Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 40: A Howl of Protest

Chapter 40: A Howl of Protest

Ever since the negotiation, Puck and Zane had been pushing Thorin to change his mind.

"I know you don’t care about status and hierarchy, but this goes beyond just how you address someone," Puck said, his chest heaving with emotion.

The Howl maintained his stance, continuing his dissatisfied outburst, "Taking her as your bride won’t mend our relationship with the vampires—it will only worsen it."

"It’s always been strained anyway. No matter whom I marry, vampires will always look down on us, seeing us as nothing more than barbaric beasts," Thorin argued.

Puck exhaled deeply, lips pursed. "I’m not suggesting we befriend the fanged, but if this agreement requires our aid to them, it’s reasonable to expect the same support when we need it."

He turned to Zane for support. With a silent nod from Zane, Puck added, "But with Riona as your wife, we may have to give up that hope."

"Didn’t you say she’s the Blood Moon child?" Thorin insinuated the main and most important part of his decisions.

"She is indeed the Blood Moon child, but it doesn’t mean you must marry her," Puck retorted.

Zane sided with Puck and supported the Howl’s argument by adding, "The prophecy only foretold that the Blood Moon child would aid in granting you greater powers; it never mentioned marriage."

Of course, Thorin knew. He was an Alpha; there was no way he wouldn’t know what the prophecy said.

Leaning back on the sofa and crossing his arms, he said, "True, but the prophecy also didn’t specify how exactly she would aid me. Having her close could prove beneficial, don’t you think?"

In the land of ice and snow, a Blood Moon ascends, and a child of extraordinary power emerges.

A destined Alpha must face trials to attain the ultimate supremacy and unite the clans.

Under the Blood Moon’s fire, they will awaken ancient magic, heralding an era of peace and strength.

When he came to the Kingdom of Eira, he only had one purpose: to find the Blood Moon child.

Now that he finally found her, he still didn’t know what to do. He saw Puck and Zane’s point and understood their opposition to his plan to marry the outcast vampire.

Thorin himself was reluctant. Wrestling with his complicated feelings, he decided to clear his mind and think in solitude.

While he was grateful for Puck and Zane’s advice and appreciated their presence, he needed some time away from them. Their constant nagging was beginning to grate on his nerves.

Coincidentally, the sun had set earlier than usual today, prompting almost all the vampires in the royal palace to go outside for some fresh air.

"Huft! I don’t want to be associated with her either..." Thorin mumbled to himself.

Should he listen to Puck and Zane? Should he cancel his term about marrying Riona and choose Lisbeth, the safe choice, instead?

"Why do they hate her, anyway?"

Was it because she spoke her mind freely? Was it because she didn’t fit the societal norm? Or was it because she couldn’t be controlled?

There was no end to the questions swirling in his mind.

"Lisbeth is gorgeous, alright, but Riona is on another level of beauty. If she dressed like a proper lady, she’d surpass Lisbeth for sure. Because even in servant’s clothes, her charm still shines."

But Riona acted recklessly, which diminished her appeal in other vampires’s eyes. Why did Thorin, a werewolf, become the only one who recognized Riona’s true worth?

It was baffling that he even saw her in that light. Why had he gone so far for her? Helping her from behind the scenes was one thing, but taking her hand in marriage was quite another.

"You’re a werewolf and an Alpha at that. You can’t just marry anyone. What if you find your Luna when you’ve wed a vampire? Can you remain faithful? Werewolves can’t deny our basic instincts, and a soulmate isn’t something we choose ourselves."

Puck’s words echoed in Thorin’s mind, further confusing him. Marrying a vampire, regardless of whom, meant letting go of the chance to unite with his Luna.

The realization struck him hard, but for now, his priority was to secure his status and gain recognition from his mother’s family as an Alpha. This would only happen if the Blood Moon child favored him.

As he walked down the hallway, he saw Riona purely by chance. He was surprised, as he had expected her to be wandering outside like the other vampires.

But the closer he got to Riona, the more he realized that she was behaving strangely. She mumbled something to herself.

"What’s that?" he appeared from behind, and she was so startled it was as if she’d seen a ghost.

Right. Her reaction was always over the top—that’s why Thorin enjoyed teasing her, he convinced himself.

When Riona suddenly asked about the negotiations, Thorin couldn’t help but chuckle. Her directness was one of her charms, and the fact that he had been considering it just before seeing her was uncanny.

"You can’t wait to be my betrothed, I see." Thorin masked what was truly on his mind by teasing her.

She turned around, tired of dealing with him, yet still making excuses for her curiosity. But even if this banter was light-hearted, Thorin couldn’t help but wonder why Riona had suddenly taken an interest in the negotiations.

Tossing jokes around to gauge her intentions, Thorin deduced that Riona might need his help with something but was too proud to ask for it.

It must be something urgent for her to even consider his help. Something tugged at his heart, and he couldn’t exactly describe it other than with the word uncomfortable.

"If there’s anything I can do to assist you, Riona, you need only ask."

She refused. Typical Riona.

But when she turned back around and added with a bashful face, "Not now," Thorin felt his heart thump louder than war horns.

He touched his chest, feeling the rapid movement of it to understand the situation. What was happening here? The air was as cold as ever, yet why did he feel warm? Had Riona unleashed her power?

Thorin was so absorbed in his bodily sensations that he hadn’t noticed how long Riona had been out of his sight. Deciding to dismiss the strange feeling enveloping him, he hurried to follow her to Princess Lisbeth’s chamber.

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