Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince

As they finished eating, Adeline excused herself and headed toward the restroom. When she stepped back out into the quiet, empty corridor a few moments later, she nearly collided with the one person she never expected to see: Alpha Renard.

He was mid-conversation on his phone. "Let’s talk later," he snapped to his beta before ending the call abruptly.

Renard lowered the phone, his gaze traveling over her, lingering on the shimmering black dress that hugged her frame perfectly.

Having been away on business for days, the news of the Valois family’s recent dealings hadn’t reached him yet. "What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like..." He trailed off, his confusion turning into a sharp scowl.

"Alpha Renard," she greeted him, her voice low as she gave a humble bow. "I have been selected as Prince Gideon’s bride," she revealed.

"What?" Renard’s eyes widened in genuine shock. "Don’t tell me your father... No one in their right mind was agreeing to give a daughter to Prince Gideon," he stated firmly. "I’ll speak to your father immediately. This is absurd."

"Alpha Renard, why would you talk to my father?" Adeline asked, her voice hardening. The pain of the fifty lashes she had received because of him burned in her memory.

"Because you cannot become Prince Gideon’s wife. Are you truly unaware of the curse he carries?" Renard frowned, closing the distance between them with a heavy, intimidating step.

"I am aware," Adeline answered, her voice surprisingly steady. "I have to go. Prince Gideon is waiting for me." She offered a slight bow and attempted to walk past him, but Renard’s hand shot out, gripping her arm tightly.

"Adeline, are you serious?" Renard’s voice dropped into a low growl, his Alpha authority bleeding through as his eyes flashed a dangerous red. "You cannot be with him. It is nothing less than inviting your own death."

"Let go of my hand," Adeline commanded, her eyes narrowing. "This is not right."

"When she asks you to let go, you should listen," Gideon’s voice reverberated down the corridor like a crack of thunder.

In a second, Gideon appeared directly in front of them. He seized Renard’s wrist with a crushing grip, shoving the Alpha back with enough force to make him stumble. With his other hand, Gideon reached back, pulling Adeline firmly behind the safety of his broad shoulders.

"If anyone has invited their death tonight, it is you," Gideon said.

Renard quickly bowed, his bravado wavering under the Prince’s lethal aura, though he didn’t fully back down. "Your Highness, I apologize for my misconduct. I merely stated a truth that everyone in the kingdom knows. Besides," he added, casting a lingering look at Adeline, "I like her. I’ve always liked Adeline."

Adeline’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in genuine shock at the Alpha’s sudden confession.

"What did you just say?" Gideon’s eyes flashed golden gold, the heat of his anger radiating off him like a physical flame. He took a predatory step forward, but Adeline’s hand shot out, anchoring herself to his arm.

"We should go. I am no longer associated with that pack," Adeline asserted, realizing it would be better to leave before any commotion would start. She turned her gaze toward Renard, her expression hardening. "I never liked you, Alpha Renard. Not once."

"Don’t lie, Adeline. At the last pack party, your eyes were on me the entire night," Renard stated, a smug, delusional confidence creeping back into his tone.

"What? No! You are suffering from a serious misunderstanding, Alpha Renard," Adeline pronounced, her face flushing with frustration as she tightened her grip on Gideon’s arm to keep him from lashing out.

"It wasn’t a misunderstanding. Didn’t your sister tell you? I asked for your number as well. I wanted to come to your house the next day but I had to leave urgently for the business work," Renard explained himself.

Adeline realized exactly why Janessa had been so volatile.

"You have no idea what you did to me!" Her composure finally snapped, the sudden intensity of her voice shocking both men into silence.

"If you truly liked me, you could have asked for my number yourself instead of going to my stepsister. Did you really not know how I lived in that house? Everyone in the pack knew! Because of your ’interest,’ Janessa convinced herself I had seduced you. You are the reason I was sentenced to fifty lashes, a punishment that was nothing less than a death sentence!"

Renard’s eyes widened, a look of horrifying shock washing over his face as the weight of his ignorance settled in.

"Please, never approach me like this again," she continued, her voice trembling but firm. "And as for the curse, I don’t care. My entire life in your pack was a curse. Prince Gideon is the only person who hasn’t treated me like garbage, unlike everyone else, including you."

She turned on her heels, her shimmering dress catching the light as she told Gideon they should leave. Gideon cast one last glare at Renard, a silent promise of what would happen if he ever crossed their paths again, before walking away with his hand protectively on the small of Adeline’s back.

Finally, they both stepped out in the fresh air when Adeline apologized to him. "I didn’t mean to react that way, and I truly didn’t know I would encounter Alpha Renard tonight. I’m sorry."

"You did exactly right by lashing out," Gideon said, a genuine, sharp smile touching his lips. He gently nudged her toward the car, and she climbed in. Once he settled into the driver’s side, he drove off into the night.

When they reached a stretch of quiet, open road, Gideon pressed a button on the console. With a whir, the rooftop retracted. Fresh, cool night air immediately flooded the car, bringing a sudden sense of calm to Adeline.

She turned her head to look at him, a small smile gracing her lips, before slowly reaching her hand out into the rushing wind, letting the night air dance between her fingers.

Gideon glanced at her for a brief second, enjoying the sight of hers.