Contracted to the Uncrowned King novel Chapter 19

Chapter 0019 

“I think I’ll take my chances.” 

you want me to adhere to that even then 

do you 

I swallowed. “Yes.” 

He chuckled. “Don’t ever change.” 

I closed my eyes. “I appreciate you trying to tell me, to offer some insight, but I–” 

“Don’t want a bond from me?” 

“From an indiscriminate playboy who hasn’t found his fated mate yet. 

He chuckled. “Well, at least one of those things can change rapidly. I hear marriage has a way of changing a man for the better.” 

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t I had no energy to think too much about it. 

If what he was hinting at was right, I needed to be making plans for my inevitable decline and to push my case through the Court as quickly as possible. 

The severance ceremony would help, but I’d heard that a broken bond of any sort shortened a wolf’s life, and there would always be a lingering pain. I hadn’t had a chance> to look too deeply into the research, but I didn’t need to. The average lifespan for a wolf was about eighty years, a little longer for a breeder. Originally, that meant I had another sixty or so years, hopefully. If I assumed it cut my time in half, that meant I had about two decades left to get my affairs in order. 

I’d need to start looking through the members of the Donovan family for a candidate. It had always been a part of my plans to find an heir in the family. I just thought I’d have more time. 

“Feeling a little better?” 

I nodded. 

“Good.” 

He rose with me in his arms, effortlessly cradling me. I gasped.. 

“Theodore, what are you doing?” 

He chuckled and stepped outside the fitting room. The woman there looked between us and concern came over her face. I must look terrible. 

“I’ll buy all the wedding dresses in the store.” 

“He will not,” I said and looked up at him. “What are you doing?” 

+25 BONUS 

“Tomorrow, all of Midnight will know about you. This is the fastest way.” 

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. 

“You– That’s the most ridiculous, wasteful, and flashy way imaginable. Not to mention immature as hell. You don’t need to buy out the entire store.” 

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. “Why not?” 

I scoffed. “One, I wear one size.” 

“So, I’ll buy all the dresses in your size.” 

“And what if another bride wears my same size? How inconsiderate of you, especially when you don’t even like all the styles.” 

His eyes twinkled. “So I’ll return the ones you don’t like.” 

“What a hassle for the clerks!” I glanced at the woman, who seemed amused. I looked back at him. “Don’t be even more of a pain in the ass than you were when you had them bring them all out.” 

He chuckled, grinning at me. 

“What’s so funny?” I growled. 

“You’ve got a bit of color back,” he said, smiling at me. His gaze felt soft and tender. “I think you like reprimanding me.” 

I huffed. “I consider it educating you.” 

He laughed. “Fine. We’ll… compromise.” He looked at the clerk. “Pack up the box for the one she’s wearing and the last two she tried on 

“As you wish, Alpha Nightshade.” 

“Why do I need three dresses?” 

“One for the ceremony, one for the reception, and…” He smirked, dragging his gaze over me. “One I can hopefully rip off you.”