PARIS'S Pov

"I fear I'm going to lose you," I said to her and she looked up at me with a smile,


"Your fears are unnecessary. I'm just willing to get to know my mate."

"Ember, that all in itself, is the beginning of a love affair with him. You get to know him, and then what? You find out you like the way he smiles, you constantly yearn to his laugh, you wolf doesn’t keep quiet about the next time the both of you will meet up." I said all of this with more intensity than I should have, but I just could not control myself. I was afraid, and my fears were winning,

"was that the way it was with Kate?" she asked, turning to look at me, her eyes soft and not condemning me, and I was somewhat disarmed.


"I…"

"don’t know how to respond to that one? I can understand," she said and looked over the water again,


"The thing is, I've asked myself the same question a couple of times since I met Jean. 'Did he feel this way with her?' ' Did he sometimes feel like he didn't have a choice 'Was his wolf ever this pushy?'" She smiled again and turned to me, "I get it. It would have still helped if you chose to use your wits from time to time and know what was Kate, and what was the bond. But I truly get it."

"It worries me to hear you speak with so much maturity."

She howled at a laugh, "Would you rather I sound as though I'm confused in life? I've done enough of that, haven't I?"

"I've never thought you sound confused in life."

"you're just being nice."

"About damn time, then." he said and reached for my hand, "this will probably be the most selfish thing I've ever done, but please promise me that you won't go anywhere."

"Are you asking me to promise I won't end up making a life with my mate?"

"I'm afraid I am."

"she smiled and covered our linked hands with hers, "I'm sorry. But I'm not sure I can actually do that. I do promise though, that as long as you keep being a good friend to me, I won’t stop being a good friend to you."

"I know she agreed to go on a date with you. I'm very sure you had your mind set on the belief that she was going to love the lights and all of that beautiful stuff. So why are you sulking?" Jackson asked when he met me, losing my mind in a glass of whiskey.

"I haven't the mind for your games, right now, Jackson," I said as he took a seat on one of the couches,

"oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not here for games. You're really sulking."

I looked up at him ready to bite, and he raised both of his hands In surrender,

"She's found her mate." I bit out.

"Oh." he said and fell silent, "I believe I see where your sulkiness comes from," he said and was quiet again,

"I don't know what I'm going to do," I said, to both him and myself. I was already of the mind that, in time, she would mine again. But, overnight, she had become so far out of my reach.

"But, sire, has she cut you off completely?"

"She hasn't cut me off at all, Jackson. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t worry. You know the kind of hold the mate bond had on me. Should it have the same hold on Ember, then I don't know what I'm going to do."

"Does she love him?"

"I do not know if she loves him, Jackson. And I hope to heaven that she hasn't begun to think of love. Because then, all hope will be lost. All the time I spent trying not to sign the divorce, and all the efforts I put into getting her to like me again. It would all be for nothing. I don't know what I'd do if it's all for nothing." I said and gulped down some more whiskey.

"Do you know who the man is?"

"I didn’t ask. But I think she mentioned his name while she spoke of him." I struggled to remember and the name finally clicked, "Jean. I believe the name was Jean."

"Alpha Jean?" Jackson asked with some surprise, and I had some surprise of my own,

"Is there an Alpha Jean?"

"There is sire. If he is the mate of which we speak of, then you might have a handful with that one. He is relentless."

"Way to go, encourage me, Jackson."

"ah, sorry about that sire," he said, and I brought my glass closer to my lips,

"But it doesn't matter. If Alpha Jean believes himself to be relentless, well, I have news for him," I said drinking from my cup, " so am I."

"What plan do you have, sire?"

"it will come. But I'm going to need you to find out more about him."

"Of course, sire."

EMBER'S POV

I wasn't wrong about the stubbornness of the male gender. It proved through when I got off work the day after and found Jean waiting for me beside my car, wearing a baseball cap, and a smug smile

"Is this how it's going to be?" I asked him when I go to him,

"Waiting for you after work? It's not such a bad idea when I get the chance to, no?"

"no," I said and tapped my feet, hoping he'd move away from the door to the driver's seat. But he didn't budge.

"Jean, I'd really like to leave this place. Work hours are over. I'd like to rest."

"how about, before resting, we grab an early dinner?"

"Is this the date?"

"no. no." he said, standing upright, "just me, making sure I get food into you before you go home. It'll make me feel good."

I smiled, "I have food at home. Thank you."

"Okay. What about if I told you I just really wanted to spend time with you."

"with me?"

"with you," he said, reaching for my hand.

I was going to have to talk to him about holding my hand. It did wild things to my heart and made me almost forget that I was trying to be careful.

"Okay then," I said and tried to take back my hand, but just like the last time, he was unyielding.

"We'll take your car. My beta will drive behind us." he pointed toward his car, with his beta behind us, and I nodded, "

"what will he do, however, while we eat?"

"How thoughtful. He'll eat as well. He has a date."

"Will they join us?"

"Do you want them to?"

I looked at him as he opened the door, "no. " I said, and stretched out the keys to him with a wide smile, while he looked confused, "I want time with you too. And you're driving."

"passenger princess?" he asked as I went over to the passenger side."

"passenger princess." I agreed and opened up the door,

We did have a light dinner, but it was full of conversation and I found myself smiling even when I didn't want to. Alpha Jean was quite the charmer,

"so, tell me about this project of yours. What inspired you?"

"million dollar question." and I had to think for a moment, "I am the Alpha king's daughter. Everything I have has been given to me without me having to struggle for it. I barely even had to do too much to get this job at my company. But I'm also aware that there are people that aren't as entitled as I am. For one reason or the other, there are people who aren't in school either because they have no one to fund it, or because they have no one to guide them on the right path. All of this is simply breeding truancy in the society. I have made it my life's ambition to curb such levels of truancy and help the poor of my people who have no one to help them. "

His eyes stayed on me while I spoke, and I had never felt so seen in my life. And with him, I didn't feel like I had to hide.

"I think that's really inspiring, and I like that for you. Those kids are really blessed to have you."

My smile came easily, "thank you." I said and looked over at Jean's beta and his date,

"They are having such a good time. So if you are ready to go, I don't think they will miss us."

"Are you ready to go through?"

"no. But I said I wouldn't keep you. I'm a man of my word." he said, and began to rise, his hand outstretched. I was getting so used to having my hand in his, and it was a really nice feeling.

"I'll take you home," he said, and opened up the passenger door when we got to my car,

"of course you will," I said, smiling up at him,

"you aren't going to get in?" he asked,

"a moment." I said, rising on my tip-toe to kiss his cheek."

"you're allowed to take another moment," he said, and I laughed,

"Maybe next time," I replied as I got into the car. This time, he took his own moment, before finally closing the door.

As he started the car, and drove me home, I couldn't help but feel happy. He felt steady and strong, and for some reason, so did I.