Her Alpha - Complete

Chapter 34

"And why in the hell would I want to do that?" Rose said, angry that Adrian dared to ask, plus cursing Tasha who appeared and claimed Christian at just that moment, leaving her in the middle of the dancefloor with the Ivashkov Moroi Lord.

"Because it's your best friend's wedding and you don't want to ruin it by making a scene," Adrian replied, a smug look on his face. Rose looked around. Sure enough, people were watching their interaction with curiosity. The asshole was right! Rose wanted Lissa's wedding to go off without a hitch!

"Fine. One dance," she growled, putting her hand on Adrian's shoulder but keeping as much physical distance between them as possible. She didn't want to see him, let alone touch him!

"May I say how lovely you look tonight?" Adrian complimented, looking at Rose as though she were something he could eat. His breath smelling of cigarettes, but mostly scotch, it confirmed what Rose already suspected; Adrian was three sheets to the wind. "But you've always been lovely, haven't you, my little Dhampir?"

"I'm your little nothing," Rose growled, cussing her father for making her promise to dance with Adrian if he asked. "I've never been yours and I'll never be yours. I'm a happily married woman, thank you."

"Ahh yes. The Alpha cradle-snatcher. He couldn't even wait until you were legal to claim you. Tell me - does it get boring sitting around watching him flex his muscles? Does he even have to fight Strigoi, or does he just stand around uselessly looking scary!? I never thought you'd be the sort to settle for a brainless himbo..."

Rose snorted. Adrian knew nothing about Dimitri if he thought he was just a handsome face and a hot hot body. Her husband was devilishly smart, yet also kind. But more than anything, he was devoted to family. His and hers! He also played a fundamental role in Abe's business... Far from a himbo, while Adrian might assume he only had a Guardian role, Dimitri was being groomed to take over part of the business from Abe, and he'd already made a lot of money for the family.

If there was an indolent himbo in their circle of acquaintance, it was indisputably Adrian... Despite her absence from Court and the Moroi world, thanks to Lissa Rose knew all about Adrian's reputation and how he was becoming a bit of a joke. Once a covetable match, now Adrian was seen differently. Society matrons warned young Royal Moroi women they needed to find a husband, and quick, lest they end up with Adrian Ivashkov!

"You know, Rose... I'm much better connected than Belikov... I could give you so much. So much pleasure, too..."

"The only thing you can give me Dimitri can't is a trip to an STI clinic," Rose mocked. Moroi, and Dhampir, had high natural immunity to most infections—sexually transmitted ones included—however, Adrian's promiscuity put him at a higher risk of picking up something. Not that Rose ever intended to find out!

"You wound me," Adrian said, letting his hand slowly slip down her back until he was cupping her butt, squeezing it through the beaded fabric of her gown.

"Get your hand up where it belongs!" Rose growled. She'd put up with a dance, but she would not be groped!

"You know you want it," Adrian slurred, dancing them close to the edge of the dance floor where many Royal Moroi could see what he was doing to her. It was almost as though he wanted them to witness his debauchery.

"I want you to take your hand off my ass!" Rose snapped, loud enough to be overheard by several onlookers. "I am a married woman! It's bad enough I'm obliged to dance with you, but if you don't take your hands off me, I'll remind you I also trained to be a Guardian!"