Chapter 199: Do it your way

Dorian wasn’t entirely surprised by what Alyssa just revealed.

He had already suspected that something sinister was brewing; and that Ragnar might choose the night of the Winter Solstice to strike after weeks of quietly probing their borders. He was actually prepared to meet that threat head-on.

What he hadn’t prepared for was the chilling possibility that she might die that night.

"What do you mean?" he asked, keeping his tone as calm and measured as possible so he wouldn’t alarm her further. "Did you see something?"

She nodded. "I did. It’s hard to put into words because it was barely a complete vision. Thinking back on it now makes my head throb so horribly."

"Then don’t think about it," Dorian said. He took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips to press soft kisses against her knuckles. "Remember what Nina advised. Don’t strain yourself."

He glanced up into the rearview mirror, meeting Jake’s sharp gaze. "We’ll talk about it later, when you’ve regained your strength. For now, this stays strictly between us. If anyone asks, we tell them you came down with a fever and Nina tended to you."

?"That’s the exact story I gave Zed," Jake chimed in from the front seat.

?"What about my clothes?" Alyssa asked, glancing down at her ruined attire. The shirt was torn at the shoulders and her jeans were frayed to shreds around her ankles. "Pandora and Henna are definitely going to want answers the moment they see me like this."

Dorian hadn’t prepared for that tiny detail. He went quiet for a moment, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"We’ll use the rear entrance," he finally decided. "When we pull up, Jake will go through the front doors to draw my sister and his mate away, along with Anthony and Alec if they’re around. By the time anyone realizes we’re back, you’ll already be upstairs in the bedroom."

"Won’t that look suspicious?" Alyssa asked softly. "Why can’t we simply tell them I finally shifted?"

"Because they have no idea you carry Lycan blood," Dorian explained. "I instructed Doctor Dylan to keep that information confidential. Revealing it now would spark a storm of questions, and knowing how eager and persistent Pandora can be, she’d insist on seeing you shift in person."

"He’s right about that," Jake agreed, nodding slowly.

?"And we can’t risk that under any circumstances," Dorian added firmly. "Your Lycan form is unusual; it doesn’t look like any of ours. So we keep this secret for as long as we possibly can, alright?"

Alyssa knew he was right. Until they understood everything about her Hybrid nature, revealing any piece of the secret would be too dangerous.

"Alright," she agreed. "We’ll do it your way."

The remainder of the drive passed in total silence. Though Alyssa appeared composed on the outside, her mind was a swirling storm of unrest. She couldn’t shake the memory of Ozai, nor the haunting warnings he had pressed into her mind.

And then there was the vision that followed–a rapid, blurred cascade of images flashing through her mind like scattered embers. The vision had passed in a heartbeat, but she had seen enough to know the horror waiting for them when the Solstice arrived.

Fortunately, when they pulled into the estate, the mansion was quiet. Aside from the perimeter guards on patrol and a few staff members tending to their duties, the household was empty.

The moment the Rolls Royce came to a halt in the driveway, Zed hurried out through the front doors, his face etched with anxiety.

"How is the Luna?" he asked Jake the moment the Beta stepped out. "Is she alright?"

"She’s fine, Zed. It was just a fever," Jake replied smoothly, giving Zed’s shoulder a brief tap as he walked past.

Zed remained by the car, waiting anxiously as Dorian opened the door for Alyssa.

The moment Alyssa stepped out, she offered him a warm smile. "Hello, Zed. How are you?"

"Luna, I..." Zed stammered, caught completely off guard by her greeting. "I’m doing fine, Luna. How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

"I’m fine now," Alyssa said softly, reaching out to give his arm a comforting squeeze. "I gave you quite a fright earlier, didn’t I?"

Zed gave a sheepish, nervous laugh and nodded. "I’m just glad to see you’re better."

Dorian stepped up behind her, slipping a protective arm around her waist as his eyes swept over the quiet courtyard.

"Where is everyone?" he asked sharply. "Have Anthony and Alec returned? Where is Pandora?"

"They left hours ago, Alpha," Zed reported promptly. "Gamma Alec mentioned they were heading into town to meet up with a few friends."

"Did Henna go with them?" Jake asked from near the entrance.

Zed turned toward him with a nod. "Yes, Beta Jake. She went with them. They left long before I got back, so I imagine they’ll be returning shortly."

"And Elvira?" Dorian asked quietly. "Where is she?"

"I don’t know, Alpha. No one has seen her since this morning."

Dorian nodded sharply. He adjusted his jacket over Alyssa’s shoulders, keeping her covered, and guided her toward the front steps. "Thank you for bringing her back so quickly, Zed. I appreciate it."

"Always glad to be of service, Alpha," Zed said with a respectful bow.

Alyssa felt a wave of relief wash over her as she realized she wouldn’t need to sneak into the mansion after all. She moved quickly up the stairs toward their bedroom to take off her ruined clothes, wash away the sweat stuck to her skin, and change into something clean.

She was just about to step into the bathroom when her phone rang loudly from the bed, making her jump. The screen lit up with Julie’s name alongside a string of missed calls.

"Oh," Alyssa murmured softly, realizing how worried her friend must have been. She swiped to answer and pressed the phone to her ear. "Hello, Julie."

"Alyssa!" Julie’s soft voice came through the speaker, breathless with relief. "Are you okay? I’ve been calling you!"

?"I’m alright," Alyssa murmured, moved by the genuine worry in her friend’s tone. "I caught a sudden fever and had to head home early. I should have texted you."

"Oh, that’s okay then," Julie assured her quickly. "I’m just glad you’re safe. The last lecture got canceled anyway, so you didn’t miss a thing. How are you feeling now?"

"Much better. I’ll likely need to rest at home for a couple of days to recover fully, so I won’t be in school."

?"Take all the time you need," Julie said warmly. "I’ll make sure to send over the lecture notes and keep you updated on anything important."

"Thank you, Julie," Alyssa said gratefully. "Will you be coming for the Winter Solstice?"

"Of course I will."

That made Alyssa worry. "Alright. I’m going to lie down for a bit now. I’ll talk to you soon."

"Bye, Alyssa!"

Alyssa hung up and set the phone down on the bed. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep up the pretense, and she wondered how much longer she could keep the truth about her Hybrid powers hidden.

As she started to turn around, a soft smile touched her lips when Dorian closed the distance between them from behind. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her back against his broad chest and leaned down to press sweet kisses along the curve of her neck.

He had already set out a fresh change of clothes for her from the closet; a simple pink t-shirt and a pair of fitted black shorts, which now rested on the bed. His lips traced a slow path along her jawline, making her shiver softly.

"Mmm... you know you’re making it very hard for me to concentrate," she moaned, her voice soft and airy.

Dorian loosened the towel wrapped around her chest, his palm coming up to cup her left breast. He gave it a soft squeeze, savoring the way her nipple beaded against the heat of his palm, and the way she arched back against his chest.

"Would you like me to join you in the shower?" he murmured against her ear, his breath warm against her skin.

She turned in his arms to face him, a teasing smile playing on her lips as she looped her arms around his neck. "You know the answer to that."

"Just a shower, though," he chuckled. "No sex."

"What?" Alyssa protested. "Why not?"

"Because Nina ordered that you need to rest."

"That doesn’t mean we can’t have sex," she replied, her lip turning into a dramatic pout.

Dorian laughed at how adorable she looked. He leaned in and nipped at her bottom lip, before kissing her to soothe the faint sting.

The towel slipped completely to the floor as he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her toward the bathroom.

"Dorian!" she squealed, kicking her feet excitedly.

"Trust me, my love," Dorian murmured, offering her a wicked smile as he pushed open the door. "You know there are plenty of ways I can make you cum hard without fucking you."