Cursed and Fated: Offered To The Wicked Alpha Prince
Chapter 27: Cannot wield its power

Chapter 27: Cannot wield its power

As they stepped into the luxurious restaurant, Adeline found herself momentarily breathless at the opulence. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over the velvet furnishings and polished marble floors. She kept her hand firmly hooked around Gideon’s arm, leaning into his strength as he led her toward the secluded, pre-booked table.

"Check the menu and order whatever you like," Gideon said as he leaned back comfortably into his chair, watching her with predatory focus.

"Won’t Your Highness check first?" she asked, maintaining a poised, formal tone for the benefit of the waiter standing nearby.

"I want you to decide everything, from the starters to the main course and dessert," Gideon replied, his gaze never leaving her face.

Adeline opened the menu, but she nearly froze when her eyes landed on the prices. To a man like Gideon, these figures were trivial, but to her, they represented more than she had ever seen. She couldn’t help but compare these costs to the meager pittances she had been tossed like a beggar while working in her father’s house.

Gideon studied the flicker in her eyes, recognizing the shadow of a memory crossing her features. He could tell she was hesitating, caught in a silent calculation of a world she was leaving behind.

Before he could interject or offer a reassuring word, Adeline composed herself. She looked up and began reciting the order to the waiter with a clear voice.

As the waiter retreated, Gideon remained silent, his eyes fixed on her as she took a slow sip of water.

"You have left that life behind—the one you endured in your pack," Gideon reminded her, his voice low and grounding.

He leaned forward, his hand sliding across the table to cover hers. The contact was electric; he felt his wolf stir restlessly beneath his ribs, reacting to her proximity.

"Can I tell you something?" Adeline asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Hmm. Tell me whatever is on your mind," Gideon encouraged, his grip firm yet reassuring.

"Being surrounded by all this luxury... it’s more than I ever dared to imagine. Honestly, I didn’t even dream of this," she confessed, looking down at their joined hands.

"I used to wonder if I’d ever just be able to visit a normal restaurant, not even a high-end one, just to eat food I actually enjoyed. But I was never allowed and I didn’t even have money for it. Janessa would only take me along to act as her servant in front of others. It was humiliating, but I had no way to escape it."

She laid bare a fragment of the difficult life she had lived before entering the palace.

Adeline met his gaze, her eyes shimmering with genuine sincerity. "So, thank you for providing all of this for me. I won’t forget any of this. The clothes, the food, the time you’ve spent. And, of course, your constant attention. I had only heard the rumors about you, but now I can see you’re actually a warm person. Someone who truly cares."

Gideon furrowed his brows slightly, the compliment seemingly catching him off guard. "That’s only because I’ve taken a liking to you," he countered, his voice rough. "My wolf... he reacts whenever you’re near."

"Whatever the reason is, it doesn’t change how I feel," Adeline said, biting her bottom lip nervously. "To me, you are warm. You’re even kind."

Before Gideon could speak, the waiter arrived with the food trolley and began setting the dishes on the table.

~~~~~

"Mom, I heard you hired a wolf to eliminate Adeline," Ensley said, strolling into her private chamber without an invitation. Presley was focused on her phone, mid-message, but she froze at his words.

With a sharp gesture, she dismissed her attendant and waited until the heavy doors clicked shut.

Ensley sank into the chair across from her, his expression judgmental. "How could you let that fail? If Adeline were dead, Gideon would be spiraling. That curse is a weakness he can’t hide forever," he remarked.

"Watch your tongue. You cannot speak so openly about such things," Presley warned, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"Pardon me? It’s an open secret within these walls," Ensley countered with a shrug. "Dad only refused to take action because the evidence was thin, but the servants are already whispering. They’re wondering why a simple omega would wander out of the palace gates alone."

"She would have been dealt with if Gideon hadn’t intervened. It seems I underestimated how closely he was watching her," Presley murmured, her eyes narrowing in thought.

"Adeline is already defending him," Ensley muttered, the memory of their encounter souring his mood. "I met her earlier today. She isn’t some submissive omega you can easily break, she has a remarkably sharp tongue. Edith said she was nothing but a servant in her own house then how she became like this in such a short time."

"She’s going to be Gideon’s wife soon; it’s only natural she’s changed so quickly. Power has a way of altering anyone," Presley asserted, her voice laced with cynicism.

"Hmm. That could very well be the reason," Ensley murmured, though his expression remained thoughtful.

"Moving on, did you find your moonstone?" Presley asked, her tone shifting to one of urgent curiosity.

"I did, but it won’t manifest unless the need is absolute," Ensley replied.

Presley’s brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"As soon as I gripped the stone, a message appeared in the air," Ensley affirmed. "So, while it is technically in my possession, I cannot wield its power until the designated moment arrives."

Presley clenched her fists and hissed, "And when that moment will come? I thought once you get the moonstone, you can harness its power to become the strongest wolf. Then, the Alpha King had no choice but to choose you as the next Alpha King."

"Mom, you think my wolf can’t defeat Gideon’s!?"

"He’s a golden alpha. Don’t forget that," Presley stated, already weaving a plan to bring out the moonstone in any time they would need it.