The Triplet Alphas' Curse: Rejected by the Wolfless Luna.

Relief flooded her features. The tension she’d carried immediately loosened.

Her arms tightened around him.

Torak inhaled deeply. Her scent surrounded him, and it felt like home. For the first time in days, he felt genuinely calm.

”I missed you.”

Adele swallowed. ”I missed you too.”

The words landed harder than they should have. Adele rarely admitted things directly, and it spoke Torak’s entire world.

Reluctantly she pulled back enough to look at him. Then she completely destroyed his ability to think.

”I’ll attend the mate ball next year.”

Torak froze.

Adele thinned her lips nervously. ”I’ll accept you if you choose me.”

Silence fell between them. Absolute silence.

Torak stared at her in awe.

Adele stared back, then frowned when he remained dazed like he was frozen in time. ”Why are you looking at me like that?”

Torak sat heavily on the edge of the bed.

He pulled her into his lap automatically. Adele’s breatht caught at his forward move, but she let him.

Meanwhile, Torak was stilll staring at her with open suspicion and he remained unconvinced.

”Adele.” He let her name roll off his tongue. He searched her eyes.

She blinked at him.

”Adele.”

”What?”

”I don’t believe you.”

Offense immediately appeared on her face.

Torak almost laughed. ”You’ve rejected me for years.”

”That is rude.” She said thoughtfully, her voice having a little sharp edge.

Torak hand rested on her back so she could lean on him if she wants. ”It is true.” He pressed his thumb on her chin to hold her gaze. ”You rejected me twenty-two times, Adele.”

Adele felt a lump in her throat, and she swallowed immediately. She had nothing to say to that. She had no idea he had been keeping records.

A smile tugged at his lips.

He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. ”Why?” He asked. ”Why now?”

Adele’s expression softened. ”My father refused to let me go to the border.”

Torak nodded.

She rolled her eyes. ”And you asked me to beyond manate one more time before you left. With everyone gone, I had time to think.”

Torak studied her carefully. ”And?”

A small smile appeared on her lips. A genuine one. She shrugged her shoulders. ”You are worth it.” She managed to say it so casually, and not sure the over the top feeling of nervousness and certainty she felt inside doesn’t spill.

His gaze softened. ”But?” He could see she had more than say

Adele laughed softly. She threw her hand in the air, as if to make a point. ”I can be with anyone like the coin master, and the rest of them.”

Torak’s jaw tightened slightly.

She touched his cheek immediately. ”But I don’t want to be.”

His eyes met hers.

”I want to be with you.”

Torak surrendered completely. He leaned forward, and kissed her softly. The kiss wasn’t rushed, or filled with demands.

He enjoyed the warmth and relief of finally having her close again.

Adele eventually leaned closer, wanting more.

The moment her lips parted, Torak pulled away immediately.

Adele stared at him, frustrated. Then she groaned dramatically.

Torak laughed.

Adele narrowed her eyes, then eventually relaxed against him.

Without a word, Torak shifted them both, easing her back onto the bed as though he had all the time in the world. Adele settled beneath him, her head resting against the pillows while he remained close.

His fingers brushed her shoulder blade, tracing the smooth line visible above the neckline of her gown.

Adele’s breath caught as she waited for his hand to continue lower.

It didn’t.

His fingers stilled, and a quiet sigh escaped her lips.

Torak’s mouth curved into a faint smile. Then he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.

The gesture was so soft, and so unexpectedly tender, that Adele forgot to complain.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, content simply to be there.

Adele had a lot on her mind. She wondered what would happen if the moon goddess do not make them mates, or what would happen if her or Torak ends up finding their significant mate before even having the chance to chose themselves?

”There’s something else bothering you.” Torak mumured, staring down at her. He rolled over, and pulled her into his arms to look at him.

Adele groaned again. ”Is everyone determined to interrogate me?”

”Probably.”

She sighed, then looked away. She couldn’t tell him what she was thinking. That would just ruin the mood and she believes she’d get defensive again, and take her words back if she let her fears move ahead of her.

”My father.”

Torak’s expression softened.

Adele twisted her fingers together. ”I keep wondering if he’s alright.” She lied.

Technically, it wasn’t a lie, as she also wondered that.

For a moment neither spoke.

Torak knew exactly how complicated her feelings toward her father were. The man had hurt her, and frustrated her, yet she still loved him.

Family was rarely simple.

Torak lifted her hand, and pressed a kiss against her knuckles.

”He’ll be alright.”

Adele looked at him. ”You sound very certain.”

”I am.” A smile touched his lips.

Adele gave him a tight smile, and lowered her eyes. She could feel her fears rising, and the feeling of guilt.

What if she was keeping Torak away from his mate?

Torak sighed softly, and shook his head. ”You are beautiful,” he exhaled, bringing her attention back to reality when he caught her drifting away. ”You are too beautiful to be my mate. The council elders might talk.”

Adele immediately smacked his shoulder.

Torak laughed again, then pulled her closer.

Adele’s eyes softened. ”I’m leaving the next morning. My father asked me to go ahead of him.”

Torak frowned. He lifted his face. ”No,”

”I’ll be fine.” She told him. ”He’d meet me on the road.”

Torak’s frown deepened immediately. ”No.”

Adele groaned. ”I’m serious.”

”So am I.”

Torak stared at her with the look of a man who had already lost this argument and knew it.

Adele smiled sweetly.

Torak remained unimpressed.

”I’ll have guards.”

”Adele.”

”The roads are safe.”

She sighed. Torak opened his mouth again. Adele didn’t let him speak.

She rolled over suddenly and settled herself against him, with one hand catching the front of his shirt before she pressed her lips against his.

His protest died instantly.

Torak froze for half a second, then he sat up. He had one arm wrapped around her waist while the other slid into her hair.

The kiss deepened.

Adele’s fingers slipped into his hair, and Torak made a quiet sound against her lips.

That alone nearly ruined her. She pulled him closer, already feeling his growing erection between her legs.

Torak followed immediately.

Heat rushed through her chest when she realized exactly how close they were. For a moment she forgot every worry she’d had.

There was only Torak.

Only him.

The kiss finally broke. Adele’s cheeks were warm. Her breathing wasn’t much better, as she tried to catch her breaths.

Her eyes were wet with desire. ”I want you, Torak.”

The words escaped her lips before she could stop them.

Torak went very still. His eyes darkened. For one dangerous second Adele thought he might actually surrender.

He swallowed hard, and kissed her again. This time, more hungry, and desperate. When he finally pulled away, he rolled them gently across the bed.

Now he hovered above her, close enough that she could feel his breath.

His hand rose slowly, and then, his fingers brushed her collarbone. His fingers moved higher, then lower.

His touch was so careful it somehow felt more intimate than anything else.

His green eyes never left hers. ”Adele.”

Her heart stumbled when he called her name that way. His thumb brushed softly against her skin.

”Do not underestimate how much I need you.”

Adele’s breath caught.

Torak chest heaved. His thumb pressed on the opening between her cleavage. ”Because if I only wanted you, this would be easy.”

Her stomach fluttered.

”But I love you.”

The words were quiet, certain, and unshakable. ”I’ve loved you through every rejection.”

Adele’s eyes softened.

Torak leaned down until their foreheads touched. ”I loved you when you said no the first time.”

A small smile appeared on her lips.

”The tenth time.”

She laughed.

He went on with his playful tease. ”The twentieth time.”

A louder laugh escaped her this time.

Torak’s mouth twitched.

”And somehow,” he murmured, brushing their lips together. ”I loved you even when you rejected me for the twenty-second time.”

Adele covered her face. Heat rose up to her cheeks.

Torak chuckled, then he gently pulled her hands away. His gaze remained warm on her. ”I can wait a little longer.”

Adele stared at him.

Torak pressed a kiss against the tip of her nose.

”I’ve already waited years.”