Author's Warning: the ending of this chapter is more than slightly gory. If blood makes you squeamish, let someone know in the comments and they can fill you in on what you've missed.

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The next two days went by slowly.

This was in part because I spent them locked away in our bedroom, much too wary of leaving and going anywhere else in the castle. I couldn't shake the feeling of someone watching when I stepped out of the room.

I didn't tell Adam this, but how could I?

Our time spent together was precious and sweet. My paranoia would have ruined this. Adam already saw me as over-anxious and informing him that I had an eerie feeling about the castle without any proof of something going on wouldn't help this.

I had brought a few books from Xavier's library that I read during that time.

Often, I would be turning a page in one of the books and catch a glimpse of my ring and become unable of focusing on anything else for a while.

However, something Adam said when he proposed was on replay in my mind: "I know it hasn't been one hundred days yet..."

One part of me couldn't stop thinking about how fast everything was moving.

Two months previous to that, if someone had asked me what I thought about a couple getting engaged after knowing each other for a year, I would have said they were crazy.

I had barely known Adam for a month—not to mention, I hated him for the first week—and now we were engaged.

Was I rushing it?

I knew we were mates... this was destined to happen. But, I couldn't help the thought.

However, the other part of me would've gotten married to him the next day. Forget the dress, the reception, and the preacher... I would've eloped in a courthouse if he had asked me to.

I wanted him so badly.

The thought of finally consummating my relationship with him made my heart palpitate. We had come so close many times, but each time we neared the threshold, I would hear my fourteen-year-old self making a promise to remain a virgin until my wedding night.

When Adam came into the room on our final night in Germany, I had every intention to talk to him about it.

However, when he walked into the room angry, all thoughts of this disappeared.

"What's wrong?" I asked him, putting my book down.

He took a deep breath and took off his jacket.

"Diedrick's being a pain in my ass," he growled.

"Why?"

He sat down next to me on the couch and grabbed my leg to pull me closer to him. Placing my feet in his lap, he sighed.

"He doesn't want to stay here like I had originally planned for him to. He wants to come back to Canada, to stay there."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing.

I noticed Adam's jaw clench as I waited for his response, although one never came.

"You can tell me," I prodded.

He turned to look at me.

"I don't want any man you find attractive, who also finds you attractive, living in my house."

My face paled.

I pulled my feet from his lap and crossed them as I sat up straighter.

"What are you implying?" I asked him. "That I would cheat on you?"

He began to speak but I interrupted him.

"I think Jace and Tyler are handsome... are you going to kick them out too?"

Again I spoke over him as he tried to answer me.

"Just because I think Diedrick is handsome, doesn't mean I would leave the man I love for him."

I gulped as I realized what I had said. Noticing Adam's eyes widen, I got up from the couch and began to walk away in embarrassment.

"Evelyn!" Adam said, standing up as well. "Would you please let me explain?"

I turned to look at him, crossing my arms across my chest.

"I love you too," he said, "and it's not you I don't trust, it's him. He's already tried to make a move on you. He continually asks about you, day after day, as if he doesn't think I'll catch on. What do you think would happen after he moves into the castle? Do you honestly think it would all stop?"

I took a shaky breath.

"Do what you think is best," I said. "But, you need to realize that, despite your possessiveness, he is an effective leader and he knows how to do this job well. Keeping him here would hinder so much more than it's worth."

"You want him to come back with us, don't you?" He asked me with eyes full of sadness.

I shook my head.

"I want what is best for this pack and leaving him here would not be the best thing for this pack," I said firmly.

Adam ran his hand along his jaw in frustration.

I began to walk over to him slowly and, when I reached him, placed my hands on his chest and gently urged him to sit down on the couch. I sat down on his lap, straddling him, and I took his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

"You've got to believe me when I say that I will never welcome that mans advances towards me, nor will I ever think he could give me half of what you do," I said earnestly.

I saw Adam's face soften.

"It's not you I don't trust," he repeated.

I sighed, leaning down to rest my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. With my ear pressed against his chest, I listened to the rhythmic sound of Adam's heart beating.

We remained like that for a few moments before I sat up and kissed his lips gently. When I pulled away, I saw the longing in his eyes and I smiled.

I stood up and Adam took my left hand in both of his and kissed it.

It was then that I realized I had done nothing worth while in my entire life to deserve the man sitting in front of me.

He deserved a woman who could affirm him physically, a role I looked forward to filling the night of our wedding, but one I wished I could've filled then.

I couldn't wait to be Luna, to show him I was strong enough to lead alongside him.

Adam was more of a man than anyone I had ever met, Diedrick included. He was smart and I needed to trust him.

"If you think Diedrick needs to stay here, then make him," I said. "You're the Alpha. It's your call, he doesn't get to make that decision."

Adam smiled and stood up in front of me, his arms wrapping around my waist.

"He has to come back with us at least for a week to finish meeting with my cabinet and other officials. But believe me, if he stays a minute longer than he has to, I'll kick his ass across the ocean myself if that's what it take for him to leave."

I smiled as he leaned down to kiss me.

A knock sounded at the door and I giggled at the frustrated look that immediately swept across Adam's face.

I pulled his arms away from me and turned to answer the door.

My eyes widened as I opened it to see Diedrick standing there.

"Um, hi," I said awkwardly.

He nodded politely.

"I came to see if you would join me for dinner," he said, looking at me. "Adam as well, of course," he added.

I gulped as I turned and saw Adam's jaw clench.

"I think we'll just have dinner brought up here, thanks," I said.

"I insist. It's your last night in Germany," Diedrick said. "Besides, we've yet to celebrate your engagement."

The way he was only looking at me, not once glancing at Adam, affirmed everything that Adam had told me.

"We got your sympathy flowers," Adam said, walking up behind me.

Diedrick laughed awkwardly.

"I didn't send flowers," he said.

My fake smile fell and I felt Adam go stiff behind me.

"Wait, you didn't?" I asked him.

He shook his head.

The realization that he most likely wasn't lying and hadn't been the one to send the flowers made my stomach drop.

"So..." Diedrick said. "Shall we eat?"

I turned to look at Adam and saw him glaring at Diedrick.

"We'll take our dinner here," he said firmly.

Diedrick shrugged, not affected by Adam's harsh tone.

"Suit yourself," he said.

He turned his attention to me.

"Have a lovely evening."

Adam reached behind me and shut the door. When I turned to look at him, I caught a glimpse of the fleeting look of rage on his face.

"Like I said, it's not you I don't trust."

I sighed and walked around Adam.

"I'm starving," I said, changing subjects. "Do you think we could go ahead and eat?"

He nodded and called for dinner to be brought up.

After eating, we both showered and laid together in bed.

I traced the outline of the muscles on his bare back with my index finger as I told him about Liu and Jace as well as Vega and Nwabueze.

He didn't seem in the slightest bit interested to hear about anyone else's romantic exploits, but laid there listening regardless.

I found him dozing off and I tried not to laugh as I continued to trace circles lightly around his shoulders as he fell asleep.

Soon after, I became sleepy myself and fell asleep with my arm still resting on his back.

- - -

Waking up with a dagger pointed at your throat is just as terrifying as one would think.

When I felt the cold metal pressed against my neck, my eyes immediately opened to see the glint of the dagger in the moonlight.

I froze, unsure of what to do.

My eyes adjusted quickly and I was able to make out the person whose hand was holding the weapon.

Barret Schneider.

My eyes widened as he slowly put one a finger over his lips as a gesture for me not to speak.

I felt my heart began to beat quickly and I tried my hardest to control my rapid breathing.

At some point in the night, Adam and I had ended up changing positions; Adam was now behind me, one arm around my waist, the other under my pillow.

I gulped as Barret reached out and pulled back the covers slowly, gesturing for me to get up.

With the dagger still lingering dangerously near my throat, I had no choice but to slowly remove Adam's arm from around my waist.

His strong grip made this near impossible, but I managed to slide out from under his arm and get off the bed slowly.

I prayed silently for him to wake up, but his breathing was still a heavy, peaceful rhythm.

As soon as my feet touched the floor, Barret grabbed my arm and pulled me into him violently.

I gasped and immediately regretted it as he pressed the dagger into my skin. It wasn't enough to draw blood, but I knew if I made any sudden moves he wouldn't hesitate to press it further.

"What do you want?" I whispered, as he began to push me backwards out of the bedroom.

I briefly glanced over to Adam, who was still unmoving in the bed.

Wake up! I internally screamed at him. Please!

Barret saw this and turned me around so he could face me and keep an eye on Adam as well.

"My father killed himself this morning," he hissed.

I stiffened as he pressed the dagger into my throat further in anger. I was scared to even gulp.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, trying to sound sincere.

"I was supposed to be Alpha one day. Europe was going to be mine. Now my father is dead, my land is gone, and my only brother has betrayed me for a title," he spat angrily.

I could see the tears welling up in his eyes as he spoke.

"That man," he said quietly, gesturing towards Adam, "took everything from me."

My heart began to race faster as I realized where this was leading.

"I've been watching you," he admitted, giving me his attention. "I've wanted to do this since you got here, even before my father died. I was going to today when I received news of his death, but you never left the room."

So someone had been watching me...

I felt my hands begin to shake as I took in a huge gulp of air after realizing I was holding my breath.

"But then I realized something," he continued, "I wanted him to see you. I realized that I wanted the last memory he has of you to be a bloody one that he'll never forget."

I felt my stomach squeeze at the thought and I had to make myself concentrate so I didn't throw up.

I could barely stand on my own to feet as the nausea hit me.

"He took everything from me," he said, gritting his teeth as a tear fell from one eye. "Now, I'm going to make him watch as I take everything from him."

I nearly screamed as Barret kicked over a vase of roses that sat on the coffee table. I knew the sound of the glass shattering would wake Adam, which was exactly what Barret wanted.

I screamed as he grabbed me violently and pulled me into his chest.

He turned around to face Adam.

We both froze as we noticed at the empty bed.

Barret's hand was shaking as he pressed the dagger against my neck.

I drew in a sharp breath and got up on my tiptoes to try and alleviate some of the pressure.

"I'll kill her before you can get to me," Barret warned, twisting my arm behind my back.

I winced as I looked around and tried to find where Adam had gone.

I held my breath as the room became enveloped in silence.

A few seconds went by that felt like eternity and Barret began to count down.

"Three."

I gulped. My hands were shaking.

"Two."

The blood drained from my face. I struggled to catch my breath.

"One," Adam finished.

I recognized his voice as I heard it behind us.

Barret barely had time to scream before Adam got ahold of him.

Hearing a sickening crack and feeling Barret's arms go limp, I hurled myself away from him onto the floor, the dagger clattering against the ground as well.

I turned around to see Barret sink to his knees and fall to the ground.

Adam stood over him holding Barret's spine in his hand as Barret fell on his face, dead.

Blood soaked Adam's hand and forearm as he dropped the collection of vertebrae and nerves onto the ground.

I nearly vomited at the grotesque sight.

The air returned to my lungs suddenly and I found myself doubled over on my hands and knees as I gasped for air.

My body was shaking violently as I began to sob, tears dripping from my eyes onto the carpet.

I felt Adam pick me up off the ground.

I could barely hear him asking me if I was hurt over the ringing in my ears. All I could do was cry.

My body was limp in his arms as he wrapped them around me and carried me into the bathroom and turned the light on.

Adam sat me down on the countertop as I tried to catch my breath in between sobs. He brushed my hair away from my neck as he inspected it to make sure I hadn't been cut. He briefly glanced over the rest of my body before pulling me into his chest and sighing in relief.

I pushed him away as I smelt the foul, coppery stench of Barret's blood.

I fell from the counter and crouched in front of the toilet, throwing up as I realized I was covered in it as well.

Adam held my hair back and tried to comfort me as I emptied my stomach.

A few minutes went by and I could still taste the bile in my throat, but was unable to throw up any longer.

He pulled me from the ground and sat me down on the floor of the shower, turning on the water.

I flinched as I felt the cold water against my skin, but was relieved when I realized it had begun to rinse away the blood.

I took off Adam's stained t-shirt and stood up to grab the soap.

Adam stepped into the stream of water and scrubbed at his arms and chest to wash away Barret's blood.

After the blood had finally been washed off us both, I sat back down on the ground.

Adam sat down next to me as I glanced at my hands and saw they were still shaking.

He reached his arm around me and pulled me into him, letting me rest my head against his chest.

The water turned hot, but neither of us moved.

I knew that in the bedroom outside of the bathroom where we sat was a disfigured, lifeless body.

Barret was dead and, if it weren't for Adam, I would have been too.

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