I deserve it.

I knew I deserve every hate, every anger she throw towards me. But lord, when she looked at me with fear, pleading to leave, it hurt, it hurt so much that I wished I was never born.

My heart clenched at her words.

She is scared of me.

My mate thinks I am going to kill her, kill the kid with her.

God, why does it hurt so much?

Why does my heart ache so much?

"I promise, though I am royal, I mean no harm. You rebels," she shook her head. "I will not get involved with you guys, I'll go out of my way," she bit her lip, struggling to keep her eyes open.

I froze at the realization.

She thinks I am here to hurt her because she is royal.

God, I would never do that.

She knows, she knows that I lead the rebels. But how does she know and how is she related to us?

Last I remember, there's no royal with her name.

Wait, the kid called her Mae, that means the name she said to me was a lie. I knew it. I knew that wasn't her name.

Mae suits her more than Elena.

Mae feels natural but Elena feels more like a façade.

"You are safe with us," Greg came to my rescue for the second time today.

With his voice, her face turned into a frown and a familiar realization, as if she knew him already.

"Greg?" my mate frowned at Greg.

"Wait, you knew Greg?"

I couldn't help but voice out that little ball clogging my heart.

How does he know her?

"Of course, I mean, we," she gasped before she shook her head. "I mean sorry, I got confused, I don't know him."

Lie.

Cute, my mate is a great actor. I have to give her that. A small smile tipped on my lips because of her pout.

She's trying to hide the truth.

Her breathing is faster than normal and she's moving her toes, curling and uncurling, she's nervous and lying.

Before we could say anything her eyes started closing, as she took the pillow and curled herself on the floor.

What is she doing?

Seconds passed before I heard soft snores from her.

She is sleeping due to exhaustion. But damn, she is freaking cute.

I looked at Greg waiting for him to explain how he knew her but he shook his head. "She looks familiar but I couldn't pinpoint who she is. I have no memory of meeting her."

Maybe the spell is protecting her from all of us. And I now know for a fact that Caroline knew something that we don't.

I mean, of course, she would've known something. She already knew Mae. Caroline is closer to the royals since she worked with the queen with herbs. And she is a trusted person, she must know something about Mae, the royal family would've told something.

I moved towards Mae to put her back on the bed.

Thanks to our magic, the couch has now been shifted into a comfortable bed.

"What are you doing?" the little kid's voice came out in a monotone.

"To put her back on the bed," I crouched down, keeping my voice as soft as possible.

"Just because I am four, don't take me for a fool. I know you are our enemy, else she wouldn't have said those words a few minutes back," he moved in front, covering her like a warrior.

This kid loves her. Indefinitely. I could feel it.

"I mean no harm, I promise," I shook my head keeping my voice as soft as possible.

"You better be, I do know some spells that could harm you guys. So don't try to fool us," he moved aside and let me the way to put her back on the bed.

I lifted my mate and gently put her on the bed. The moment I touched her, all I wanted was to snuggle and sleep with her.

That's inappropriate considering the position we are in.

I cannot see another the way I saw my Green.

I will tell my mate that. Though the bond is doing its work, I cannot love another as I did with my Green.

And my mate hates me. The worst part is I deserve every ounce of it.

"How old are you little guy?" Greg grinned looking at the kid

Greg is a sucker for kids. He loves them. Ever since we were kids, he loved kids and never hesitates to spend the whole day with them. He would've been an amazing babysitter if not for his job.

"Are you dumb?" Teddy huffed. "Didn't you just hear me tell my age a few minutes back? I am four."

This time I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

Oh, this is so going to be fun, this dealing with Greg and the kid.

"I know little guy," he ruffled that kid's hair.

The kid moved his head not liking the affectionate gesture. "I have a name and that is Teddy," he huffed again.

So, Teddy is his name. A kid who is just four and smarter than most of the coven combined.

He'll become a great warlock, I could see it.

"Teddy as in teddy bear," Greg joined his hands, his eyes like a puppy. "Such a cute name," he spoke with his words sending too much sweetness.

I told you, he is a sucker for kids.

"Teddy as in Teddy, nothing else," he growled.

Shaking my head, I tuned out their conversation and covered my mate with a blanket, and kept the pillow back behind her head.

Now I have things to do.

First, I have to explain to her that I mean no harm and her identity is safe with us. Maybe, I'll even use my magic to change her hair and eye color to the old one which she used to hide her identity.

Second, I have to go clean and rearrange my old house so that I can shift Mae there. Though I know Greg won't mind, I don't find it comforting that my mate is staying in someone else's home.

Mine would be better, that way she'll have privacy and I can make sure she's safe with spells. And there's a huge possibility that some people in the coven might already know her.

From her reaction a few minutes back, it is safe to assume that she doesn't want people to know her. And her being in my home gives her that assurance too. No one visits me and no one will know that a new person is there in the coven.

A lot of people visit Greg's house. And I am not okay staying here, being a burden to them.

Once she is healed, we'll move somewhere far away from the coven that will make her be at peace.

Wait a minute, why am I planning so many things like we are going to be together?

I know I cannot be the mate she deserves but I can be a friend to her, who supports her and makes sure she is alright. Maybe we can create a friendly relationship and work together, calling it a truce.

God, what's wrong with you Elijah?

Shaking my head, I decided to clean my old house for now.

When I turned, I saw Greg feeding that kid in the kitchen.

Shit, how can I not remember that they haven't had any food for the whole day? God, poor kid must be starving.

Shaking my head, I left to clean my house after clearly instructing Greg to call me immediately once Mae woke up.