Chapter 434 - The Ring
Iona gasped when she saw the ring in his hand. It wasn"t there until now, but it appeared right when he dropped to his knee. "Rolfy," she whispered.
"Iona," he said and then went straight to his demonic language. "I can"t live without you. I love you too much with all my heart and all my soul. Ever since the day I saw you at the banks of the frozen lake, there"s not a day I haven"t thought of you or had the courage to live without you. I can"t. Will you marry me, my love?" His throat bobbed in antic.i.p.ation, his pine green eyes staring at her, boring into her soul, his lips parted and his chest heaving heavily.
Iona"s hand flew to her mouth in shock. "Rolfy," she whispered. She had never expected a marriage proposal so soon. Was he hurrying things up? She looked in his eyes, and the answer was right there—he loved her to the point of madness..
He slid the ring on her finger and then pressed her hand to his face. "Please answer me, love."
She hadn"t realized that tears had rolled out of her eyes, until a drop fell down. She smiled through her tears. "Yes," she replied in demonic language. She dropped to her knees beside him and kissed him softly on his lips. "A thousand times, yes."
Rolfe"s eyes darted between hers in order to search for something. And her heart wrenched with all the love that was exuding from him. Marriage… to the king of Galahar… So many emotions, so many thoughts crossed her mind. "Are you sure about this decision, darling?" she asked as her lips quivered. "Would you not like to wait?" She traced her hand near the cut on his left cheek where the blood had caked.
He leaned down to brush her lips with a soft kiss and wrapped his one hand around her waist and the other hand curled behind her neck. "I have never been surer in my life, love. Why should I wait? I know that you are my mate and that with you beside me I can face any challenge."
She smiled. He trusted her so much.
"When your brother said that he wanted to take you away from me, I felt a part of my soul getting shredded and the feeling was—" he let out a shaky breath. "It was just like the feeling I experienced when I faced death."
She put her finger on his lips. This was insane, but she knew that he was right. She had felt the same way when he was struggling with death. "No more talking about death."
He shook his head. "I won"t." Then he pressed her naked body into his and said, "But please don"t leave me."
And so, the king of Galahar, who was the strongest in his realm, succ.u.mbed to the charms of his little werewolf mate who had lost her magic forever. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too, sweetheart," she whispered right back.
He pressed her tightly in his arms, never to leave her.
She smiled softly against his chest. "Do you know what I am going to do after I marry you?" she said, as her gaze went to the pulse between his neck and shoulder.
"No… let it be a surprise, love," he replied. She grazed her fangs there. His body shuddered. "I can"t wait to get married to you!"
She chuckled. "We have to get up now. You have too many bruises on your body and you have to go to your kingdom."
He pulled her up and took her into his arms to kiss her on her lips again. This kiss was devoid of sensuous nature but was a promise of having a life together.
She led him to the bathtub again. He asked, "Do you like the ring, sweetheart?"
She looked down at her ring. It was a simple gold band with a huge solitaire diamond flanked by emeralds. "It"s perfect." And it felt heavy on her. She hadn"t worn jewelry. It would take a long time for her to get used to it.
He picked her up in his arms and made her stand in the hot water of the tub. "Let"s go home, love."
She chuckled. "I am hungry and I want food first!"
"At your service, m"lady," he replied, feeling that he was the luckiest man in the Lore.
When they came out, all dressed and neat and clean, they headed to the kitchen only to find that Ileus and Anastasia were already there. And Ileus looked… neat and thoroughly washed.
Rolfe halted in his place as he placed his hand on Iona"s waist and tugged her closer.
"Come here, both of you!" Anastasia huffed. She asked them to sit on the wooden chairs opposite them. Ileus stared at them until they were seated. It was not hard to notice how Iona was glowing. "Rolfe, let me cut to the chase and get to the point," said Anastasia. "You have to protect Iona and be by her side always, if you want us to leave her. And the only way that can happen is if you agree to marry her."
Iona"s cheeks warmed. She giggled as Rolfe"s lips tugged up in a smile. She lifted her left hand and showed them her ring. "Rolfe has already proposed to me. He wants to marry me!"
Ileus" eyes became wide as saucers. The demon was… smart and shrewd. In order to keep his sister with him, he had come up with a very intelligent plan—a plan in which they were now trapped.
Anastasia cried with joy. She took Iona"s hand and congratulated. "Oh my G.o.d!" she breathed. "You were quick, Rolfe!"
Rolfe winked. "I was!" he replied with a grin beaming with confidence.
"Then welcome to the family," said Ileus.
At first Rolfe stilled, seeing this sudden change in Ileus and then he took the hand which Ileus offered him. "Thank you," he said.
"Now that we have settled and all, can I eat food?" Iona said. "I am so famished that I can eat a demon right now!" What she meant was that she could eat food as big as Rolfe without understanding the pun behind it. Rolfe"s face turned red as he imagined her eating his shaft. His innocent mate was just too much. He coughed in his hand. She asked innocently. "Are you okay, Rolfy?" Her demon could blush so heavily?
"I am, darling," he said as Ileus and Anastasia laughed and laughed. Rolfe got up to make a dish for all of them.
"I could get used to having a chef brother-in-law," Ileus muttered.
Their bruises were healing fast.
After lunch, Rolfe had to go to Galahar. His men were already there to help him.
While the girls went to Kaizan"s room to check his progress, Ileus returned to his to have a nice sleep. He was emotionally tired and satisfied. His wife had really scolded him a lot when they returned back to the room. She gave him a bath and scolded him.
Rolfe returned by evening and he rushed to find Iona. He had to share something with her fast. Suddenly, a soldier stopped him. "M"lord, Queen Siora wants to see you."