All Chapters of D.R. Dares and the torn Valentine: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Dorothy grinned, closing the door behind her. "I heard. Apparently, I'm too busy being Magnus's little puppy to have any real talent."Ethan Sr.'s expression darkened. "I heard that too. Rowan Grimwood has always had more mouth than sense.""It doesn't matter." Dorothy moved toward the packages, her fingers itching to explore the contents. "Let them underestimate me. It makes the reveal that much sweeter.""About that reveal." Her father leaned against his desk, arms crossed. "I had an interesting conversation with the Alpha last night."Dorothy froze, her hand hovering over the first box. "You did?""He knows about D.R. Dares. And he's agreed to keep your secret until you're ready."Relief flooded through her, followed quickly by suspicion. "What else does he know?"Ethan Sr. held her gaze, his expression gentle but serious. "Enough. About you. About Magnus. About what's forming between you."Dorothy's cheeks flushed. "Dad, I.

-I like her,- Palette said approvingly."There's more," Dorothy said again."How? How is there more?""My dad knows. And the Alpha knows. They had a meeting last night." Dorothy pulled her knees up to her chest. "They're going to protect us until the ceremony. Keep the Elders from interfering.""The Alpha is protecting your relationship with his son." Lila shook her head slowly. "This is insane. This is actually insane.""Oh, and Miss Silver, the one the Elders wanted Magnus to mate with? She's bringing her girlfriend to the ceremony."Lila blinked. "Her girlfriend.""She's a lesbian. Has been dating the same woman for three years. Her father's been hiding it.""So the arranged mating is dead.""Very dead."Lila was silent for a full ten seconds, her expression cycling through shock, disbelief, and finally settling on something like awe."Dot," she said slowly. "In the past twenty-four hours, you've become

"Future Luna." He stepped closer, his hands finding her waist. "I want to hear you say it again."Dorothy's cheeks burned, but she held his gaze. "Future Luna."-Our title,- Palette purred with satisfaction. -It suits us.-Magnus exhaled slowly, like he'd been holding his breath for years. "Do you know how long I've dreaded that word? Luna. Always associated with some political arrangement, some stranger the Elders would choose for me.""And now?""Now it sounds like the best thing I've ever heard." His forehead dropped to rest against hers. "Because it's you."Dorothy's throat tightened with emotion she couldn't quite name. "We still have three weeks. The bond might not...""It will." Magnus's certainty was absolute. "Timber has known since the moment I pieced your Valentine back together. I was just too stupid to listen."-Finally,- Timber huffed in agreement. -The human catches up.-"So we reveal everything at your ce

In her studio, Dorothy loses herself in the rhythm of creation, the morning slipping into afternoon as her portrait of Magnus takes shape. She works with fierce concentration, barely aware of time passing as her fingers move across the paper with growing confidence. This isn't just any portrait; it's Magnus as only she sees him. Not the future Alpha with his carefully maintained composure, but the boy who sits alone by the lake, who carries the weight of pack expectations on his shoulders yet still finds time for small kindnesses no one else notices.Palette purrs with satisfaction as the likeness emerges. -Perfect. The eyes, especially.-"The eyes are always the hardest," Dorothy murmurs, stepping back to evaluate her progress. "They have to be right or nothing else matters."The amber of Magnus's eyes stares back at her from the paper, warm and thoughtful, with the hint of something wild just beneath the surface. She's captured the exact moment when Timber ris

"I don't care if it's radioactive purple. Wash it off." Lila pointed toward the bathroom. "You have two hours to transform from 'chaotic artist gremlin' to 'future Luna material.' Move."Dorothy laughed despite her nerves, clutching the dress to her chest as she headed for the shower.Two hours.Two hours to prepare for the most important dinner of her life.No pressure at all.In the Alpha's kitchen, Evelyn continued her preparations while Magnus hovered uncertainly nearby."Stop fidgeting," she said without looking up. "You're making Willow anxious.""I'm not fidgeting.""You've rearranged those napkins four times." Evelyn finally turned to face her son, her green eyes soft with understanding. "She's just a girl, Magnus.""She's not just anything," he said quietly. "She's... everything."Evelyn studied her son's face, the earnestness in his amber eyes, the way his whole demeanour had shifted from restless uncert