265- Before the Fire, the Promise
POV Elowen Grimwald:
Never in my life had I received so many birthday gifts. The wardrobe I shared with Aldren had become insufficient, and a few days ago he ordered a larger one to be built, one that would cover an entire wall of the great bedroom.
A clever male indulges his female’s wishes.
I chose one of the dresses Lunara had given me for my birthday, hoping he would like my choice, after all, it was an important day for him. The fine brown silk fabric flowed down to my feet, and the V neckline revealed a bit of my small breasts. I put on very light makeup, just enough to give me a healthier glow, but I had worn silk ribbons wrapped around my hair all day so that it would be wavy by nightfall.
I caught the woody eucalyptus scent and, in less than two seconds, he was already behind me, staring at my reflection in the mirror, raising my heartbeat and quickening my breath.
Whenever he wanted to surprise me, he used his inhuman speed to reach me, leaving only his trace in the wind.
I woke up beside that alpha every day and still couldn’t stop admiring how beautiful he was. Every feature of his face, the deep gaze, the body sculpted by the gods, and the hoarse, low voice that made my legs weaken.
“I don’t know if I want to take you with me, female,” he growled over my shoulder, gripping my waist firmly.
I blinked, trying to understand, catching his seductive expression in the mirror.
“Didn’t you like the outfit?”
“I hated it.”
“Aldren…” I pouted.
“You’re so beautiful, female, that I won’t be able to blame my men if they can’t resist the urge to admire you.”
I exhaled and shook my head.
“Do you want me to change?”
“No. I’ll have to live with my choice and accept that I’m the less attractive one in this relationship.”
I let out a loud laugh and turned to face him. That male knew how hot he was and that neither of us lagged behind in terms of beauty.
“What a horrible lie, Mr. Aldren Valmorin!” A fleeting smile touched the corners of his lips.
“Don’t you think? I truly feel at a disadvantage beside you.” More deceitful than I was, he managed to look perfectly serious while saying such nonsense.
I gave a playful slap to his chest, covered by a dark gray tunic that emphasized his muscles.
“Now, seriously. How will this be? I know this gathering is important for your people, I just don’t know how to behave… Will we need to be discreet and hide?”
The answer took longer to come than I expected, interrupting the natural rhythm of my breathing.
“I can’t guarantee that Valmorin is free of traitors.” He sighed deeply. “But I want everyone to know the choice I made.”
My mouth fell open in shock.
“So…?” I felt lost about how I would be introduced.
“All members of my pack will be there. I’ll arrive holding hands with my female. That is enough. It has never happened before.”
Help!
“I waited so long for this, but now that it’s about to happen, my heart feels like it’s beating in my throat…” I gasped, trying to breathe again.
“Don’t be anxious, aleasa mea,” he called me tenderly, my chosen one, making me even more intoxicated with love. “I ask that you don’t be upset if we can’t stay together all the time. I need to give attention to my people.”
“I’m not jealous…”
Aldren let out a deep, resonant laugh.
“You don’t even believe that.”
I raised an eyebrow in challenge.
“You’re worse, you know?” I denied.
“Jealous female, you need to take the anticio again before your new cycle begins. There was a longer interval since the first one because the dose Nerin gave you was doubled.”
And just like that, we found ourselves at an impasse.
“What if I don’t want to?” I said.
His green irises widened, surprised.
“It will literally fuck us. There will be days without eating or sleeping for more than an hour, while I still haven’t finished purging the traitors from my village.”
“But it would be so good…” I gave him a sly smile, and he mirrored it.
“Remember you haven’t gone through the full transformation yet, so your humanity still prevails. You might get sick by the end of it.”
“Hmm. That’s true.”
“When you become a complete little wolf, during your next heats I’ll lock you in a cabin I’m building in the middle of the forest. I’ll take pleasure in satisfying you.”
The idea lit a flame in my belly.
“I’m counting the minutes.”
Aldren waited while I finished getting ready and walked hand in hand with me toward the staircase, where the guards who would accompany us were waiting. Nerin was already at the gathering, and I would stay with her while my alpha fulfilled his role.
With every step toward that forest, my anxiety grew, like ants crawling over my body. Even before approaching the people, I felt as if I were being watched.
Everything worsened the moment I glimpsed the great bonfire and received all those curious looks directed at us. Sensing my distress, Aldren squeezed my hand even tighter, sending me a trace of calming pheromones.
I tried to smile at the people, but I doubted anything more than a tense smile showed on my lips. Aldren waved to everyone with his free hand and guided me to Nerin, who was waiting beside Bratvo, on the opposite side of the fire.
“Take care of her,” he told his regent and friend, handing me over.
“Of course. As I would care for a daughter,” she replied with a smile.
Before letting go of my hand, he touched my face and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I completely forgot how to breathe.
Whispers sounded all around us. Some of admiration, others of reverence, blending with the soft crackling of burning wood. The affectionate gesture sent shivers through my body, and when I saw him walk away, I felt cold.
As if sensing my tension, Nerin touched the side of my arm, stroking it.
“They’re just surprised. They’ve never seen their alpha arrive with a female at our gathering.”
“But… Nala and Teneris?”
“They were respected, but there were never hand-holding or displays of affection in front of the entire pack.”
“Wow…”
If I had any doubt about being his only choice, it evaporated, carried away by the cold breath of that crescent-moon night.
A movement caught my attention when Aldren called for the pack’s focus in front of the great fire.
All eyes turned to him.
“My people of Valmorin, today we gather under this moon to celebrate the unity and resilience of our pack.” His voice reverberated powerfully against the crackling flames. “Each of you forms the backbone of this pack. Together, we are invincible; together, we are eternal.”
He paused, allowing his words to echo among the listeners before continuing.
“But remember, the strength of our pack lies not only in our union, but also in our loyalty. Betrayal…”
His voice hardened, his eyes sweeping over the crowd like a warning beacon. “Betrayal will not be tolerated. Those who choose the path of disloyalty will face the most severe consequences.”
There was an undeniable ferocity in his stance, a promise of retaliation that could send a chill down the spine of everyone present.