Chapter 232
Do You Trust Me
Zander raised a hand gently, signaling calm. His gaze shifted from the Archon to Candice, assessing her reaction rather than accepting the offer outright.
“This is… sudden,” Zander said carefully.
“It is decisive,” the Archon replied. “Our houses have long discussed this possibility. You and Candice have known each other since childhood even if you two do not remember those times since both of you are still young.”
Osman felt something dark twist in his chest.
Zander glanced at Candice again. “And what does Lady Candice think?”
Candice’s hands clenched at her sides. She drew a steady breath before answering. “I think,” she said slowly, “that this conversation should not be treated like a trade of lands or titles.”
The Archon frowned slightly. “Candice, this is not the time—”
“It is exactly the time,” she interrupted, her voice firm but controlled. “House Aetherion just survived war. Announcing a marriage alliance as if it’s a victory trophy is not right.”
Osman looked at her then—truly looked. She was no longer the carefree woman who teased him relentlessly. She stood like a leader now, unyielding, and the sight of it made him smile without realizing it—a quiet, proud smile.
The Candice he had always known was stubborn, unwilling to let anyone dictate her life. She was someone who knew how to stand on her own, and that had always been one of the many things he admired about her.
Meanwhile, Zander nodded once, approving. “She’s right.”
The Archon turned to him. “You refuse?”
“I didn’t say that,” Zander quickly replied. “But I will not accept an alliance forced upon either party. Especially not now.”
Candice let out a quiet breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Osman’s heart hammered painfully in his chest. Zander hadn’t refused, and he hated that because it meant there was still a chance he might accept.
The Archon studied Zander for a long moment, then nodded. “Very well. The offer stands. When the time is right, we will revisit this.”
He turned to Candice. “We’ll discuss this later.”
Candice said nothing, but her gaze flicked briefly to Osman before she looked away.
The Archon excused himself to speak further with Zander, leaving Osman and Candice standing several steps apart.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Osman finally said, his voice low, almost as if he were speaking to himself. A deep frown settled on his face. He knew he couldn’t afford to waste even a moment. There was the slightest chance he could lose Candice in the blink of an eye and he would not allow that to happen. Not now. Not ever.
She turned to him slowly. “And yet, here I am.”
“This place is still unstable.”
“So is everything else,” she replied quietly.
Osman took a step closer. “Candice—”
“Don’t,” she said softly. “Not here. Not now.”
Her eyes held something fragile beneath the calm, something that made Osman’s chest ache. “I’ll be returning to Terravane,” she added. “With my grandfather after his talk with Archon Zander.”
Osman nodded, though every instinct in him screamed against it. “I was heading there too. I told you I would ask for your hand in marriage—”
Her brows lifted slightly. “No. Don’t do that. Not now, Osman. You’ll only create discord within my family.” Her voice softened, but her resolve did not. “Stay low for now and let me handle everything.”
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Osman understood the situation all too well. He knew Candice’s family would reject him outright, especially now, when their attention was fixed on Zander.
Candice carried royal blood in her, and Velmora did not answer to a single ruler. Power was divided among five great houses, and marriages were nothing but political alliances used to secure influence.
And Osman knew better than anyone just how chaotic that system truly was.
Osman stepped closer, his gaze locked onto hers, unwavering. “I will not lose you, Candice,” he said firmly, each word grounded with quiet certainty.
Candice didn’t look away. Instead, her eyes searched his face as if trying to find cracks in his resolve. “I’m not your mate anymore, Osman,” she said calmly. “Not now that the inner wolf is gone. I’m sure whatever you’re feeling will fade too.”
His jaw tightened. In one swift motion, he closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. His grip wasn’t rough, but it was possessive, protective.
“You really think all of this was just because of the mate pull?” he growled softly, his voice low with restrained emotion.
Candice’s breath hitched, but she lifted her chin stubbornly. “You didn’t deny it,” she shot back, a slight pout forming. “So I was right. I am your mate.”
A faint, humorless smile tugged at Osman’s lips. “You’re not just my mate,” he said, his voice dropping even lower as he leaned in. “You’re my future wife.”
Her heart skipped, and for a moment, all the arguments she had prepared dissolved into silence. She wanted to be his wife. There was no doubt about that. Yet at the same time, she wanted her family’s blessing for the man she would choose.
Candice had grown up wrapped in love, spoiled without restraint. Her grandfather and her father had given her everything, far more than she had ever dared to ask for. She respected them deeply, and the last thing she wanted was to cause a rift because they disapproved of the man she loved.
“Do you trust me, Osman?” she asked, her gaze steady, never leaving his.
“Of course,” he answered at once. “With all of me, Candice.”
“Then wait,” she said softly. “Being together is not something we should rush.” She leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered, “Let me go now too. People are starting to watch.”
Only then did Osman notice the curious eyes gathering around them. They were standing in the open courtyard, far too exposed. Reluctantly, he loosened his hold and stepped back, even though every instinct in him urged him to pull her closer instead.
At the back of his mind, he knew he would wait. But waiting did not mean doing nothing.
His gaze followed Candice as she walked away, her figure slowly disappearing into the crowd. Osman’s jaw tightened, resolve settling deep in his chest.
If there was one person who could help untangle this mess of duty, alliances, and promises made long before their time, it was Zander.
Yes. He definitely needed to talk to Zander.