Chapter 89: A Late Night Request
(Elara's POV)
I stared at Lucian, stunned by his casual proposal. His steel-gray eyes studied me intently as he waited.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not talking about a real mate bond. I'm talking about a contract marking, just to do me this favor. When the storm passes, we sever the bond in private."
The words hung between us, outrageous yet spoken with such calm assurance. I searched his face for any hint of a joke, but found none.
My mind raced. A fake mate bond with the Alpha King? The implications were staggering.
I drew a deep breath. "Sorry, Alpha Lucian," I said carefully. "I'm afraid I can't help you with this. As you know, I have a potential mate."
It wasn't entirely a lie. Jason and I had an arrangement, even if just for show.
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