"This isn't what I think it is, is it?" She questioned. Fear apparent in her eyes as she looked at Maksim. He nodded his answer and her lower lip quivered.

"We will be alright." He tried to reassure her.

"Are you kidding me?" She responded and he can already see her becoming hysterical. His mate was going to freak out right in front of him. "How does this even work?"

He scratched at his temple. "I'm not so sure. I don't recall anything on this."

The elders have always instructed him to pay close attention, because he never knew when he will need the information they give him. He never paid any attention to it until now. He realized just how right they were. He wished he had paid extra attention on heat.

Octavia took a few steps away from him, but he felt this panic fall over him and he quickly stood up and followed her. She turned around and her face met with his chest. He gave her an apologetic look as she looked at him, surprised to see him so close.

"The only thing I can gather from my studies is that this happens to mates who haven't appeased their wolf in some kind of way." Maksim started.

"So, you are saying that my wolf is punishing me for not sleeping around?" She retorted and Maksim growled, not liking the idea of her sleeping around. His senses were heightened; his possessiveness and protectiveness were maxed out. There was no time for her to tease him with that question. He could kill the imaginary men she could've slept with.

She exhaled sharply. "I don't know how to do this. I'm feeling all these emotions. It is so hard to think. I want to jump you and mark you. There is this need to just lock you in a room with me and not allow anyone to see you."

He shrugged because honestly, he didn't mind that idea at all. She must've read what he was thinking because she covered her face with her palms to stifle the sound of frustration. Smoothly, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her along with him down to a chair. She sat in his lap with her face riddled with stress. He was surprised she didn't attempt to move away the moment he touched her. Maksim can't deny that it felt nice and she smelled addicting. His nose trailed her shoulder to her neck as he inhaled in big deep breaths. It was a little crazy and must look a little weird, but just smelling her was enough to turn him on.

She gave a little breathless moan and moved closer to him. He tightened his arms around her as he licked her neck. She tasted delicious and he could feel his canines elongating.

"Maksim, we have to pay attention. Stop succumb-" Her voice hitched as he hit a sensitive spot behind her ear. "S-succumbing to our wolf's n-need."

"Does it really matter? We are mates, Octavia." He whispered huskily against her and nipped her earlobe. She shuddered against him.

"Maksim, please." She was fighting so hard. He could see it and he wanted to please her in every way he can. Goddess, he was like a dog that would do anything, just for a small taste of what he craved for. The analogy is ironic, but this was exactly how he felt. If she told him to roll over, he would surely do it.

He knew his mind wasn't there a hundred percent and his animalistic instincts were fully present. Maksim wasn't his normal self. He was intoxicated with his mate's nearness. It was thrilling to him and his wolf. Excitement pulsed through his veins.

Stop.

He has to stop.

"Fvck!" He snarled and pushed her away from him. She stood up as he pushed away. She was breathing heavily, just like him. Her eyes were dark pools of chocolate fondue that he can swim in all day.

Maksim was breathing hard for control. It took everything in him to push her away. He knew this wasn't the way they should do things. He also knew that Octavia will be seriously upset with him if they did.

Damn the heat, damn their wolves.

Such perfect timing.

He turned away from her and gripped the table so hard that it cracked under the pressure. It was either that, or grab her back into his arms where he really wanted her to be.

"We will just have to try to fight it off. Heat comes in waves." Maksim managed to speak out as he breathed heavily.

"How long?" She asked and he felt her body stick onto his back.

He closed his eyes tightly because he knew that her wolf was not in control, but they crave the closeness of their mates. Her hands wrapped around his waist and then continued to run up and down his chest to his abdomen. He groaned and his head fell back a little as she placed a soft kiss on the base of his neck.

"Octavia." He warned.

She must've realized what she was doing and took a step back. "I can't control it."

"Fight it, мой Котёнок (My kitten)." He ordered her as he turned around to face her.

She blinked and he could see the struggle she was having. Her eyes flickering between her normal eye color and her wolf's. His shoulders were shaking. She stood before him and his eyes were darting all over her body -- taking in the sweat dripping down her chest and in between the valley of her breasts.

"Y-you said that it comes in waves." She said uneasily. He nodded and watched her walk to the other side of the room with her back up against the wall. His heart twisted in his chest and his gut clenched, but it wasn't that painful.

"How long does it last? What should I expect?" She questioned him.

He racked through his brain, sorting for any coherent thoughts, for a response to Octavia's questions. Biting his lips, to stop his body from inching towards his mate, he got up and moved to behind the desk to give them some more distance. Reluctantly, he sat down in his chair to distract him.

"A few hours, maybe and it will increase in waves as we prolong the waiting process." He said.

"Will it ever stop?" She asked and he saw concern fill her expression.

He didn't know how to answer her and it didn't help that all he wanted to do was soothe her worries with kisses all over her beautiful angelic face – wait, what? He shook his head to clear his mind.

"I don't know." He responded with a sullen face.

"What do you mean?" She growled and pounded the wall with her tiny little fist. She was frustrated and he was gripping the chair like his life depended on it, sweat beaded down his body. His shirt clung to his body.

Just like that, the door whipped open and his sister walked in. Natalya looked between them and arched an eyebrow. Natalya and him are almost mirror images of each other, but she was a lot shorter and had thick black hair, like their mother. Her eyes were the shade of his mother's eyes - violet.

"You two look tense." She broke the strong air before sniffing the air and her eyebrow arched even higher.

"I smell heat." Her lips curved into a smile as she walked over to Octavia.

"You must be my dear brother's mate. My name is Natalya, the only sister of what belongs to you." Octavia smiled weakly and moved to shake Natalya's hand.

Her eyes darted back to Maksim and she said raspily, "She's pretty."

Natalya chuckled. "Well, thank you. You are beautiful too."

She made herself comfortable in the chair in between them and picked up a pencil from the desk and pointed it at Maksim.

"Mom says hi and dad says hurry your ass back home because he doesn't want to do the job he handed to you to do." Maksim clenched his teeth. Leave it to his sister to interrupt and piss him off, all at the same time. She grinned and her eyes twinkled.

"So, how come you two aren't jumping each other like horn dogs?" She asked.

Maksim snarled and slammed his fist on the smooth surface of the expensive wooden desk. "Nat!"

She rose up her hands in surrender. "I'm kidding."

She adjusted her position and a serious expression replaced her teasing. "But seriously, Maksim, you know this can't be avoided."

"I know." He gritted out.

"Are you two going to let it happen?" She asked and turned to face Octavia. Maksim looked up at his mate, who looked at him. He knew her answer already. Natalya nodded and then shrugged.

"Well, you are in luck." She said before standing up to walk over to his mate. "Unlike my brother, I actually paid attention during instruction time."

"Can we stop it?" Octavia asked her voice hoarse and deep. Maksim's body reacted immediately and he closed his eyes tightly to calm his wolf.

Natalya chuckled. "No, babe. We cannot stop nature. We can only try to slow the process."

"What do you have in mind?" Octavia asked.

"A natural herbal remedy that can be taken to help calm your wolves." She offered. "Although, I must warn you, the downside of taking this natural remedy - it weakens the mate bond."

Maksim shook his head immediately. "No."

Octavia looked desperate. "Maksim, we can't. Not now. It has to be done."

"Octavia, I will not-"

"Our bond will still be there? It will just be weakened?" Octavia turned to Natalya as she could already see where Maksim was going with this. Natalya nodded and then spoke up.

"It also means that Maksim, as an Alpha, will be affected by this greatly. His wolf's strength will be weakened. His power as an Alpha will not be at its full potential and-"

"The pack could be in danger." Octavia finished Natalya's thoughts. His sister nodded her response to Octavia's confirmation.

It was Octavia's turn to shake her head. "That won't work."

Natalya shrugged. "We can try in low doses."

"Maksim needs his wolf." Octavia snarled. Her emotions haywire from all the stress and frustration she was feeling.

"What other options do we have?" Maksim asked. Natalya pondered it for a moment. Her violet colored eyes were distant as she mulled over the question.

"You two will have to fight the attraction as much as you can when it hits you, but again, we can't fight nature, Maksim. The truth behind all this is that your bond and wolves were deprived for a very long time. They yearn and long for their other half." Natalya warned.

Maksim knew she was right. They can try to fight it, but it will only get worse. He looked up at Octavia, who was already looking at him.

"We fight it until we can't anymore." Maksim said. She nodded her agreement. He sighed slowly and ran his fingers through his dark tresses.

"I just don't see why you two won't complete the bond." Natalya shrugged. "It is as logical as math. There is only one answer."

"Life is complicated, Nat." Maksim answered her. His eyes moving back to his sister's and they softened a little.

"Thank you for coming here."

"Well, you can add this to your list of I.O.U.'s." She waved her hand in the air casually. He frowned and shook his head.

"I don't owe you anything."

She smirked. "I know. I just like to complicate your life even more."

"So, we stay together?" Octavia asked.

"Yep, distance will only cause you two pain, but hey, look on the bright side, at least now you two are inseparable and will have time to get to know each other more."Natalya offered, her eyes lighting up.

"That reminds me, I need to call mom." Maksim watched his sister get up from her chair and pick up his phone to dial. He walked over to Octavia and ran the back of his hand down her check. The tingles were a lot more heightened and they both closed their eyes in relief.

"We can do this." Octavia said. He laughed shakily.

"I hope so, мой Котёнок (My kitten). I will fight this as much as I can for you and I say this because personally, I wouldn't mind marking you and making you mine officially."

His hand moved to trace her lips. Her tongue darted out to lick her lips, but got his finger. He bit his lips at the sexual storm that was raging inside of him. Silently, Maksim knew he would do anything to keep her happy, but at the same time, he wasn't sure how long he could fight this. His mate was delectable, standing in front of him and images of her naked underneath him were already being pushed through his mind.

"I think it is time you introduce me to my pack, big brother." Natalya chimed in after she finished her phone call. Maksim looked away from Octavia to his sister.

"I don't think that will be a good idea. My wolf is on edge. I don't want to kill any male members. I will have Antonia introduce you." He stated. He didn't want anyone looking at her.

This was not the right time for him to introduce his sister, but he knew that it has to be done right away. Natalya seemed to remember and nodded.

"Alright, fine. Удачи (Good luck)." Natalya skipped her way out of the office, leaving them alone again.

Octavia looked up at him. "We should stay with each other until the first wave is over."

"And what if it lasts until tomorrow morning?" He asked.

"Then you can come sleep at the cottage with me again, like last night." She answered.

"I don't think that is a good idea, мой Котёнок. You have five pups living under your roof and the last time, two of them told your parents-"

"Oh, alright! I will let ma know what the situation is and ask her to keep the pups at her place until we are in the clear."