CHAPTER ONE

As quick as my legs could carry, I proceeded on my way to the pack house, ignoring all other intrusive scents and tuning in to that of my mate. He promised that we'd meet the moment he finishes with the some important meeting. He didn't open up on the purpose of the gathering.

Either way, I was dying to see him as our last encounter didn't go too well, he must've had a terrible fallout with his father, again.

The pack house soon came into view and I slowed down, controlling my heartbeat to a steady rhythm. The lacy hem of my gown was held up to avoid it getting intertwined with twigs and roots. That was the last thing I needed at the moment, for my day to end with Mana Sylveon complaining of ruining her old dress.

It was a purple beautiful thing made out of good silk, laces at the back and trimming of lace for the hem. She had given it to me when I told her of my plans to visit to Rylan. She is such a kind soul.

By the time I arrived close, my labored breathing had calmed and the cold sweat on my skin had dried up. Quickly, I tucked in strands of loose hair away behind my ear with shaky fingers.

I was extremely nervous to gaze into his icy orbs once more.

That nervousness, however, increased a thousand folds when noise broke out from within the building. The men were either having a heated argument or they were done. I took closer steps only to be pulled back harshly. I whirled around to gaze into the face of Matteo, a man who would be a perfect character in one of those plays staged in the town hall on the nights of mates initiation.

"Neilla, what a pleasant coincidence! What are you doing here?" He pulled me into a tight hug, the ruffles on his shirt collar tickling my face with feathery brushes. He pulled back to look at me.

"Hi, Matteo!" I forced out in a forced tone. It wasn't that I didn't want him close but now was the wrong time to run into anyone. I only had eyes for one person and one man alone and he was yet to show up. I tried to peek above his shoulder unsuccessfully. That's when I gave up. "I'm just here to see someone. Nothing really. How about you?"

He very well threw my question over his head, his eyebrows wiggling playfully. "You're here to see someone? And who might that be? Duke Wilton? The Knight? Who?"

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, the entrance to the pack house opened and loud voices erupted from everywhere. Suddenly, the once tranquil space I was standing in didn't feel so quiet again. If anything, it grew tighter as men built like walls walked past me, making me feel so small and insignificant. Of course, I blame that everyday on my petite size. Being a 5'4ft woman in a man's world was no easy feat, especially when you meet taller women.

I turned back to Matteo to speak and the words didn't make their way out because the one I'd come to see found me first. A fleeting emotion crossed his face at the sound of his voice but it went as quick as it'd come. My feet found their way around him and soon I was standing face to face with Rylan.

"You're here." I breathed out.

He gazed down at me, unimpressed. "Why are you with him?" His gaze was focused on the spot where Matteo stood.

"I wasn't with him. We happened to find ourselves in the same space. Tell me, how did it go, your meeting?"

He forced back his attention towards me, his steely gaze softening and his chest rising and falling softly. His fingers came up to lightly caress my face and I leaned into his touch, glad that he was in better mood for the display of affection.

"Let's go somewhere else where there'll only be the two of us."

I grinned broadly, taking a hold of his hand, cradling it between both of my hands. They were warm unlike mine which were still shaking from anxiety. At the corner of my eyes, I saw that Matteo wasn't in the place where I'd left him. Tried as I could, I didn't understand why both men didn't like each other despite my efforts in bringing them close.

Catching myself, I shut down thoughts of another man. Rylan was all that mattered now.

"I need a run." His voice broke into my train of thoughts. He was already unbuttoning his shirt and discarding his belt with his muscles torso on display. There was a few scattering of scars on his skin but they were almost invisible to an outsider, not to me. I'd seen, touched each one and became familiar with what scar was where.

I reached behind me to yank the laces to loosen the knots which was done to keep the dress in place. Warm hands met mine causing an involuntary shiver down my spine. I knew the next thing that was to come and my wolf did too. We panted in anticipation.

Slowly, he turned me around to face him. My gaze dropped from his slowly darkening orbs to the fine silky hairs on his chest. His fingers reached out to under my chin with a gentle tug.

"Look at me." His deep voice belted out as he lifted my chin towards his face. One of his hands reached out to circle around my waist while the other remained on my face, his thumb warming up my skin with his touch.

Our lips soon touched. I felt my wolf scratching from within my chest to be let out. Still as impatient as ever. I willed the rumbling sound within to still but my wolf wanted out. That was the effect of being intimate with your mate. Suddenly, noise came from the distance, the vibrations from the movements revealed it was a person. A sniff in the wind and flowery scent mingled with spring water pervaded my senses.

"Hey, there you are. I've been looking around for you." A thin shrill rang out like an earsplitting echo.

I stopped to listen, discovering that I didn't know who owned the voice. Rylan pulled away from me to observe the new comer. He didn't show disapproval at the newcomer's intrusion as opposed to how he would normally react. I stood perplexed.

"I thought I asked you to wait for me at the palace, Venn. What are you doing here now?"

I came out from behind him, struggling to hold on to my loosened dress and wondering why he was looking at her that way. The same way he would look at me.

"Who is this?" She questioned rudely, her nose flaring in my direction like she was repulsed at the sight of me.

"Stop growling, Neilla." He ordered gently. My eyes met his and I realized the vibrations in my chest. I looked away with an annoyed tsk, struggling to do the laces behind me. "Whatever it is you want to say now can wait till I'm done, Venn. I need to be with her one last time."

That caught my full attention. I spun around quickly. "One last time? What do you mean by that?" I whispered.