JAXON POV

I felt really bad. Her story was like a knife twisting in my heart because I could feel the hurt in her heart when she told me all about it last night.

She was at work and I was in my apartment. Trying to come up with a way to cheer her up.
I said"We should do something for her." Tanner asked"Like what?"

"A picnic?"

"I like that."

"Picnic on the beach?"

"No, we don't want mate in a bikini in front of horny men."

Tanner tend to be possessive more than me sometimes but he isn't wrong.

I agreed "You're right. Park?"

"I like that actually."

My phone started ringing and I took it out from my back pocket and looked at the call ID. It said 'Claude'. I groaned "This is the 14th time he called me today. He must be trying to tell me his new scheme to get me back home. And I won't fall for it." Tanner said"Just turn off your phone."

He was right. I need a peaceful night with my mate and away from Claude's drama. I turned off my phone and walked out the apartment for some grocery for the picnic.

X

"Where are we going, Jaxon?" She asked with curiosity in her eyes.

As soon as she came home, I made her change her clothes and took her out without telling her anything. We were driving for almost 20 minutes, until I parked the car near a park. It was quiet and it was night time. Best time when kids aren't around.

She asked again "What are we doing at a kids park?" I smiled "I just wanted us to hang out together." She rolled her eyes with a smile "We hangout every day, Jaxon."

"Well, we haven't had a picnic yet."

I got out from the car and grabbed the wicker basket from the backseat. I was thankful that she didn't noticed the basket before. I grabbed her hand as she closed the car door and we walked to the swings. I set up a blue and white checkered blanket on the green grass and she sat on it as I took out the dinner I prepared for us.

Nothing fancy though.

I took out ham and cheese sandwiches, grapes, chocolate covered strawberries on the blanket. Also lit up pretty bright lanterns on the ground because I wanted that romantic atmosphere with her. It was nice out. The weather was chilly.

She smiled at me and asked"Why a sudden picnic?" I smiled back"I always wanted a picnic with my mate. That's you. So why not?" She said"This is amazing. No one has done anything like this for me. Thank you."
I pecked her cheek and wrapped her in my leather jacket because her face was cold. But my smile disappeared as I smelled the air. I knew my vision was red because I was angry. She asked"Are you okay?" I looked past her and growled as I saw two black cars parked near the road.

What the fuck does he want?

I got up quick and she did as well, pulling her behind me because I wanted her safe and protected. You can never trust wolves when it comes to humans. My canines and claws grew as Tanner asked "Oh, I would love to tear him apart. Get ready to shift."

"Always"

My ears were twitchy as I heard every single sound. Specially the sound of her heart beating too fast. The only thing kept me from shifting fully was her hand grabbing the hem of my shirt.

CAROLINE POV

Three men came out from the black SUV. Their posture like they were soldiers. They even walked like one. They couldn't be more then 6'4. Their body strong build. They walked in sync towards us.

I didn't know what was going on and I was freaking out inside a little.

I looked back at Jaxon and he was half a wolf. He stared at those men like he knew them but at the same time he was angry at them.
The three of them kneeled on the grass with their head bowed and said in sync "Alpha prince." Jaxon looked at them in anger. He kept pushing me behind him as in he was trying to hide me.

From a distance I saw another male walking towards us. He was in age. A little older then the rest. His appearance spoke dominance and confidence but not more than Jaxons. He kneeled like the rest of the men but without the head bow and said"My Alpha Prince, we're here to take you home."
Jaxon finally snapped and he snarled at them. I finally digested what he said and said under my breath "Alpha pri... what?" All of their head snapped to my direction, their eyes glowing and the same man who called Jaxon alpha prince said with a smile"Luna." But that smile fell when he smelled the air and again said "A human?" Jaxon growled in warning and the man bowed his head apologizing"I'm sorry, my prince."

I was so confused about everything but I stood quiet. Jaxons eyes were red. He asked slowly with his gritted teeth"What are you doing here, Claude?" He replied"Alpha Prince, the Luna Queen is sick. And she keeps asking for her son."
Jaxon's teeth and nails inserted, his eyes went back to their original brown ones and he asked"What do you mean sick?" I removed my hand from his shirt as the man said "As in she doesn't have much time. Alpha King sent us here to get you."

"Ever hear of a phone, Claude?"

"I tried calling you 14 times, my Prince." Claude looked up at Jaxon and smiled.
Jaxon replied with sass"Well your voice bores me." The men behind him snickered and Claude growled at him which made him scared and he stopped.
Claude again said"Luna wants to meet you. They all want you to come home." Jaxon said with venom in his mouth"Home? The one where my father... or should I say 'Alpha King' told me to leave and made me a rogue?"

"No! It is the Luna's dying wish to see her son one last time."

"My answer is no."

Jaxon took my hand and said to Claude "Tell my father that I'm sorry about mother." and pulled me with him to his car. He opened the door for me and buckled me in with cold expression on his face. Looking past him, I saw all of them staring at me as Jaxon closed the door and walked around to sit in the drivers seat.

Alpha Prince? Parents? Home? Did he lied?

X

I was furious.

I looked at him as he drove and his hands tight around the steering wheel.

His jaw clenched as he finally spoke "I know you're angry. I can smell it." I bursted"You have parents?! You told me that everyone was killed." Without looking, he replied with the most useless answer "In my heart, they are."

"You lied to me Jaxon! You know I hate it when people lie."

His expression went from angry to soft in a matter of minutes when he knew that I was furious at him. He tried to hold my hand that was resting in my lap but I removed it. I didn't want him near me at this moment at all. His wolf whimpered loud. He said"I'm sorry, okay?" I said "I wonder how much truth have you been keeping from me."

"I never lied to you, Caroline. I swear on the Moon Goddess."

I scoffed "Lying to me that your family is dead isn't a lie?! Sometimes you're unbelievable, Jaxon. Unbelievable!" I never got angry but this time I was furious at him.

Once he stopped the car in front of the building, I got out as soon as I could and went inside. I needed time alone. All alone.

I went to the elevator but it was in use. I started climbing up the stairs as fast as I could. Trying to get away from him. As I looked up, he was standing right in front of me on the stairs. I walked past around him without talking to him, but he held my hand and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close to his front. He whispered "Don't be mad at me please." I looked up at him and pushed him and and took steps up to keep my distance from him. I said "If I'm not mad then what do you want me to be? Because I'm certainly not happy, Jaxon!" I sighed as I felt a headache forming "Why did you lie?" But he stayed quiet and looked at me with guilty eyes that worked their magic perfectly on me. I asked again "Were you even going to tell me soon?" Still no answer.

I hated his silence. I finally said "Two days ago, you told me that you wanna make this relationship work. I will not put my effort in a relationship that is based on lies, Jaxon. And I don't think I wanna be with someone that lies to me in the future too." He looked up at me with glazed eyes "Caroline, don't say that." I shook my head "I mean it. I'd rather end us here and now instead of continuing a life with lies. And I'll move out of here without thinking twice when we end it all."

It hurts me to say that to his face but I wasn't lying at all. Yes, I was still insecure with my past and I'm not comparing Jaxon to him, but I can't help it. I can't help it to expect worse from a guy who calls me his soulmate.

He held my hand and said "Caroline, I'll do anything you want. Anything. Just please don't talk about us breaking up, please. I'll answer anything. Just give me a chance to explain it all to you."

Did I wanted to give him a chance to explain? Yes. Was I scared that he would lie again? Yes. Was I terrified that he would come up with a believable lie and make me fall in his trap just to hurt me in the end? Double positive. All these questions made me confused. I didn't know what to do or what to believe.

As if he read my mind he said "If after my explanation, your heart says Im lying, I won't stop you because you do deserve better." I nodded my head as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up the stairs with him.

We went inside the loft and I saw as he wiped his palm on his jeans. I took off his leather jacket and kept it on the couch, right beside where he was sitting.

It looked like he was trying to find a way to explain to me and it was only fair that I should give him some time. I said "I'm upstairs when you're ready to talk, Jaxon." He didn't say anything.
I just climbed up the stairs and changed into comfy shorts and a sleeveless shirt. I didn't want to go downstairs because I wanted to give him some space, so I laid in my bed and starting replying emails on my phone just to get my mind off of things.

After an hour or two, he came up and saw me resting my back against the wall behind me on the bed. He kept his eyes on me, biting the inside of his cheeks. I knew it was hard for him and I knew that I was harsh on him, but didn't I deserved the truth too?

But I did feel like hypocrite for not completely being honest with him about my past too.

I removed the blanket from the other side without saying anything. He looked at me and then the bed, he laid on the bed placing his head on my stomach and wrapping his arms around me. I sighed as a feeling of content washed over my thoughts and pushed my fingers in his soft black silky hair, which seemed to calm him down.

He looked back up at me "I'm sorry. For lying to you. I've never meant for this to happen." My heart dropped to my stomach as he said that.

How can a person make me feel like this at all?

I placed my palm against his cheek and said honestly "It doesn't matter as long as you don't hold the truth from me." He nodded his head and explained"My father is the Alpha King. Meaning there are about 17 werewolf packs here in Maple Town and he's the king of them all. And my mother is the Luna. Meaning the Queen. Which makes me their heir. The 'prince' as they like to say." He took a deep breath without making eye contact with me like he was afraid "When I turned 17, I was destined to take my fathers place as the new and young Alpha King. But I couldn't because I hadn't found my mate yet. When I turned 18, a war broke. Us against a pack of rogues. Rogue are werewolves that had completely lost their humanity. When I saw our people dying, I didn't know what to do. I saw dozens of pups hiding behind their mothers while the men fought. I couldn't help them anymore. Not when I knew the pups and the mothers were in danger. I hid them in our house as far away from the rogues and the war as I could."

I removed a strand of his dark hair from his eyes, he finally looked at me "After a couple of days, when everything quiet down, when we had won, my father barged in the room where we all were hiding. He saw me with the mothers and the pups and told me I was a coward for not actually fighting beside him and all the men of the pack. And because I didn't help, our men died in cold blood. And I should never be an Alpha. Or anything." He looked back down again, taking my hand in his, linking our fingers together "Never once in my life I called my father 'dad' or my mother 'mom'. It was always either Alpha King or Luna Queen. He believed that if his child won't call him with respect then no one will. And I hated that rule. Forcing a 5 year old child to call his 'daddy' Alpha King was cruel. All my life I was trained to fight but that was the day I didn't fought. That's why my father started hating me because I became a laughing stalk for the men. So I left and I never looked back for almost twelve years."

Was that all? Is that all he was hiding?

He gulped "You must be ashamed thinking that you're a mate of a rogue wolf who didn't fought in the war like a man. And I'd understand."
He looked down in guilt and I couldn't believe it. I held his face "Look at me." He shook his head but I said softly"Jax, look at me." He finally looked at me as he heard me call him by his nickname. His eyes were glossy and a stray tear running down his cheek. I said with pride in my chest "You saved those women and those children. Because of you they were never harmed. Only you. If it hadn't been for you, those rouges would've killed them and left them to die. But you," I smiled "my wolf, saved them. If that isn't something that they should be proud of then I don't know what is." I pulled his face in for a soft kiss as his eyes clenched. He held me back and deepened the kiss.

We pulled apart and I said"I'm not ashamed that you're a rogue. I'm proud that you're one. A wolf by himself. Who knows how to take care of himself. Who hasn't lost his humanity. And who knows how to love."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

He smiled in awe and I said"You should go." Before he could say anything, I cut him off "You will not say no. You should go. If I had a chance to see my adoptive mother before she died, I would. You have to see her, Jax." He knew I wasn't wrong. He nodded and stated"Come with me."

"I can't. You should do this alone."

"Please, Caroline. I'll go insane there. Come with me to keep me sane. Please"

"Jax.."

"Please."

He begged me and I couldn't say no. I didn't say no.

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