Their relationship had now grown awkward. Earlier she had loved to touch him and be close, talking to him like he was the only best friend in the entire world and who understood her to the fullest but now it seemed like it was all a lie because at the end of the day it was something else that was pulling her towards him.

A bond that seems to be non-existent but was just as powerful as nature itself.

​​

If someone ever asked her who Xavier was to her, she would immediately reply that he was the one who she loved but now it seemed to be forced on her.

She was lying on her bed while her neighbour sat on her desk chair.

"I hope you understand that this would still take a lot of time."

"Yes," she mumbled, "The window."

He nodded sadly. "I understand that you want to get out of here as soon as you can but Adaline you have to understand this also that they are far more powerful than us and if they get even the slightest idea that we are trying to escape . . ."

He didn't finish the sentence and let it hang making her wonder what could be the worst thing that they could do.

"What? Please complete it." She said glancing at him and then back at the ceiling.

"He could mark you. . . Forcefully." He cleared his throat, "That would completely bind you to him and in clearer terms, it would mean that you could never be able to leave them because. . ."

"Because the bond would have completely taken over." She finished, getting the gist of it all. She had begun to understand everything and as much as it hurt her it made complete sense as well.

Marking would have sealed the bond forever because they had mated already. Usually, it would have been marking that would have connected their souls and mating that would have sealed the bond forever but this time since they had mated already it was going to be the marking ceremony that would have completed their bond and would have let Adaline completely let go of herself to it.

This was something she did not want for herself. But maybe, she could still try.

"I'll be leaving now. He is going to be here soon. Remember know what matter what happens never let him know that you know everything. That will only lead him into marking you and that's the trap." Noah stood up and walked out of the house as she heard the door close.

Half an hour later, Xavier was here along with a bag of burgers and fries.

The fully grown boy who looks like a man knew the way to Adeline's heart.

"What are your plans?" She asked as she took a huge bite. They were at that stage of the relationship will eating with their mouth open did not disgust them anymore.

He shipped his coke, "Plans for what?"

"You know," she wiped her mouth, "The usual, after school and graduation. For you, it's just 6 months left."

For him, it was going to be following Alexander's lead. He would tour the states that they had on behalf of the king and solve internal matters as Alexander took care of the kingdom as a whole and outside.

So basically it was going to be the family business.

"The family business." He shrugged. "Alexander would take the leads and I would be following him with my duties as well."

He had plans and they were not of marking her?

"Well, what's the business about?" She asked having no idea what it truly was.

"It is of Textile." He looked visibly uncomfortable, "Have you ever heard of cloth and fabrications co., the C.F?"

She frowned. "Yes. I have." Everybody in the whole country had. Because those were the best fabrics ever brought in. Always high in demand with the quality and the prices given.

"Well. . We own that." He mumbled.

She gasped. He was a freaking billionaire that meant!

Cloth and fabrications company was one of the most wanted companies when it came to making clothes. Every designer wanted their supply.

"You-Ah, you own that company?" How could she have never known about this? She had never even thought of him being a rich guy.

He behaved like a normal guy with no extravagance whatsoever. No gloating from him she had ever seen regarding his money ie even spent any.

"Oh. .that's cool." She replied, closing her eyes in shame at the awkward reply. "So, what college are you going to study business in?"

"For what?" He scoffed. "Business school teaches you experiences of others. We are going to work for father directly for the next five years and when we are out on our own."

What he wanted to say was they were going to work for the uncle who was the king, directly under him, learning how to behave in court and how to do the decision making then as he finally would pass the ground to his brother they would take over the kingdom.

He was lying to her and his beast was at his lowest because of that but it was for her good because yet she had to trust him and him, her.

It was a gamble that he was playing but he was ready to play because she was his mate and she was going to be there for him Forever.

No one was going to touch or take his Adaline away from him.

He stared at his mate who had been thinking about something. Recently he noticed she had been spacing out a lot, thinking about something while he was right in front of her. As his possessive and dominant nature, he did not approve of her thinking about something always when he was around her.

It made the beast inside him jealous that she was thinking about someone else while he was right there.

Who was she thinking about?