Chapter 14

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Maxwell was unhappy.

The cause of unhappiness was the phone call he had received earlier in the day. Sebastian was poking his nose in to his affairs and he did not like it, not one bit. But, truth to be told what upset him was that Sebastian had valid concerns. He recalled the conversation with bitterness.

"When do you plan to come home with your mate Max?" Sebastian had asked even without a hello.

"There is no timeline as of yet" Maxwell responded. He did not even get a chance to discuss it with Evy, he had to at some point though.

"Maxwell, we need to move on this" Sebastian nudged.

"My mate is not ready for this discussion yet" Maxwell retorted back.

"Your mate might not know all the facts. You do, don't you think it's time to let her know? Every single day you stay there you are putting her, her family and yourself in danger." Sebastian admonished him.

Maxwell did not reply but gritted his teeth in frustration.

"I have indication that rogues are being recruited Maxwell" Sebastian dropped the news on to him.

"For what?" Maxwell asked with concern.

"Take an educated guess, they know you are in Nick's territory. What I don't know is if the know about your mate and every day you stay there risks exposure" Sebastian added.

"I will talk to her" Maxwell said resigned.

"See that you do" Sebastian paused and added "And Maxwell, we need to make it legal."

A headache. Maxwell realized had crept up on him.

"Legal?" Maxwell responded in utter horror, he could picture Evelyn run like bat out of hell at that thought. "Don't we have some time for that?" he whispered pleading.

"It is safe for your mate to have your name and your resources at her disposal as soon as possible. You are mates already, isn't making it legal just a formality? It isn't as if you need a prenup or consider divorce in future?" Sebastian reasoned. Being mates made it simpler, since wolves mated for life there was no chance of the marriage dissolving.

"Listen. I don't think she is ready for all this. One at a time, I am not dumping everything on her at once" Maxwell responded frustrated.

"Your call" Sebastian said "But the clock is ticking" he added remaining him that there wasn't a lot of time to play around with.

The whole conversation left him frustrated and that is how Evelyn found him when she stopped over after school. She detected his foul mood as soon as she stepped in to the door.

"Hey" She said softly and paused "What's wrong?" she asked concern laced in her voice. She picked up his mood immediately, thanks to their bond which was growing day by day.

"Nothing" he said pulling her in to a tight hug and taking a deep breath of her scent. Some of his agitation disappearing. She smelt like home.

She readily went in to his embrace. Closing her eyes, her head resting in the crook of his neck, contentment flooded through her, with the closeness of her mate but she still felt his uneasiness.

She pulled back with reluctance and looked up at his face "What's wrong Max?" she asked concern reflecting in her eyes.

He sighed defeated. Holding her hand led her to the sofa and sat down and gently settled her in his lap. He refused to let her go.

"Sebastian called me earlier today." He stated slowly.

She looked at him encouragingly "And?" she asked.

He diverted his eyes from her for a moment, in thought and brought them back to her face, she read hesitation in them and even worry.

What was he worried about? Apprehension built up in her.

"What did Sabastian say Max?" she prodded him.

"He wanted to know when I am coming back. When....when...we are coming back" He dropped the bomb on her.

"Oh!" she squeaked, her stomach tying up in knots. She had deliberately ensure she never thought about this part of the result of mating. Her leaving with him. She knew she had to but never gave it a thought.

What could she tell him? She wasn't ready? But, will she ever be? To leave the only family she ever knew, the only home she knew? Will she be ever ready to do that? Thoughts swirled in her head.

"I told him we don't have a definitive timeline" his soft voice broke in to her thoughts, his eyes roaming her face trying to decipher her thoughts.

She closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath as he pulled her in to his chest again "We don't have to decide anything today Evy. It's something we eventually need to decide." He gently reassured her, his hands roaming over her back trying to comfort his mate.

She didn't respond, her eyes closed, they stayed like that for minutes, soaking in to each other as the mate bond pulsed in their closeness.

"Four weeks" she softly responded from his chest.

"What?" He asked pulling back surprised.

"Four weeks, Max." She said with conviction.

He just looked at her, his eyes roaming over her face, trying to take in what she was saying but what he met was surprising determination in her eyes.

"Four weeks?" he asked and she nodded.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because it's the right thing to do. Because it is something we need to do. Because I have kept you away from your family, from your responsibilities long enough. Because I am ready to move forward." She responded with conviction.

"Are you?" he asked to the last part, was she really ready.

Something flickered in her eyes "I..no, Max" She said resigned. "I am not, but I don't think I ever will be. That is one reason we need to do this...I need to do this. Now, since I set a target, I will work towards it. I might not be ready now but will be in four weeks' time."

"Are you sure Evy?" he asked again "You know I will stay as long as you need?" he reassured her.

"That is exactly why we need to set a target date Max. Because otherwise we will never leave" She responded.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

"I am Max" she nodded her head "Four weeks. Tell Sebastian" She added.

"Why four weeks?" he asked curious, wonder how she came up with that time frame.

"I have two weeks to go for my exams and the other two weeks is for me to get everything ready for us to leave" She explained.

He just looked at her, trying to read even a slight sense of doubt but he could not.

"I am sorry Evy" he said dejected, he know he had forced her in to a corner.

"Don't be Max. You have been more than patient with me. I knew I need to leave with you one day, I just didn't want to think about it. But now I am glad I did, we need to look forward as well" She added.

He just pulled her in to him and hugged her fiercely. Both enjoying the closeness for a few moments.

She suddenly chuckled.

He looked at her in amusement "What's funny?"

"We need to break this news to Mom and Jeff" he said

"Ah! That is tricky. How will they take it?" He asked, trying to anticipate any problems.

"My mom will take it better then Jeff I think" She added.

"She will?"

"Yep!" she responded and added "By the way she knows about you now."

"You mean she dint know me from yesterday?" he asked teasing.

"Not like that. She knows who you are" She explained.

"How did she take it?" He asked curiously.

"Surprisingly well...after she recovered." Evy added.

"Recovered?" he questioned.

"Yep! She fainted." She deadpanned.

"What?!" he asked in disbelief.

"uh-hu" she responded.

"Fainted!" he echoed, surprised amusement in his voice.

"Not every day a mother gets to hear that her daughter is mated to a prince" She smiled. Remembering how her mother was gushing once she did recover.

"A prince huh?" He asked.

"Yep" she confirmed.

"What does the daughter think about the prince?" He asked with humor.

"I think she thinks he already had an over inflated ego and she will not be adding to it" She smiled.

"Ouch" He said clutching his heart in fake hurt. "I am hurt"

"Well, you will live" she said rolling her eyes and then got serious "I need to tell them soon"

"You want me go with you?" He offered.

"You will?" She asked surprised.

"Of course I will" He stated "Let's do it tomorrow, ok?" He wanted to give her some time in case she had second thoughts.

"Ok" she readily agreed.

She looked at her watch "I need to go home soon" she said with regret in her voice.

"Don't" he said.

"What?" she looked at him curious.

"Stay. Stay with me."

Her mouth went dry. Her heart sped up "You mean stay the night?"

"Yes" he said, his eyes darkening.

"I am not sure Jeff...." She started while he cut

'You are my mate and it's time Jeff understood that" the firmness in his tone surprised her.

She looked at him wide eyed. "Your choice Evy. But I want you to stay." The way he looked at her made her stomach knot up.

He slowly moved forward and planted a gentle kiss near her ear. She gasped at the contact. His voice thickly whispered in her ear "I want you to stay Evy" he repeated again.

"I...I don't have any clothes" she stuttered, her mind turning to mush.

His lips moved closer to her ear "For what I have in mind, we don't need any clothes." His hands gently rubbed the smoot skin of her arms. His contact turning her mind to mush. And a bolt of pleasure shot through her at his declaration. He made her feel wanton.

"Ye..s" He said finally.

He paused his ministration and looked at her "Really?" he asked.

"Yes Max. Really!" she responded.

"You know you don't have to do anything you want to" he offered, he didn't want to pressurize her in to something she was not ready for.

"I know Max" she said, she trusted him. She got of his lap "let me call my mother and tell her that I will be staying over."

****

Her discussion with her mother had been awkward. Her mother didn't protest but only said two words "Be Careful" and she exactly knew what careful meant. It meant I am not ready for grandchildren careful.

Max had left her to study for a couple of hours while he did his thing. She had finally taken a nice hot shower, put on her underwear and a hotel robe. Her clothes she neatly folded as she would need them in the morning.

Meanwhile Max had ordered them some dinner and was laid out on the dining table piping hot. After dinner the settled down in the sofa cuddling and slowly his lips started to roam her. Finally his lips found hers and he pulled her in to his lap and deepened the kiss. This movement made the knot of her robe come loose and it slacked on her shoulders exposing the straps of her bra.

His eyes changed color "Red?" he whispered with lust. Looking at the straps.

"I heard that you were partial to red, wanted to test out that theory" she whispered passionately.

He growled and attacked her lips with vigorous passion and she melted in to his onslaught and the robe lowered further. They were so engrossed in each other that they did not hear the door opening.

"What the fuck!" someone said as Max in a quick moment pulled Evy behind him and growled ready to murder the intruder.

"Ow! My eyes. That is disturbing" Alex said shielding his eyes from the compromising couple. "I think I need therapy now."

"Alex! Get the fuck out of here before I rip you apart" Maxwell growled in deadly seriousness. Still shielding Evy behind him.

"I am going, I am going." Alex said stepping back "I thought you would be alone and wanted to give you company but apparently you already have company."

"Good night lovebirds" He said as he opened the door and paused.

"And Evy?" He said as she peaked from behind Max.

"Red. I approve." He said wriggling his eyebrows and closed the door in a flash and bolted as he heard Maxwell's roar. He sure loved living life on the edge.

6Y'