Ben It was like sitting in the back seat of a car the whole time. I was talking to her, but she couldn't hear me. When Antonio hit her, I tried to hurt him, but my hands phased through his body. There was nothing I could do, and I shouted at my younger self for driving away. I should have seen the signs; I should have stayed with her.My eyes fly open, and I find myself lying in the center of my office on the floor. Daliah is right next to me, her eyes still closed. Sweat is beading on her forehead, and I wipe my own with the back of my hand before reaching for her. "It will take a few minutes for her to come back after you," Jessie says. When I look at her, I see she is wearing different clothes than before. I reach for the glass of water on the desk, downing half of it. "How long has it been?" I ask, returning my gaze to Daliah, who turns her head uncomfortably. Her body seems to be in a paralysis, completely still, other than her head."Two days. I was going to give you three be
Daliah "Thanks again, I really appreciate your help!" I shout to the kid with wide glasses who smiles at me with a wave. School had ended about an hour ago, but my grade in Algebra had slipped from an A to a B, and I needed to fix it before my dad found out. I watch the kid who helped me with my homework get into his car before I climb into the only other car in the empty parking lot. "Went well?" Ben asks, his young features sending me a smile with a small dimple on his left cheek. His smile is infectious, and I lean over to give him a kiss. "Fine. Just can't wait for graduation," I tell him, sliding down into his leather seat to buckle the seatbelt. "Yeah. I can't wait to claim you as my mate," he says with a sly smile, pushing the car into gear. I laugh at his enthusiasm. "You don't even know we're mates," I tell him through my laugh, but he only smiles. When he passes the sidewalk where he always drops me off, so I can walk the rest of the way to the house, I shoot him a ne
Daliah Ben and I tell Jessie everything that happened, and she nods her head with a hum of understanding while lighting candles around the room. Ben's office has gone from modern black and glass themed to a witch's auditorium in a matter of minutes. The strong scent of incense burning floats in the air around us, and I clear my throat several times to keep from coughing on it. "It's a hex," she finally says, though her eyes remain focused on the flame in her hand that strikes the wick of the candle in front of her. "I thought those were," Ben starts with a scoff, but she doesn't let him finish. Her glare flashes to him from under her low gaze."Fake? Benjamin, you have been King long enough to know nothing is fairytale," she says with a roll to her eyes. Ben folds his arms dramatically with a sigh. He hates being called King because it is what his father wanted everyone to call him. When he challenged him, it was widespread news that the new King was to be called Alpha of the North
Ben Thank the moon goddess, whatever was happening stopped when I blocked her back. It was like an invisible attack that only she could feel, but it was just as real. Her blood soaked into the skin of my arms that had been flanking both sides of her body."Dali, I'm sorry," I whisper, trying to pull her gaze away from the puddle of blood behind me. She swats my approaching hand away, taking a step backwards with a shake of her head. "I want to go back," she says quietly, not giving me the chance to reply before she shifts in front of me. I look down at her small, white body with a sigh. I shift when she starts walking, not running. I stay right next to her, and she doesn't argue it. When we get back to the mansion, she showers without me. I don't blame her for needing space, but I hate not being with her. While waiting for her to be finished, I pull out my phone. Dialing Jessie's number, I listen to the several rings pass by. I know it is late, and I am probably sending the wrong m
Daliah My chest is light when I run, like nothing else in the world exists. It is just me and Ben, him nipping at my heels, pushing me further and further into the forest. When we get close to the border, I make a sharp left, headed for the meadow Ben had brought me to before. I can sense the space between us growing with each step, and I push myself harder, a competitive spirit surging through me. I want him to praise me for running fast, the primal need to hear satisfaction from my mate. My feet hit the mud with a slide, and I jump around to wait for him to come in behind me. But he doesn't. Continuing to pant heavily, I pace the edge of the clearing, searching for his scent, but only finding my own. The crack of the debris on the ground catches my attention, and I focus my ears behind me. Scanning the area, I don't find anything, so I creep around the side of the pond to get a closer inspection.Before I reach the edge of the clearing, I see his silhouette in the darkness, shad
Ben I want her to see everything that I do. I want her to know that the damage done to her didn't ruin her. That she is the strongest person I have ever met, and more than anything, I want her to know that nothing bad will ever happen to her again. I won't let it. But I can't tell her this. I need to show her, to prove to her that I will always be here for her. "I need to run," she says through a sniffle, pulling her chin from my grasp. There is a light chuckle behind her words, and she works vigorously to blink away the tears that keep falling when she stands. I give her a quick nod, feeling the pull of the nearly full moon myself. She remains silent when we walk out of the mansion. I don't bother looking around the area before taking my shirt off, but Daliah's eyes flick nervously around us. Reaching for her hand, I pull her to a stop before we make it to the tree line. "It's just me," I say in a low tone that causes her to breathe in sharply. My hand slides from hers to the he