Chapter 14
14
~Darlon’s POV
I sat at the long dining table, staring at the untouched food in front of me. The maids had already disappeared into the background, silent as ghosts. The only sound was the faint ticking of the clock somewhere above the fireplace.
I wasn’t even hungry. The plate looked perfect, eggs, sausages, buttered bread, everything exactly the way I liked it, but my appetite was gone, completely gone.
I leaned back in my chair and sighed, rubbing my temple. “Damn it, Elara,” I muttered under my breath. “Why does everything about you have to mess with my head p>
The head maid, Lydia, peeked in quietly, bowing low. “Alpha, would you like us to clear the table p>
I nodded slightly.
“Is my wife still in her room?” I asked again, pretending it was just curiosity.
“Yes, Alpha p>
“Has she… gone out today p>
Lydia shook her head. “No, Alpha. Not yet p>
“Alright. You may go p>
She bowed again and hurried off.
I exhaled and stared at the table. The silence felt louder now. I could feel the itch in my chest, the one that made me want to go see her, to check if she was okay, to ask if she was still mad. But I forced myself to stay still.
“Don’t rush her,” I muttered. “You’ll only scare her again p>
I pushed the chair back and stood up. I walked back to my room, unbuttoning the top of my shirt as I went. The walls were lined with portraits of my ancestors, all with that same cold, unfeeling stare. Guess it ran in the bloodline.
Once I got inside, I sat down at my desk and opened my laptop. I needed to focus. Meetings were waiting, papers to review, and partnerships to approve. Business was easy. Business didn’t make me feel confused or restless.
Within seconds, my screen lit up. A video call was already waiting, my Beta, David.
“Sire,” he greeted with a respectful nod, his tone serious as always.
“Morning,” I replied. “Update me p>
He began listing reports: the ongoing project in Silver Ridge, the shipment delay from the southern port, and the council’s inquiry. I nodded at all the right places, but honestly, my mind was nowhere near it. Every few seconds, I found myself glancing at the door, half-expecting her to walk in.
David paused. “Sire, are you listening p>
I blinked and looked up at the screen. “Yeah. Go on p>
He narrowed his eyes slightly but didn’t comment. Then, before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “David p>
“Yes, Sire p>
“What’s… the best gift to get my beautiful wife. It seems like she is mad at me p>
The silence that followed was unreal.
David’s eyes went wide. “I… I’m sorry, what p>
I ran a hand through my hair. “You heard me p>
He coughed awkwardly. “Uh… I mean, that depends, Sire. Maybe… maybe some clothes? Designer ones. Or jewelry. Or p>
“Something simple,” I interrupted. “Something she’ll actually like p>
David looked like he was about to pass out. “Are you… Are you asking me this seriously p>
“Yes p>
He blinked, then cleared his throat quickly. “Right. Uh, then… maybe get her a few bags. And some dresses. Women like those. I can arrange the deliveries immediately if you’d like p>
“Do it,” I said firmly.
“Right away, Alpha p>
I didn’t even let him finish before I answered. “Get as much as possible p>
David’s eyebrows shot up again, but he just nodded. “Understood, Sire p>
I could almost hear the gears in his head turning. He was probably wondering when the cold, ruthless Alpha started falling in love.
Before ending the call, he hesitated again. “Uh, one more thing, Sire p>
“What is it p>
“The media’s going crazy. They’re demanding to know who your wife is. Everyone’s asking for at least a statement or a picture. I wanted to get your approval before making a move p>
I was quiet for a long moment. The only sound in the room was the faint hum of the computer fan.
Then I said, “Hold off on that for now p>
“You want me to wait p>
“Yes. I’ll need to ask my wife first p>
David froze. “You’ll… what p>
“You heard me,” I said, staring at him flatly.
He blinked fast, clearly trying to process what I’d just said. “Alpha Darlon, you… you’re asking for her permission p>
I frowned. “I said I’ll ask her. Don’t make me repeat myself p>
“Right, Sire! Of course. No disrespect intended. I just… I mean p>
I ended the call.
The room fell silent again.
I rubbed the back of my neck, leaning against the chair. “Ask her first.” The words felt strange in my mouth, but they also felt right. She deserved that.
The rest of the day dragged on painfully. I tried reading, signing papers, even answering calls, but every time the maids passed by, I found myself asking the same thing.
“Has my wife gone out yet p>
“No, Sire p>
“Has she eaten p>
“Yes, Sire p>
“Has she said anything about leaving the room p>
“No, Sire p>
By the tenth time, Lydia looked half-terrified. But before she could answer, another maid whispered something to her.
Lydia turned back to me quickly. “Sire, the Luna… she’s at the ocean p>
I stopped breathing for half a second. “The ocean p>
“Yes, sir p>
I didn’t even wait. I grabbed my camera, the one I often used, and walked out, my steps quicker than usual.
The moment I stepped outside, the breeze hit me, cool and salty, carrying the sound of waves crashing gently. The ocean stretched endlessly, silver and blue, reflecting the late morning sun.
And there she was.
My beautiful wife.
She was sitting near the water, barefoot, her skirt fluttering slightly in the wind. She dipped her fingers into the waves, laughing softly to herself. Her hair was loose, catching the sunlight, and her face looked peaceful, almost glowing.
She hadn’t seen me yet.
I lifted the camera, adjusting the focus, and started taking pictures. Click after click. Each shot felt like freezing something perfect, her smile, the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, the way the ocean light wrapped around her.
Gosh, she was beautiful.
I didn’t even realize I was smiling until I checked the photos. My chest felt warm. The kind of warmth I hadn’t felt in years.
“I have a new set of pictures to add collections p>
Then she turned.
Our eyes met.
Her laughter stopped instantly. Her whole body went stiff.
That hurt more than I expected.
I lowered the camera slowly and started walking toward her. She stood up immediately, her hands fidgeting nervously.
“Elara,” I said softly, stopping a few feet away. “I didn’t mean to startle you p>
Her eyes darted away. “You didn’t. I just… I didn’t see you coming p>
I scratched the back of my neck, unsure how to start. “About last night p>
She froze again. “You don’t have to explain p>
“No,” I interrupted gently. “I do. I’m… sorry for kissing you like that. It wasn’t supposed to happen that way p>
Her lips parted slightly, like she wanted to say something, but no words came.
I sighed and looked at the ocean instead. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just I stopped myself. What was I even going to say? That I couldn’t resist her? That I’d been thinking about her nonstop?
She gave a small nod, her voice quiet. “It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize p>
Silence settled between us again, only the waves filling the space. I didn’t know what else to say. I wanted to tell her that I hadn’t stopped thinking about that kiss. The thought of her being scared of me made me sick. But the words stuck somewhere in my throat.
Finally, I remembered David’s question. “The media wants to reveal your identity,” I said. “I wanted to ask if you’d prefer to stay private or not p>
Her eyes flicked up, surprised. “You’re asking me p>
“Yes p>
She hesitated for a moment before saying, “I think… It’s better if we keep it a secret. At least for now p>
“Why p>
“I just feel that way,” she said softly. “It’s better that way p>