Page 87 of The Alpha's Bullied Rejected Mate

Theirs wasn’t a loud love. It had never even been spoken. But it had burned, low and fierce, just under the skin. And Marcus had remembered every detail of it through the years like someone clinging to the warmth of a fire he no longer had.

Tonight, he wasn’t just recalling it.

He was rebuilding it.

Athena hadn’t seen the setup yet; he still had to go get her, but he could already picture her reaction if everything clicked for her. That was his motivation.

He had placed a table at the center. It was dressed simply, but the center held a wooden tray in which he’d carefully arranged twenty-six slim candles. He knew the number because he had counted them out and struck every match himself,

Around the candle stand, he had woven lilies, her favorite flower, though she had never outright said so. He always noticed how her eyes lingered on the Lilies more than the other flowers. These ones were silver-touched, as if the moon itself had kissed each petal.

Then he had placed food, including the exact same spice wine he used to withdraw from his cellar for them.

He had gotten everything right.

He stood back to look at it all. Maybe it was too much. But Marcus didn’t believe in too much—not when it came to her. Not when it came to Athena.

He gave the setup one final glance and then turned to make his way toward Athena’s cabin.

***

The stars were beginning to crown the night. Marcus stood outside Athena’s porch, then exhaled. He knocked gently. Once.

Athena opened the door slowly, as if she had been waiting for him, and for one suspended moment, the air fled from Marcus’s lungs.

Wearing a plain lilac dress that hung just above her ankles, Athena stood in the doorway. Before the fabric fell over her hips like water, a satin ribbon was clenched around her waist, following the soft curve of her stomach.

Her blonde hair glowed in the light of the evening; half of her hair was gathered at the back, and the other half fell in enormous curls to the side and framed her face like a halo.

A tinge of color touched her cheeks, and the faintest gloss tainted her lips. Although she didn’t need or wear elaboratemakeup, Marcus was astounded by how every decision and detail still managed to totally undo him.

The realization that she had obviously gone a bit extra to curate her appearance for their dinner made him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Yet, how could anyone look stunning in such a simple dress? He wondered.

Marcus smiled softly as a smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Hello,” she acknowledged him.

‘Hello.’

With a simple “Hello,” she was undoing him.

“Hello,” he replied, his voice softer than he meant. Even awkward. With the anxious vigor of a teenage boy struggling to tell a girl he loves her for the first time.

“Athena, you look perfect tonight...really beautiful,” Marcus said, clearing his throat as his eyes swept over her once more. He swallowed forcefully, hoping she wouldn’t hear how rapidly his heart was beating.

Inwardly, he laughed at himself. Even though he was an adult, he felt like a naive teenager hoping the girl he was asking out would say “yes” to him as he stood there in front of her.

She glanced at him, as the corners of her mouth curved slightly, whispering a “thank you” before she shut the door behind her, and the duo walked into the night.

The night air clung to them, heavy with the earthy scent of rain-soaked soil and wet grass from the earlier rain.

As they neared the clearing’s edge, Marcus slowed down their pace and then gently pulled her back against him. Thesudden warmth of her body against his chest stole his breath for a moment.

“Wait,” he murmured near her ear, the words rough with barely contained excitement. “Just... a second.”

One hand remained entwined with hers while the other came to rest lightly on her waist, steadying them both at the precipice of whatever magic he had prepared.

Athena questioned him, a curious look clouding her features. “What are you up to?”