primal I can practically smell the testosterone."
"Elissa!" I hissed, mortified, though neither man seemed embarrassed by the comparison.
"I'll take both," Dorian announced to the sales associate, ending the debate.
"I insist on covering the blue one," Aiden countered smoothly.
I opened my mouth to protest that I didn't need either dress, let alone two, but Elissa squeezed my arm in warning.
"Let them," she whispered. "It's a wolf thing—providing gifts is part of courtship and alliance building. Refusing would be... awkward."
Courtship? The word sent a jolt through me. Dorian was my husband—contractual though it might be—but hearing Elissa frame it that way made the situation seem more complicated than I'd realized.
While the men were occupied with payment arrangements, Elissa helped me change back into my regular clothes.
"Sorry if that was uncomfortable," she said, genuinely contrite. "I didn't realize they'd get so competitive."
"It's fine," I assured her, though my heart was still beating faster than normal. "Just unexpected."
"They've always been like this," she said with a shrug. "Ever since the territory dispute years ago. But I've never seen Aiden act this way with any of Dorian's... interests before."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I focused on gathering the dresses instead. When we rejoined the men, they had apparently reached some arrangement, as both looked satisfied if slightly tense.
"All set," Dorian said, taking the garment bags from my arms. His hand brushed mine, lingering a moment longer than necessary. "We should head to the Beck residence next. I believe your father is expecting us?"
I nodded, suddenly remembering the real reason for our trip into the human world—my stepsister's engagement party. The shopping expedition had temporarily pushed that unpleasant reality from my mind.
As we walked back toward the parking lot, shopping bags in hand, I caught Elissa giving me a knowing look.
"What?" I asked quietly.
She grinned. "Nothing. Just thinking that being human doesn't make you any less fascinating to wolves." She nodded toward Dorian and Aiden, who were walking ahead of us, shoulders stiff, neither giving an inch. "Especially those wolves."
I sighed and shook my head, but couldn't quite suppress a small, secret smile. Whatever complications lay ahead with my family, at least this part of the day had been unexpectedly... affirming.
Dorian glanced back, catching my expression, and his own face softened momentarily. Despite everything—the contract, the secrets, the supernatural complications—in that moment, I felt a genuine connection with him that went beyond our arrangement.
Of course, that warm feeling lasted precisely until we reached the car and began the drive to my father's house, where a whole different kind of tension awaited.
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The last rays of afternoon sunlight cast long shadows across the manicured lawn of the Beck estate as our car rolled to a stop at the end of the circular driveway. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. After the relatively pleasant shopping trip earlier today, coming here felt like walking into a lion's den—one decorated with imported Italian marble and tasteless gold leaf.
"So this is where you grew up?" Elissa asked, leaning forward between the front seats to get a better look at the sprawling mansion. Her eyes were wide with curiosity.
"Not exactly," I replied, studying the imposing structure. The Beck residence was an ostentatious display of wealth—columns flanking the entrance, ornate stonework, and perfectly symmetrical windows. "I only lived here for a few years after my mother married Robert. Before that, we had a small apartment across town."
"Modest beginnings to humble the soul," Aiden remarked quietly from beside his sister.
Dorian's hand found mine across the center console, his warm fingers intertwining with my own. "Remember, we're here for you, not them," he said quietly. "Say the word, and we leave—no questions asked."
I squeezed his hand gratefully. "Thank you, but I need to do this. Some questions need answers."
As we approached the front entrance, I could feel three different energies behind me—Dorian's protective intensity, Aiden's calculating caution, and Elissa's barely contained curiosity. The support of these three powerful beings gave me a courage I'd never felt when facing my stepfamily before.
The door swung open before we could ring the bell. Robert Beck stood in the doorway, his expression tightening when he saw me flanked by three strangers. Behind him, I caught a glimpse of Abigail, her heavily made-up face frozen in a practiced smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Isolde," my stepfather said flatly. "We weren't expecting such a... large group." His gaze flickered over my companions, assessing their expensive clothing with the practiced eye of a social climber.
I steeled myself, standing straighter. "Robert, Abigail, I'd like to introduce my husband, Dorian Hawke, and our friends, Aiden and Elissa Stone."
Robert's eyes narrowed at the mention of Dorian's surname, a flicker of recognition crossing his features. "Hawke? Never heard of them." He barely glanced at Dorian's extended hand before giving it a perfunctory shake. "Some new money tech family, I presume?"