Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince

"Dad, if you’re going to preach to me about good or bad, then please, don’t," Gideon argued. He didn’t flinch under his father’s piercing gaze.

"Then shall I be forced to endure this every single day?" Huxley retorted, his voice rising, sharp enough to cut through the stillness of the study.

"You cannot publicly humiliate your in-laws. The people already label you as wicked, a monster, do you want to prove them right?" Huxley slumped into his high-backed velvet chair, the weight of his crown seeming to pull at his shoulders, his exhaustion as palpable as his anger.

Gideon remained unmoved by those words. "People have a habit of changing sides whenever it suits their convenience. I don’t care what they think." He looked his father dead in the eye, his expression darkening. "It’s true that I’m wicked by nature. If they want a monster, I’ll give them one."

The Alpha King shook his head, a gesture of profound disappointment. He shifted his gaze from his son to the oak desk, where a map was spread out, marked with red ink.

"Then channel that wickedness toward a purpose that serves this kingdom," Huxley said, his tone shifting from reprimand to cold command. "There is news from the Southern Borders, rogues have been causing endless trouble. The current Commander has failed to quash their attacks, and the territory is on the brink of chaos."

Huxley leaned forward, his eyes turning hard. "I want you to leave. Go there, and end this, once and for all."

"When do I have to leave?" Gideon asked.

"The marriage is still weeks away. I expect you to depart at first light tomorrow," Huxley affirmed, not even bothering to look up from the documents on his desk.

"I will take Adeline with me," Gideon stated, his tone brooking no argument. "And until we return, keep my in-laws in the dungeon. They are not to be set free, nor allowed back to their home."

Huxley slammed his hand on the mahogany desk, the sharp crack echoing through the study. "I cannot do that. I will have them escorted off the palace and returned to their residence immediately. They should never have been brought here in the first place."

He stood up, towering over the desk. "And as I said, the friction between Adeline and her family is not your concern, not until the ceremony makes her legally yours. You are the Commander of this mission, Gideon. Focus on that."

Gideon didn’t flinch. "Fine. I will hold my hand until the wedding. Rest assured, Dad. I will put a permanent halt to the rogues’ activities and force them to kneel before the Alpha King."

Huxley allowed a faint, satisfied smile to touch his lips; he knew his son’s capability was the only thing he could rely on. "You are dismissed."

Gideon offered a bow, the bare minimum required of a prince, and strode out of his father’s study. The heavy oak doors swung shut behind him, but the relief of escaping the conversation was short-lived.

Standing just a few paces away was the Luna Queen, Presley.

Gideon didn’t offer a greeting. He didn’t even slow his pace to acknowledge her existence and walked past her.

~~~~

Adeline had a hot water bath and felt much better than yesterday. After drying her hair, her thoughts drifted back to the courtyard to the earlier incident, how her stepmother begged her to stop Gideon.

A bitter laugh caught in her throat. She remembered every time she had begged them to stop their own cruelty, only to be met with their cold attitude. Her pain had never mattered to them, yet here was Catalina, demanding mercy the moment the tables turned.

She caught her reflection in the mirror, then found herself replaying the scene with Gideon. The way he had addressed her injuries, and the way he had made them pay for what they did to her, it sparked a comfort in her chest.

No one had ever stood in her behalf. Not once.

And Gideon, a man she barely knew and arguably feared, had been the one to do it.

Adeline realized she needed to fix things. She couldn’t afford his anger towards her.

"I have no idea how to even approach him," she murmured, steeling herself before stepping out of the washroom.

However, the moment she stepped out, she froze. Gideon was sitting in the armchair, his gaze fixed on her as if he’d been waiting for her to emerge.

"Your Highness," she said, quickly dipping her head in a bow. "Forgive me for intervening earlier. I thought it was necessary, given the Alpha King was present."

Gideon didn’t seem to be listening to the apology. His attention was fixed on her face, tracing the soft, clean lines of her skin and the way her hair framed her features. When she finally lifted her head to meet his eyes, she found him standing in front of her.

"The wedding is still weeks away," Gideon began. "My father has tasked me with an urgent matter. I have to leave for the Southern Borders to finish it."

Adeline felt a jolt of genuine panic. ’The Southern Borders? Am I supposed to stay here in the palace without his presence?’ The thought of staying behind scared her.

"Take me with you," she urged, the words leaving her lips before she could overthink them. "Please."

Gideon chuckled, which made her wonder if he was upset for not listening to him.

"I swear, I won’t do anything without your consultation. Don’t leave me behind. What if they try to harm me? And in your absence, it’s bound to happen," Adeline voiced her thoughts frantically.

Gideon grinned as he realized she understood too early than he expected.

"I’ve already told the Alpha King that you would accompany me," Gideon told her. His fingers tucked the wet strands behind her ear. "By the time, I’ll return you won’t stay alive if I leave you behind. And I don’t have any intention to lose you."