moved into the palace with Draco and she already knew of some things that she wanted to change. She was still a virgin to his world, and occasionally the thought of being Queen scared her, but she knew Draco would be right there beside her the entire time. The click of the bathroom door brought her attention away from the window and towards a dripping wet shirtless Draco.

His gray sweatpants hung low on his waist, revealing his not so small package.

She gulped.

Blue and green eyes trailed up his body while her pink tongue darted out over her lower lip.

"Oh my. It's my time to shine."

"Please no." Aida pleaded with her wolf, "don't be such a slut Verity." But instead of a reply, she got a hard wall blocking her out.

"Hi Tobi," Verity purred.

"I'm Draco," he stood there staring into the gold eyes his mate was currently wearing.

"I know," standing on her tiptoes she pressed herself against him, loving the feeling of his warm skin through her thin silk robe. "But I want to see Tobi."

Draco could feel her nipples harden against his chest and he drew in a shaky breath.

"Verity!" Aida scolded after finally opening the link.

"Shut up Aida." And then the barrier was closed again.

"Hello love." Pushing her against the wall the two kissed feverishly. Their tongues clashing as Tobias dominated Amity. His teeth pressed against the area, but not hard enough to break the skin.

Sparks exploded throughout Aida's body and a moan escaped her lips as his canines traced the area where her mark would go.

The feeling of his warm body leaving hers caused her to open her eyes. "Aida. Verity, I need Aida," his voice was breathless and full of panic.

"Draco?"

"Celeste," he whispered. "I can't," he paused, "I can't mark you right now," she went to tell him that that was okay but instead she doubled over. "Celeste?"

"Dra-" she screamed. "What's happening?" Stumbling over to the bed Aida curled up in a ball, "I feel like I'm on fire."

"You're in heat," throwing her back she let out another painful moan. "Celeste I can't stay. If I stay Tobias is going to take over and I don't want our first time together to be because you're in heat." She watched his eyes glaze over indicating he was mind linking with someone, "Talia and the others are coming."

"Okay," she let out another whimpered.

"I'm sorry Sweetheart," his lips brushed over her forehead. A whisper of a kiss. "I'm so sorry." He backed away quickly, afraid to hurt her.

"My parents, call them." And then she blacked out.

"What's up," Jason casually slung an arm over Talia's shoulders after calling everyone into the room, per Aida's request. She had only woken up a few hours prior, but even then she slipped in and out of consciousness.

"I need to see him."

"No," Jason scolded her, "absolutely not. He will rip you to shreds."

"I don't see why that's such a big deal. If she gets hurt she gets hurt." Chris shrugged, "it's on her." The room went silent, they knew about Chris's hatred for Aida; it wasn't a secret, but no one knew why.

"What the fuck did you just say to my daughter?"

"Oh jeez, maman not now." But Blaise ignored her daughter, her body advancing towards the Lycan. Blaise smiled in a very sweet but sarcastic way.

Her right hand waving a gun around, "if I find out you touched my daughter or hurt her in any way. I won't hesitate to shoot you through the shoulder. Maybe twice, so it goes straight through. Unfortunately it won't kill you but it'll hurt like a bitch."

No one in the room dared to speak up for a few moments before Aida regained her composure. "Please I know how to calm him down." Those who actually cared about her well being argued for a bit but finally agreed to let her try. Grabbing her pillow she sprayed some of her perfume on it. "Draco," Aida watched her mate look up at her from his position on the floor. In seconds Tobias was pinning her to the wall, lust written all over his face. Jordan started to walk towards me but she stopped him. "Tobias I need to speak with Draco," she said again, waiting for Tobias to give him control.

"No." Tobias thundered, his voice even deeper than Draco's. "No, you are mine."

Aida rolled her eyes, "I am my own person, I don't belong to anyone but me." The Lycan King barred his teeth at her but the Queen merely raised an eyebrow. "I'm going to ask you one more time Tobias, give me Draco."

The King growled at her loudly but his canines began to shrink as his human side took over.

"Celeste?" Draco whispered his eyes dilating as he stared at her, "Sweetheart you need to leave."

"No."

"Dammit Aida!" He punched the wall beside her, she could see everyone flinch from the corner of her eye. "You don't understand, I can't stop him." He looked defeated and her heart ached to help her mate. It was rare for wolves to rape their mates during heat, but it still happened.

"Look at me Draco," she forced his chin up. "I need you to shift."

He shook his head forcefully, his tight curls falling out the man bun they were normally contained in.

"Draco," she pressed again, "please."

He stared into her eyes a bit, and then sauntered off. The sound of bones cracking made her parents cringe. Pushing the door open with his snout he sauntered over to her. As a human Draco towered over his mate by a little more than a foot, but as a wolf he was easily three feet taller.

"Lay down."

Folding his legs he rested his head on his front paws.

Sliding her pillow under his head she watched his eyes close, instantly more relaxed. "Don't be difficult," she placed a kiss on his snout. Walking back into their room she stared at him until the door closed.

Her heat lasted three more excruciating days. When her feet hit the fluffy white carpet she let out a hiss. She hadn't realized how sore she was until she tried walking. Slowly she continued to waddle over to the door. The hallway was basically empty, Draco's clothes and her pillow were still on the ground but he was nowhere to be seen. Walking down to the kitchen she poured a glass of pineapple juice right as Tobias came trotting into the house.

His tongue fell out of his mouth when he noticed her.

She stood leaning against the counter watching him advance towards her, his gaze staying on hers as to not frighten her. His head dropped to her neck, a wet nuzzle in the crook of her neck made her gasp. "Go put clothes on," she said when she finally got her voice back. "I don't need you shifting completely naked in front of me just yet."

A wolfish grin spread across his face as he turned and took off down up the stairs, bones cracking in the process.

Her legs swung in the air from her new position on the marble counter. She travelled her eyes down his body, watching him walk into the room, grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt on.

"May I touch you?" He stared at her lightly freckled face. Her latte colored skin had lost its color, no doubt because they stretched the bond—four days apart was far too long.

She nodded vigorously. She delicately traced the tattoos up his arms with her both hands before wrapping them around the back of his neck.

The two visibly relaxed as they made contact. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. I wanted to be but if I had hurt you, I could never live with myself."

"I'm not mad at you, please don't think that I am," she kissed his temple. His face was buried in her neck, a small moan escaping her mouth as he kissed her sweet spot. "My parents invited us over for an early dinner tonight."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm, my dad wants to make his famous Fettuccine Alfredo with Grilled Shrimp. But we have to leave in 30 minutes if we want to get there at a good time. It'll take at least 3 hours."

Draco had forgotten that Aida wasn't originally from here, and that she was actually from the Big Apple.

"Sounds lovely. Now if you'll kindly let me go, I have a cold shower calling my name."

Giggling she pressed her lips against his and jumped down to go get changed.

The ride was shorter than either of them remembered, probably because there was absolutely no traffic, a rarity in the north east. An impressive whistle escaped Draco's mouth as they pulled up to her childhood home. Charcoal gray gates with a gold capital D L in the center separated the DeLuca's from the rest of the world. Behind the gate and the trees stood a modern looking chateau. "This is where you grew up?"

"My parents run the western half of the world," she snickered. "What did you expect?" A wink was thrown in his direction, as she stepped out of the car. Her hand hovering over the hood of the car, waiting for him to take it in his own.

"There's my Angel," her mom smiled when she opened the door. "Come in!" Giving her a quick hug she pulled away to let Draco say hi.

"Hey dad," she waved, interrupting his barbecue.

"Hey Princess," flipping the shrimp he kissed his youngest child's forehead. "I must say Draco, you are the biggest wolf I have ever seen." The two men were close in height, but the Lycan still stood taller.

"Babe," Blaise sauntered onto the patio, her hips wide from both genetics and bearing five children, swaying as she went. "He's the only wolf you've seen."

"Exactly!"

Draco laughed, loving the chemistry between the two humans. "Alpha's are the biggest, strongest, and fastest, but because I'm also a direct descendant from a God, I'm much bigger than your typical Alpha."

"I know some people are scared but I find it fascinating. So when will you shift A?"

"Luciano you need to stop being such a geek," Blaise chuckled at him. He whined, sticking his tongue out at his wife.

"Oh, I'm not sure without my mark I can't shift. But the next full moon is in six weeks so hopefully soon."

"Is it safe?" Her mom nibbled on her bottom lip nervously.

"Celeste is the strongest fighter I have," Draco started. "And because of that I believe she will survive."

"Has it happened before?" Blaise pressed on, "when someone hasn't survived."

"I have heard of a few omegas whose human mates didn't make it, however, because I am her mate, and we are the strongest wolves in the world at the moment, our bond will be much more equipped to handle a first time shifter."

"So she'll survive?"

"Something would have to go terribly wrong for her not to survive. If the shift didn't go properly then the worst case scenario would be that she loses her wolf."

Aida stared at her mate, her appetite gone. He had said the chances of her not surviving were small, but the chances were still there, and that's what terrified her.

~

question of the day: are you a morning or night person?

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