Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate
Chapter 44: How Not to Propose to a Vampire

Chapter 44: How Not to Propose to a Vampire

Riona gritted her teeth, stretched her palm wide, and then folded all her fingers except for the index finger. "First, I don’t like you, so there’s already zero chance of me choosing you over being a Nightwatch."

She unfolded her middle finger and declared, "Second, I don’t want to be anybody’s wife. I don’t want to be tied down with the responsibilities of a wife–bearing children and all that stuff."

The thought of being trapped inside a manor’s walls made her feel powerless. She wanted to go out in the open, show off her skills, and make herself useful in a brave way.

"And third—" Riona unfolded the ring finger, but when the words almost rolled off her tongue, she gulped them back down.

She had always dreamed of marrying the love of her life, just like her parents. She didn’t want a political marriage, like her scary uncle did, only to regret it later on when she found someone she loved.

However, in King Valentin’s case, it had always been Lady Maris for him. Even before the political marriage was arranged, he only had eyes for her.

"Never mind," she ended up keeping the last reason to herself. "I just don’t want to, okay? Marrying you feels like trading one prison for another."

Riona had expected Thorin to make a huge fuss about it, especially with the last reason that she refused to divulge. Contrary to her prediction, Thorin remained silent.

He took short strides to match Riona’s steps, walking by her side without saying anything. She craned her neck to check his reaction but was astounded when she saw his somber face.

She felt bad, and she didn’t know why. In an attempt to soothe his wounded feelings, she said, "Joining the Nightwarden isn’t just about leaving for me. It’s about earning a living—freedom and securing a future for me and my brother."

Why isn’t he saying anything? Was I being too rude?

The silence almost killed Riona. She could hear her own breathing as if she had a pair of working lungs.

"Hey..."

"Hey."

Both of them spoke at the same time. Embarrassed, Riona let Thorin speak first, only for him to do the same–at the same time.

"You first."

"You go first."

The way they both were so synchronized frightened her.

"I’ll go first, then," Thorin said after a long breath. "I’ll help you with the petition. I don’t know where to start, but I will start. And if you need anything specific, just come to me. Let’s put the plan to marry off for a later day. You’ve had enough on your mind already."

Riona stared at the Alpha for the longest time, processing what she had just heard. "Are you really that Alpha? You seem so... different."

He chuckled and nudged her playfully with his elbow. "Hey, I may have fun teasing you, but I’m not someone who crosses boundaries. I’m not saying that I have given up on the idea of marrying you. I’m just... giving you some space. Treat it like a backup plan! Not bad, right?"

Riona was surprised to learn about Thorin’s thoughtful side. She thought the Alpha werewolf was only capable of being playful and frivolous, but it turned out that he could be serious when the situation required him to be.

"Don’t get your hopes up, though. I will be a Nightwatch Novice, and you will return to Wintertooth with your entourage. Also, I can’t understand you. Why me?"

Finally, the question that had been burning in her mind slipped off her tongue. This was what she had wanted to ask from the beginning.

She was a fallen noble, not acknowledged by this kingdom and the vampire king. She had zero chance to sit on the throne because King Valentin had carved the throne cushion according to Lisbeth’s butt shape.

Moreover, Riona had always dressed in a servant’s uniform. There was nothing noble about her, let alone the elegance a vampire lady should possess.

"Because..." Thorin said, extending the end of that word in a deliberate manner. He paused, thinking hard. His thick eyebrows creased in a messy wave as he closed his eyes as if he were contemplating something serious.

Riona was baffled. Her jaw dropped at the upfront insult that Thorin had just cleverly thrown at her. "Are you serious?"

Why was she so pissed? She felt her whole body warm up, even though vampires were supposedly cold because, well, they were dead.

She walked away from Thorin, who caught up with her in no time. Riona was puffing her nose, discontented. "What? Why are you following me, huh?"

"It seems like you’re misunderstanding something."

"I’m misunderstanding what?" Riona put an abrupt halt on her steps, crossing her arms, and facing the Alpha with a glare that could burn a whole forest.

Thorin didn’t have a choice but to stop too, maintaining the same distance from Riona. He scratched the back of his hand, his eyes darting to the sides, feeling cornered.

"I’m not sure if I’m allowed to say this. Since this issue is quite delicate, I thought I should wait for you to find out yourself. But everyone is trying so hard to keep this from you. It’s practically impossible for you to discover this without anyone’s help."

Thorin sighed loudly, brushing his unruly hair back. He met Riona’s eyes and said solemnly, "You are the rightful heir to the throne. Not your cousin. You."

It felt to Riona that he was accusing her of something. She was offended but then realized that this werewolf was just cracking another joke with a serious face.

"I shouldn’t have listened to you. I was the fool. Me. For believing for a second that you could be serious."

Riona turned on her heels and stepped farther away from Thorin, the source of her constant headache. But before she could get too far, he reappeared beside her, bending down to meet her eye level.

"Wait! I was being serious."

Riona scoffed. "You’re crazy if you think I will buy that. Just stop, okay? Jokes shouldn’t go that far."

"No, listen!" Thorin intercepted Riona’s path and stopped before her. His towering figure cast an eerie shadow against Riona’s smaller frame. "You don’t believe me? Come with me, then! I’ll show you."