"The real lover is the man who can thrill you by kissing your forehead or smiling into your eyes or just staring into space." – Marilyn Monroe

Alexander POV - yes I know. long overdue  😁

We sat quietly in my office, the sun was starting to set, it was the only time she would meet with us. Waiting for Maxine has proven to drive me absolutely insane. She has no concept of time, it's always surprising when she shows up in time when we really need her. She has become an arrogant piece of work, always looking to cause trouble between mates.

The palace was quite like everyone was mourning the lost pup, but I needed to hold onto that little hope, for her. It's also the closest building we have to the hospital, which at the time is where we are waiting for Maxine. 

Testing my patience is one of her newly found hobbies.

'This is going to be shit. You know it.' Zane said pacing in my head. 'You can't keep ignoring the question, or the truth Alexander. Own up to it.'

'I know. Now shut up!' 

'When are you going to tell her?' he asked, pacing. He seemed agitated, restless even.

'No time, like the present. Now stop pacing. You're giving me a headache!' 

I stared at her, she kept her hands placed on her stomach the entire time, like she thought that taking them away would do some kind of harm. She looked beautiful, she always looked so darn beautiful. Puffy cried eyes or not, she is gorgeous. 

I could feel the smirk on my face as I drank her in. She lifted her head and gave me a slight smile, her hazel eyes still red from all the crying and pain.

Goddess, please forgive me...

"Love," I said, she looked at me with curiosity. "I want to tell you about, Maxine."

She raised her eyebrows at me and nodded her dead. I stood up and sat on the ground before her placing my hands gently on her legs'. 

"Maxine, she is, our pack witch, but..." I felt the words become bitter in my mouth before I even said it. "We were also very close once." 

"What do you mean by very close?" her face fell and I knew she would put it together. 

"S- she was the first woman I ever... l... oved." The word came out of my mouth in a slow stutter. 

"Maxine and I were about 13 years old when we first met, she was just unbound from her circle and I was trying to put the pack together. We made a pact, we would always stick together and protect one another. We became best friends, and fell in love, by the time I was 16 the relationship turned into one of sex and as toxic as you could imagine. We used each other in ways that were not right, nor healthy. We both agreed to end it, she placed a spell on us, to remove the feelings we had for one another. It was the only way we could part ways and stay friends. The spell was broken two years before Lily was born. The feelings were gone from my side, and we stayed friends." 

The memories of my life then were not something I was proud of, but it was needed, to save this pack. It was needed to once again restore what my father had done. Life was hard, but now, having her, it was worth it.  I honestly can't believe that I ever fell for Maxine, I guess it's because, at the time, I thought I knew what love was. Which I didn't.

I sure as hell would go through it again, for her.

"Do you still love her?" She asks, her eyes were flooding with emotion, but not a single tear fell.

"I feel nothing for her, Monica. For a long time, I only had her. I thought I knew what love was, I did not. I only knew what lust was." I said, in all honesty. Maxine was good at that though... making you lust after her. Goddess the damage she has caused between mates among our kind is shocking. The only reason she is still here, well because we need her... abilities, the magical kind. 

"But, you won't know, you were made to forget that love. How would you know, if you would today, still love her or not? You loved her, without the mate bond." She said a stray tear fell from her left eye.

"Yes, I did, without the mate bond, but I love you. Not her, but I- "

"You love me, because of the mate bond," she whispered, cutting me off. "It's not the same, you were forced to forget the feelings you had for someone."

"Look at me- " I cupped her face. "I would love you, with or without this fucken mate bond."

"Would you? It was hard in the beginning remember?" 

Goddess, what have I done?

'You were a dick? Remember?' Zane decided to once again join the conversation.

'Fuckoff!'

I would not have called Maxine here, or tell her anything if I didn't feel like it was needed. Sooner or later she would have found out. 

I turned my attention back to her, before I could say anything the door opened. Maxine walked into the room. Graceful with her timing, as ever.

***

Monica POV

She was... is gorgeous. I could easily see why Alexander love, loved her. She did not need a mate bond to grow close to him. It was there, it blossomed on its own, their love.

Her light brown hair and bright green eyes were enough to make any woman on this planet jealous. Her body was built like that of someone straight out of a modeling book. Her skin was a shade darker than mine and her smile was enough to brighten the galaxy.

'No wonder he loves her.' Ella snapped in my head. 

'I know, I can't compare to a fucken FHM model okay!' I said back to her, clenching my teeth.

"You don't need to." He said to me and I'm sure my face looked like some sort of squashed vegetable. I forgot, he can feel my emotions.

'We need to learn how to control that.' Ella once again proclaimed.

"Alexander! Darling." She squealed, jumping into his arms and if that was not bad enough, she kissed him, on his fucken lips and he just stood there. He almost looked as shocked as me, his eyes almost flew out of their sockets.

Conceal, don't feel.

'Just fucken kill her now, bury the body by the lake!' Ella growled at me. 

I was about to say something when Bella, Cole, and William came into the room. Catching a glimpse of Maxine still in Alexander's arms.

"I would have slit your throat a long time ago!" Bella said, growling at Maxine.

Great... someone is in my corner, thank the goddess.

"You should be on bedrest Bella." I decided to just take the focus away from the current situation, which by the way did not bother Alexander at all. He still held onto Maxine, like it was normal or something, or was he still in shock?

"The Dr. cleared me. I'm fine, the baby is fine," she said, smiling. Her smile was enough to make any day better.

"I'm so glad," I said, standing from the chair, my legs' still felt wobbly, but I ignored it. I won't look weak in front of Miss. FHM here.

"So, how are you doing?" William cut into the conversation.

hmm... I knew exactly what I wanted to say. If Alexander has any brains, he would catch my drift.

"Well, William," I said, walking towards the door. I turned around to face them all. None of them seemed to care that I was standing in the door. "I remember, not long ago, someone told me, I should take, caution when it comes to love. I did, but I forgot."

I closed the door behind me, leaving them all in the office, all I needed was some space. This felt like Mitch all over again, I was just too deep in, this time.

How could I not have known? It felt like I was being punished by the moon goddess, for what I did not know.  

Maybe I'm just too emotional? Jealous? Let's just blame it on hormones then... 

'Just get back in there and kill that fucken WITCH!!' Ella growled, scratching in my mind.

I had no more tears to cry. I've just had enough. I keep hitting my head, putting my heart into the fire. If he didn't love her, why the hell did he hold onto her, with me in there? 

Was there more between them than he told me? Is this some sort of game? Was he tired of me?

My back fell to the front door of the palace. I just couldn't take another step, my heart was clenching within me. I had enough, I just want this all, this pain to end. 

"Why did you walk away." his voice sends shivers down my spine. Darn mate bond.

"You were occupied, by your lover," I said coldly.

My legs' were lifted from the ground and found their way around his back.

"You are my only lover, the only woman I ever want," he said, his eyes fixed on me.

"Why?" 

"Your my mate, my best friend, my lover, my world, and entire existence." he cupped my face, as I held onto his neck. 

"No, why did she hang onto you, why did you just stand there. Allowing her to hurt me." I choked out.

"Maxine is like that, she wanted to test your patience. Test you." 

"You didn't even mind, her touching you," I said, I could feel my eyes glow as Ella tried to take over. 

"I was as surprised as you, love," he said, taking a stray hair from my face. "Mate bond or not, Monica. I love you, I always will. With or without it."

My lips slammed against his, kissing him. Wildly, passionately and pouring all my emotion into it. Our lips parted and he had the biggest smirk on his face.

"Shall we take this upstairs?" he said, I could feel his member, proudly poking me. "This is all you, you're the only woman who has this effect on me," he whispered in my ear.  I just nodded and he continued kissing my neck, sucking my mark to its very core. 

The bedroom door shut with a loud slam, Alexander locked the door, with me still in his arms. 

'This room better be soundproof' Ella said, purring once again. 

'Please don't go all primal on us again, Ella. Please.' I said back. 

Should I beg her? Uh, maybe.

'If you have an itch, he takes care of it. It's only fair that Zane and I get the same opportunities.' 

'Ella! You are something else!' I snapped at her.

Alexander placed me on the bed, he backed away from me, his eyes drinking me in slowly. "Are you sure about this?" he asks, ever the gentleman.  His blue eyes glowed brighter than they have in the past week.

"I..." I tried to speak, my voice was low and sounded like I had some kind of flue. I felt the fire under my skin like the moon was lighting up within me. Begging to be seen. 

"I, need you," I whispered.

Hello, my readers! I am over the moon today! BUT I ALSO NEED YOUR HELP. Please tell me... do you want the steamy scene in the next chapter? hmmm? Let me know by commenting here.  

Dedicated to the awesome people who keep me inspired.   Crownsangel67    awakened_dreams   F3th3rA   JustJayoo   hafsaatif22   angstyherondale612   Bellybubs236   Fruityelephant101   liasteashop  and  Tinamachitis   

Thank you, for everything. BTW readers go check out their profiles and I'm sure your find books you'll also LOVE!

Anyhow. the reason I'm over the moon??  We have reached 4039 reads!! and YES I am crying.  I don't know how I can ever thank you for making this little dream of mine a reality. I've never been so proud and thankful and really ecstatic in my life.

Thank you for helping me achieve those goals, I love you all

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