Xavier pulled into the driveway with a heavy heart. He was dead tired. He had been scouting the territory for any unwanted entities. They had taken the role of enforcers as they had taken up residence here.

That was the least they could do for the pack. Even though they were royalty by blood it was still something they wanted to do.

​​

"Did you find anything?" His mother came out to receive him and closed the door as they went in.

He shook his head. "Nope. Except for a few rabbits and deers breeding. It's very frustrating to watch." He grunted looking irritated and Alexander immediately took to it.

"Well, breeding season is fun if you are.. breeding. Unlucky for you, you had to watch animals getting it on."

Cassandra winced at the vulgar Language, "Must you?" She gave him a stink eye, not appreciating his words directed to the poor baby.

He shrugged, "We had to shift because of him and there was no use of it and we had to shift once again because he wanted a new start with her." He then looked at his younger brother more pointedly. "Which he should have done from the start." He shrugged as it was all too obvious.

Xavier scoffed loudly, "you think it's easy convincing someone who doesn't believe soulmates and love at first sight shit that we are supposed to be together?! Dad tells him how difficult it is."

Javier who was cuddling with his mate just nodded and muttered something under his breath. But looked up when Cassie smacked him on his backside growling a bit, "Yes, yes. It's a fucking headache. You never know how one might react." And he went back to his mate's neck. "The best thing and the worst thing could happen in a second of time to you." He remembered it clearly. Cassandra was human too.

Xavier who had been sitting on a single-seat, set up a bit to get more comfortable and ran a hand on his chest feeling a bit upset from the inside.

His wolf was edgy inside. Pacing in his mind, growling while being on the edge fully. He was anxious and one thing about Lycans was, they were never on the edge.

The last time his wolf was on an edge, there had been a rouge attack which was not understandable since he had just shouted the territory.

"What's wrong?" Cassandra asked as she looked at her son's troubled face. "Are you not well?" She frowned. Her instincts and the weak wolf inside could feel that her son was not fine.

Xavier shook his head. He didn't know what was wrong but there was a feeling inside him that was warning him for something.

The hell?

"Oh come on, animals mating can't make you feel that upset. Adeline's just left to be marked. She is mated to you."Alexander huffed in frustration. "You did have sex with—"

"Alexander that's it!" His mother growled. "Stop talking about that nonsense." She then turned to her younger son Xavier. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Xavier with a troubled expression turns to look at his mother, "I don't know. but there's this horrifying feeling that I don't like.."

His hand went to his neck. He didn't feel it anymore. . .

Within moments he reached his bedroom and pulled down the collar of his shirt. There it was, his empty neck.

"What the hell?" He muttered as he ran his fingers over it.

"What's the wrong boy?" His father grumbled and came in. "Your mother told me to follow you."

Xavier turned to his father and for the first time, Javier saw his son panic.

"What's wrong?" He asked in a calm and concerned tone.

Xavier's chest felt heavy but he knew telling his father was important. He might know the answer.

"I had marked Adeline temporarily which should have been around for two or three months or you, moon cycles." He explained and then tugged on his shirt again making his appearance to his father. "It's gone. The mark which had appeared on my neck when I marked her is him! It's fucking gone!" He growled in anger.

How the hell did it disappear? It was a nature issued against nature.

Javier's have his son's neck a long look. "I have never heard of it before but meet your mate in school and check." He sighed but his eyes and body language did not calm down.

"Check what?" Xavier rebuked immediately. "It is not supposed to happen. No one or anything can just undo a mark." These nerves were all over the place. There was a chance that Adeline's body could have repelled it but the mark was no force and it was also temporary.

His father tsked. "There are things but only written in ancient witch grimoires which is impossible for Adeline to get her hands on."

"Unless someone—" Xavier's beast growled at the thought, "—someone gave it to her."

Javier thought of it. "Something isn't right." He muttered under his breath.

No one would dare to go against the royal family. The beasts in them would drive them crazy.

So who was it?

**********

She tried the push the door open again but after a certain gap door stop opening. Adeline's eyes were getting dizzy and she could figure out what was blocking the door but she could really make out the smell of smoke coming out and now she was panicking.

Even though her body didn't have strength for her mind was in utter chaos and since Adaline could not get out with the only option that remained was now to call the authorities straight away.

That was the only remaining option as no matter how hard she tried she could not pushed the door open, it was jammed in and if she was right, she was fading in and out of consciousness and with smoke coming out of the engine the seconds before the car went up in flames.

A father's number was on the first speed dial and the second was of the concerned authorities.

And without any further delay, she died the number before she slipped back to unconsciousness.

"Help. . ." Was the last thing she said.

*******

"Pull the door! I have her covered!" The voice hammered in her ears and she winced. The voice s too loud and it hurt her head making her wince.

She opened her mouth to say something but she couldn't hear it, maybe she did say something but it did not reach her.

Adeline felt herself being lifted and being carried to someplace after which she had a constant chatter around her. it seemed as if she was surrounded by people finally but her brain didn't click what was happening.

Was she dying?

"..brain.. damage... emergency.."

She probably was.

***********

Being an accountant working individually as having his practice and being hired by a company were are equally tiring jobs. In accountancy, one numeric mistake could result in a business having too many profits or go down in the loss which further would endanger his job.

He sighed. This was stressful. So much so that even had to work from home in the morning to make sure that it was completed in time.

This job was hard but the benefit and the money earned from it was worth it. This job also makes sure that Adeline was going to have the future at any expense she wanted.

It would be great for him to see his child be happy.

He leaned back into the chair. His thoughts running through. He remembers the time when Serena and he had talked about having three children.

Those times.

Serena was the one who had won the lottery. She was the jackpot, someone for whom he had worked even harder because he wanted to give her the best life anyone could offer.

He frowned as his phone rang this early in the morning. It was a hospital number. He knew it for sure when the caller id picked it up.

He nodded. His relatives were down for as much as he knew. So who could it be?

"Mr Woods?"

"Yes," he answered anxiously waiting for who it was for.

"Jason woods, I believe Adeline Marigold Woods father?" A man continued.

Jason felt his blood drain from his entire body as he heard and understood that the call was for his daughter Adaline.

She was the one in an Accident. "We had a call from your daughter's mobile. She was in an accident and is bleeding heavily we would require you to come to the hospital with all her medical history available if possible. We have taken her to the hospital immediately!"

"Yes! Yes! I'll be right there!" He yelled back and scrambled to get the keys. That's when he remembered. She had the keys.

That's why she was in an accident.

He moved out and hailed a taxi to the hospital. His baby could be dying for all he knew.