99. Alpha Showdown-I

|| Alaric’s POV || My Luna. My dove. My princess. The words echoed in my mind, a mantra I couldn’t escape. Was she my mate? I wished she was. If she were, she would have told me by now. But the way she looked at me, the way she trusted me— it was enough to make me hope. The whispers started almost immediately. “Is that Lilac Blackwood?” “She’s beautiful.” “She looks like a real Luna Queen.” “Absolutely stunning.” “It’s hard to believe she’s still single.” “Kael was a fool to let her go.” The comments grated on me, each one a reminder of how much she deserved better than the way Kael had treated her. I couldn’t hold back any longer. She was mine, and everyone needed to see that. I strode through the crowd, my eyes locked on her. When I reached her, I extended my hand, my voice low but firm. “May I, dove?” She smiled, her eyes lighting up as she placed her hand in mine. I led her away from the prying eyes, my wolf growling in satisfaction at the way she leaned into me. It took every ounc