Belong (GxG)

Chapter 19 A Question

"You will give me your word, Alexandra," Alcina murmured, her voice a hushed command, her gaze sharp enough to gut her. "No leaving the castle grounds and no entering the cellar"

Her fingers tightened, her thumb brushing the delicate curve of Ally's jaw. "I will not compromise on your safety, my darling. You understand that, don't you?*"

Ally swallowed, her pulse pounding beneath Alcina's fingers.

This wasn't mere possessiveness.

This was Alcina—the woman who could be cruel and terrifying, but no with Ally, never with Ally, she protected her like the most precious treasure.

And damn it, Ally loved her for it.

"I promise," she murmured, her voice softer now, earnest.

Alcina studied her for a moment too long, searching, measuring, before she finally exhaled—her thumb brushing one last, lingering stroke against Ally's cheek before she released her.

"Good girl," she murmured, the approval rich in her tone, decadent like dark chocolate and velvet.

And then—

Ally grinned, tilting her head in mock innocence as she pressed a hand to her chest. "Do try not to kill him, my Lady."

Alcina huffed, smoothing out her dress with a slow, elegant sweep of her hands. "No promises."

And with that, she turned, her heels clicking against the marble as she stormed toward the grand staircase, rage rolling off her in waves.

The moment she was out of sight, Ally let out a breath of sheer relief, pressing herself against the nearest wall.

Holy shit.

She had barely survived that.

Alcina had been circling her like a panther, watching, waiting, utterly attuned to her every movement. Escaping her attention had been nearly impossible.

Her lover—her gorgeous, dangerously perceptive, impossibly possessive lover—had nearly caught her.

Ally could still feel the ghost of her touch, the heat of her golden gaze, the weight of knowing Alcina was never far from uncovering the truth.

But—

She was free.

For now.

And she was not going to waste this chance.

She needed to get back to her planning.

Because she was going to marry that woman.

And no amount of possessiveness, interrogations, or carnal distractions was going to stop her.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ ﾟ✧

Ally didn't waste a second.

The moment Alcina disappeared down the grand staircase—her elegant fury trailing behind her like the billowing hem of her dress—Ally moved.

She slipped through the halls with renewed determination, heart hammering, mind whirling with every detail of her plan.

She had precious little time.

If she knew Alcina at all (and she did), Heisenberg had maybe ten minutes before he got physically thrown from the estate.

Two hours, if he was feeling particularly obnoxious.

That was not enough time.

But it had to be enough.

She darted through the servants' corridors, the less-traveled paths of the castle where Alcina's presence wasn't as all-consuming, pushing past heavy doors and winding staircases until—