"Who says she will be alone?" Aiden cocked an eyebrow at her, his expression smug. I have a feeling he is planning something that I will not like.

"Then how? " Grandma inquired, gazing at me with concern.

"Simple. She will be staying at the palace with me."

My uncle's eyes bulge out at first before Aiden continues, "Being the mate of the Alpha King provides protection. If she stays with me at the palace, it will convey a message loud and clear. And as for treachery, my entire staff is being interrogated. Only those whose loyalties are clear will remain, so there is no need to worry."

Upon hearing those words, Uncle and Grandma briefly paused before consenting to his choice.

........................................................................

This is how I found myself at Aiden's palace. After some more discussions, my uncle and grandma left to my uncle's home in the other city where his company is located.

My grandma cried a lot before leaving me. I am still amazed by her decision to move to the city. But apparently she agreed to it because she wants me safe. She would have come to the palace with me but it is too painful to live here with the memories of her mate. My grandpa.

My beast is excited at the prospect of being close to her mate. She is howling and frolicking in my mind, where as I am annoyed. We are on two extremes in regards to Aiden. My beast now rolls over belly-up as Aiden guides us to the room where we are going to stay.

She then raises her head, her tongue hanging out as she drools. I roll my eyes at her behavior. She is so immature at times.

I begin to admire the architecture. The palace was dark when I last visited, with artificial lights illuminating it at night. In the midst of the day, it glows with splendor. Aiden suddenly stops, causing me to crash into his back.

He has not left me since everyone agreed that I needed to stay at the palace for security reasons. I had thrown a tantrum after Grandma and Uncle agreed, only to be met with glares and reprimands. Grandma then blackmailed me, threatening to kill herself if I did not comply.

Aiden turns around and looks at me, scratching the back of his head nervously. He then opens the door in front of him with his right arm. "Ma'am."

I simply roll my eyes at him and step into the room. It is quite spacious. Nevertheless, I am puzzled by the sight of a desk and a laptop. A bookshelf stands behind the desk. An expansive window, enveloping almost the entire right wall, remains ajar, with its white curtains fluttering in the wind.

"Aiden, this is an office." I turn to look at him in confusion.

"Yes. Your room is there." He points to the left of the room, where there is a door. I stare at him suspiciously. Something is not right.

I approach the door and push it open. Ah, this is a bedroom. A king-size bed occupies the right side. The area is impeccably clean.

Every piece of furniture boasts a modern aesthetic, with a striking white versus black color scheme. Aiden comes to stand behind me, whispering in my ear, "How is our room?"

"It is nice. Wait, our room?"

Please don't let him say that we are going to share a room. Surely, this palace has dozens of rooms to spare.

Yes, It is common for weres to share... many things once they meet but our situation is different. I thought we were on the same page at least.

I hear his chuckle and feel his lips grazing my ear, leaving tingles in their wake.

"Yes. You are my mate. Where do you think you'll stay? Besides, we are trying to send the image that you are the were Alpha King's mate. It will seem odd that we stay apart."

I am now tense, as we will be sharing a room. Which means more proximity. I need distance. I am unable to protect him. If it weren't for Grandma's safety and her blackmail, I would not have been in this conundrum.

I wring my wrists at the situation. How can I share a room. I scan the room and see no sofas. How can I share a bed with him. It will just mean that I am dragging him down with me.

Aiden must have sensed my anxiety, so he turns me around and gently cups my face. "Hey, Aurelia. We are friends first and mates later. Our relationship is at a standstill, but I won't take advantage of our situation. However, I would appreciate it if you would accept me. You are safe and as for sharing a room, many humans share a room and are not involved romantically. We can be roommates, right? I am not so bad."

He utters the final word faintly, his face mirroring pain. A sudden pang sears through my chest. He misunderstands everything. I reject our bond due to the dangers trailing me, not because of his nature.

Actually, he is an amazing guy. I never considered him in that way, but as I look at him, I realize that I truly admire him. He isn't arrogant; he's intelligent, caring, supportive, and possesses all the qualities a girl would desire in a partner.

I feel fortunate to have him, yet I believe he underestimates himself. I contemplate expressing my feelings to him but hold back. Revealing my thoughts might unintentionally create false hope.

"You are a great guy, Aiden. But we.. I can't..." I am unsure how to end that sentence without offering him a glimmer of hope.

We only glance at each other, locking eyes until a knock interrupts the tranquility of Aiden's office.

Aiden glances at the door in irritation before stepping back, abruptly ending our moment.

Soon after, several servants enter and start unloading my luggage, consisting of a few bags. I notice a table being arranged in his office next to his, along with some additional furniture being adjusted.

Feeling overwhelmed, I strive to conceal my emotions from him. "Where's the bathroom?"

He quickly assesses me before motioning toward a door. I sprint towards it and secure it after me. I hasten to the sink, turn on the faucet, and slump against the adjacent wall.

With my back against it, my legs give way, and I become a sobbing wreck, my cries muffled by the gush of water from the tap.

It's twilight. Another day comes to an end. I am now lying on Aiden's bed, my hands on my stomach, staring at the ceiling, lost in my own thoughts.

I can't waste time like this. I need to solve the mystery. The fake website plan turned out to be a failure. Now, the only thing left to do is complete my research. Tomorrow. I will start working on it.

I require a clear mindset. Despite this, my beast is content. She is pleased that she will be close to her partner. She asserts that it is instinctual for us to accept him. She believes that he is our distinct soulmate, tailored exclusively to us.

All the time I spent with Aiden flashes through my mind as memories. Our first meeting. Casual yet intriguing. Our second encounter. Dancing by the bonfire. Passionate yet heartwarming. Our third rendezvous in the forest. Dangerous yet enthralling.

Later, our attendance at the fae princess's birthday. Anxious. Then our bike ride. Exciting. Our ambush. The day I learned that we could be a great team.

The sound of footsteps breaks my concentration, and the door swings open. Aiden stands at the door. I sit upright and adjust my clothes, feeling conscious. I had changed into my pajamas earlier.

"Hi"

In response, I offer him a tentative smile.

"The dinner is ready. Shall we?"

I nod at him and get up. "But where?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, we are having a picnic. I thought you would be more comfortable that way."

His care for my well-being overwhelms me. If this persists, it will be challenging to resist our connection. He gestures to the door and then spins around, striding ahead and pausing for me at the entrance.

I follow him as we sync our steps. After navigating numerous turns and ascending several flights of stairs, we finally arrive at a balcony.

The balcony faces the forest. I see the lights of the city coming from afar and stars twinkle in the sky. A blanket is spread out with lots of fruits and Indian dishes, along with ice cream. I look at him in shock. He remembers that Indian cuisine is my favorite, and he probably had them prepared.

"Indian food is your favorite, right?"

"Yes." I say, smiling gently at him. He grins back and sits down, pulling me with him. He reaches for a plate and begins serving food on it. I mimic his actions and reach for a plate, but he halts me by touching my hand.

He gives me the plate full of food and his beast flashes in his eyes. In werewolf culture, the act of providing food to one's mate holds symbolic significance, representing respect and admiration.

This gesture carries greater weight, particularly for Alpha males like Aiden, who, as the Alpha King, embodies a deeper connection. The presence of his wolf reflected in his eyes conveys profound meaning beyond words.

I begin eating while he serves himself. He, too, starts eating. Suddenly. He coughs, most likely after choking on his food. I grab a glass of water and bring it to his lips while massaging his back.

After a few gulps of water, his coughs stop and he holds the glass, my hand sandwiched between his hand and the glass. He pulls me close, raises his head slightly, and pecks my forehead, lingering there. My eyes close on their own accord as I revel in his proximity.

Aiden then touches his forehead with mine, setting down the glass and holding our hands in his lap. We stay like that for a moment longer before the sound of glass breaking reaches us. We jump apart and look at each other. 

Word Count: 1706

Please blame my fever for this late and short update

I hope you guys liked it.

It was the best I could do!!

Oh yes!! And another thing!!

Please do't hold their relationship in human standards please!!

Despite of my personal views, Mates in the werewolf world once they meet are as good as married!!

Their bond is equal to that of a husband and wife, so please keep an open mind about it.

And Mating ceremony is only for Alphas and Betas for the purpose of legalisation of real estate and name transfer in the human world