I looked up at the person who had grabbed me and the breath I had taken in to scream got caught in my throat at the sight of those familiar coffee coloured eyes. My jaw went slack and I could hear my heart pounding as I stared at him, not daring to believe he was real.

"You were supposed to meet us in the girl's bathroom." Nora hissed from behind me making me realize this wasn't a dream and my legs nearly went out from under me. Ethan wrapped his other hand around my arm to steady me, clearly just as incapable of looking away as I was.

"How are you here?" I breathed.

"I had to see you." He said, hand reaching up towards my face before he caught himself and pulled it back to his side.

I frowned at the glove that he wore over his hand, the unfiltered happiness at seeing him dimming slightly as I was reminded of how dangerous it was for him to be here. If the Alpha caught us together he would kill him. I doubted even I would be able to stop him if all of that pent up rage he had against Ethan came unleashed.

"You have to go before he sees you." I said hurriedly, unable to keep from glancing over my shoulder. Fearing that he would somehow be there, watching us with eyes that bled red.

"He won't see me, don't worry. We've probably got another ten minutes before he comes after you."

"I'm gonna watch the door." Nora said and I couldn't even turn my head to look her way, a part of me still convinced that this was a dream that I would wake from at any moment.

"How are you? I can't tell you how desperate I've been to see you."

"I can't believe you're here." I said, pulling my wrist through his grasp so I could hold onto his hand. My lips twisted up into a sad smile at the feel of the latex glove instead of his warm soft skin. The shape of the long elegant fingers I could make out beneath the glove were undoubtedly his.

"I can't believe it either. I was so scared when Nora told me he found out about the letters. Did he hurt you?" Ethan asked, reaching for my face again but I shook my head at him making his hand drop. Even though he wore gloves I was terrified the Alpha would still somehow smell his scent on me. My hands I could wash easily but the less he touched me the better.

"He didn't hurt me. Don't worry about me, they don't hurt their mates." I reassured him, hoping he wouldn't catch my lie.

"Don't lie to me Athena, I know you're lying to your family to save them the pain but you don't have to do that with me. You can tell me anything." He said, staring at me with a gaze so beseeching it made a lump form at the back of my throat even as I tried to keep myself under control. Despite my best efforts tears welled in my eyes, running down my cheeks as I blinked in defeat, lowering my head.

"I'm so sorry." He mumbled quietly and I glanced up at him, my heart clenching painfully at the sight of tears in his eyes.

"Don't, it's not your fault." I said, wishing desperately that I could touch him.

"I'm sorry, it's not bad I promise." I reassured, wiping frantically at my eyes with the sleeve of my other hand. I should have been trying to convince him I was fine and instead I was tormenting him.

"Don't you dare apologize. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

"There's nothing you could have done. Are you okay?" I asked, fighting the urge to reach up to his face and make sure he was okay after how mercilessly the Alpha had hit him the day we had the misfortune of meeting him.

"I'm fine, and I don't care what happens to me. Don't go back to him, run away with me Athena." He begged, tugging me closer by my hand. I wished so desperately in that moment that I could run away with him, not have to go back to that cage of a house but one of us had to keep a level head.

"He would catch us in a matter of minutes. If we have any chance at all of really getting away then it has to be planned out down to the very last detail." 

"I can't watch you leave again, not when I know he's hurting you."

"If he catches us he'll kill us both. We can't do it like this and you shouldn't even be involved at all. Best case scenario is the rare chance that we get away, you would still never see your parents again, you would have to give up your whole life." I said and though it killed me to say it to him I had to at least try for his sake.

"Athena don't you understand? I wanted to marry you. I want to marry you. I don't want a life without you in it. My parents would understand."

"I don't want you to hate me later." I choked out, my voice breaking as I voiced my worst fear. If we got away he would come to resent me when he had to live his entire life on the run.

"I could never hate you, all I need is you by my side. Don't try to convince me to give up on you, it's not gonna work." Ethan said and I nodded, wiping away my tears again.

"God I wish I could touch you, this is so hard." He said and I nodded again, far too overwhelmed to do anything but.

"Ethan you should probably head out now." Nora said opening the door, startling us both.

"Thanks Nora, just one more minute." Ethan responded.

"What if he sees you?" I asked frantically as it dawned on me how much he was risking by coming to see me. I tightened my grip on his hand as though I could protect him by keeping him here with me even though we both knew that it was by my side that he was most in danger.

"I'm gonna go out the back exit, I know someone who works here. They let me in the same way." Ethan said and I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding.

"He's not going to know I was here. I made sure to use heavily scented products so he won't be able to pick up on my scent." Ethan said and I nodded, praying that he was right.

Reaching into his pocket he held out a phone to me, a slightly older version of the one I had before the Alpha had tossed it out of a moving car.

"Keep this, make sure it's hidden from him. I'm working on finding a way to get us out but I need to be able to talk to you." He said and I took the phone from him hesitantly.

"He barely ever leaves me alone, I won't be able to contact you much."

"Don't worry, just focus on staying safe. I don't want you to risk anything. Only contact me when you're sure he's not around." Ethan said, looking at me imploringly for confirmation and I nodded tensely, unable to help myself and glancing back to make sure the Alpha wasn't there.

"I have to go, but remember I love you. Don't doubt that for even a second, I'm going to help you escape." He promised.

"I love you too." I said, taking a moment just to soak in the sight of him after having not seen him for so long.

"Athena let's go." Nora called from the door and giving Ethan's hand a final squeeze I forced myself to turn my back on him, walking out of the men's bathroom and heading into the women's after Nora without allowing myself a glance back.

I leaned against the door as soon as it was closed behind us both, letting the few final tears slip before wiping them away and righting myself. Tucking the phone Ethan had given me into my bra I made my way to the sink, turning on the water and washing my hands thoroughly twice. I even rubbed some soap and water over the upper arm of my coat where Ethan had held me. I splashed cold water over my face, trying to hide that I had cried but it would be no use against the supernatural senses of the Alpha.

"Thank you." I said to Nora as I glanced up at her in the reflection of the mirror above the sink. She only smiled in response, waiting patiently as I got myself together to head back outside.

"Lets go." I said and she followed me out the door. We made our way through the crowded shop to the far corner where my parents had found a table and sat down across from them.

"Where is he?" My mom asked looking around the cafe as though a man that size could be hidden behind one of the teenagers.

"He's still waiting for our order, he'll bring it here." I answered. My dad glanced out the window before beckoning me forward as he leaned in making me worry that they knew.

"Athena I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have provoked him, he didn't hurt you did he?" My dad asked anxiously, reaching over the table to take my hand in his.

"Dad don't apologize, I'm fine. I'm sorry I keep bringing him around all of you." I responded lowly.

"You have nothing to apologize for, we're just glad we get to see you." My dad said right as the door opened and the Alpha walked in.

My dad squeezed my hand before pulling back, knowing we couldn't continue this conversation any longer. I tried to get my frantic heartbeat under control as the Alpha headed straight for our table, his eyes narrowing as he got closer making my heart skip a beat as my mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion.

"Did you cry?" He asked as he loomed over me.

"I went into the wrong washroom." I blurted out making my mom and dad glance over in concern. It was definitely not a good day for them with both their daughters acting like complete lunatics but we couldn't afford to explain.

A furrow formed between the Alpha's brows as he gazed down at me perplexed. He could tell I wasn't lying because it was the truth but it sounded bizarre.

"It's melting, can I have it?" I asked to distract him, pointing at the cone and he handed mine to me and set Nora's brownie in front of her.

"We can get you another chair Alpha." My mom said and only then did I realize that there were only 4 chairs at our table.

"I don't think there's any available, but it's alright. Athena can sit in my lap." The Alpha said making me choke on the ice cream I had just licked off my cone.

"I'm s-sure they have more chairs somewhere." I hacked out between my coughing fit, jumping up without looking to see the expressions on my family's face and heading towards the front. I grabbed the Alpha by the arm, tugging him along behind me so he couldn't do any more damage.

"Look there's one." I said pointing at a vacant chair that was at a table over on the other side of the coffee shop, sidestepping his attempts to pat my back.

"I'm not carrying that through all these people. What's wrong with you sitting in my lap? We're mates."

"The problem is that I'm a grown women. Humans don't do that in public." I said turning to look at him.

"So humans only sit in each others laps behind closed doors?" He asked, face completely serious but I could see by the twinkle in his eye that he was very amused.

"Yes, because there is such thing as public decency." I responded, adrenaline coursing through my veins making it hard to keep my mouth shut.

"I don't understand you humans but if it makes you happy, then I will carry over that chair."

"Great, thanks." I said flatly, turning to head back to our table. My steps faltered slightly as I noticed that everyone in the cafe seemed to be staring at me. I tugged at my sweater subconsciously, wondering if the phone was sticking out of my bra or if it was really obvious that I had cried.

As I looked closer I realized they weren't looking at me but behind me. I glanced back to see that I had a 6'4 shadow that was carrying a chair up in one hand over his shoulder while eating his ice cream cone with the other. Sighing I turned back around, praying to whichever deity that was listening to give me strength.

I sunk down on the chair next to Nora, hearing the Alpha set the chair he held down next to me as well. Catching in my peripheral vision the teenager sitting on the table next to us scoot his chair as far away from the hulking Alpha as he could with a look of complete terror.

I ate my cone sulkily, my entire family not knowing what to say after the scene the Alpha had caused first with his inappropriate comment and then his sheer inhumanness. Only interrupted in my task of finishing the cone by forcing Nora to give me a few bites of her brownie which she was very reluctant to share. I knew if this had been before I had been kidnapped by a werewolf she wouldn't have given me even a crumb.

As soon as we were done our ice cream and my parents their coffees, we headed out. The Alpha and I following behind my dad back to our house, I could see him glance over at me from the corner of his eye as my leg bounced restlessly but didn't offer an explanation.

Unfortunately having the Alpha in our home kept the atmosphere tense. He wasn't exactly an ignorable presence but I tried to not let that keep me from enjoying the little time I got with my family.

Seeing Ethan had renewed my spirits more than I could have imagined was possible. I had faith that he hadn't given up on me but to have him tell me face to face quelled any worries I had. We would find a way out together, there was hope again that I could have a semblance of the life I had imagined for myself before all of this.

My good mood seemed to be infectious as my family lightened up during dinner, chatting about mundane topics and even making some jokes at Nora's expense as was customary. The glass of wine we each had with our dinner definitely helping my mood along.

By the time we all settled down to watch the movie we had started, I could truly say I was content. It was only because I was sitting next to my mom and pretending the Alpha wasn't sitting on the couch across from me, but it was a feeling I hadn't had in months so I was grateful.

I curled my feet up, pressing in closer to my mom who smiled at me, wrapping her arm around me and pulling me in closer. I rested my head down on her shoulder, not fighting it as my eyes fell shut. The familiar lavender scent of my mom and the familiar soft worn couch of my living room under me lulling me into the most peaceful sleep I had in months.

I was shaken awake all too soon. Squinting my eyes open I looked around, catching sight of my mom who smiled down gently at me. I returned the gesture sleepily as she squeezed my jaw affectionately, rousing me to full consciousness with her soft voice.

"I've got her." The Alpha said and suddenly I was suspended in mid air making me wake up completely. My eyes shot wide open to see the Alpha held me in his arms, an unbearably tender look on his face as he gazed down at me.

"I'm up, you can put me down." I said, pushing against his chest.

"Just go back to sleep sweetness, I'll carry you out."

"Nope my feet are asleep, I need to be on them." I said and he relented, placing me carefully down on my feet but wrapping both hands under my elbows to keep me steady as I wiggled my toes to get sensation back into them.

"All good?" He asked after a moment and I nodded. Grabbing my coat out of seemingly nowhere he held it up for me and I turned around to allow him to help me into it.

"Here, I wrapped up the leftovers for you. I know how much you love my lasagna." My mom said and I grabbed the container she held outstretched eagerly.

"Thanks mom." I said, leaning in to give her a hug. She hugged me back, holding on for too long to be deemed a normal hug but I wasn't complaining. I hugged my dad and Nora too before bidding them all goodnight.

"Thank you for having us. I hope to return your hospitality soon. We'd love to have you over for dinner sometime." The Alpha said and only my mom had the social graces to agree. My dad and Nora could only look at him as though wondering if he were insane but they didn't start a fight with him so I was impressed.

As the Alpha opened the door letting the chilly night air in, any hints of drowsiness that remained from my impromptu nap disappeared and I felt more invigorated than ever. I turned back to wave at my family before stepping out into the cold.

"Can I drive?" I asked impulsively as we walked to his car.

"You want to drive?" The Alpha asked slowly as though doubting he had heard me right.

"Yeah, can I?" I asked again, turning to look at him to see him staring at me incredulously.

"Sure, but can humans see well enough to drive at night? It's very late." The Alpha said making me scowl.

"That's why there's streetlights." I said, holding my hand out for his keys as we made it to his car.

He placed them into my outstretched palm but followed me to the driver's side door. Ignoring him I opened the door and got in, leaning back as he leaned down into the car after me.

"It's a push start, so push there and then change the gear from here." He said and only as I looked at the dashboard did I realize that I had genuinely needed that explanation because I did not know how his fancy car worked. It was very different from any car I had ever driven.

"I got it, thanks." I said, looking at him expectantly so he would get the hint to close the door and go over to the passenger side. However, things could never be so simple with him. He leaned further in making my eyes widen as his face got so close to mine I could smell the lingering scent of the sweet wine he had drank with dinner on his breath. The seat under me suddenly moved forward and I glanced down to see he was pushing one of the buttons to move the seat up to accommodate my shorter legs.

He adjusted the rear view mirror too, stooping down to rest his chin on my shoulder and looking at it to ensure it was adjusted right making my heartrate quicken at his proximity. He turned his head to nuzzle at the side of mine making my breath catch.

"Drive safe." He whispered, clicking the seatbelt into place surprising me since I hadn't even felt him drape it across my upper body.

Finally content with the set up he pulled back and closed the door, allowing me to draw in some much needed air as he went around the car to the passenger's side. As soon as he was in, I checked the rear view mirror to ensure it really was well adjusted before shifting the car into reverse the way he had showed me. The slightest touch of the accelerator made the car zoom back making a delighted smile grow on my face. This was going to be very fun.

Never before had I driven a car that I really wouldn't mind crashing and that too without the fear of getting a ticket. Everyone knew Alphas were above the law, there was not a single police officer that would dare give him a ticket. If his car was caught in one of those automated speedtraps the ministry would probably rip up the ticket instead of mailing it to him.

With that knowledge I sped towards the highway, only slowing down when we neared other cars because although I had no concern for his car, I didn't want to endanger anyone else. Luckily there were few people out this time of night on a Sunday.

"Mate this car probably requires less pressure on the accelerator than the ones you're used to." The Alpha said, sounding a little breathless and I glanced over to see him watching the road with his jaw clenched tightly which only bettered my mood.

"I know." I chirped, stomping on the accelerator as the light we were standing at turned green lurching the car forward at a speed that had my stomach feeling like it was going to drop out.

As I accelerated towards the ramp that led onto the highway I continued speeding up, very excited for the lack of lights ahead that meant I wouldn't have to brake.

"You know you're meant to slow down on a ramp." The Alpha said, and the quick glance I took at him from the corner of my eye had my lips turning up into a truly gleeful smile as I saw him clutching the side of his seat so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

"Are you?" I asked rhetorically, checking my blind spot quickly before merging onto the highway at a speed I had never driven at before.

I knew it was only a matter of seconds before he began commenting on the speed so I quickly turned on the radio in the hopes that it would drown him out. The upbeat music that was playing this time of night only made me want to go faster as we zoomed past the few cars that were on the highway.

I opened the window just slightly, allowing some air in that whipped my hair out of my face. I inhaled the cold air greedily, feeling like I hadn't taken in a full breath in months. Unable to contain my smile at the pleasure of doing anything carefree when having lived like I was walking on eggshells for months.

I glanced at the Alpha, hoping to see terror but instead found him watching me with a small smile of his own. Not even that could dampen my spirits and I merely looked back out the windshield, my eyes widening as a car tried to merge into the lane and I had to swerve into another to keep from hitting into the little minivan.

"Watch it you eggshell." I yelled, unable to contain myself. The road rage that used to be part of my daily routine returning with a vengeance.

"Eggshell?" The Alpha chuckled from next to me making me realize being around Nora had made me return to my habit of using alternative phrases to swearing.

"You misheard." I muttered. He hummed, though we both knew he hadn't misheard.

To cover up the embarrassment I felt, I sped up more, surprised as the Alpha rolled down his window too, allowing the cold air to circulate through the car much better. I reached over to the radio just as he did, our hands colliding and he pulled back, allowing his fingers to trail against the side of my hand gently as he did. His hands somehow still freakishly warm despite the fact that he wasn't even wearing a jacket.

Ignoring him I turned up the volume of the radio, blasting it so that it could be heard over the open windows. They were open only a crack but going at the speed I was the air billowed in loudly. The radio channel switched just as one I liked came on and my smile turned to a frown.

"I like that song. What happened?" I asked.

"You probably just accidentally hit the control on the steering sweetness, focus on the road I'll change it back." The Alpha said, switching the channel back to the one that was playing the song I liked.

"Do you always drive like this?" He asked after a moment.

"Like what?"

"Like you're in a police chase." He said and I had to bite my cheek to suppress a smile.

"Why? Scared I'm gonna crash your car?"

"I'm fairly certain I could get us both out of a crash unscathed so no I don't care if you crash my car. You could crash all my cars if it makes you this happy to drive like a crazy person." He said. I doubted his statement was true but one part of it particularly stuck out to me.

"All your cars? How many cars do you have?"

"6."

"Why does a single man need 6 cars?" I asked over the wind and the radio though he could probably hear me just fine even if I whispered. It was completely preposterous for one man to have so many cars.

"Well I'm not single anymore and it's a werewolf thing, you wouldn't understand."

"Do you drive them all at once?" I asked, morbidly curious if the beast could do such a thing. The mental image my mind conjured of him jumping from car to moving car making me quite disturbed.

"No Athena, that's impossible." He laughed.

"Well then why?" I pressed, changing lanes swiftly as I got close to a car that was probably going below the speed limit. He caught my shoulder in his hand as my body jolted to the right due to my own terrible driving. His car really was a very different driving experience from my own. You couldn't even really consider them the same species.

"I think I'll only have 5 by the time we get home." He muttered under his breath and I scowled at him briefly but it only served to amuse him judging by the way his lips quirked up. He really needed to stop underestimating a human's hearing.

"It's a status thing. I'm the Alpha of a big territory and my family was very wealthy from since before the wolves came out to the humans. Other packs need to be able to tell how well our pack is doing."

I blinked rapidly as I took in what he was saying. Only then realizing his hand was still on my shoulder and shrugging it off.

"So you're just showing off." I said slowly after a moment.

"It's not showing off, you don't get it." He said making me frown since I was fairly sure I did and he just didn't want to admit it.

"How is your family wealthy? Did your parents work?" I asked realizing I actually knew nothing about his family or the finances of Alphas, who as far as I knew didn't have jobs other than running the pack.

I was surprising myself by my sudden ability to talk to him. I didn't know if it was because I was in such a good mood after seeing Ethan today that it overcame my animosity for him or if after not drinking for so long the glass of wine had really lowered my inhibitions.

"We've owned a company for many generations. Have you heard of Wolf Inc?" He asked and I considered it worth the risk to turn my head and give him a deadpan look.

"Seriously? Your great grandparents thought naming their company Wolf Inc was a good idea while trying to hide the fact that they were werewolves?"

He laughed in response, the rich husky sound filling the car and I realized he had at some point turned the radio down while we were talking without me realizing. Or maybe I had by accident.

"You know humans are very good at ignoring what they don't want to see. It's how we managed to stay in hiding for centuries. Back in the old days we had to be careful but after the era of modernity if a human saw us shift they convinced themselves they were imagining it. Those who didn't were called crazy."

I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction but his words were unfortunately true. As a species we didn't like to admit there were things out there that contradicted what we knew or believed.

"Perhaps you all were more subtle back then." I sniffed, not wanting to criticize my own kind to him.

"Perhaps." He retorted mockingly.

"Athena you missed the exit." He said suddenly and I quickly checked the rear view mirror and my blind spot before stomping on the accelerator, cutting across 3 lanes to make it. His arm shot out in front of me even though the belt kept me upright against the seat as it locked in place.

"Fuck." He swore and I couldn't help but laugh, high off of the adrenaline of driving like this.

He was totally dramatic, I never would have done it if there were any cars behind us but there hadn't been so it was completely safe. The worst that could have happened was hitting into a cement block. A visit to the hospital was quite preferable to going to his house anyway.

"I shouldn't have said anything, apparently my mate thinks she's Michael Schumacher." He said.

"You're such a coward." I mumbled under my breath, freezing the moment I had said it because I hadn't meant to. It had just come out.

"A coward? Please, I could go twice this fast. It's your human reflexes that worry me." He said making me relax as I realized I wasn't about to get my throat ripped out.

Instead of responding I merely opened my window all the way, sticking my hand out to feel the cold air on it since we were no longer on the highway.

"You have such pretty hands." He said and I glanced over to see him leaning his head back against the headrest, staring at my outstretched hand.

"All of you is so fucking pretty I could stare at you for hours." He continued making me straighten up. I cleared my throat, awkwardly pulling my hand in and trying to focus on my driving.

I was fairly sure this was his biological instinct as a mate talking since werewolves were always better looking than humans. They made us look downright frumpy in comparison and he was - though I hated to admit it - the most good looking werewolf I had ever seen amongst the lot. It was highly improbable that he would find me to be so remarkable if it weren't for the mating bond clouding his judgement.

I pressed down on the accelerator making the car go faster as it peeled down the empty street, in a hurry to get to his house since his words had a strange affect on the atmosphere in the car. Luckily he kept quiet for the rest of the ride and I pulled into the house. Sighing in relief once the car was parked.

I unlocked the doors since I was at the driver's side, not at his mercy for once to let me out when he pleased. Immediately I threw open the door, stepping out before he could get to my side and try to open it for me. I wrapped my arms around myself in a poor defense against the cold, hurrying towards the house. The adrenaline from the drive having worn off leaving me shivering.

The Alpha unlocked the door quickly, ushering me into the warm house with a hand on my lower back. He grabbed hold of my arm before I could run off upstairs, tugging me closer as I glanced up at him in confusion.

Taking hold of both my hands in his he leaned down so his mouth was level with them, breathing hot air against them to warm them up. I tried to pull my hands away from him, but his grip was firm.

"Give me a second, your nails are turning blue." He said and I glanced away as he looked up into my eyes. A strange feeling of guilt clawing up my spine at the heated look in his eyes as he looked at me.

"They're warm now." I said, trying to pull my hands back and he released them but caught my elbow as I turned away from him, pulling me back into his chest. He leaned down to rest his chin on my shoulder, turning his face in so his lips brushed my ear. The ticklish sensation making me shy away slightly.

"Let me know if you ever wanna go for a drive again sweetness." He murmured, pressing a kiss to the edge of my jaw before letting me go. I ran up the stairs without looking back, feeling his eyes on me as I went.

Author's Note

As I had promised the chapter has been updated quicker than I have ever updated a chapter. I know that's not saying much given my track record but I hope you all liked it.

I know this is a difficult time for a lot of people because there's so much terrible stuff going on in the world and books are our escape but please don't forget the people of Palestine. What they are going through should not be ignored, I know it doesn't feel like we can do much as individuals but even just staying informed and speaking up for them is so important. I know everyone has different political views but the loss of innocent lives is something I think we can all agree is terrible.

I hope all of you and your loved ones are safe.