The Cursed Alpha Prince's Replacement Bride-Chapter 55: Like Falling in Love

{Third Person}

The werewolf woman straightened slightly. "Nothing, Princess. I was only—"

"Talking?" Elowen finished for her, a small smile appearing on her lips. "Then you’re done now."

The air subtly shifted, but undeniably. The woman hesitated, then dipped her head slightly. "Of course."

She stepped back and just like that, it ended.

Elowen didn’t look at her again. Instead, she turned to Amara. "Come with me."

Amara followed without a word. They moved toward a more private and quieter section. Only when they stopped did Elowen glance at her properly.

"You’re fine?"

Amara nodded, but something in her expression had changed. "I understand now," she said quietly.

Elowen tilted her head. "Understand what?"

Amara looked ahead. "That peace doesn’t mean everyone agrees with it."

Elowen didn’t respond immediately. She waited for a moment before admitting, "It never does."

She didn’t make it seem heavy or dwell on it. Instead, she lightly clapped her hands once. "Alright. Enough of that." Her tone lifted again. "Let’s find you something that actually suits you."

Amara blinked. And just like that, the mood shifted.

Elowen moved through the racks with purpose now, picking pieces without hesitation.

"This—no."

"That—maybe."

"Oh, this is perfect."

She turned, holding up a dress.

Amara stared at it. "...That looks... bold."

"Exactly," Elowen said.

Amara hesitated. "I don’t know if I’m allowed to wear something like that in the palace."

Elowen rolled her eyes lightly. "You’re not breaking any rules."

"It doesn’t look like something they would approve of."

"It looks like something you would wear," Elowen corrected, making Amara pause.

Then she stepped closer and lowered the dress slightly. "You don’t have to dress like everyone else there."

Amara didn’t answer.

"I’m not asking you to cause trouble," Elowen added. "Just... don’t disappear into those walls."

Something about the way she said it made Amara still. "...Alright," she said after a moment.

Elowen’s smile returned instantly. "Good."

After trying a few options, they finally settled on one. Elowen handed it over to be packed.

"Just one?" Amara asked, surprise contouring her face. After all the selection and trials, they were only going with one?

Elowen nodded. "I didn’t get you anything when I came back. So, this is from me."

"Oh..." Amara drawled in realization. "You didn’t have to—"

"I know," Elowen cut in casually. "But I wanted to." Then, as if remembering something, she turned. "Wait—did Alex give you money to shop?"

"No." Amara shook her head. "I’m using part of the money the King gave me," she simply said, without bothering to explain further.

Elowen frowned slightly, then let out a sigh. "How can Alex not give you money to shop? Why is he acting stingy when he has so much money?"

Amara quickly shook her head. "It’s fine. I’m happy to spend my own money." Then she paused briefly before adding, "...It makes me feel like I have some value."

What she didn’t say lingered quietly in her mind. ’I would rather not be at the mercy of anyone.’

Elowen studied her for a second, then shook her head. "You are too serious." But she didn’t argue further. Rather, she glanced around again.

"Oh—one more thing." She turned back to Amara. "Winter is coming in about a month. You should pick a few outfits for that, too."

Amara frowned slightly. "Already?"

"Yes, already," Elowen said. "And don’t pick boring ones."

Amara hesitated again. "Elowen, I really do not want to attract unnecessary attention..."

Elowen waved her off. "You already do. So, you might as well look good while doing it."

Amara exhaled, then withdrew her gaze. "...Alright. It’s not like I can win any argument against you."

Elowen grinned. "That’s better."

And just like that, she pulled her toward another section, already talking again, already picking out options.

---

The café wasn’t far from the shopping district, but the atmosphere changed the moment they stepped inside. It was more refined and tranquil.

The scent of roasted meat and spices lingered in the air. Conversations flowed in low tones, but just like the store, the moment Amara walked in, it changed.

A few heads turned. Some lingered a moment too long, while others leaned in closer to whisper.

Amara felt it immediately once again, but Elowen didn’t slow down. "Come," she said lightly, guiding Amara toward a table by the window.

They sat down, giving Amara a moment to breathe. Just then, a waiter arrived almost instantly, placing two menus in front of them.

"This is one of my usual places," Elowen said casually, already flipping hers open. "I come here almost every time I go out shopping."

Amara picked up hers and stared. The words made sense, but the food... didn’t. She scanned through it again, slower this time, still nothing felt familiar.

Elowen noticed, but she didn’t say anything immediately. She closed her own menu and looked up at the waiter.

"I will have the usual," she said. Then she glanced at Amara and added, "Make hers a well-done ram."

The waiter blinked, then nodded.

"And fresh orange juice." As soon as she said that, she turned slightly to Amara and confirmed, "You like orange juice, right?"

Amara nodded. "Yes."

"Good."

Elowen added a few more items, then handed the menu back. When the waiter left, she leaned back in her chair.

"We prefer our meat medium to rare," she said casually. "So well-done isn’t usually listed. That’s why I had to tell him."

"I see." Amara nodded. But in her head, she was already wondering how anyone could eat nearly raw meat and survive it.

A short silence followed. Elowen rested her chin lightly on her hand, watching Amara. Her gaze softened.

’She really is pretty...’

Then, before she could stop herself, she said, "I can tell that you and my brother will make a perfect match."

Amara blinked a few times, genuinely wondering if she had heard wrong. ’Princess... which eyes did you use to see that?’ 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Though she didn’t say it out loud, the disbelief was there.

Elowen sighed softly, leaning back. "Unfortunately, when Alex finds his mate, everything will change," she said. "His mate will become his priority. That’s just how we are wired."

Her tone wasn’t bitter, just... factual.

"We love differently," she added. "When a werewolf finds their mate, it’s not something they can ignore. It’s instinct. It’s... absolute."

Amara listened with keen attention. She didn’t care about Alexander finding his mate. She felt it had nothing to do with her, but something about that caught her attention.

"What does it feel like to find your mate?" Amara asked, wondering if it was the same as Humans falling in love. "Is it like... falling in love?"

Elowen smiled faintly. "It is stronger than that," she said. Then, she paused, searching for the right words.

"It’s like... recognizing someone you didn’t know you were looking for. Your body reacts before your mind even has a chance to understand. You feel drawn to them completely. Not just emotionally, but instinctively."

Amara listened carefully.

"You feel protective," Elowen continued. "Possessive, even. Their presence calms you... but at the same time, it makes you more aware. Like everything sharpens around them."

Then she smiled a little. "And the bond goes both ways. It’s not one-sided."

Amara was quiet for a moment, processing. Then she asked, "Have you found yours?"

Elowen shook her head. "No."

Amara nodded as silence settled briefly between them.

Then Amara hesitated, her fingers lightly brushing against the edge of the table. She looked like she was thinking and debating about something.

Elowen noticed immediately, and a small smile appeared on her lips. "You can ask anything," she said gently.

Amara lifted her gaze, still unsure. Then, she asked, "Why hasn’t he found his mate?"