Chapter 3

Dylan diverts my attention as Sophia traps me within a magical barrier. Now I have no choice but to play along.

The Lycan King, who I now know is Jaxson Storm leads us back to his mansion – much to my displeasure. 

Jaxson leads us to a throne room; multiple chandeliers hang from ceiling five stories high. A golden throne stands tall. On either side attains large statues of Lycans triple the size of a normal wolf and behind the throne are three windows taking up the entire back wall presenting a perfect view of the two suns of Eldora.

Regardless of all the light shining in this one room, there is still an air of darkness. I can't help to think that it resides within the Lycan King himself. Once he slew the rogue, the rest scattered like rats. If only I have that kind of effect on them.

"I promise I'll behave, so can someone get me out of this damn bubble?" I retort at no one in particular. Jaxson takes a seat on his throne and watches me with his beautiful pale orbs. His eyes narrow silently, assessing me — I wonder how the scar sitting over his right eye doesn't distort his beauty?

I don't know what it is about right now, but it feels like he is finally looking at me.

His glacial gaze wonders my face, to my dark blue (almost black) cotton dress that falls above my knee, to my curly snow-white hair cascading past my chest. The iron cuff cloaked in leather over my wrists, and lastly, the leather lace which wraps around both my biceps. His eyes linger longer on the grey-black paw print patterned into my right arm, just above the leather straps. 

He isn't discreet about it either.

"Do you think it's safe?" Sophia murmurs to Charming, he nods. Her magic disappears, gravity executing its job. I fell to my feet, stumbling slightly.

"Don't celebrate just yet! Now that I know you're here and this isn't some fucked up dream - you and I have shit to talk about Valerie," I meet Charming's furious gaze. Guilt crushes me, knowing where this conversation is leading.

I couldn't look at him. I train my eyes solely on my feet, taking a cautious step back as the heat of his gaze burn through me, "I'm sorry." My voice was barely a whisper, but for the life of me, I couldn't find the confidence to look him in the eye and tell him that I am truly regretful.

"You didn't say goodbye. You didn't even leave a note. I thought you'd become a-…" cutting himself off, "I searched for you. *Everywhere*, for almost a decade. I didn't care that may have gone rogue - I just needed to know you were safe. Do you have any idea how much it hurt to accept you were dead?! Just tell me, why?"

Why? Why did I run from the best moment of my life? Why did I run when I finally found happiness? Why did I choose danger over safety? "Because, I forgot," a simple answer - no one will understand, but me. It shows just how much I came to love that point in my life.

"What?" he asks. It wasn't harsh. My answer caught him off guard; he doesn't know what to think of it. I find the courage to meet his eyes, to tell him my reason because he deserves that much.

"That year is undoubtedly the happiest year of my life. I forgot my promise to her. If I told you goodbye, you'd never have allowed me to leave. Also, if you asked me to stay-... well, you wouldn't have to ask twice," I answer. "I convinced myself it was for the best, that day when you almost died. Because the rogues sensed me, you were in danger. I-I couldn't have your blood on my hands - not yours too."

He searches my eyes, thinking carefully to decide if he should continue being pissed or let it slide. "I'm just fucking thankful you're not dead," he breathes, a smile curls on his face before asking. "Now can you please tell me why the fuck you still have a problem with shoes?"

I can't help but smirk, "I'm waiting for my glass slippers," I muse, lifting my feet to poke his leg just when a low growl echoes of the walls and both our heads snap to Jaxson and Sophia, only now realising we had an audience. Sophia seemed amused, Jaxson not so much.

A large arm falls over my shoulder, Charming crushing me to his side, "So, you two are mates?" he smirks, gesturing between myself and Jaxson, forcing me back to reality. Mates. Soulmates. He's my mate. How am I supposed to escape this? I can always reject him.

'If you reject our mate, you won't have the strength to stop us becoming rogue,' Nia interrupts. I know she's right, but I can't accept him either. Not only don't I deserve a mate but having one gives them power over you, the ability to control you. Hurt you. "Remove your hands."

"Come on, dude I have a mate and-... she's like my baby sister. Get your head out of the gutter," Charming argues adding an eye roll. I try to hold back my smile as he leans closer, "For future reference, I suggest you not stand so close to a naked male rogue again. He's crazy possessive," Charming spoke loud enough for the entire pack to hear, which is why I punch him in the gut.

"What the fuck asshole, I'm standing right here!" I growl, massaging my ear and glaring down at him. Charming's eyes enlarge.

"What have I told you about language?!" he lectures. I roll my eyes, a sure sign of 'fuck you.'

"You're the one who taught me," I accuse, "besides I'm not ten anymore - go and fuck yourself," I give him the finger to further exaggerate my point as I turn on my heel, watching Sophia cackling at Charming's reaction.

He's a fish out of water. 

"And you…" I grumble storming up to Jaxson - who sits lazily in his throne. I need to make our relationship clear, "if you think you can use your alpha command on me and make me do shit against my will, you're sorely mistaken. Becoming a rogue isn't on my schedule, so our relationship will be strictly platonic and-…" I gasp, his large hands snatch my wrist to force me onto his lap.

"Leave us to discuss our… 'platonic' relationship," Jaxson drawls pausing briefly to quote me. It takes a moment of suffocating silence until they finally leave. Now I'm alone to the most dangerous predator on Eldora. 

I can't concentrate on anything. Jaxson's giant arm curls around my waist, my hands, settle onto his chest. Our touch sparks a whole new chain of reactions inside me. To feel his pecks below my fingertips, they feel like steel.

Well shit!

His large hand lays over my entire thigh, just below my dress shirt. I'm confident he hears the wild rhythm of my heart. In all my years of running, I've never felt my heart thumps so fast; Nia enjoys every moment of being close to him. 

"You were saying, Nieve," he purrs. I quickly rip my hands from his steel figure.

"I-I…" I can't remember what I was saying. My thoughts are all mushed together from the mere sound of his voice - it sounds sexy. I know it's the mate bond, but I can't help but feel his effect on me. It's electric. 

"Look at me Capo de Nieve. Really fucking look at me," he growls, his voice low and husky forcing heat to pool between my legs.

I know he smells my arousal; the way his eyes darken in a lusty haze I ponder if mine match? "You and I are inevitable if you think I've waited centuries for you just to watch you fucking leave… You're mistaken."

"L-Let me go," I barely stutter, "I don't even want you."

He chuckles, it's dark and intimidating without a drop of humour. "If the air wasn't so thick of that sweet scent of your arousal, I might have believed you," he drawls. 

Nia is ready for him. She's on her back ready, willing, and so bloody ecstatic. But I wasn't going to play into it.

Not now. Not ever.

My breathing fastens as his fingers trail the length of my arm. My traitorous body gives him the reaction he wants as he observes the goosebumps shadowing after his touch. I quickly throw myself off his lap - pushing hard on his chest as I stumble back to regain balance just before I trip down the three steps leading to the throne.

His face remains expressionless, pale eyes boring into my own. There is a chill to them, but it doesn't make me uncomfortable. 

I'm curious to why those eyes don't show a flicker of emotion. When Jaxson speaks, he expresses each syllable - not for effect, but to enforce feelings into his words.

Can he feel?

"I-I'm not what you think I am. I can't accept you," I break our gaze. 

There's a chance he'll to be nothing like my father, but that doesn't matter. I won't burden him with my past, my life. I'm far too damaged and lost to find my way back to happiness. I don't even know if I can be happy. No matter, it isn't long now.

"In the coming days, you'll know exactly who - and what - I am. So, run Nieve, …" his voice is low, just as my hands brush the door his words ignite a promise. A promise to never give up. To give me up. "We Lycans, live for the hunt."