"So how is our good friend Marquése doing?"

"Um, he's fine just staying in. He says he has some things to take care of. Whatever that means..."

"Hmm, you don't say?"

Kiara turns her head to look at Khal because of the tone he used and Hailey does the same, taking a sip of her drink.

"What does that mean exactly?"

"Lets just say he hasn't been the easiest person to talk to and what makes it even worst is that he's been under a lot of scrutiny since all hell broke loose."

"What exactly happened? I don't remember all that much."

"Are you sure you want to relive that?"

"Not exactly but I want to know certain things like how he killed my- him."

Everyone turns to look at each other and Kiara frowns not liking their response.

"What happened?" She stressed, using the voice that can only be identified as Luna and Queen.

Khal sighs before speaking up,
"He ripped his throat out, in broad daylight, in wolf form."

"Oh no." Kiara whispers to herself, low enough for them not to hear.

"He changed in the day time, right before everyone's eyes, well except mine. I didn't see it because I wasn't there and I've been trying to keep it hushed but the elders know and they have wanted to talk to him ever since. Only thing is, he's been hold up in the doctors bay all that time and then your room. The only reason they haven't forced him to come in yet is because you were injured and they were respecting that, but now that you're out I don't know what they're going to do."

"Oh no. Khal come with me!"
Kiara shouts behind her as she gets up, dead set on going to find her mate. She couldn't let them judge him for something they knew nothing about.

Khal jogged to catch up with Kiara's fast pace,
"I don't think I'm the best person to go in there with you."

"What? What are you talking about? What I've heard you two have been each other's rock since I've been asleep, what changed now?"

"Yes we were each other's rock, that's until he started pushing everyone away and being an asshole."

"He was scared Khal, you both were and I'm sure that he regrets pushing you away now."

"Yeah whatever, let's just find him before they throw him in the dungeons for not listening to them."

The two set out, scouring the pack for Marquése until they spotted him in the middle of a field on a podium.
Everyone in the pack started to gather around it like they had been notified prior to the event.

Hailey and some others join Khal and Kiara in front the podium before Marquése started speaking.

"People of Pack Vencer, I know a lot of things have happened in the last month or so. Some unexpected and cruel, some seeming to be impossible."

His eyes connect with hers and he signals for Kiara to get up there with him. She agrees, waking up onto the podium and to her mate's side, her rightful place.

"First of all I'm sorry for all the turmoil, we all lost a lot in a senseless war but as you can see, your queen is now here and well."

The crowds erupts and everyone claps, happy that their queen was ok.

"And for the rogues, I know that it is an adjustment in the pack but I'm pleading with you all to give them a chance. Everyone deserves a second chance and as long as they live a violence-free life then I'm sure that we can give it to them."

Surprisingly no one opposed this suggestion and Marquése sighed, knowing exactly what they wanted to hear.

"And now to something that many of you are wondering", Kiara also knew what he was going to say next so she takes his hand into her own, squeezing it in a show of support.

"When I killed Alderman... yes I did shift."

Silence

"It was in the day time and I shifted into my wolf form at will."

Everyone was on edge, the whispers started to spread and the tensions rose as the people wondered how this was possible.

"I know you must be so confused but trust me I am too. I-"

"That's not possible!"

"How do you do it!"

Random people started shouting out questions and Marquése sighs, not liking were this chaotic behavior was going.

"Please everyone just keep calm. I don't know how I do it I just can. I just relax and speak to my wolf and it happens naturally."

"But that's not natural! We can't do that!"

"He was keeping secrets from us!"

"Everyone please calm down!"
The Queen had spoken and once like a rough sea the crowd was now calmed.

"Look I know that this is unusual, believe me when I found out it took me by surprise too."

"If you knew why didn't you tell us!"

"Because of this, I don't want you to be afraid or angered by something just because you don't know what it is yet or exactly how it works.
My mate is special", she turns to smile at him,
"He's special and gifted by the gods. He can do things none of us yet can but you don't have to be afraid because he will never harm you. We are a pack and that means we are family and you have to trust that we will always take care of you. I'm not asking for much but please, give us a chance to show you new things."

Everyone seemed to agree, giving their king and queen a chance. The crowd disperses shortly after, the people now calm and fortified with trust. Their queen had promised them that they were safe and they put their faith in her.

"Hey there."

Marquése smiles down at his perfect, petite mate, extremely grateful for what she just pulled off.

"What would I do without you huh?"

"Oh you couldn't survive."

"Excuse me" someone clears their throat

"Oh, elder."

"I heard what you said Kiara and I hope that it is true, we will not be taking any further measures but instead putting our faith in you both."

"We're glad to hear that. I'm sorry I didn't address the matter sooner I was just... in a bad place."

"I understand. Goodnight my king, my queen." The elder nods and walks away.

"Well what do you want to do now?"

The couple enter the main pack house, going up the steps and to their room.

Kiara sighs as her body makes contact with the surface of the cool sheets, deciding in that moment that she wanted to sleep immediately.

"I am so tired and I don't even know why."

"Well it doesn't matter because you deserve it, we had a rough day."

"Yes we did, those people were not playing..."
Kiara trails off as her eyes suddenly makes contact with Marquése's naked chest. He was just leisurely unbuttoning his shirt before her very eyes.

His eyes raises to hers when he realizes that she had stopped talking mid sentence.

"What?"

"Uh nothing." Kiara lowers her head from his naked body.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you didn't see anything you like?"
Marquése smirks crawling slowly towards her like an animal stalking its prey. He pushes her top half down on the bed before settling completely atop her body.

"Maybe I did. So what?"

"All you have to do is ask."

"For what exactly?"

They both sounded like they were out of breath, their voices now only down to a whisper.

"I don't know. Help?"

"To?"

"Take off these clothes maybe."

She smirks up at him and he takes that as his confirmation to rid her body of all confinements.

He strips her down to only underwear, leaning in to kiss her shoulder before venturing down to her breast.
He was snuggled between her legs now, his large body hovering over hers.

"I love you."

Three simple words but whispered with so much meaning.

His voice was low and it was smothered by her skin but somehow she still heard him.
She didn't feel the need to say it back, it wasn't meant for her ears but clearly he knew that she loved him too.

His warm lips left love bites all over her skin, branding her with his immense love.

His mouth wondering lower as did his fingers, searching for their desired destination.

His hand reaches down, lightly tracing her through the thin material before pulling on them to rid her body of them too.
As the material slid against her legs something in her clicked and her hand shoots down to grab his.
Kiara took it into her grip and Marquése stopped, raising up to look at her.

"Are you ok?"

"No"
Her voice sounded broken

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know, I just can't-"

"Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes please."

Marquése's grip on the cloth was loosened before he pulled it back up and into its rightful place. His hands disappeared from her body all together to rest at the sides of her head as they both stare at each other.

"I don't know why-"

"It's ok." He places a quick peck on her lips before climbing off to lay beside her.

"You wanna talk or cuddle?"

"Both please."

Marquése pulls the covers over both their bodies before pulling her body close to cuddle into him.

"Better?"

"Yes."

Kiara sighs,
"When you were pulling down my underwear the cloth ran along the inside of my legs and I don't know why but in my head I just saw the blood running down them. I felt like I was frozen, I'm sorry-"
Her voice sounded cracked and the tears were already forming in her eyes.

"Hey, hey look at me. There will never be a reason where you have to apologize for saying no to me. You deserve all the time in the world, and you will take all the time that you need. I will wait for you until whenever you're ready ok."

"Ok."

"Good, now get some sleep."

Marquése placing a tender kiss onto her forehead, trying to show her how much he loved her.

Kiara closes her eyes at the affection, whispering the three little words that meant so much,

"I love you."