A Dash of Demise

Ch 47: A Ring

Zander POV:

The days almost seemed to fly by, word spread that my mate knew how to cure silver burns.

The few in my pack who had been wary of Red now could hardly wait to invite her in.

And the full moon is tomorrow.

Which is not something I look forward too. Even now I have the intense urge to seek out my mate, to take her into my arms.

So naturally I had her banned from the woods for the next few day. Any wolf who sees her is to escort her out. Immediately.

I dont want to scare her, not now. Not when she's warmed this much to me.

After the full moon the ring I had commissioned for Red the day I adopted that child for her should be finished.

I plan to ask for her hand in the way of humans before the meeting of Alphas.

And I have found a compromise plan I think she will agree to so she may keep her life at the palace and still become mine.

Although parts of it still put my wolf on edge, I have confidence that this is a start to a good transition for us, she needs to do this slowly. I am confident that one day she will become a full fledged alpha female, but for now baby steps.

And a rather large ring.

I spent hours in that stupidly glittering shop that apparently houses the best gemstones in the kingdom, the company that made the crown jewels.

The staff was overly flamboyant and excessive. Much like that florist I had gotten her roses from.

It was the type of place Red would enjoy.

And I will admit they were thorough in their designs and recommendations. They knew what they were doing and knew full well not to ask again when I made a decision of any kind.

I don't like to be questioned.

Although I knew nothing about what was on trend in engagement rings in high society. It seemed stupid to me to pick a ring that would be attached to ones finger for the rest of their life based on a passing trend.

So I went against that suggestion, and rejected every single piece they had -apparently all one of a kind- in favor of having one made that suited my little Red more than some stupid diamond tilted at a certain angle that was the latest trend in rings.

Woman is going to live hundreds of years when she becomes mine, trends mean very little after the first 50.

I wanted a ring she would adore for eternity.

They were reluctant at first seeing as their commissions price starts extremely high and only the highest society in Vanderdash can afford it.

I don't exactly fit the description when looking at me -especially my refusal to remove my cloak and my height- so their hesitation was understandable.

The shop was more than happy to comply when they asked me about how much I was willing to spend and my answer was a swift statement of my knowledge of their usual commissions pricing and that I did not care how much it cost, so long as it was perfect.

I fucking need this woman to marry me after all.

That isn't a time for me to hold tightly to every little copper.

Nilana needed a few days off after she saw the receipt, poor woman.

She was nearly in tears at my waste of funds. 150 gold is more than most peasants could hope to make in several lifetimes so I suppose most would want to cry at the sum.

But if it is a beautiful as I think it will be -especially when on reds slim finger- it will be worth triple that sum, I will re make the gold. This is only one Red.

And I cannot mess this up. Humans find much importance in this proposal process from my understanding.

Fortunately she is the only woman I am wiling to get on my knees for.

All I need to do is get past this full moon without fucking everything up. 

Then I can invite her over for dinner, a menu of which I had the packs most talented chef create to incorporate apples into every course. And ask for her hand.

I just do hope that she does not mind that I skipped the part where I'm supposed to get approval of her father.

The closest thing Red has to a father is Vladimir and he will know me as a wolf the second he lays eyes on me.

I paused.

But what if she says no because I didn't ask another for her hand. Its stupid considering its her hand but I do not know how much Red cares for these traditions.

I ran a hand through my dark hair growling to myself, the fucking moon is making me crazy.

I just need to ask her to marry me present her with the compromise.

She will say yes. I have thought it out thoroughly with her best interest at heart.

She will say yes.

She has no reason not to.

I growled again, wanting very much so to break something, "fuck I should have risked death to ask the brutal old man just to cover all points she possibly could have argued."

I paused.

I still could.

But I really shouldn't.

Perhaps the idea that some man has to giver her away for me to ask will anger her and she will say no based on that.

Why the actual hell do human men do this? This is a horrible task, mating is so much simpler.

There is very little worry of rejection in mating, it so rarely happens.

I bet mortals get rejected constantly.

But I am asking my mate.

That calmed both my human and my wolf side significantly.

I am asking my mate, there is no way she will say no.

Calmed, I stopped my pacing and sank into a chair, one more day.

One more day and I will ask Red to marry me.

....I should have fucking asked the old man.