Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince
Chapter 16: Intend to tame me

Chapter 16: Intend to tame me

"I’ve been wondering," Adeline said, finding the nerve to finally speak. "Why are you being so good to me?"

Gideon’s voice was unnervingly calm. "I haven’t had a woman in my life before now. As I told you, my wolf is drawn to you. Your touch... it does things to me."

Adeline looked at her hand, then back to him. "People say... Well, everyone knows the Alpha Prince as a man who doesn’t tolerate anyone in his space."

"They aren’t wrong. I have a short temper and I don’t like things going against my will. I didn’t want this marriage either, but now, I’m curious to see how this plays out. Think of the benefits. Once we’re official, every woman here will be jealous of you. That alone should be a show worth watching." He chuckled, rising to his feet. "It’s time for breakfast. And for the last time—stop being formal."

He turned on his heel. Adeline stood, quickly gathering her damp hair into a clip before following him.

"I don’t know much about you," she said, "but you aren’t the monster everyone describes."

Gideon paused, looking back with a sharp, dangerous grin. "Give it time. You’ll likely take those words back."

He walked out without waiting. A maidservant guided Adeline to a private breakfast hall where Gideon was already seated. The table was laden with a lavish spread.

She took a seat across from him, grabbing a napkin, and risked a few quiet glances at him while he focused entirely on his meal. The moment she focused on the food on her plate, Gideon spoke,

"So, how do I appear in your eyes? Am I good-looking?"

He was grinning, fully aware he’d just caught her staring.

Adeline nearly fumbled her spoon. "I—yes. You are. It’s just your eyes. They aren’t like anyone else’s." She quickly ducked her head, busying herself with her meal to hide her discomfort.

"That’s because I’m a Golden Alpha," Gideon replied. "I was born during a rare lunar event that only occurs once every five hundred years. Legend says my eyes resemble those of the werewolf beast that caused havoc centuries ago."

He delivered the line with an unpredictable intensity, but Adeline wasn’t buying the performance. It sounded like a rehearsed story, designed specifically to see if he could scare her.

"Don’t lie," she murmured, setting her spoon aside.

Back home, she might have lacked freedom, but she had been granted the run of the pack’s library. She had read every volume they owned, from history to folklore. She knew the legends of this kingdom, and nothing like what he was describing had ever been recorded.

Gideon arched a brow, clearly unimpressed. "Why would I lie? I do become a beast on certain nights. Do you think I’m still unmarried by choice? No noble Alpha wants to offer his daughter to a man who loses control."

Adeline’s throat went dry. She studied his face, looking for a tell, but his gaze was steady and unwavering. It hit her then: perhaps her library hadn’t been the definitive source she believed it to be. Perhaps the truth had been kept from her all along.

"Scared?" Gideon chuckled, bringing another piece of omelette to his mouth with casual ease. "Don’t be. I ensure I am nowhere near you on those nights. You won’t have to watch me tear anyone apart."

Adeline forgot to blink, her eyes locked on his.

"Eat. Don’t stare at me like that," Gideon said, returning his attention to his meal.

"I’m not scared," Adeline replied.

Gideon looked up curiously.

"Even a beast can be tamed," she added.

Gideon let out a short laugh. "Don’t tell me you intend to tame me, Adeline." He studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp. "You’re interesting. I like you."

The statement was casual, yet it sent a jolt of alarm and flutter through her chest, a sensation entirely foreign to her. She felt her cheeks flush and quickly looked down, focusing entirely on finishing her food to hide the reaction.

She dabbed her mouth with a napkin and set it aside, but Gideon wasn’t finished.

"The doctor will examine your back later," he said, his gaze locked on hers. "How long have they been treating you like this?"

The servants moved efficiently, clearing the table in silence, but Adeline felt as though the air had left the room. She waited until the last maidservant had retreated and the heavy doors had clicked shut before answering.

"Whenever I made a mistake," she said quietly. "In their eyes, at least."

Gideon’s jaw tightened. "Your father is a sick man. The Alpha King may have stayed in my hand today, but that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten. I will settle that score, Adeline. Don’t worry."

"You don’t need to do anything for me," Adeline stated firmly. She hadn’t forgotten the Alpha King’s explicit command: Gideon was not to interfere in any matters that predated her arrival at the palace.

"I do what I feel is right," Gideon stated, his tone brooking no argument. "I don’t follow orders, and I certainly won’t start now."

Adeline swallowed hard, her pulse hammering against her throat. Before she could find the words to push back, he moved. In one swift motion, he was standing directly over her. He braced one hand on the table and gripped the back of her chair, leaning down until their faces were mere inches apart.

"You have a mole next to your lip," he murmured, his gaze dropping to her mouth. He shifted slightly, his eyes drifting upward. "And one above your eyebrow. Beauty marks, aren’t they?"

Adeline froze, her mind going blank. She didn’t know how to respond, and before she could try, he closed the distance. He pressed his lips to hers. It was a single, firm kiss of his claim.

She stopped breathing entirely. Her eyes widened, and she forgot how to blink. He pulled back only slightly, lingering in her space, his voice dropping to a low, raspy confession.

"You’re beautiful," he whispered. "I’ve never seen a woman like you."