Two.

Evangeline had always been a dutiful pack member, following the rules and traditions to the letter. Finding her mate had been at the forefront of her mind ever since she was old enough to understand what it meant to be a werewolf. So when she received word that a mate had been found for her, she was ecstatic.

But meeting Xavier Blackwood had been nothing like she had imagined. He was cold, aloof, and made it clear from the start that he had no interest in being with her. Evangeline struggled to understand why her alpha mate would feel this way towards her. She had always done everything she could to be the best pack member she could be, and she'd even heard stories of mates falling in love at first sight.

Evangeline wasn't naive enough to think that love came automatically with being mated to someone, but she couldn't help but feel hurt every time Xavier pushed her away. She wanted to prove to him that she was worthy of being his mate, that she wasn't just some obligation he had to fulfill.

She woke up early and decided to get dressed into something comfortable. She rummaged through her luggage and found a soft pink hoodie and a pair of black leggings. She quickly changed into them and tied her hair up in a messy bun, glad to finally be out of the formal dress she had worn at the wedding.

As she walked down the spacious hallway of the huge mansion, she felt a bit overwhelmed by the opulence surrounding her. She had never been in such a grand home before, and she wasn't sure where the kitchen was located. She walked for a while before she finally found a door that opened into an even wider hallway, lined with doors on either side.

Evangeline hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and stepping inside. The house was quiet, but she could hear the distant sound of clinking dishes and the faint smell of food. She followed her nose down the hall and finally reached a large, open kitchen.

"Good morning, ma'am," a warm voice greeted her. "Can I help you with something?"

Evangeline turned to see a friendly-looking woman who appeared to be in her late fifties standing at the kitchen counter. She had a kind smile and was wearing an apron over her clothes.

"Oh, hi," Evangeline said, feeling a bit shy. "I was just looking for the kitchen. I'm new here."

The woman smiled warmly. "Well, welcome to Blackwood Manor. I'm Mrs. Thompson, the housekeeper. Can I get you something to eat or drink?"

Evangeline was grateful for the woman's hospitality and accepted her offer of a cup of coffee. As they chatted, Mrs. Thompson told Evangeline a bit about the house and the Blackwood family. She was kind and patient, explaining things to Evangeline as if she was one of her own family members.

Evangeline felt a warm sense of gratitude towards the woman and was happy to have someone to talk to. She felt like she was slowly starting to get her bearings in the new environment, and hoped that everything would work out for her in the end.

"Why is Xavier so...arrogant and rude?" Evangeline asked, choosing her words carefully. "I mean, he's always so closed off and I just don't understand why."

Mrs. Thompson let out a small sigh, as if she had expected the question. "Xavier has been through a lot in his life, dear. He's had to deal with a lot of pain and heartache, and I think it's made him very guarded. He doesn't want to let anyone get too close, because he's afraid of being hurt again."

Evangeline nodded, understandingly, but still felt a bit confused. "But why does he have to be so mean to me? I haven't done anything to him.

Mrs. Thompson chuckled softly, as if she'd heard this question several times before. "It's not that he doesn't like you, dear. He's just not used to having a mate, and he doesn't know how to handle it. He's used to being in control of everything, but with you, he can't. It's making him feel vulnerable, and he doesn't know how to deal with that."

Evangeline thought about this for a moment, trying to see things from Xavier's perspective. She had never really thought about how difficult it must be for him to have a mate. "I see. So, what can I do to make things easier for him?"

Mrs. Thompson smiled, patting Evangeline's hand gently. "Just be patient with him, dear. It may take some time, but I'm sure he'll come around eventually. And when he does, he'll see what an amazing mate he's been given."

She nods flashing her a tight-lipped smile before she proceeded out of the kitchen pondering open her conversation with Mrs. Thompson.

Evangeline wandered through the vast hallways of the Blackwood estate, her eyes wide as she took in the grandeur of her new home. She was still trying to familiarize herself with the place, and had already managed to get lost twice in just a few hours. Her newfound sense of adventure had led her to the garden, and as she pushed open the tall gates, she gasped in awe at the sight before her.

The garden was bursting with life, with flowers of every shape, size, and color imaginable blooming in perfect harmony. Evangeline's heart swelled with joy and emotion as she took in the beauty around her. She'd always been drawn to flowers, ever since she was a little girl. They reminded her of her mother, who had passed away when she was just a child. Her mother had loved flowers too, and they had often spent hours together in their own small garden, tending to the blooms and chatting about their day.

As she walked down the winding paths, taking in the scent of lavender and rose, tears welled up in Evangeline's eyes. For the first time since arriving at the Blackwood estate, she felt a sense of comfort and familiarity. The flowers were a way for her to connect with her mother once again, even if only in memory.

She reached out and picked a delicate rose, its petals soft to the touch. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with its sweet scent. She felt a sense of peace wash over her, knowing that her mother was with her in spirit, experiencing this same moment of beauty and joy.

Evangeline whispered a silent prayer of thanks to her mother and to whoever had created such a magnificent garden. She knew she would return here often, whenever she needed a moment of solace and connection with her past.

Evangeline turned her gaze towards one of the windows, feeling a sense of unease. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she saw Xavier peering at her with a stern expression on his face.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him, but she quickly composed herself and forced a smile. She didn't want him to think that she was intimidated by him.

But as she watched him walk away from the window and disappear out of sight, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. It was as if there were eyes on her at all times, scrutinizing every move she made.

She shook her head, dismissing the thought as nothing but her imagination running wild. But deep down, she couldn't ignore the sense of unease that lingered within her. She couldn't help but wonder what his true intentions towards her were.

Evangeline's heart raced as a servant walk up to her. "Excuse me, miss," the servant said in a hushed voice, "Alpha Blackwood requests your presence in his study room."

Evangeline felt a sudden wave of panic wash over her as the servant delivered the message. She had done nothing wrong - at least, she didn't think she had - but the thought of being summoned to Xavier's study room made her nervous.

She quickly got dressed and tried to compose herself as best she could before setting off to meet him. As she walked down the corridors of the mansion, she couldn't help but wonder what he wanted from her. Was she in trouble? Had she said something wrong? 

When she arrived at his study, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as she knocked on the door. 

"Come in," Xavier's voice called out from within. 

Evangeline took a deep breath and pushed the door open, stepping inside the room. Xavier was seated at his desk, his eyes focused on a stack of papers in front of him. When he saw her, he stood up from his chair and nodded his head towards one of the seats in front of his desk.

"Evangeline," he said simply, his voice low and guarded.

"Xavier," she replied, feeling a deep blush creeping up her cheeks as she sat down in the offered seat. 

For a few moments, there was an uncomfortable silence between them, as Evangeline fidgeted in her seat and Xavier simply stared at her across the desk. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, what he wanted from her.

Evangeline couldn't believe what she was hearing from Xavier. As he laid down the rules and regulations for her to follow, she felt her heart sink further and further. He wants me to sign a contract? She thought to herself incredulously.

Xavier shot her a withering look as she hesitated, staring down at the agreement that he had pushed towards her. "Read it carefully," he said coldly. "It's all here in black and white, what I expect from you and what you should expect from me."

Evangeline took a deep breath and started reading through the document. It was filled with legal jargon, but she managed to grasp the key points - Xavier was dictating what she could and couldn't do, who she could and couldn't see. He made it clear that he had no intention of having any sort of romantic or emotional attachment to her.

She couldn't believe how cruel and callous he sounded. And yet, as she looked up at his stern face, she could see that he was deadly serious. This was his way of protecting himself, and she was just a pawn in his game.

With a heavy heart, she signed the document, feeling as though she was signing away her life. But she had no choice - if she wanted to stay in this house, she had to play by his rules.

Xavier took the signed agreement and looked at her coolly. "Good. Now that we have that out of the way, we can both get on with our lives."

With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Evangeline alone with her thoughts. She felt a sense of defeat wash over her as she realized that things were far worse than she had anticipated.

But despite all this, she refused to give up. She was determined to win Xavier's heart, no matter how hard he tried to push her away. She knew that it would be a long and difficult journey, but she was ready to fight for what she wanted.

Evangeline's heart sank as Xavier's words echoed in her mind. She felt a sense of loss and disappointment in the man she had hoped to spend the rest of her life with. For a brief moment, she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity, feeling sorrowful and abandoned. 

She made her way back to her room, feeling disheartened and emotionally drained. When she entered the room, she was hit with a wave of loneliness and isolation. The room was empty, and the lack of company only made her feel worse. The dispirited young woman stumbled to her bed and collapsed onto it, letting out a deep sigh of melancholy.

As she stared at the ceiling, her mind drifted to thoughts of her Mother and how she would be missing her presence at this moment. Her Mother, who had always been her source of strength and comfort, was no longer there to give her words of encouragement. The thought only made her feel more lost and alone.

For a while, Evangeline lay there, lost in her thoughts, until she found herself overcome with sadness. Hot tears streamed down her face, and she buried her face in the pillow, letting out a mournful sob.

She knew that she needed to pull herself together and muster the strength to keep fighting for her love, but in that moment, she felt utterly defeated.