Chapter 36 - The Ring
1250 Words
*Elara – pov*
“A date?”
I stared at Raiden from across the kitchen island like he’d lost his mind.
Outside, patrol wolves moved through the estate day and night.
Lucien was still missing.
The elders were practically planning ceremonies and public claims on our behalf.
And Raiden wanted…
“A date,” he repeated calmly.
Adira perked up immediately.
Finally.
I ignored her.
“You do realize your father is somewhere plotting our demise, right?”
Raiden leaned casually against the marble counter looking entirely too attractive in dark jeans and a fitted black shirt.
“It’s possible to investigate murder and take you to dinner.”
Warmth spread traitorously through my chest.
Raiden’s eyes softened slightly.
“You need a night where nobody expects you to save the world.”
My throat tightened unexpectedly.
I hadn’t realized until that moment how exhausted I truly felt or how heavy everything had become.
Prophecies.
Power.
Expectations.
I barely recognized my own life anymore.
Raiden stepped closer slowly.
“No elders.”
“No training.”
“No politics.”
His fingers brushed mine gently.
“Just us.”
Adira sighed dreamily.
Mate him immediately, here on the counter.
I mentally shoved her away.
Again.
But despite everything, I nodded.
---
An hour later I stood in my bedroom staring at my reflection.
I actually felt nervous which was really ridiculous.
I hadn’t felt nervous for a date since I was sixteen.
Adira watched from somewhere inside my mind with entirely too much amusement.
You love him.
“Shh”
Adira bombarded my brain with her fantasy images of how she would love Raiden.
“Please stop, you’re not helping.”
I finally settled on dark jeans, black sweater, baby blue scarf and heeled black boots. I finished off my look with simple blue and silver hanging earrings and braided my hair.
Simple.
Raiden’s reaction when I walked downstairs nearly made me trip on the last step. He was devilishly handsome in dark jeans, white button up shirt with a few buttons left undone at the top.
Goddess our mate is sexy.
Raiden looked at me and seemed to stopped breathing.
Heat rushed instantly into my cheeks.
Adira preened proudly.
Raiden crossed the room slowly like he physically couldn’t look away.
“You look beautiful.”
The raw honesty in his voice undid something deep inside me.
“You clean up well too,” I murmured.
His laugh was soft.
Dangerously soft.
Then his hand found my and suddenly breathing became difficult again.
---
He drove us out of town.
Far beyond the pack lands. Far beyond everything.
The restaurant sat overlooking a dark lake surrounded by forest and mountains, warm lights glowing against the water below.
It was beautiful and very quiet.
I realised there were no other people present aside from kitchen staff and a few waiters.
A waiter came over for our drinks order. We settled on a bottle of red wine.
We fell into easy conversation as our wine was served.
Raiden teased me constantly. I argued back automatically.
We talked about ridiculous things.
Jake accidentally setting fire to training equipment.
My first disastrous surgery during vet school.
Rafe’s terrifying coffee addiction.
For two hours, we were simply a man and woman falling helplessly into each other.
Not prophecy.
Not Alpha and princess.
Just us.
Which somehow made what came next hurt more.
Riaden’s expression shifted after the waiter cleared our dinner planner.
It was subtle but serious.
Adira noticed immediately.
I reached for my wine slowly.
“What is it?”
Raiden went quiet for a moment.
Then finally, “I found some of my mother’s journals.”
My stomach tightened instantly.
The warmth of the evening faded slightly.
He looked toward the lake instead of me.
“She documented everything.”
Pain flickered briefly across his face.
“Lucien’s obsession with your mother.”
“The rogues.”
“The attack on your family.”
Ice slid slowly down my spine.
Raiden swallowed hard.
“She believed he orchestrated it.”
Silence settled heavily between us. Part of me wasn’t surprised anymore.
Raiden’s jaw tightened.
“But there’s more.”
My pulse quickened.
“He threatened my mother repeatedly.”
Something dark moved behind Raiden’s eyes now.
“She wrote about him becoming increasingly violent over the years.”
Fear curled low in my stomach.
Raidin looked at me finally.
“I think my father murdered her too.”
The words landed like a physical blow.
“Oh Raiden…”
He looked away immediately.
Like he regretted saying it aloud.
“My mother died officially from fever complications.”
His laugh was cold.
“Except wolves don’t die from fevers easily.”
Understanding dawned slowly and horribly.
“He silenced her.”
Raiden nodded once.
Pain rolled through the bond so sharply my chest hurt.
Without thinking, I stood up and went to sit on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.
He looked startled for half a second.
Then his arms tightened around waist, pulling me desperately close.
He was a man in mourning. Just a son realizing his father may have destroyed everyone he ever loved.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
Raiden stared into my eyes.
“So am I.”
The wind shifted softly across the lake outside.
Raiden moved me off his lap and onto where he sat, I nearly yelped at his sudden movement.
Confusion flickered through me immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering, he lowered himself onto one knee.
My entire brain stopped functioning.
Adira screamed.
OH MY GOD.
“Raiden—”
He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket.
Inside sat the most beautiful ring I had ever seen.
A single oval diamond surrounded by delicate vintage detailing.
Timeless.
My breath caught completely.
“It was my mother’s.”
Emotion clogged instantly in my throat.
Raiden looked strangely nervous now, which somehow affected me even more because this man feared almost nothing.
“Elara…”
His voice softened.
“The elders are right about one thing.”
Adira was practically vibrating now.
She’s going to faint, my wolf announced helpfully.
I ignored her completely.
Raiden took my hand carefully.
“I do think we should do the mating ceremony.”
My stomach flipped nervously, not because I didn’t want him but because everything still felt terrifyingly fast.
Like my entire life transformed overnight.
Raiden must have sensed it immediately because his thumb brushed reassuringly across my knuckles.
“I realise this may seem fast to you.”
His eyes held mine completely now.
Steady.
Certain.
“It’s you.”
The bond pulsed warmly between us.
“You’re already mine in every shape and form.”
“You already own every violent, possessive part of me.”
Heat rushed instantly into my face.
Raiden’s mouth curved slightly.
“But I want everyone else to know it too.”
Tears burned suddenly behind my eyes.
“I don’t have some grand speech prepared,” he admitted quietly. “Honestly, I didn’t plan this tonight.”
That somehow made it even more real.
More him.
He lifted the ring carefully.
“I just know I’m done thinking about what awaits us and know that with you as my luna, we can conquer anything.”
My heart physically hurt.
“Princess Elarielle Thorne…”
His voice dropped softer.
“Will you accept me as your true mate and husband?”
- Writer
