Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince
Chapter 18: Temporary mark on you

Chapter 18: Temporary mark on you

By the time they returned to the palace in the afternoon, four servants were struggling to carry the volume of bags Gideon had insisted on purchasing.

Adeline had tried to curb the spending, but every time she hesitated, he simply added another item to the pile.

"You spent far too much today," Adeline said, glancing back at the heavily laden staff. "And you didn’t buy a single thing for yourself."

Gideon didn’t even break his stride. "My wardrobe is already full," he said dismissively. "And why are you worried about the cost? My wife deserves the best."

Adeline felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "I’m not your wife yet."

Gideon slowed, turning his head to look at her with an unwavering, possessive gaze. "You will be soon."

Before she could respond, his half-sister, Vivian, emerged from the corridor ahead, blocking their path.

She scanned the mountain of shopping bags with a curled lip, her expression tight with disdain.

"Back from the shops, Adeline?" She paused, her gaze flicking between them. "Enjoying the wealth the Alpha Prince is pouring onto a poor—"

Gideon didn’t let her finish. He moved with sudden, predatory speed, planting himself squarely between the two women.

"Choose your next words carefully, Vivian," he warned. "Or you will regret them."

Vivian flinched, instinctively taking a step back. She cleared her throat, forcing a thin mask of innocence onto her face. "Brother, I was merely curious about what she chose. It isn’t as if she is accustomed to this kind of luxury."

Vivian did not wait for a rebuttal; she turned on her heel and hurried away.

Gideon watched her retreat until she disappeared around the corner before turning back to Adeline. "Don’t mind her words," he said, his voice softening.

"I don’t," Adeline replied, meeting his gaze with a calmness that surprised him. "You didn’t have to scare her, though. But she isn’t entirely wrong. I’ve never known such luxury. Back home, I was lucky if I received hand-me-downs. Rags were the only clothing I truly knew. You have shown me a value I didn’t think I possessed, and it... it stunned me."

Gideon felt his jaw tighten. He studied her. She was so composed, yet carrying the weight of a neglected life, and a deep, burning regret filled him.

He had followed orders and held his hand against her family, but seeing the genuine wonder in her eyes on a simple day of shopping made him realize the scale of the abuse she had endured. He should have destroyed them when he had the chance.

"Shall we go ahead?" Adeline asked, unaware of the dark storm brewing in his mind. "I’ve forgotten the route to my room."

Gideon composed himself, his expression smoothing into a mask of calm. "Of course. Let me show you." He signaled the servants to follow them with the mountain of shopping bags and guided her toward her quarters, his hand resting firmly, possessively, at the small of her back.

The servants finished arranging the shopping bags before bowing and slipping out.

Gideon turned toward the door but he froze before crossing the threshold.

Adeline stood by the bed, expecting him to offer a final command or perhaps a dismissal. Instead, he simply stood there, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that made the air in the room feel heavy.

"You deserve, in every way, to be my official mate," he said. "I have a deep respect for those who endure what you have. It takes a strength most people never have to find."

The weight of his words caught her off guard. Adeline didn’t want him to leave yet, not while this strange, fragile connection was still humming between them. As he turned to walk away, she quickly reached out, catching the edge of his sleeve.

Gideon stopped instantly and turned back.

"Gideon," she said. "You told me you would make sure I forgot the meaning of the word freedom. And yet, you are exceptionally kind to me. I don’t understand."

He held her gaze, his expression unreadable for a moment before he let out a short, sharp sigh. "I was angry at that time," he replied.

"I have only heard of you from the people around me. But after this brief moment with you, since yesterday, I can say that you’re not what everyone describes you," Adeline asserted.

She lowered her gaze, her expression turning somber. "I grew up with a stepmother, too. I know exactly what it feels like to be discarded. My loyalty will be yours until my last breath."

Gideon felt a strange, sharp tug in his chest. It was a sensation entirely foreign to him. He studied her, searching for hesitation.

"Do you fear my curse?" he asked. It was a calculated question; he knew the curse couldn’t harm him, but he needed to know if it influenced her.

"I only know that it claims the life of the woman you fall in love with," Adeline said, meeting his eyes. "Will you ever fall in love with me?"

Gideon stepped closer, his demeanor shifting. He sounded vulnerable, his eyes beginning to glow with a faint, unsettling light that pinned her in place. "What about you, Adeline? Could you love a beast like me?"

Adeline didn’t look away. "Love is a fragile thing, Your Highness," she said softly. "But I can tell you this: I do not hate the beast inside you. And I definitely do not hate you."

Gideon smiled as he leaned down and bit her earlobe.

"Ahh!" She yelped in pain, clearly shocked as her hand flew to her ear.

"That’s my temporary mark on you," Gideon stated, "until we get married."

She bit her bottom lip when he brushed his thumb over it. "Don’t do that. It makes me want to kiss you."

Adeline stopped at once, her breath catching in her throat. "Take some rest. Also, don’t roam around without your attendant. You must have learned your lesson from yesterday’s incident."

She nodded. "Alphas seek for stronger she-wolves," Adeline spoke.

"In my eyes, you’re strongest among all the she-wolves in this kingdom," Gideon pronounced with a serious tone.