"And here you are, Jake." I bring Jake back to the kids' room. I kneel down so Jake can hug me, and he runs to join two other kids playing with small instruments. He seems better, but he honestly needs to see his parents before the day ends.

"Thank you, Olivia." Alice gleams at me. This girl is such a beauty, and her heart is one of the purest I've ever met. I discern why my friend chose her.

"That's fine. If I can help. I need to see Prince Alexander if you don't mind." I feel sorry to let her like that. I told her earlier I would spend the day with her so she could relieve the tension a little, and here I must discuss with my always busy mate.

"Of course not. Just go; Kate is still here." She keeps on smiling at me.

"You know, you're great with kids. You're the only one Jake opens to. You'll be a great Luna for our people and a wonderful mother for your pup." She puts her hand on my face for a few seconds then leaves me.

Well, that was odd, but at least I know that one person is supporting me and my utterly foolish destiny.

I go back to the hall: the walkthrough this hallway has never been so long. I don't know what to expect. Does he want to talk to apologize, which would be the fairest reason? Does he want to give me back the privilege to attend the meetings as the meant-to-be future Queen? Or the worst option: does he want to announce he rejects me and declare Amber as his mate?

My hands are moist, and my heart is battering horribly. I'm torn between sadness and anger at the idea he could prefer Amber. I swallow and contain growing tears in my eyes. But I can't come out weak. Come on, Liv, show him who you are. I wipe my eyes, breathing out, and already I join Alec, who is still waiting for me.

Damn, his messy hair is such a fuze for enticing me. This man will be the death of me.

"We need to talk, Liv ."He looks urgent and miserable at the same time. I hate this. It makes me feel actually uncomfortable as it sounds like the end of us. Not so soon, not after a few weeks. Moon-Goddess can't do that, right? Create mates, even if they are not assumed to be together, and then rip them apart.

Moon Goddess is always right, Olivia.

Yes, my inner voice is right. She knows what she does. There's a reason I have no wolf and am mated to the greatest lycan because I know he is. We'll understand, eventually.

"Agree," I answer, a little cranky and definitely nervous. I've been asking for days for him to talk to me. At least things would be clear. But now we're here, being a coward could be an option in the end.

He takes my hand and guides me to his room. People watch us, their faces questioning this action. I can almost hear their impressions. Is something wrong? Why is the Prince taking the Alpha's daughter away? Are we endangered? Is he going to reject her?

I can't say if my heart is beating too fast, too irregularly, or simply stopped. He shuts the door behind us. He moves and sits on the bed. His hand calls for me, but I just stand and confront him. He sighs.

"I'm sorry if you feel left aside, but I don't want you to be caught in trouble. You won't be able to defend yourself if anything happens, and I just try to preserve you." He honestly sounds sincere, and his green eyes genuinely want me to get closer.

"I can't plan everything and defend you properly. I wish I could, but you're just too...diverting. So the other solution would be to let Jackson with you when I can't because he is the only one capable of fighting like I do, but I need him."

His tongue licks his lips. I wish I could get over my pain and just kiss him back. But as my saddest part leaves me, I can't help feeling irate. What is wrong with me?

"Right. And hanging out with Amber, whose saliva damps the floor as soon as she sees you, is a way to protect me?" I look at him, my voice sounding grunting and my fists closed. I did not even realize I tightened them.

"It's not what I like, but still, she is useful at planning defense, and I can't check everything if I don't talk to her. She's the head of our warriors, so it's difficult to put her aside. You can ask your bro...'". I stop him before he ends: he has no right to play the brother-witness card.

"Let Elijah out of it, Alec. It's about us and the fact you just put me aside. It's just about the point that I feel like you don't need me and that I am just some pain in your ass. Just good enough to be fucked." I'm angry. Totally, unreasonably furious. My mate should solace me, but he is the reason I am like this. He is the one to blame for my state of mind. So what are we supposed to do? How do you ease your feeling when the person who could heal you is the one tormenting you at first?

He comes nigher and takes one of my hands.

"Please, Liv, I crave for you. I miss you. I love you. Trust me..." His touch makes my body hectic, even if I wish I could just stay mad. But, once again, this turmoil in me just acts like tamed by his touch.

"Just tell me what you want, and I'll do my best. That's new for me to have a mate Liv. And believe me, it's nothing like before. And you are so… unique. I don't know how to deal with that. And every time I think I'm about to get you, something else enters the game."

"I need you with me, Alec. I just feel like you don't want me anymore." My voice quivers as I just admit my deepest fear. This is no more resentment. Just pure painful fear. Like I expose my bleeding heart. Like my whole body whimpers in terror of losing my reason to exist.

His lips surround mine, and he brushes my hair.

"I love you, Liv. And I don't want to hurt you. I swear I'm gonna do better. Just let me catch up. We'll know what to do, my wolf and I. We just need to understand."

I wish I could withstand more, but our bond is too intense. We kiss, and our bodies meet one another, screaming how they miss melting together. My hands clench his neck, and I can feel him lift me, holding my butt tightly.

"Okay, one last chance, Alec." My lips go by to his, and my tongue enters his mouth, looking for Alec's tongue.

Usually, he just leads the dance, but now, I need him to know I'm not just a frail body. I don't want to be considered a delicate, easily killable human.

"One last chance ."He takes me to the bed. I'm on my back, and he is above me, still bussing me. His hands are already parading on my breasts, and my body arches at his touch.

Moon-Goddess, it feels like we haven't tasted each other for ages. Lusty sounds get out of my throat, and my pussy is already wet for him.

Can I, Liv?

I can hear Alec's voice in my head. Again, I don't comprehend how it is feasible, but I just want to enjoy Alec anyway. Everything is nonsense in this story. I don't know what game the Moon-Goddess is playing with us, but it follows no known rules.

I don't want to open my mouth. If I can hear him, probably he can too, right?

Yes, please. I need to feel you in me. Right now.

Our eyes meet, and I see his pupils, looking like Alec's wolf's ones. And I understand he caught my thoughts. How the fuck is it possible? It is not. I must be a fucking human open book; or we really need the notice to this shit.

His hands put my pants and panties out of my legs in no time. My hands leave the messy hair of his that my hands held possessively and lower his pants. My legs open eagerly for his swollen cock.

He penetrates me and starts to move slowly but with thick motions. I moan with every hit on my cervix. I can feel these days apart from one another are too much for his wolf and us. Mates are not supposed to stay away for long if there are no crucial reasons for this. He is fucking stupid, but he's fucking good at making me reach my climax.

I can feel his hard breath on my neck. Husky moanings coming from his throat.

"I miss that so much, Liv. I want this all day and night when all this shit is over." Pleasure is growing. I can feel it as my core tightens around him.

I can feel my blood boiling, my heartbeats resonating.

"I need you to go harder. I want you as hard as you love me". I kissed, and I could feel my hands on his back and shoulders. I almost felt my nails going through his skin: there's nothing reasonable in it. It's feral, a bestial urge.

He gets out of me and turns me over. Before I can say a word, my feet are on the ground, my chest leaning forward on the bed. Alec stands behind me, and I feel rough moves in me. I howl as he goes faster and harder.

He leans on me and whispers in my ear.

"Your wishes are mine, Princess ."If he really loves me as hard, he is throbbing in me right now; that is incommensurable love. Then, after a few minutes, he adds.

"Come on my cock, little wolf. Now!"

My body stiffens as his order makes my body obey. His hands tighten my shoulders. Just as mine before, his nails enter my skin. I can feel his cock delivering his sperm right inside me. Cloud nine stricken.

Our two bodies enjoy that moment in the louder screams ever.

Then he stops and puts his head on my back.

"What are you? How do you make me feel this way?" His hot breath winds on my nape.

Your mate, stupid you.

That's like if the words are prompted from the deepest part of my heart.

We stay in bed for a few moments. Our clothes are back on our butts. My head is on his chest; I wrap him with my arms, and his hands play with the curls of my hair. Just a simple cuddling moment.

"Why can't we always be like that, Alec? Why can't you just be mine?" I really need to know. Why can't I just enjoy my just-found mate?" I'm not angry anymore, nor sad. I just want to understand why our story had to be so twisted. I know love is not easy, but such a mess in only a few weeks, with your Chosen Mate, that should not happen. This is unfair.

"Once this attack problem is dealt with, I'll be all yours. I'm busy because I want this to be over as fast as possible. The sooner, the better for your safety and our people's." He raises my head and kisses me softly.

"I want to give you everything. I'll give you everything."

"Do you promise me?" I need to hear that from his mouth. Can he swear to me such a thing?

"I do. Please trust me. I'm in love with you, Olivia Evans ." His hands start to caress my breasts as I climb on his lap to kiss him. My body reacts to his need for trust with fervor.

But before we can start round two, the alarm rings. Enemies are at our borders and assumably already entering the area. We jump out of bed instantly.

We run to the hall. All wolves rush to their assigned position. Most of them are focused on what they have to do, but still, I can sense panic. Training does not mean you're looking for things to happen. I don't wish for my people to die.

Alec cups my face with his hands.

"You go with the kids, and you stay hidden. I'll get you once it's clear. You don't move from there. I need you to be safe to concentrate. Okay, Liv?" I nod.

"I need my Princess to be safe. We have a lot to plan for our future and a lot to talk about when I come back, so don't do foolish things." He kisses me, and I watch him shift and run outside.

I'll try, my Prince.

I move three steps at a time to get to the basement where the kids are hiding.

We have a safe room there. Brick walls and thick steel on the inside with an unbreakable bank vault door: warriors will come back and defend us long before any enemy succeeds in coming in.

Alice counts all of the kids as we've been in the fortified room for 5 minutes.

"22". Alice's voice repeats a second time. "22". I go to her as I feel she gets on the edge of panic.

"What's going on, Alice?" I take her chin in my hands as she does not hear me and make her look into my eyes. I breathe calmly, hoping that it will help her to relax: she mimics my pace - breathe in, breathe out.

"One of the kids is missing. I don't understand; they were all here when we evacuated the class." Her eyes are filled with tears.

"I should have been more cautious. I know he wants to see his parents." She sobs, and it's like I can almost suffer her despair and guilt.

I don't have to look around to realize that Jake is the missing kid.

"Shit," I murmur. I turn to Alice.

"I'm gonna get him. Don't worry, you've done nothing wrong. He's clever kiddo. Just stay with Kate and the kids. Don't open to anyone, except for me. Can you do that for me?" I try to smile so she can be clear-minded again. She nods.

I take a deep breath as I go to the door, unlock the hard and heavy door latch and turn the knob.

Only five minutes have passed and, I already go against what Alec asked me. But I can't let a four years old kid out there, alone.

I'm sorry, Alec.