CHAPTER 46: WEDDING RING

The soft chime of the door faded as I stepped inside, my eyes widening at the sight before me. Rows upon rows of glimmering rings lined the glass cases. Each one is more exquisite than the last. Silver, gold, crystal, frost-forged metal that shimmered faintly under the soft blue light of the store.

For a moment, I just stood there, speechless. "Lucian...?"

He walked beside me, his hand still holding mine as his gaze swept across the displays. "You remember, right?" he said quietly, that familiar calm smile tugging at his lips. "We didn’t manage to exchange rings on our wedding day."

I turned to him slowly. "I—yes, I remember."

Lucian’s thumb brushed over my knuckles before he continued, voice low and almost sheepish. "I don’t know where I threw the ring the moment you fainted..."

I blinked. "You what?"

He smiled faintly, as if it were nothing more than a minor detail. "So yeah..." he murmured, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "We’re getting you a new one."

My jaw dropped slightly. "You threw it? During our wedding?"

Lucian shrugged, completely unbothered. "You scared me," he said simply, his tone calm but his eyes softer than usual. "I didn’t think about the ring anymore. My heart almost stopped at that time..."

I blinked, caught off guard by the quiet sincerity in his voice. For once, there was no teasing edge, just honesty.

"You—" I started, but my words tangled in my throat. "You didn’t even look that panicked..."

Lucian chuckled softly, then lifted his hand and tapped the tip of my nose, his touch light but deliberate. "Did you even see me at that time?" he said quietly, amusement flickering behind his calm tone. "I’m sure you didn’t... because the whole hall froze. That’s how scared I was."

I blinked. "Wait... frozen as in... literally?"

He nodded, completely unbothered. "Literally."

My mouth dropped open. "Lucian!"

He shrugged, his expression infuriatingly casual. "What? You fainted, and I lost control for a moment."

"For a moment? You froze an entire wedding hall?" I exclaimed, half horrified, half disbelieving.

Lucian’s lips curved faintly, clearly holding back a laugh. "Not the entire hall. Just... most of it. The guests ran before the frost reached them."

I stared at him in disbelief. "They ran?"

"They could smell danger," he said simply. "Dragons aren’t exactly known for staying calm when their mates collapse."

I groaned, covering my face. "That’s not comforting!"

He chuckled quietly, his voice warm against the lingering chill of his words. "I wasn’t thinking at all at that time. All I saw was you falling, and everything else stopped mattering."

I lowered my hands slowly, my heart squeezing at the honesty in his tone. "Don’t do that again," I said softly, meeting his eyes. "Control your power... at least as much as you keep telling me to control mine."

Lucian’s lips curved, and for a moment, his expression softened in that rare way I’d come to recognize... somewhere between affection and mischief.

"I don’t know why..." he murmured, his voice dipping lower as he leaned closer, the faint chill of his breath brushing against my cheek. "but ever since meeting you, it’s been hard to control anything."

"Lucian—!" I hissed, instantly covering his face with my hand before he could say another word.

He laughed quietly against my palm, the sound deep and unbothered. "What?" he asked, his voice muffled but full of amusement.

"Not here," I whispered sharply, glancing around. The boutique staff had all politely turned away, but I could feel their curiosity hanging thick in the air.

Lucian’s eyes glinted mischievously as he slowly pulled my hand down from his face. "Why not here?" he asked in that infuriatingly calm tone. "I was only saying it’s hard to control myself when you’re around."

I blinked, my face heating instantly. "Lucian!" I hissed again, shooting him a warning look.

He smiled, a soft, charming, but dangerously teasing one. "What? I didn’t say anything inappropriate."

"You implied it!" I snapped under my breath, trying to glare while keeping my composure in front of the staff.

He leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Then maybe you’re the one thinking about it that way."

My teeth gritted. "You—!"

He chuckled quietly, clearly enjoying himself far too much. "Relax," he murmured, brushing his thumb across my knuckles. "You’re blushing more than the gems here."

"I’m not!" I lied immediately, turning my head away as if the display of rings suddenly became the most fascinating thing in the world.

Lucian smiled faintly, satisfied. "Mm. Sure."

I exhaled heavily, trying to ignore the warmth in my cheeks and the amused look he kept giving me. "Can we please just focus on the ring?"

He tilted his head, feigning innocence. "Of course," he said smoothly, his voice low. "Though personally, I think it’s unfair you get all the attention when I’m the one burning up here."

"Lucian!" I whisper-yelled again, clutching his arm, mortified.

He chuckled softly, the sound rich and unhurried. "Alright, alright," he said, finally relenting, a teasing smile still tugging at his lips. "For now."

I groaned under my breath, but when I looked at him again, the corner of my mouth betrayed me with the faintest smile.

Lucian turned back toward the display, his eyes scanning the rows of rings before he pointed to one near the center. "That one suits you," he said quietly.

I followed the direction of his hand but the truth was, I wasn’t looking at the ring.

The light from the glass reflected faintly against his pale hair, catching the soft frost hue of his eyes. There was something so steady in the way he stood there... Calm, certain, like nothing in the world could shake him. Except, maybe... me? Well... maybe.

My chest tightened unexpectedly. I should’ve looked away. I wanted to. But I couldn’t.

And then he turned to look at me.

Our eyes met... His calm and cool, mine caught somewhere between awe and panic and time just... slowed. His faint smile didn’t waver, but it softened, as if he knew exactly what was happening inside me.

For a heartbeat, I forgot to breathe.

That’s when it hit me.

That I was in deep trouble.

Because somewhere between his teasing, his warmth, and that infuriatingly gentle way he said my name... I had already fallen.

Fallen far too deep for this ice dragon.