Rejected and Pregnant: Claimed By The Dark Alpha Prince-Chapter 721: Never giving up on me

"What did you say?" Zander asked. He stood frozen, his heart hammering against his ribs as he struggled to process the words that had just filled the quiet room.

"I asked if you wanted to marry me," Flora repeated, turning away from the vase. This time, her voice was steady, infused with a confidence that brought a bright glow to her features.

"Yes. More than anything," Zander breathed, a dawning smile breaking across his face. "But wait! I’m the one who’s supposed to be proposing to you! I had a whole plan, Flora."

Flora let out a soft, melodic chuckle, reaching out to rest her hands on his chest. "You’ve proposed to me a dozen times already, Zander. I think it was finally my turn to give you an answer."

The teasing light in his eyes vanished, replaced by an intense, overwhelming heat. Before she could say another word, Zander reached out and cupped her face in his large hands, pulling her into a firm, hungry kiss. It was a seal on a promise years in the making.

When he finally pulled back just enough to let her breathe, his forehead rested against hers.

"Tell me this is real," he murmured. "Tell me I’m not dreaming this."

Flora rested her hand over his, her touch grounding him. "It’s real, Zander. I’m right here," she whispered.

This time, she didn’t wait for him to lead. She rose onto her tiptoes, capturing his lips in a kiss that poured out every ounce of affection she had carefully guarded over the months. It was a silent confession of everything she had been too afraid to say.

Zander’s hand slid instinctively from her cheek down to the small of her back, pulling her against him as if he wanted to close every microscopic gap between them.

Flora’s free hand tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck, deepening the embrace. She knew that without Liana’s gentle push, she might have stayed trapped in her own shadows forever.

But here, in the safety of his arms, the capacity for love, a feeling she thought had been permanently extinguished by the wreckage of her past, flared into a bright, consuming flame.

They stayed locked together until the air in their lungs finally ran thin, forcing them to pull apart.

"I love you, Zander," Flora breathed, her chest heaving as she held his gaze. The words, once so heavy and impossible to say, now flowed from her like a long-held secret.

"I am so grateful to you for reviving this in me. If it wasn’t for you, I would still be lost in that phase where I felt completely alone. Thank you for never giving up on me."

She had spent months building walls, but tonight, she let them crumble. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a fierce embrace as her eyes slipped shut.

"Zander, I promise you... I will support you in every way I can. I won’t ever disappoint you, not as your partner and not in my duties to the pack."

Zander let out a ragged breath, his arms locking around her waist as he pulled her so close he nearly lifted her off the floor. His relief and joy was palpable; he felt his wolf howling in triumph within him.

"I know you will," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He buried his face against her neck, his lips pressing a lingering, reverent kiss to her shoulder. "You could never disappoint me, Flora. Just having you by my side is more than I ever dared to hope for."

~~~~

Noah watched his grandmother and mother with wide, curious eyes, his tiny elbows propped up on a plush toy as he listened to the cadence of their voices.

"You want to return to work?" Samyra asked, pausing to look at her daughter.

"I do. I’ve always wanted to have my own career," Amelie replied, her hands busy folding a stack of tiny cotton shirts. "I spoke with Gabriel about it too. I took this break for Noah, and I plan to stay home until he turns a year old, so there’s still time to prepare. But eventually, I want to step back into that world."

Samyra reached over, patting Amelie’s hand with a supportive smile. "You should do whatever feels right for you. Your father and I will be more than happy to look after Noah while you’re at the office. We’d love the extra time with him."

"Mama!" Noah suddenly chimed in, reaching out as his thumb found its way to his mouth. He looked down at the empty milk bottle lying forgotten on the rug beside him.

"Yes, my love?" Amelie set down a pair of pajamas and scooped him into her arms, nesting him against her shoulder. "Are you still hungry? I’ll need to pump some more for you. You certainly drink a lot of milk lately. I suppose you’re just eager to grow into a big, strong boy, aren’t you?" She pressed a warm kiss to his forehead, feeling the steady heartbeat of her boy.

"Go to your grandmother for a moment," Amelie said, gently transferring Noah into Samyra’s waiting arms. Samyra pulled the boy close, pressing a lingering kiss to the soft tuft of hair on the top of his head.

"Can you say ’Grandma’?" Samyra cooed, her voice full of warmth as she rocked him.

Amelie smoothed out the last of the tiny garments and stacked them neatly in the carved wooden cupboard. "Mom, I’m going into the adjacent room to pump more milk for him," Amelie said, glancing at the empty bottles waiting on the side table. "I’ll be back in a few minutes."

"Take your time, dear," Samyra replied, her attention entirely on her grandson.

"Wo wo papa!" Noah suddenly chirped, waving a small fist toward the door.

"Are you missing your father already?" Samyra laughed softly, catching his hand. "He’s at the company today. It has been a long time since Prince Gabriel was able to focus on his work without interruption, but he’ll be back before you know it."

Noah settled against her chest, seemingly satisfied with the answer, though his eyes remained fixed on the door for his father to enter and scoop him in his arms.