Mated to the Alpha: Sold to the King novel Chapter 125

Chapter 125: 0125

Lorelei POV

"Wow..." I whispered, completely awestruck.

A melting vanilla ice cream cone rested in one hand while I pointed at the enormous structure towering over the city with the other.

It wasn’t just a building.

It looked like a masterpiece.

A gigantic glass dome stretched high into the afternoon sky, its surface covered in thousands of tiny shimmering lights that rippled and shifted like a living galaxy. Every crystalline panel reflected the sunlight in a different direction, scattering countless colors across the streets below until the entire place seemed to sparkle.

"I’ve never seen anything like it," I breathed, unable to look away.

"That’s the Celestial Spire," Darius said as he stepped up beside me. "It’s the heart of our territory. We host concerts, art exhibitions, festivals, and some of the biggest light shows you’ll ever see."

I stared at the breathtaking dome, my eyes wide with wonder.

"It’s beautiful."

"Yeah," Darius replied quietly.

Something about his tone made me glance at him, only to find that he wasn’t looking at the spire.

He was looking at me.

The moment our eyes met, the tips of his ears turned pink. He immediately looked away and cleared his throat, suddenly finding the massive building much more interesting.

"If I had known you would be this amazed by it," he said, trying to sound casual, "I would’ve brought you here at night instead. That’s when it’s at its best. The entire dome lights up, and the glass reflects the stars so perfectly that it almost disappears into the night sky."

I turned back toward the Celestial Spire, trying to imagine the breathtaking sight, and a quiet sigh escaped me.

"That’s a shame." The words slipped out before I could stop them.

"Not really," Darius said with an easy smile.

I looked up at him.

"We can stay until sunset if you want. And if you’re wondering where we’d stay afterward, the pack owns a boutique hotel just a few minutes from here."

Now that offer was undeniably tempting.

My gaze dropped to the vanilla ice cream slowly melting in my hand, a creamy drop sliding over my fingers in the warmth of the afternoon.

"That does sound tempting..." I admitted quietly. "But..."

Thankfully, I was dressed comfortably for the heat.

Before we snuck out of the estate, I had changed into a loose, flowy sleeveless halter neck mini dress covered in delicate black polka dots.

To complete the outfit and help me blend in, I wore a dramatic wide-brimmed straw hat that Darius had bought from a roadside stand the moment I complained about the blazing afternoon sun beating down on my face after we got out of the car.

"But what?" he asked, noticing the hesitation in my voice.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, unsure how to explain myself.

The longer I stayed quiet, the more amused he looked, until a teasing smirk slowly spread across his face.

"Are you worried I’ll take advantage of you if we stay in a hotel room?" he asked.

My eyes flew wide open.

"What? No!" I blurted, my face instantly burning as my voice cracked in embarrassment.

Darius laughed.

It wasn’t one of his polite chuckles or quiet huffs.

It was a genuine laugh.

The sound instantly eased the tension that had seized my body, making me relax despite myself.

"Actually..." I began slowly, forcing the words out before I could lose my courage. "Princess Nala wants me to go to a club with her. Tonight."

This time, my eyes widened even more.

"What?!" I blurted, nearly dropping my melting ice cream. "Wait... are you serious? You’re actually okay with me going to a club?"

"You said it yourself," he replied, looking down at me with a gentle expression. "You want to go."

Was it really that simple?

Could I really just say I wanted something... and have it happen?

That had never happened to me before.

Back at my old pack, I had once been locked inside a dark cellar and left to starve for days simply because I asked to be given the same amount of food as the other maids despite working twice as hard as most of them.

In my world, nothing was ever given freely. Every kindness came with a price.

Even with Kaelen, I had offered my body in exchange for protection and the chance to move forward, even if some small, confusing part of me had secretly craved his touch.

But with Darius...

There was no reason for him to be this patient with me. This considerate.

I had no political influence. I had nothing valuable to offer him. I wasn’t his mate.

If this was simply the way he treated everyone in the estate, then maybe I could understand it.

But that wasn’t the case.

He was only ever like this with me.

Why?

The question barely had time to settle before another thought forced its way into my mind, making my chest tighten.

"What about Kaelen?" I asked quietly. "Won’t he have a problem with this?"