His arms await me as I run into them, the dark green maxi I'd adorned trailing behind me. His arms wrap tightly around my waist as I collide into him, soft warm lips pressing a sweet kiss to my hair.

"I missed you." I mumble softly into his chest.

"Not more than I missed my angel." Alaricus mumbles gently into my hair, pulling me even closer into him, but for some reason today it simply wasn't enough. I wanted to be even closer, it was an unrelenting urge. In just a few hours a deep yearning for him had formed within me, nearly making my legs tremble beneath me.

The alphas and their mates had visited today, but sadly apart from dinner the alphas had sat speaking with Alaricus, while I'd gone with all the mates and attempted to enjoy their company. This had happened upon the request of the mates, wanting to speak with each other away from their alpha mates for just a little bit. If anyone had tried to argue the pregnant mates had sent them a glare so vicious they'd immediately found themselves unable to speak.

The few pregnant mates were the focus of the event, and their mates rushed in periodically to check up on them, growling at the male mates that sat amongst us. Wolves went a bit crazier than usual when their mate was pregnant, everything seemed a threat, their protective instincts were so high it was nearly suffocating to witness. I'd murder Alaricus if he even attempted to act that way when I was pregnant. I'd quite literally end up murdering him in cold blood, and then be distraught, but that would happen after. My cheeks had reddened as I'd caught my train of thought, and an alpha's mate sweet boyish Nathan had immediately become concerned for me. Of course somehow hearing his distress his mate Alpha Lily had come barrelling in. So many alphas in one place was a bit chaotic especially when their mates were so close.

But apparently me and Alaricus were both a bit of control freaks and great at handling each of our separate dilemmas. We'd managed to get everything settled and calm on each of our sides, probably by different means, but we'd managed just fine.

I nibbled on my lip softly contemplating whether I should do it or not. But the urge grew to the point where I had no control. I pull away from him slightly, hesitantly grabbing his face into my hands, I leant forward my eyes flickering up to meet his own, a fair warning to him. As my lips touch his I can't fathom as to why I'd ever even pondered over not kissing him. His lips are so gentle against mine, and yet a hunger lies just beneath the surface, one he doesn't hide from me, it only makes my yearning for him grow.

His arm wraps tighter around my waist as he lifts me off my feet a bit so he can properly reach my lips. He lightly nudges my face up, deepening the collision of our lips, his tongue trailing over my lips, meeting my own as my lips part slightly under his sweet onslaught of pleasure. He tastes every crevice of my mouth, not leaving anything behind, his hand trailing softly from the top of my shoulder to the very bottom of my hip.

Our lips part as the need to breathe grows dire. My chest rises and falls rapidly my lips slightly swollen and parted as I stare at him, my cheeks flushing slightly at the blatant desire in his honey golden gaze. His honey eyes were only accentuated by the all black suit he had on, the tan smooth skin a sweet contrast, he looked absolutely exotic, he was breathtaking. I'd seen the eyes of females travelling over his large muscled build before their eyes had widened, and they'd turned away quickly. Rightly so, he wasn't theirs to stare at.

"I didn't think anyone could possibly love anyone as much as I love you, I don't think anyone ever has nor will they ever, nobody has you." He murmurs gently and my eyes water slightly at his words, my chest constricting, I was a tad bit over emotional these days, and Alaricus was just a bucket of sweetness most of the time.

"Why are you crying angel?" Alaricus mumbles as a tear falls from my eye trailing gently down the length of my soft pale cheek.

"Did somebody say something?" He asks his eyes hardening.

"No I promise nobody did." I say wiping at my tears with the back of my hand in frustration. Alaricus gently grabs ahold of my wrist resting my hand onto his chest, instead rubbing his own large warm thumb under my eyes to collect my tears.

"Has everybody left?" I ask, fumbling with the buttons on his black dress shirt.

"Yes my love they have." He says his eyes growing mischievous.

"We have the palace to ourselves." He says growling playfully leaning down and throwing me over his shoulder. A loud squeak leaves me as my feet are lifted off the beautiful stable ground beneath. The ground gets further as he stands back up, my oh my was he tall.

"Alaricus." I say laughing, hitting my fists onto his solid muscled back through the dark suit he had on his shoulder ticking my stomach.

"Yes darling?" He asks nonchalantly as if he didn't have me thrown over his shoulder like a caveman.

"Put me down." I say attempting to sound stern.

"Hm I really don't want to." Alaricus says, and I huff in anger.

"Que?" I say making him chuckle, I wasn't Spanish, but I loved languages and my mom always indulged in my lingual curiosities trying her best to teach me a little bit of every language she herself could get her hands on. I hadn't ever gotten that type of response from him before.

"Well now you're going to get it, I really didn't want to do this." I say.

"Do what?" He asks chuckling.

I inhale deeply he was about to regret his words in fact he was about to nibble on them meekly while crying in the corner. Gathering up all my strength I try to remember what every action movie had taught me, don't put your thumb in your fist it'll break, and put your whole body into it. Well the second part was gonna be hard since I was currently hanging limply over the back of a giant lunatic.

I throw my fist into the bottom of his hard back regretting my decision immediately, but I hold back my wince.

"Was that it?" He asks and I groan out a quiet yes mourning my injured hand. What type of lunatic decides to punch the alpha above all alphas, ah of course me.

Chuckles rake through him effectively shaking me as well, as if he were rubbing my failure in. I rest my head onto his back as comfortably as I can manage, my struggles were futile the brute wasn't even shaken. My eyes widen as the halls begin to get very familiar we were in the halls of our rooms, but he'd just walked right past mine. My legs kick as I struggle to get away, but his arms only tighten. I let go of the last shred of dignity I have left and do the only thing I can think of, desperate times call for very desperate measures. I bite him.

A low growl escapes him as he drops me onto his gigantic bed, his eyes almost completely gold. He pounced on top of me wrapping his arms tightly around me. His next words have my eyes widening as the few circumstances in which I'd met him seem to flash before me.

"Did mate try to mark us?" A deep husky voice asks.

"Eros." I breathe out, my breath getting caught in my throats at his enthralling golden gaze.

"Mate tried to mark Eros." He says a soft smile on his face as he lays above me.

"Mate wants Eros." He mumbles softly, the gold in his eyes melting to the sweetest hues.

"Mate is so beautiful, Eros's breath is taken away every time he looks at mate." He says, his large warm hands trailing softly over my bare shoulders. The dress had been strapless and apparently that was something that not only Alaricus but Eros too was thrilled about.

"Mate looks so beautiful today, Eros was about to kill the alphas that stare at mate, Eros's mate." He says his lush red lips jutting out in a childish pout, an absolute contrast to his words.

"Mate tried to mark Eros, mate wants to make Eros hers, Eros is yours mate, forever." He says.

"Is mate Eros's?" He asks looking at me through his lashes.

"Yes." I say softly nodding. A large dimpled grin breaks out onto his face that makes my heart melt.

"Eros loves mate so much." He mumbles running his nose against mine gently. He sits back wrapping his arms around me and scooping me into his lap, cocooning me into him. The soft silk of my deep green dress forms a halo around our laps.

Eros buried his face into my neck inhaling deeply, he presses a kiss to my throat, nipping at the skin softly. I crouch away from him giggling, a smile spreads on his face as he grabs me back burying his face into the crook of my neck pressing kisses all over it, as I shriek with laughter. I was highly ticklish.

"Stop it Eros." I giggle out.

"Pay the price." He demands puckering up his lips at me. I quickly peck his lips and his smile drops as he pouts at me sadly.

"That wasn't a kiss." He complains.

"Mate doesn't love Eros, mate won't kiss Eros." He mumbles to himself sadly, refusing to meet my eyes he looks down into his lap.

"No baby you can have however many kisses as you want I promise." I say cupping his face into my hands I angle it up to press my lips deeply into his, pecking them numerous times and a wild laugh escapes him his eyes glowing with delight.

"Eros happy but Mate has to keep kissing Eros." He adds on quickly widening his golden eyes for dramatic effect.

"Okay." I say biting into my lip, to suppress a laugh and lean forward to press my lips to his again, pressing one to his nose as well.

"Mate will never leave Eros?" He asks biting into his lush bottom lip.

"Never." I answer.

"Even when mate finds out what Eros has done?" He asks uncertainty clouding his once bright eyes, my brows furrow as I struggle to understand why he was acting this way, what had Eros done, sweet puppy like Eros.

But my long silence means something entirely different to Eros, his large gold eyes shine with unshed tears as he turns his face away from me, gently setting me down on the bed he turns away from me.

"No one can love Eros, Eros is so bad." He whimpers softly.

"Mate will never love Eros, mate will leave Eros, than we will be alone again." His whole large form trembles as he speaks.

"No Eros I, I'm so sorry, I won't ever leave you no matter what." I promise, he peeks up at me, from behind his shoulder before shuffling to face me again, searching my face for any sign of a lie. When he finds none he scoops me back into his arms.

"Eros sorry for doubting mate, mate is just so beautiful and kind Eros worries she will be scared of us." He explains.

"Why would I be scared?" I ask.

"No reason." He mumbles peppering kisses over my face.

"Eros." I say.

"Why would I be scared?" I ask again placing my hands onto his large blazer clad shoulders.

"Eros crazy, mate doesn't need to worry, we tell mate everything later, not important." He says.

"Please." He mumbles softly to me looking up at me through his thick black lashes as he sees me about to protest, and I nod, allowing him to peacefully rest his cheek onto my head. I rake my fingers through his hair and his body seems to hum gently in a purr.

"Is Eros purring?" I ask teasingly and I feel him shake his head rapidly.

"Eros was purring." I say again and he pulls away from me growling out a no, his face set into a glare, his red plump lips jutting out stubbornly, eyes fixated on me.

"Eros doesn't purr, Eros isn't a kitten." He mumbles angrily, and I press my lips together to keep from laughing, Eros was a kitten.

"Eros doesn't want to be my sweet little kitten?" I ask feigning sadness and his eyes widen as he shakes his head, before nodding and then going back to shaking.

"Eros wants to protect mate, Eros is mate's big bad wolf not silly little kitty." He mumbles and one of the hardest things I'd ever done was not laugh as this gigantic alpha wolf before me mumbled my new favourite words, silly little kitty.

I bite the inside of my cheek looking downwards into my lap I swallow thickly pretending to sniffle.

"No no mate no cry." He says hurriedly pulling me into his chest wrapping his large arms around me.

"Eros will be mate's kitten, Eros will be whatever mate wants, Eros promises." He says and I smile at him pecking his lips making him smile.

"Okay, kitty." I say watching his smile drop but he nods shrugging to himself.

"Eros kitty, kitty Eros." He mumbles under his breath trying to get used to the idea, but his nose scrunched immediately in distaste, and he shakes his head to rid of the thought. I strain to hear it, unable to contain my giggles as I do. Seeing the gigantic muscled man sitting before me, who just happened to be about three times my size agree to be my kitten was impossible not to laugh at. His head tilts as he nibbles on his lower lip in confusion looking more like an adorable wolf pup then any grown man well over 6 feet had the right to.

His golden eyes widen suddenly realization filling them.

"Mate tricked Eros." He says his jaw nearly falling out of its rightful place.

"The tiny little angel almost tricked Eros." He says to himself horrified.

"Can Eros forgive me?" I ask cupping his face into my hands rubbing my thumb over the light stubble on his cheeks, and he snuggles into my touch, before realizing what he was doing and stiffening.

"Well only if mate promises Eros an endless amount of kisses, Eros can kiss mate always." He says, and I sigh, if that was what it took.

"Okay." I mumble sulkily, he was really going to take advantage of this one.

"O-okay?" He stutters out and I nod.

"Eros can just kiss mate whenever Eros wants?" He asks in wonder and my eyes twitches but I nod.

A huge smile takes over his face and he pounces onto me, attacking my face with kisses making sure he doesn't do any injustice to any part of my face. He doesn't even leave one spot on my face untouched his lips are everywhere.

"Eros loves mate." He shouts out loudly and I shush him slapping my hand onto his face my eyes widening, the crazy puppy was going to make us the talk of the palace. Many of the help stayed in the palace, guards were in place even at night, while the others slept they were sure to hear although the others probably did too.

His eyes fill with mischief as he puckers his lips kissing my hand, before darting his tongue out and licking it and I scrunch my nose immediately removing my hand wiping it onto his suit. Loud laughs escape him as he tugs me into his chest, nuzzling his nose against mine.

"Mate is Eros and Alaricus' little angel, we will never let anything harm our mate, we are going to love mate so much mate will never want to leave us, mate will stay with us forever." He says sighing softly in content.

"Forever." I mumble in agreement and he hums happily, pressing a quick kiss to my lips again.

"Mine forever." He says thrilled by the idea, Eros presses his lips gently to mine.

"Mine mine mine." He mumbles crushing me to his large form, inhaling my scent deeply.

"Alaricus won't let Eros stay." He says to me pulling away from me slightly, his eyes widening in panic. I caress his face gently.

"It's okay baby I'm right here always, you can come out again soon okay. I promise I'll force Alaricus to let you out." He nods happily pressing his lips deeply to mine biting onto my lower lip gently.

"Eros loves mate." He whispers to me softly before the gold in his eyes gives way to the sweet honey.

"Sleep with me tonight?" Alaricus asks looking at me though his lashes and I suppress a smile, they were both so alike. It wasn't often that we spoke of Eros, at times I wondered if Alaricus was even conscious throughout my time with Eros.

"Okay." I mumble softly pressing my lips to his softly going to pull away but he holds me to him gently pressing his lips to mine again, trailing his tongue over my bottom lip before pulling away.

"You promised we could have as many kisses as we want." He says his lips curving up into a smirk, his dimple popping out. I think that even if somebody ran him over with a bulldozer only to reverse and run over him again he'd still hear that one. The man was insatiable I was on the verge of buying him a teddy bear to kiss.

"That promise was to Eros." I mumble to him making his smirk drop.

"That's not fair." He grumbles out and I giggle pressing a kiss to the very place in which the dimple had been.

"Pyjamas?" I ask and he nods getting up but grabbing me into his arms to carry me into his closet before I can do the same. He was starting to make a habit of carrying me everywhere, and as nice as it was, I was going to have to break the habit. Maybe I'd just do it tomorrow.

"Is this okay?" He asks me softly motioning with his chin towards a white button up and I shrug slightly. He places a kiss on my cheek grabbing a hold of clothes for himself and setting me down. He makes his way out of the closet, closing the door behind him softly.

I unzip my long silk maxi, and it pools at my feet, I step out of it carefully laying it onto a chair. I slip on the white shirt. The size difference between me and Alaricus was large I knew, but the shirt nearly reached my knees. I was average height for a woman I'd never felt so small. To think just a few months ago when I'd turned 18 how old I'd felt. A small smile crept onto my face as I remembered the way Alaricus had snuck into my room at midnight. Cocooning me in his warm embrace, he'd peppered my face with kisses until I'd woken up.

"Happy Birthday love." He'd mumbled and I'd hummed softly snuggling further into his warmth and falling back asleep only able to mumble a quick thank you. His husky chuckle had rung in my ears as I'd fallen asleep only to hear it again in my dreams.

I hadn't expected for him to get me anything or even know my birthday but he'd somehow known. It was one of the best birthdays I'd ever had. Despite my reluctance to accept, he'd gotten me the best gift of all, a package of the books I'd been pining to read, along with pyjamas and mugs for my tea addiction. A bouquet of deep red roses had sat neatly in my bedside for days after my birthday, and I was reluctant to throw it out even two weeks later, but one of the cleaning staff had accidentally.

Alaricus' pants never seemed to be able to stay up on me, and the shirt was very long perhaps it was alright. I nibble nervously on my lip as I swing the door open, looking at the floor instead of up at him, but I could feel his heated gaze trained on me.

"My angel." He murmurs ever so softly, I almost don't even hear it, I look up at him through my lashes to meet his darkened gaze.

"You're so beautiful." He mumbles softly and I let my chocolate waves fall onto my face to cover my blush, but he doesn't seem to like that. He's right in front of me before I have the chance to move away, his finger under my chin softly nudging my face up, so he could see it again.

"Don't hide from me Amara, I've spent far too long without you." He says softly, leaning down to pick me up into his arms. I rest my hand onto his shoulder, one finding its way onto his heartbeat. His bare scorching skin heating up my cold skin pleasantly. His chest is so firm, his tan smooth skin taut over large muscles.

I rest my face onto his chest meeting his warm gaze with my own. I yawn softly cuddling further into his warm build today had been a long day. He lays me down onto his bed gently ensuring I'm comfy under the covers before laying down beside me. His arms reaching out for me instinctively he wraps me into his embrace, nuzzling me softly.