Chapter 77: Love birds
Flora's POV
“Flora?”
I almost collapsed with relief.
“Lucy!”
I hurried toward the stairs.
Lucy appeared at the bottom, looking confused,“Why are you both standing there like someone died?”
Alpha Malcolm exhaled.
“You scared us.”
Lucy frowned.
“I did?”
I laughed nervously.
“Forget it.”
But as I turned back toward Alpha Malcolm, I noticed something strange.His attention wasn't on Lucy.He was staring toward the front entrance.
His jaw was tense.
“What is it?” I asked.
He didn't answer immediately.Then he walked downstairs and picked something up from the floor near the door.It was a small piece of black cloth.
His expression darkened.
“What is that?” I asked.
He rubbed the fabric between his fingers.
“I don't know.”
Lucy approached.
“Maybe someone dropped it.”
Alpha Malcolm shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the dark windows.
“Someone was here.”
My stomach tightened.
“Here?”
He nodded.
“And they were close enough to leave this behind.”
Suddenly, the warmth of his proposal disappeared beneath a cold wave of fear.
He looked at me.For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he came toward me and took my hand.
“Whatever happens,” he whispered, “I meant what I said upstairs.”
I swallowed.
“About marrying me?”
“Yes.”
His grip tightened gently.
“I don't know what tomorrow will bring, Flora. I don't know if there will be a war or who will stand against us.”
His eyes held mine.
“But I know what I want.”
My heart beat became faster than normal.
“You.”
I looked at Lucy, then back at him.
For once, I wasn't thinking about the pack.I wasn't thinking about the war.I wasn't thinking about the people who had once hated me.
I was thinking about the man standing in front of me, asking me to choose a future with him.
And although I wasn't ready to give him an answer yet, one thing frightened me more than saying yes.
The thought of losing him before I ever got the chance.
The moment Alpha Malcolm told Lucy and me that we could spend the night in his house, I almost choked on my own breath.
“It’s too late for both of you to leave now,” he said firmly. “You’ll stay here tonight.”
I shook my head quickly. “Alpha, we’ll be fine. The pack isn’t that far, and…”
“No.”
His answer was so immediate that I stopped talking.
Malcolm folded his arms across his chest, his expression leaving no room for argument.
“You’re not walking through the pack at this hour,” he continued. “There have been too many strange things happening lately. I won’t take that risk.”
I glanced at Lucy, hoping she would support me.
Instead, she nodded.
“Actually, I think it’s a wonderful idea,” she said.
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Of course you do.”
She only smiled innocently.
Malcolm looked at me again. His expression softened slightly.
“Please, Flora.”
There was something about the way he said my name that made my heart beat faster.
I sighed.
“Fine.”
Lucy immediately clapped her hands together.
“Perfect!”
I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t look so excited. We’re only sleeping here.”
“I know,” she said, grinning. “For now.”
I gave her a suspicious look, but she had already turned away.
Malcolm showed us to the guest room before returning to his study. Lucy and I entered, and the moment the door closed behind us, she burst into laughter.
I stared at her.
“What?”
She covered her mouth, trying unsuccessfully to suppress another giggle.
“Oh, nothing.”
“Lucy.”
She laughed harder.
“What?”
“You!”
I frowned. “What did I do?”
She walked toward the bed and dropped onto it dramatically.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just find it hilarious how Alpha Malcolm was whispering something into your ear before we came upstairs.”
My stomach flipped.
I immediately looked away.
“He wasn't saying anything important.”
Lucy sat upright.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
“Flora.”
I began arranging the pillows simply to avoid looking at her.
“It was nothing, Lucy.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“I know that face.”
“What face?”
“The face you make when you're hiding something.”
“I’m not hiding anything.”
“You are.”
I sighed.
Lucy leaned closer.
“Tell me.”
I hesitated.
She stared at me.
I stared at her.
Finally, I gave up.
“He told me he wants to marry me.”
For three seconds, Lucy didn't move.
Then she screamed.
“WHAT?”
“Lucy!”
She jumped off the bed and grabbed both my hands.
“He proposed?”
“Not exactly.”
“Who cares about what exactly? Alpha Malcolm wants to marry you!”
Her excitement filled the room.
“We have a wedding to plan!”
I laughed despite myself.
“Calm down.”
“Calm down? Flora, this is huge!”
She began pacing around the room.
“The dress. The flowers. The ceremony. The reception. Oh my goodness, we need to decide whether you want a traditional ceremony or something private.”
“Lucy.”
“And the cake…”
“Lucy!”
She stopped.
I smiled.
“I haven't given him an answer.”
Her excitement disappeared instantly.
“What?”
I nodded slowly.
“I haven't said yes.”
She stared at me as though I had just announced that I intended to marry a vampire.
“But you love him.”
“I do.”
“Then what's the problem?”
I sat on the edge of the bed.
My smile faded.
“I don't know.”
Lucy sat beside me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
I looked down at my hands.
“I love Malcolm more than I ever thought I could love anyone,” I admitted quietly. “When I'm with him, I feel safe. I feel seen. And when he looks at me…”
I smiled faintly.
“I forget everything else.”
Lucy squeezed my hand.
“So?”
“So I’m scared.”
Her expression softened.
“Scared of him?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“Scared of losing him.”
Lucy frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does to me.”
I swallowed.
“Everything in my life changed so quickly. The war. The pack. Ma
verick. The pregnancy. Everything. And now Malcolm is telling me he wants forever.”
My voice trembled.
“I want forever too. But I don't want to say yes because I'm afraid of losing him. I want to say yes because I'm certain.”
Lucy was quiet.
Then she whispered, “You don't have to rush.”
I looked at her.
“I know.”