Rejected and Pregnant: Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince-Chapter 720: Shall we get married?

After ensuring Hannah had returned home safely with her grandfather, Dominick and Jeniva arrived back at the palace in the early light of morning. After a quick shower, Dominick summoned Evan to his room.

Dominick was still rubbing a towel through his damp hair when a knock sounded at the door. Evan stepped inside, offering a respectful bow.

"Have you made contact with the village head of the Silver Pines?" Dominick asked, tossing the towel aside and turning to face his beta.

"I have, Your Grace. I’ve formally delivered your orders to him," Evan replied. "In addition, I conducted a thorough review of the medical facilities in that region. There is only one hospital servicing the area, and its condition is appalling. Despite the fact that development funds are disbursed annually, the administration has neglected the facility entirely. It’s a textbook case of systemic corruption."

Dominick’s eyes narrowed, a cold edge entering his voice. "So the money is being drained before it ever reaches the people."

"Precisely," Evan confirmed. "The papers clearly state that the funds are released. But it hasn’t been done," he asserted.

"Who is the financial head overseeing that sector? Summon him immediately," Dominick ordered, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave. "I want a list of every official associated with those funds. No one is to be excluded."

Evan bowed low, acknowledging the command, but he didn’t leave immediately. He lingered for a moment, his curiosity finally getting the better of his professional exterior.

"Prince Dominick, if I may ask... why the sudden interest in the Silver Pines? Was this a calculated move you’ve been planning for a while?" he asked. He paused, then added with a slight tilt of his head, "Also, I couldn’t help but notice Jeniva is acting rather strange around you today. Did you scold her again?"

Dominick let out a short, dry chuckle, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. "No. What makes you think I scolded her?"

"Because she’s far too quiet," Evan replied.

"You notice her a lot. Do you like her?" Dominick picked up the phone from the nightstand.

"No. She’s a friend. I don’t like her," Evan defended himself. "Did you forget that I’m dating?" he chuckled.

"Good." Dominick gazed at him for a brief moment. "You can go."

Evan bowed and walked out of his sight.

"He cares a lot for Jeniva though," he murmured again.

~~~~~

Flora’s fingers flew across the keyboard, finishing the final lines of her email. At the sound of the knock, she looked up to see Zander’s mother, Liana, standing in the doorway of her room.

Quickly clicking ’send,’ Flora closed her laptop and stood to greet Liana.

"Please, take a seat. Did I disturb you?" Liana asked softly, her eyes moving to the laptop. "If you are busy, I can certainly return later."

"I’m all finished, Aunt Liana," Flora assured her, gesturing toward the armchair. Liana settled into the seat while Flora sat on the edge of the bed.

"Zander has been buried in pack business these last few days," Liana began, her expression turning earnest. "The elders are becoming restless; they are constantly pressuring him to finally take a Luna and secure the pack’s future. But he refuses to listen to them because he is still waiting for your answer."

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze searching Flora’s face. "Have you made up your mind, Flora? Do you intend to stand by his side?"

"I want to stand by his side," Flora admitted. "What worries me is the past. Don’t you find it problematic? Whenever Zander and I go out, people look at me as if..." She trailed off, her gaze dropping to her lap. In her anxiety, she dug her index nail into her thumb, the pressure sharp enough to draw blood.

"We don’t judge you, Flora," Liana said firmly. She reached out, gently stilling Flora’s trembling hands. "If Zander loves you, we cannot and will not stop him from pursuing you. You are his choice, and he is the Alpha of this pack. People don’t gossip about you anymore, most of that is just the weight of your own thoughts."

Flora felt relieved to learn that. "Thank you," she whispered.

Liana placed a tender hand on Flora’s head before lifting her chin. "Don’t hurt yourself, dear. Confess your feelings to my son. He was terrified when you were admitted to the hospital. I saw him crying for you. Do you think you could find a man with a heart like his anywhere else in this world?"

Flora shook her head slowly, knowing the answer was a definitive no.

"Then don’t hold back anymore. Follow your heart," Liana urged, her smile warm and encouraging. "I am more than eager to finally welcome you as my daughter-in-law and the Luna of this pack."

"I will," Flora promised.

"What are the two of you discussing with such secrecy?" Zander’s voice rumbled from the doorway, drawing their attention.

"You’re back!" Liana said smoothly, standing up with a graceful smile. "Flora and I were just discussing how naughty you were as a child. I’ll leave you both to it." She gave Flora a meaningful glance before slipping out of the room.

Zander watched his mother leave, then turned back to Flora with a skeptical tilt of his head. "Did she really spend her time talking about my childhood?"

"No," Flora admitted with a small, playful smile. "You’re back early today."

"I finished my final task ahead of schedule," Zander said, crossing the room toward her. He reached behind his back and produced a small, vibrant bouquet of wildflowers. "For you."

"Thank you." Flora took the flowers, closing her eyes as she inhaled their sweet, fresh scent. Emboldened by Liana’s words, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

Zander froze, his eyes widening in genuine shock. He hadn’t expected such an overt display of affection. As Flora turned to carefully arrange the stems in a crystal vase on her nightstand, he could feel his wolf howling with triumph and joy within him.

"Zander?" Flora asked suddenly, her back still turned as she adjusted a petal. "Shall we get married?"