Chapter 100

Chapter 100

Derrick gave a tiny huff, which surprised me because he'd just placed this option in front of me. He thought I wouldn't hear it. Unlike the other two alternatives, this ivory slip dress revealed more skin and dropped just past the knee. The fabric had a satiny, shimmering feel to it. It looked like a dress that wouldn't make me immobile, so I dropped my towel before Derrick could express his concerns.

My skin was covered in goosebumps as my heart pounded loudly.

"Kylie—you could at least give me a warning." I looked across at him and felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth, the grief lifting momentarily.

He clenched his handkerchief, his eyes growing gloomy as he stared at my bare body. His hands had the chance to touch much of me, so it wasn't like he hadn't seen me like this before. I bent down to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

I whispered, "You forgot my underwear," against the corner of his mouth, wondering if he would toss me onto his bed and wrap his arms around my waist.

"I didn't forget." I stopped breathing as he took my hand and put it in his pocket, my fingertips grazing some lace. He then moved my hand to his leg.

Stuffing my pants in his pocket, naughty alpha I would be sad to lose him.

I withdrew from him, reddening my cheeks and feeling the sadness surge through me once more. I quickly put on my bra and pulled on my pants, unable to look at him as I grabbed the underwear from his grasp. He had chosen a lacy black set.

The dress was the simplest to put on; it hugged my body in a ripple pattern and hugged my hips just a little bit. After carefully smoothing down the material, he got up and turned to face me. His hands slid around my sides.

"You look every bit an angel—my angel." His green eyes captivated me, causing me to lose myself in a whirlwind of opulent feelings that were all directed toward me.

However, that was not the reality; I was a complete disaster.

After telling me to "sit," he shoved me to where he had just stood.

He went to the edge of the space, reached over for a glistening pair of heels, and knelt down in front of me. I trembled as he pressed his hands up against my naked legs and onto my feet. He kissed my right knee and then turned to face me.

"I have extra warriors stationed throughout our territory; you are their Luna, and they will be guarding you carefully tonight—do you understand?" It was an assertion, almost like a warning. "I won't let you run from me again." He spoke as though he understood every thought I had been having for the past hour.

Even though he could see straight through me, he didn't believe a word I said when it mattered most.

I struggled to free my hand from his firm grasp as he held it.

If Derrick had anything to do with it, he was not going to allow him to leave my sight tonight, but I would have to figure out a way.

He stayed in his white shirt and blue pantsuit, not making many cosmetic changes. He practically dragged me out of his penthouse with him, acting as though the events of the previous two days had never occurred, without even bothering to put on shoes.

His whole pack would be present to see the claim he made on my neck, and that was all that mattered to him.

The majority of the pack was congregated in the clearing, where their alpha was felt to calm the otherwise boisterous atmosphere. The place was lit up with lights in a makeshift aisle in the center, quiet music playing in the background, and the aroma of smoke from the food. Accepting a mark was essentially the same as accepting a ring's vows; marking ceremonies were occasionally held in conjunction with marriages.

I went along with him, my palms sweating against his.

The entire pack had been anticipating this, and they would be able to witness the entire show tonight. My breathing was beginning to feel empty, and my chest was being constricted.

"Derrick, I don't think I could." "You seem radiant, and you look amazing." Erica drew me into her arms and stopped my panic episode. As I withdrew, I gave her a halting smile while glancing back at Morgan, who was holding young Edmond in his arms. They were both dressed appropriately for the event, and I was having trouble picking up on any of the specifics.

I enthusiastically accepted Derrick's offer of a glass of champagne and drank it all in one sitting.

Just as Erica opened her mouth to continue, Vera interrupted.

My mate hissed when my hand left his, and she looked enraged as she tore me away from him. She grabbed my shoulders and shook them while pleading with me to look at her.

"You didn't tell me you were going to have a claiming ceremony; I feel like that's something you would tell me—instead, you disappear for two whole days." Even though she was making a lot of noise and speaking loudly, her expression might have made me cry with happiness.

"I'm okay; you don't have to worry about me." With a sneer, she dismissed Derrick's attempt to cling to her by slapping away his hand.

The way she handled the alpha king caused a chorus of surprised gasps around us, but she didn't care because, for now, all that mattered to her was me.

"Look, I understand that you may feel that you can't come to me in light of all that has happened and that I can be a bitch at times, but if he's making you do this—"

Derrick gave me a growl so strong it shook my brain and sent shivers down my spine.

"How dare you make an insinuation like that—she is my mate; taking my mark is her right and her fate." I pursed my lips, feeling pressure rise within me.

Vera shoved me behind her, willing to sacrifice her own life to keep me safe.

"Why don't you let her speak for herself? Let her announce to the pack what she wants before you make the decision for her." When she made her claim, there was a brief feeling of heaviness throughout the group, and I thought I might burst.

"Is this the kind of conduct a king displays by demanding the hand of a woman and saying, "She is my mate?" She gave a snort.

"And she is my best friend—she is my family, and I know her more than anyone in this entire world, so if you touch her with your grimy hands one more time, I swear I will go batshit crazy on your ass." I flung my arms around her and drew her tight before Derrick could hurl himself at her insolent public show.

"Please, don't hurt her—she's just worried about me," I hurriedly whispered, peering over my partner's shoulder. His eyes were growing darker, his claws were getting sharper, and he was trembling with rage as his wolf pressed against his flesh.

"I will fight every person in this pack to get you out of here; just say the word." With our hearts thumping in unison, she whispered.

This was my escape route out of this, but it also put her safety in jeopardy. Tucked safely in her arms, I waited for her to stiffen.

"Kylie." She muttered. "I promise I smelled your brother right now, and I believe he's all around me, I decelerated, with the exception of my irregular respiration.

Here it was—the awful feeling that had been plaguing me for the last several days, spreading like gasoline on fire into my lungs. I staggered away from her, my magic bristling against my body and blazing a blaze across my flesh. I felt sick to my stomach as I staggered on, my strength failing me and forcing me to the center of the clearing.

Even before I saw it, I could feel the strong charge in the air and heard the staccato rhythm of paws pounding the ground.