When they finally stood up to leave, Alaricus put a possessive hand on the small of her back to lead her out of the restaurant and back toward the mall. He was shocked and ready to scold her when he felt her wriggle slightly out of his hold. But then she took his hand into hers making him freeze.
"Thank you for taking me there, Alaricus. I loved it," she told him, holding his huge hand between her small ones and looking up into his eyes. It meant a lot to her that he had taken her somewhere he knew she liked and that he had even attempted light conversation. It was the first time he wasn't keenly aware of the stares coming from all those were witnessing this unprecedented scene with their Alpha King.
That was when he realized that she need never know who he truly was. There was no reason
