Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince

"I was angry when that bastard held your hand. If you hadn’t stopped me, I would have torn his arm from his body," Gideon said while continuing swaying their bodies.

"I can’t believe him! I used to think Alpha Renard was a decent man," Adeline muttered, her frustration still simmering. "It wasn’t like that party was the first time he’d seen me. And now he’s confessing to me randomly in a restaurant? Don’t you find it suspicious? He’s such a hypocrite."

"You never had feelings for him. You said that," Gideon stated, searching for any flicker of doubt.

"Yes, I don’t," Adeline replied firmly. "To be honest, I’ve never even had a crush on anyone. After seeing my mother’s tragic life, how she devoted herself completely to a man who didn’t even bother to take care of her daughter after she passed, it made me feel that love is just fickle. And I was never anyone’s choice anyway."

Hearing that, Gideon twirled her around.

"What about me? You said you liked me," Gideon questioned, his eyes burning with an intense, unreadable light. "Do you think I’m like other men?"

"What I know is that you’re not what everyone thinks or says you are," Adeline answered, meeting his gaze. "Yes, I like you as a person. But feelings take time to grow. What about you? Have you developed any feelings for me?"

"No," Gideon answered. "But I can say..." His fingers reached out, tracing the curve of her jawline before his thumb brushed lightly against her lower lip. His gaze followed the movement, intense and focused. "I also like you. You’re good at giving replies, and you don’t hesitate to speak your mind."

"Can I ask you something?" Adeline asked softly, her breath hitching slightly at his touch.

"Hmm?"

"The curse... how did you get it?" she inquired, her curiosity finally outweighing her hesitation.

"My mother angered a witch, and the woman cursed the child growing in her womb," Gideon replied, his expression hardening.

"What? That’s wrong," Adeline stated, her eyes wide with indignation. "To punish an innocent child for the actions of the mother... that isn’t justice."

"Well, my mother saw to it that the witch’s husband was put to death, so the witch wanted her to remember that pain, by ensuring her son could never seek out love," Gideon affirmed. "But destiny had other plans. She didn’t remain alive to witness my agony," he added.

"It’s so wrong. Why do you have to bear the weight of something you never did?" Adeline asked, her voice rising with agitation on his behalf.

"It was written in my fate to bear the consequences of my mother’s actions," Gideon stated flatly. "But do I believe in the power of such a curse? No. I have spent years helping vulnerable wolves, attempting to nullify the effects through good deeds, as my father consulted a powerful sorcerer and many others who advised the same."

"You don’t believe in the curse?" Adeline asked, her eyes searching his. "Then... are you willing to fall in love? I thought you were staying away because you were scared of the consequences."

"Do you want me to love you?" Gideon asked, his voice dropping to a near-whisper that sent a shiver down her spine.

"Huh? Well... if we get married, I suppose the distance between us might lessen slowly," Adeline whispered back, her heart racing.

"It’s going to be difficult for you," Gideon stated, his gaze intensifying. "Because if the curse is real and it works... you will die. I didn’t grant you the freedom I could have. Instead, I kept you here because I am curious to see how our lives unfold."

Adeline stared at him, her mind reeling. His words felt like a riddle she couldn’t quite solve. If he was curious, did that mean he didn’t intend to love her? And why would he speak so coldly about her death as if it were a scientific experiment? The "warmth" she had felt from him earlier suddenly felt shadowed by a complexity of his answer she wasn’t prepared for.

She took a step back, trying to create some breathing room, but Gideon drew her flush against him.

"Adeline, you can’t leave me. Keep that in mind," he stated with possessiveness. "And one important thing: my rut is going to arrive soon. You’ll take care of me."

Adeline’s heart hammered against her ribs. She lowered her gaze, her voice barely a whisper. "If you want me to let you get intimate with me, I can’t. An Alpha’s rut is too strong. They tend to mate immediately, and I... I can’t handle that."

Gideon let out a soft, dark chuckle that vibrated through her chest. "If I can’t even catch your scent yet, how am I supposed to mate with you?" He leaned in closer, his smirk visible even in the dim light of the car. "Taking care of me means giving me adequate attention when I need it. I didn’t realize you were already looking forward to our intimacy."

"When did I say that?" Adeline frowned, her face heating up as she looked back at him. "You’re twisting my words."

Gideon didn’t pull away; instead, he seemed to enjoy her indignation. "Am I? You were the one who brought up mating and intimacy the moment I mentioned my rut."

"Isn’t it obvious what an Alpha asks for during a rut?" Adeline asked, pressing her hand against the solid, unyielding heat of his chest to keep some semblance of space between them.

"Am I your usual Alpha?" Gideon countered, his voice a low vibration she felt as much as heard while his long fingers traced a pattern on her neck. "I am Gideon Knightley. I have never allowed a woman to come this close to me."

His gaze dropped to her lips, his expression darkening with a hunger he didn’t bother to hide. "As for intimacy... if I were to become addicted to your body, I have no idea how much I would end up asking for."