Cursed Lycan's Scarred Mate
Chapter 82: Dressing the lycan alpha

Chapter 82: Dressing the lycan alpha

A myriad of doubts and worries surfaced in Vivian’s mind. Shouldn’t the mating mark have appeared immediately since they had undoubtedly mated and Ronan knotted her?

Was the Umbrafyre curse hindering the birth of the mating mark, or was the truth of the matter simply that she was never Ronan’s fated mate to begin with?

And Ronan, baffled by the anomaly, stared with disbelief at her bare shoulder. However, he quickly masked his surprise and tenderly brushed his hand over the spot where her mark should have been.

"It is not unusual for there to be delays with the mating mark on a Lycan’s fated mate," Ronan lied, his deception disguised by the firmness in his tone and the reassuring smile on his face. "For some Lycan mates, it only appears by the third or fourth time that they’ve been knotted."

As much as Ronan berated himself for consoling her with lies, he so very much wanted to believe his own excuses. Perhaps it was in fact a delay because of the Umbrafyre curse creating obstacles, and it would eventually appear.

He didn’t want Vivian to be convinced of the unwanted possibility that she was somehow not his fated mate. Yet it still tampered with Ronan’s mind.

Was there an unlikely possibility that he could have been mistaken about Vivian? What if she truly wasn’t his to begin with?

No. The possibility was uncanny.

Distracting Vivian from overthinking, Ronan kisses over the spot on her shoulder where her mating mark didn’t appear. He lifted her into his arms and stood up from the bed.

"Let’s get cleaned up in the bath pools and then go for our stroll and breakfast," Ronan said, deciding to quickly close the matter before Vivian could voice her doubts.

The she-wolf wasn’t entirely convinced by Ronan’s explanations, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt since she was barely knowledgeable about Lycans and their fated mates.

And that was something she promised she would brush up on when she had the opportunity. It would do more good than harm to research her Lycan Alpha’s legacy, lore, and her role and responsibilities as his fated mate.

In the bath pools, Ronan was determined to keep her mind occupied with other things, deliberately ensuring she had no opportunity to ponder on her doubts. And he didn’t dwell too long in the bath pools either.

They shortly returned to their chambers, and Vivian picked out a new dress, looking apologetically at the one Ronan had ripped to shreds off her earlier. She sighed, promising she would apologise to Lady Morgana when she had the opportunity.

She selected a new dress, a black one with a similar design and silver embroidery but more provocative than the other. The neckline was deeper, accentuating the plump and plentiful swell of her cleavage. Underneath, she wore a black lingerie set complemented by thigh-high black boots.

The emerald amulet Ronan gifted her remained nestled in the crevice of her breasts, and she braided her hair to the side. Standing before the body-length mirror, Vivian spared a few minutes to admire her appearance.

She could never truly appreciate her own beauty when she was with other Alphas. She was always suppressed by her need to not stand out or draw attention, but with Ronan? She could be more adventurous and wear whichever style she pleased.

Ronan came up behind her, wrapping his arms around to engulf her body against his. Vivian’s hand perched on his arms around her waist, ending on her midsection in the front.

The Lycan Alpha traced his lips over the back of her neck, his eyes glued to her reflection in the mirror appreciatively.

"You’re absolutely gorgeous, princess," Ronan complimented in a husky voice, greedily inhaling her scent. "This dress makes me want to rip it off you."

"No," Vivian protested, reaching her hand behind to pinch his ear, earning a feigned yelp from him. "You will not rip off any more dresses, understand?"

"I can’t promise, sweetheart," Ronan said with a chuckle, spinning her around in his arms. "You’re so very tempting and delicious that I can barely restrain myself."

"Alphas," Vivian remarked, rolling her eyes.

Ronan’s eyes darkened, and he gripped her chin, forcing her gaze up to his.

"Now don’t go lumping me in with those sorry-for-an excuse Alphas, sweetheart," Ronan warned, but there was no anger to his tone. "I’ll be more than glad to bend you over that dresser table and show you how different I am from them."

"I got the point!" Vivian exclaimed, her ears heating up instantly. "Now can you please get dressed so we can go for our stroll?"

"Why don’t you dress me?" Ronan smirked, squeezing her waist. "You see, I’m still feeling under the weather ever since I was poisoned; perhaps you could help me with that, princess."

Vivian swallowed thickly but made no effort to refuse.

She walked over to the closet adjacent to hers, her hands perched on her hips as she carefully studied the outfits. Ronan leaned against her closet, arms folded, as he watched with amusement as she enthusiastically selected his clothes.

His eyes roamed over the details of how her dress hugged her curves, the dip and flair of her hips, and the exposed creamy area of her thighs where his bite marks were on prominent display.

"You’re going to stare a hole through me, Ronan," Vivian said as she shuffled through the hangers holding up different outfits without looking at him. "Do you not tire of staring so much?"

"Now do tell me, princess, how can one tire from admiring the sunshine? Isn’t it what people look forward to gazing upon when stepping outside under the morning sky?" Ronan’s lips curled, his gaze fixated on her.

"The sunshine is quite blinding, if I must say," Vivian replied with a sigh. "It hurts the eye."

"Your beauty is indeed blinding but worth the pain," Ronan retorted smugly, and Vivian hid her expression behind the open closet door.

"You’re awfully flirtatious this morning; are you learning from your Lycan?"

"I am him," the Lycan clarified.

"When did you two switch out?" Vivian stopped shuffling through the hanger rack and popped her head back to look at him. "I usually notice when you do."

"Did I confuse you by switching between princess and sweetheart?" The Lycan grinned. "Who can say for sure? Maybe I am Ronan himself."

Vivian sighed in defeat. She never would have imagined that Ronan and his Lycan would join forces to tease her.

"Whichever one you are, doesn’t matter," Vivian said, returning to her picking of outfits, and the Lycan Alpha’s eyes widened with surprise.

Did she truly not mind whether it was him or his Lycan in control?

After careful consideration, she selected an outfit. She handed him form-fitting dark trousers that sat snugly in his hips when he fitted them on. He seemed to enjoy it when she meticulously helped him slip on a black, loose silk shirt, buttoning it up only halfway to reveal a hint of his chiselled chest.

Ronan smiled, savouring every bit of the way she concentrated and the way her fingers moved delicately with the buttons of his shirt. She tucked the shirt into his trousers and completed the look with a low-slung belt with a bold buckle and leather braces designed with intricate patterns. Topping it off with lace boots, she took a few steps back and brought her hand to her chin to assess his appearance.

"Like what you see, princess?" Ronan teased, folding his sleeves mid-arm.

"I like what’s underneath," Vivian laughed softly, winking at him. "But this is pleasant on the eyes too." She walked over to his side, looping her arm with his. "Now let’s go before you decide to keep us here for the whole day."

Ronan laughed light-heartedly in response, walking arm in arm with her until they reached the gardens outside. Vivian inhaled a breath of fresh air, scenting the different flowery aromas as they strolled by the expanse of flower beds.

The Lycan Alpha and his mate drew much of the attention from the herbalist Wickans, tending to the small fields of their herbs alongside the flower beds.

The two of them truly stood out, as if overdressed for the occasion. Many of the Wickan women spoke to each other in hushed whispers, some casting odious or envious glances, others chuckling in support and cheering.

Undoubtedly, Vivian was outstanding against the contrasting bright and vivid colours of the magical garden. There was an air of magic about the trees and shrubs, especially the miniature ponds at every turn.

"When I look at Wickans, I only think of darkness," Vivian stated, her eyes trailing over the butterflies and birds perching in the flowerbeds. "Yet here, in Sabre Coven, it seems the opposite is true. There is life and light."

Ronan glanced down at her from the corner of her eye, his arm snaking around her waist.

He understood her hatred for Wickans all too well.

After all, he absolutely despised them himself.

For what was done to his family by the hand of Wickans and lesser wolves, his hatred was old and permanent.

Nothing would change his mind otherwise.

And as if understanding his thoughts, Vivian turned her head to look up at him.

"How did you come to be companions with Sabre Coven?" Vivian asked curiously. "Why are they the only Wickans that you trust and don’t despise?"