Rival Rulers

@ castle.

Her interest peaked as Dominic mentioned not bringing the golden rim books back to her room. She glanced back at Dominic, listening intently as he explained to her why. Though as he explained, a bit of a smile started moving over her lips. It sounded like the perfect opportunity to learn more about Dominic and the other wolves without having to ask him a million questions.

Alexandria wasn't quite ready to ask him everything she wanted to know, out of embarrassment and worry that she would offend him or the others. She wanted to know more. The princess was curious and it was past just wanting to get out of the marriage. The werewolves were different in many ways that she didn't understand. And there were so many rumors and whispers out in the human kingdom that she wasn't sure what was true and what was false. Plus, learning more would help her during her time there.

Her eyes moved back to the books in front of her, stopping as she saw one with a golden rim. Alexandria pulled it out slowly before looking at the title of it. Slowly, she opened it up before flipping through the pages as she turned to him. "Would it be okay if I read them in here?" She asked, her voice soft.

Dominic has been hopeful that Alexandria would want to read the books that he had mentioned. It was obvious that she wasn’t comfortable asking him questions about his people yet. Not the questions that mattered, anyway. She had asked basic things but nothing that might help to calm her nerves; that would show her they weren’t the monsters that she had grown up believing they were. He would have preferred she ask him so he could answer any questions she had but this was a step in the right direction, at least.

“Of course it would be. You’re welcome to read any of the books inside of here,” Dominic answered softly. He glanced around the room, nodding his head slowly. Noticing the book in her hand, he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his features.

Dominic pushed to his feet, longing to linger in the library with her. He decided that even if they were in opposite ends of the library, at least they would hopefully still enjoy themselves while still in the room. Dominic cleared his throat, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “S’ok if I stay in here and read with you?” He asked softly, glancing toward the open door for a moment. “If you’d rather be alone, that’s okay, too.”

@ castle.
"I wouldn't mind if you stayed here with me," Alexandria told him, keeping her voice gentle. It wasn't like Dominic was asking a lot of her in that moment. All he wanted to do was stay in the library and read. That or the wolf just wanted to be close to her. Either way, it was an easy request for her to say yes to. And though she found werewolves rather frightening, she was beginning to think that Dominic was not. At least not in his human form. 

Turning back to the shelf in front of her, Alexandria slid the golden rimmed book back. She wanted to find another on their kind but that particular book wasn't what she was looking for. It was a medical book, focused on healing and their bodies. Interesting and something she wanted to read, but Alexandria wanted to find something on their culture first. 

Continuing down the shelves, Alexandria skimmed through the title of each book, making sure to take note of the ones rimmed with gold. The princess stopped once she was in front of a book concerning werewolf culture. There was plenty that she wanted to learn, but it seemed best to start there. Especially since she needed to understand them a bit more. After flipping through the pages, Alexandria made her way to one of the couches and sat down. 

Dominic was mildly surprised when Alexandria agreed that he could stay in the room with her. He knew that he wasn't really asking her for much. He wasn't asking her to sit and talk to him or anything; he simply wanted to exist in the same room. His wolf wanted to be closer to her, he wanted to press up against her side and just have a bit of physical contact. Dominic wanted for more but he was going to take what he could get without forcing her hand.

Settling on a fictional book, Dominic sat in one of the chairs in the center of the room. He tried to focus on the pages in front of him but he turned his head just enough so that he could watch Alexandria out of the corner of his eye. When he noticed that she had pulled another book from the shelves, a gold rimmed one, Dominic couldn't help but smile to himself. That was enough for him, for now. Alexandria wanted to learn about his culture, that was more than he had originally hoped for. He'd been hopeful, sure, but he'd pushed away the feeling of hope because he'd hit nothing but walls with Alexandria so far.

Dominic relaxed in his seat, flipping through the pages of his book slowly. A slight smile remained on his features as he read, his wolf content at least for a moment. Dominic cleared his throat as he looked up, unsure if he was pushing too far at the moment. "If.. If you have any questions, or you want some clarification on anything that you read, just ask. Okay? No judgment. I promise."

@ castle.

Lifting her eyes from the book, Alexandria looked at Dominic as he spoke. His offer was kind but she was hoping that it would be unnecessary. It felt a little odd to her, asking questions that she was sure would come off as rude. There were many things the princess wanted to know but it remained that she didn't want to say them to an actual wolf. Though, she was beginning to believe Dominic when he said he would give her clarification without judgement. It seemed to Alexandria that he might truly be an open individual.

"Thank you for offering." Alexandria softly responded. Her fingers lightly tapping against the cover as she spoke. Just moving her fingers helped her clear her mind and think of what to say in return. "If I do have any questions, I will ask." With that, she gave him a small smile before looking back down at the book. At least it would be easier to ask questions that came from the books written by them. It wouldn't be as rude as asking questions from the rumors, like their uncontrollable need to kill during certain times of the year.

For the next hour, the princess was quiet as she read through the beginning of the book. The author of it had started with traditions, specifically things similar to holidays, festivals and the like. Much of it so far was similar to what humans did or at least was understandable to Alexandria. Though once she started to come across information on weddings, the princess started to become confused. There was much of it that she didn't understand. Especially since the book was assuming that the reader understood the traditions and exceptions of mates. Alexandria understood it was similar to a couple but there was definitely more there that she didn't understand.

She started to tap her fingers against the book before lifting her head up and looking at Dominic. The princess was quiet for a long moment before eventually getting herself to speak. "Can you please clarify something for me?" Alexandria said before continuing. "So, if you have a mate, why would you claim them, or I guess bite them? This book makes it sound like once you have found your mate, they're your one for life. Would they not feel the same? So why would you need to ensure that others stay away?"

Dominic wished that Alexandria was a wolf, if only she could tell just how pleased he was just being able to spend some time with her in the same room. He wanted to prove to her just how happy he was spending time with her, regardless of what they were doing, but Dominic decided to keep himself quiet. Alexandria was still so put off by his presence that he didn't want to risk taking even a single step backward. As time started to pass, Dominic find himself focused more on hte book in front of him. He was all but sated, wishing that perhaps he could stretch out with his feet in Alexandria's lap or vice versa, perhaps. That physical connection that was so important to wolves. He hoped that Alexandria would understand it, one day. That she would come to enjoy it as much as he did.

Looking up when Alexandria spoke, Dominic was quick to nod his head. He offered her a gentle smile, wanting her to feel comfortable asking questions. He knew that it was likely uncomfortable for her but Dominic would happily answer any and all questions that she could possibly come with. If it helped her to better understand what went on in a wolf's life, Dominic didn't care what she asked.

Dominic tilted his head to the side as he listened to her question, trying to sort out how to even explain mates to Alexandria. He couldn't help but wonder just how much she knew about wolves, if she knew anything at all. Or if her parents hadn't prepared her in the least bit. "They do feel the same way," Dominic agreed with a nod of his head. "Bond marks, or bites, are just a way of calming our instincts. It creates a stronger bond. Once you bond, you can feel their emotions. Some choose to bond before marriage and others choose to wait until the ceremony but it's all the same. Once you bond with someone, it tends to be for life but," he paused, running his hand over his cheek for a moment. "Bond marks do disappear after some time, should someone find themselves in a position with an abusive wolf. They can leave. It's hard but it's possible."

@ castle.

Some concern started to move over Alexandria's face as Dominic spoke. Most of what he was saying made sense, and in a way she found it a little sweet. That it was something that they used to feel closer, to understand each other's emotions. Though there was something in particular that came to the forefront of her mind that concerned Alexandria. Would Dominic want to bond mark her? Would something like that even work on a human? She couldn't be able to bite him back. Well she could bite him but it wouldn't do what their bites did. Even if it would technically work, would it work with them? They were forced to be together by their parents. They weren't exactly mates like the book described.

Alexandria ran her thumb over the page a few times in thought. She didn't know what question to ask him first, but she thought it best to push down the question on if he would want to bite her or not. That was not a conversation that Alexandria was ready to have, especially since she hoped that they would never make it to the wedding.... Maybe it was something that she would never have to worry about, now that would be nice.

Though her eyes lifted back up as she refocused on Dominic. "How do you know who your mate is?" Alexandria asked, her head turning a bit. "The book makes it sound like it's just an instinct that you have. Like you can look into a room full of strangers and immediately find that one person you're meant to be with." She wondered what would happen if Dominic found his mate. It was clear to her that he would do what his country needed him to, by marrying her. But the mate connection sounded strong. Would he really be able to still marry her if he knew who his mate was?

Dominic raised an eyebrow at Alexandria's question. He tilted his head to the side, chewing on the inside of his lip. His nostrils flared as he studied her, wondering if he should admit to her what he knew. Alexandria was his mate - partially by choice. He knew that their marriage was important to both of their people but a part of him knew his wolf so well that he knew he had reacted the first time that he had met Alexandria. He wondered if it was because he knew that he would marry her but his wolf had been ecstatic. He wanted nothing more than to reach out, to wrap his fingers through Alexandria's and feel her touch. So desperately but instead, Dominic stayed in place as he shrugged.

"Scent, partly. It helps.. to calm the wolf inside. If someone meets their mate, it's an instant connection. A need to be closer to them, to care for them, to love them," Dominic explained quietly. He was being as gentle as he could, not wanting Alexandria to feel any sort of pressure because of what he was telling her. "Some mates take it slow, some decide to jump right into things and are married with pups on the way before you even know what's going on. It all comes down to the individual wolves and what they want to do. Some want to get to know each other more in depth before they move forward and take that next step."

Dominic cleared his throat, a slight frown on his lips as he studied Alexandria. "Tell me what you're thinking," he spoke softly, hoping that Alexandria would at least feel open enough to share her thoughts with him.

@ castle.

Alexandria dropped her eyes for a moment, her fingers tapping against the book as she thought about what he was saying. She knew what love was like for humans, Alexandria understood it was a strong feeling but it wasn't something that they knew by first glance. And while there were some that believed in soulmates, there were others that believed that humans could love anyone and who one fell in love with was dependent on time and place. So while Alexandria could theoretically avoid falling in love with another, it sounded as though Dominic wouldn't have that option. He could see someone on the street and know she was the one.

Her eyes lifted up as Dominic asked her what she was thinking, breaking her from her train of thought. The princess let out a small hum, trying to decide what to say. The truth seemed best, and maybe Alexandria could plant the seed in Dominic's head that this wasn't a good idea without looking like that was what she was trying to do.

"I guess I am a little confused why you or your parents would agree to our arrangement... I mean at first I understood but now that I learning about mates, it doesn't make any sense to me." The princess tilted her head, looking over Dominic's face as she spoke. She hoped that he wouldn't think she was pushing this idea too hard. That she was trying to trick him. Even though she did want to make him doubt their marriage, she was genuinely curious and confused by all of it. "What I mean is that unlike humans you don't have the ability as much to not fall in love with someone. You would know the moment you saw her, right? So even though you say you would marry me for our countries, would you really still be able to do that if you met your mate? Wouldn't you find it difficult to stay away from her and wouldn't she feel the same?"

A bit of a frown came over Alexandria's face as she thought more about it. "I would feel guilty knowing that I was in the way of you being with the person you love."

Dominic sucked in a deep breathe, his eyes dropping to the floor between them. He wanted to tell Alexandria the truth, about the pull that he felt toward her that he couldn't deny. No, he couldn't. Not yet. He felt like if he did, it would just be too much. He didn't want to push Alexandria too far when she was barely comfortable enough to sit in the same room as him, alone. Dominic wanted to reach out and show her how it was when he shifted, that he was a larger version of a wolf. Dark grey fur speckled through his deep black furs, bright golden irises allowing him to observe the world. He was intimidating, one of the largest wolves in the park when he shifted but he would never bring harm to her. He would never allow anyone or anything to hurt Alexandria. She was his mate and he would do anything he had to, to keep her safe.

"I would, yes," Dominic breathed, his face scrunching a bit. He wanted to tell her the truth so badly, it slid to the tip of his tongue but he didn't dare tell her. He could only imagine what that would mean to her. "But I have... already met her. There's no need to worry about it," he said softly, shrugging his shoulders. It was an easy thought to him because his wolf already had acknowledged his connection to Alexandria. Dominic couldn't get around that, couldn't deny it even if he wasn't acting on it. Not yet, anyway.

Dominic had said all he planned to, wondering if Alexandria would start to make the connection on her own or not. He offered a little grin, shifting around a bit before his back straightened. He cleared his throat as he pushed himself off of the chair. Dominic knew he had to exit the conversation before it kept going, unless Alexandria decided to confront what he had mroe or less just revealed to her. She was smarter than he thought, if she managed to piece all of it together.

"It's been a long day. I'm going to head to my chambers to freshen up a bit before I retire for the night. Perhaps you can read a bit more and if you have any other questions, you can always come to me, okay?" Dominic offered her. He hoped that she understand he was always open to her questions. She wouldn't be able to tell that he was lying about his exhaustion, Dominic didn't think. He cleared his throat, eyeing Alexandria for a moment. "Do you want me to show you to your room or you wanna stay here for a bit longer?"

@ castle.
It seemed to Alexandria that perhaps she had struck a chord with Dominic, though she was unsure if it was in her favor or not. He did answer her question, but it was vague, something that Alexandria could take several different ways. And she wanted to ask more to clarify but before she could even open her lips, Dominic was on his feet and ready to leave. It was likely to Alexandria that he was speaking the truth about wishing to head to bed. After all, he had been working for most of the day. But she also wondered if a part of it had to do with her question. 

Her eyes dropped back down to the book in her lap, the little frown staying on her face. It was difficult to say if Dominic was uncomfortable with what she asked. His voice had been gentle, Dominic had smiled at her and he was still offering to answer her questions. But the rest of his body language told her that the prince was unsure of himself. What Alexandria was sure about was there was more to his mate situation than he wanted to let on. 

"I am going to stay here for a while longer and keep reading. I will let you know if I have any questions, thank you." The princess glanced up from the book for a moment, meeting her eyes with his. "Goodnight Dominic, I hope you sleep well." Her eyes dropped back down to the book once the prince turned to leave. Though once he was out of the library, Alexandria let out a sigh and set the book to the side. 

She wanted to read more but her mind was currently stuck on the answer that Dominic had given her. Dominic had met his mate before but he told her not to worry, so what did that mean? Alexandria was rather sure he was being truthful, at least she couldn't figure out a reason for him to lie. He even admitted that it would be difficult to stay away from her.  So what were the options here? One, he had a mate that he had to keep his distance with. Two, Dominic had a mate but she died. Three, Alexandria was Dominic's mate. Alexandria was unsure if a wolf could even see a human as his mate but it would explain why she wouldn't have to worry. It didn't explain why Dominic didn't just tell her the truth... not that Alexandria was sure she would want to know it if that was the truth. Her second theory would be easy to figure out. Though her first theory would be most beneficial if there was a way for Alexandria to get them together...

After thinking about this for a while, Alexandria rubbed her head, beginning to get a bit of a headache. It was becoming clear to Alexandria that she could figure out what to do next, if anything, about his mate situation in the morning. With that decided, Alexandria headed to bed. 

Dominic wanted so desperately to tell Alexandria the truth. That his wolf was learning to love Alexandria; that he was becoming attached to her without even really meaning to. Dominic didn't think that the princess was ready for that. She was still so hesitant around him, so afraid for any level of intimacy that Dominic was almost positive that Alexandria couldn't handle that truth. It would probably make her panic and make her feel pressured to move things along when she wasn't ready to. Dominic wanted nothing more than to show her just how wonderful he could be to her, how happy he could make her, but Dominic was forcing himself to hold it back. He was not going to make her do something she wasn't ready to, even if it went against every last one of his instincts. He had to fight them but he would, if it meant keeping Alexandria comfortable.

Dominic sighed as he reached his room, closing the door behind himself. His shoulders sagged in relief since he was alone as he made his way into his ensuite. Dominic turned the shower on, shedding his layers quickly before climbing beneath the spray of the water. The warmth was quick to continue helping him to relax. Dominic only climbed out after nearly an hour of staying beneath the water, his fatigue starting to catch up with him.

He didn't bother to even pull any clothes on as he shifted, dropping down onto his paws. Dominic hopped up onto the bench beneath the large window, curling into a ball. He groaned as contentment washed over him. His eyes fluttered for a moment, feeling heavy, before he drifted off to sleep. After everything today, Dominic was more than exhausted, ready to sleep the night away.

@ castle.

The princess did not wake until later in the morning. Though once she was up, Alexandria noticed the time and basically flung herself out of bed. She was supposed to meet with her parents for breakfast that day, as they were going to be leaving for the airport soon after. But by the time she arrived at their room, breakfast was gone and she was quickly being shuffled into a car with them. Originally, she wasn't going to see them off at the airport though since she had missed breakfast with them, they wanted her to come along. Mostly so they could speak to her about being on her best behavior.

By the time she was brought back, it was after lunch and Alexandria was starving. She headed through towards the kitchen, barely taking notice of the others as she walked by. Not noticing how they looked at her, how some turned their noses to get a smell of the human woman. None of them were used to humans walking around freely. And now it was just her, with her parents being gone.

Once Alexandria was in the empty kitchen, she was quick to whip up a grilled cheese sandwich. It was quick and easy to make, exactly what she needed. As she sat down and started to eat, Alexandria was able to refocus on what had occurred last night. She had barely gotten a chance to think about it much. But it seemed important to make a decision on now. Is the issue of Dominic's mate a good path for her to go down? Would it really help her get back home? By the time she had finished her lunch, Alexandria came to a decision. No. Even if the situation was her best-case scenario of his mate being alive and not herself, it probably wouldn't get Alexandria what she wanted as Dominic and his parents made a decision to go through with the engagement. If it was her worst-case scenario of it being herself, which Alexandria wasn't sure was possible, knowing that, and him knowing that she knew, would only make things more difficult.

With that being the case, Alexandria would drop it. If Dominic brought it up there was little she could do. Once she was finished eating, Alexandria stood up and started to bake mini Strawberry Lemon tarts. Even though being his mate would be a catastrophe, getting on some level of respect or care for each other would benefit Alexandria. She was sure that Dominic knew she was uncomfortable with wolves, but she wanted him to see that she was trying.

After a few hours went by, Alexandria was finished baking and was heading to Dominic with a plate full of tarts.

Dominic hadn't even shared his thoughts with his parents yet. The more time that Alexandria was allowing him to spend with her, the more that he was beginning to realize that she was his mate. The happier his wolf grew because he was finally indulging his instincts and spending time with her. The thought scared him, if he was being honest. Dominic had never heard of a situation where a wolf mated with a human because it wasn't something that they did - they didn't breed outside of their own races. It was frowned upon, to do anything but have purebred children. Dominic wondered what challenges his own children would go through because some day soon enough, Alexandria and he would be together in every way possible.

He had no intention of forcing her to sleep with him on their wedding night or any night after that either. Dominic wanted to and he would welcome the day that Alexandria was comfortable enough to sleep with him, the day that she wanted to be with him. The thought alone was enough to make his wolf growl and want to go find Alexandria so that he could sleep with her finally. But he would wait for as long as he needed to. Whatever that meant, Dominic didn't care. He would not be the monster that Alexandria feared he was. He refused. He refused to let his people do the same.

Dominic was alerted the moment that Alexandria started baking in the kitchen because it was a much sought after trait of a wolf's mate. For the mate to show she was able to cook and provide for Dominic. He would keep her safe, he would always provide for her while she would be expected to take care of the other duties that revolved around him. Maybe alphas that had servants did not care if their mate washed their clothes and kept their room clean but Dominic hoped that Alexandria wouldn't mind. To him, it was important for them to remember that they were no more important than the next one beside them. It grounded them, it would keep them humble despite the power they had.

He kept himself focused on hte office despite how he wanted to head into the kitchen and just watch Alexandria work. Chewing on his bottom lip, Dominic only looked up when there was a knock on his door. He called out to the person to come inside, a smile breaking out on his features when he noticed it was Alexandria. With a plate full of tarts.

Sitting back in his chair, Dominic raised an eyebrow. "Are those all for me?" He asked, a teasing tone as he motioned to one of the chairs in front of his desk.

@ castle.
"I was hoping that you would share with me," Alexandria told him, a small smile on her lips. Heading over to the chair that Dominic motioned to, the princess sat down and set the plate full od tarts down in front of him. She knew that she had made more than probably either of them would want to eat, but Alexandria was going to let Dominic decide what to do with the rest of them. Whether he wanted to share them or keep them for himself would be his choice. 

"Go ahead, try one. I tried to pick something not insanely sweet. So tell me what you think," Moving her hands into her lap, Alexandria watched Dominic as she waited for him to do so. It had never been in her plans when she came here to bake anything for Dominic. Though, yesterday, Alexandria was able to tell that he wanted her to do so. While the prince tried to be relaxed about it, there was something in Alexandria that told her that he would really like her to do so. 

She enjoyed baking quite a bit as it was so Dominic wasn't asking for anything difficult. Alexandria pushed her hair back before taking a moment, glancing over his desk. She was curious as to what he was working on before she came in. Though it didn't really matter what it was, Alexandria just wanted to know what the wolf prince was responsible for while his parents were still in power. 

"How has your day been so far?" She asked as she lifted her eyes back up to his. Surely, he would know that her parents had already left. Now it was just her here. 

Dominic's tension seemed to slip away the moment that Alexandria smiled at him. The tightness of his hsoulders eased as he nodded, tilting his head to the side. He was content just studying her features, wanting to reach out and brush his fingers against her skin. He wanted so badly to touch her, to get to know every crevice of her body but he didn't dare so much as try to hug her. He could tell still how uneasy she was. It was becoming clear to him that she was starting to relax but she was nowhere near as comfortable as he wanted her to be with him.

Reaching forward, Dominic plucked a tart from the plate. He gave her a light smile before taking a bite. Dominic groaned as he finished the tart in the next bite. "That was delicious," he was quick to praise, pulling another tart from the plate before he could think about it. Dominic was a wolf, his metabolism was quite high. He didn't have to worry about eating a few more sweets than usual on any given day.

"Just sweet enough but the lemon compliments it perfectly," Dominic was eager to take another bite. "This is delicious!" He exclaimed, surprised byy just how calmed his wolf was over the whole situation. Happy for Alexandria to have made something for him. Dominic tilted his head to the side. "Thank you for making them for me."

Dominic sighed as he waved to the papers spread out over his desk. "I'm trying to sort out the food we'll need to have stored for winter. Most of the lands have paid their tribute but there are a few that are being a bit less cooperative as per usual," he said with a roll of his eyes. Dominic saw no point in lying to Alexandria, she would be his queen one day.

"Did you see your parents off?" Dominic asked, shuffling the papers to the side so that he could lean forward and focus on his conversation with Alexandria.

@ castle.
The smile across Alexandria's face grew as she watched Dominic pop one tart after another into his mouth. She found it rather child-like and it almost made Alexandria want to laugh. Though she was just glad she was able to find something that Dominic liked on the first go. Some people were picky and it was hard to tell if he would be or not. "You are welcome. I am glad that I found something that you liked."

Reaching over, Alexandria took one of the tarts off of the plate. She hadn't even had one yet, only tasting bits of it while she was cooking to make sure it was going well. Alexandria took a bite out fo the tart, letting out a pleased hum once she had done so. Dominic was right, it was rather good. Though she did prefer her desserts to be a bit sweeter. Perhaps next time she would test Dominic's sweet tooth a bit. 

After finishing her own tart, Alexandria tilted her head slightly to Dominic, rather surprised to hear that some of his country was being a bit difficult about their tribute. She knew her parents ran into issues like that, but she had always assumed that the wolves fell more into line for things like that. From what she understood, their leader was known through instinct. "Why are they being difficult?" She asked him, her curiosity peaking.

"Hmm?" Alexandria glanced at Dominic, taking a moment before giving him a small nod. "Ah, my parents. Yes, I did see them off. They had me come to the airport with them this morning. They should be landing at home about now." The flight between their two capitals were longer than one would expect with them being neighboring countries. 

Dominic gave Alexandria a tight smile at her question, shrugging his shoulders. He knew the truth, that some of his people were not happy with his marriage to Alexandria but he didn't want to put that sort of stress on her shoulders. In the future, they were going to have to address the elephant in the room but that could be done later as far as Dominic was concerned. He chose to focus on Alexandria's words about her parents instead.

"They will be coming for the ceremony, though. You will get to see them soon enough," Dominic offered quietly, unsure if what he was telling her even mattered or if Alexandria would have preferred for him to be quiet instead. He bit on the inside of his lip, his face scrunching slightly. "Will your parents be bringing anyone else?"

He had discussed things with his parents, sure, but Dominic felt like that was almost wrong. Like he wanted to have a genuine conversation about their future with Alexandria. It was a step in the right direction, he thought. Every little step that they took was important because it was just proving to Alexandria that he wanted to be involved with her, that he wasn't oging to just be a monster to her. He wondered if that was part of her fear.

"You are, of course, welcome to visit them whenever you please. You know that," Dominic paused, raising an eyebrow. He tilted his head to the side, drumming his fingers against the table. "Right?"

@ castle.
Alexandria's smile dropped a little as Dominic mentioned the ceremony, though she tried not to show it. She pushed her hair back, letting out a light fake laugh. All she could do was hope that Dominic couldn't see through it, but she was scared that he could. He seemed so in tune with her feelings. "I am sure they already gave your parents a list of guests. Mostly, family, I assume. Maybe some choice nobles." Alexandria gave him a small shrug. It was hard to say who they would invite for a wedding outside of the country. And she didn't know how large wolf weddings were. 

Though her smile completely dropped as Dominic told her that she was welcomed to visit them whenever she wanted. It wasn't what she expected him to say. His intention was nice enough but it showed that he didn't know the full story. She was rather sure that his parents knew though. They didn't want Alexandria coming home until she was supposed to bring Dominic. It had been important for them to close that opportunity so she wouldn't run off home to hide from the wolves from time to time.

"I know. Though I'll still be able to call them from here and we'll be going to stay there for some time before the ceremony, right? That way you can learn about my country and meet the nobles. So, it's hard to say how often I'll visit them. They get so busy anyways." Alexandria cleared her throat a little before picking up another tart and taking a bite. There was no doubt in her that Dominic saw through that lie. Though it didn't matter much to her if he did. She just wanted to save herself the embarrassment of having to explain. 

"So what would you like to do with the rest of these tarts?" Alexandria asked him as she motioned to the plate. "These are yours to keep, if you would like."

Dominic hummed as he listened to Alexandria talk, nodding his head slowly. He flashed her a light smile, despite the unease he could feel rolling off of Alexandria. It made him want nothing more than to move closer to her and comfort her but he knew better. Humans were so much more vulnerable than wolves; he couldn't treat her like he would if she was a wolf. If he did, that would just make him the exact thing that Alexandria had feared from the beginning.

"Of course. We are meant to go for a month and return two weeks prior to the ceremony, if I remember correctly. That way we have quite a bit of time there so that you can show me more of your ways and I can understand more," Dominic explained. He was going to be the king one day, he had to be intimately acquainted with humans and their ways. Eyeing the plate of tarts in front of him, Dominic bit back a groan at her offer. He wanted to tell her how much it pleased him but he honestly didn't think she needed to know that... or that she wanted to know that at the moment.

Dominic pushed to his feet, motioning toward the plate in front of them. "How about we hand them out? That way I can introduce you to some other members of the pack and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help me eat them. There's never enough sweets in this place," he said as he let out a small laugh. "Is that okay with you?" He asked, knowing that he was asking a lot of her to go around and be interacting with any number of wolves.

"I'll be with you the whole time. I promise, nothing bad will happen to you if I am by your side."