Mathew peered thoughtfully at my face for a moment, then he took my hand and pulled me out of the storage room to walk me down the corridor. We walked quietly and I couldn't help but hold his hand a bit tighter, wondering where we were going and what he was thinking.

"I didn't mean to offend you," I mumbled low before we arrived outside his room.

"You didn't," he said and opened his door to let me in. "I get it," he continued as he offered me to take a seat on his bed while he closed the door behind us. "The first night you came to me because you felt hurt, when you found out about Roland. I didn't mind, I enjoyed it," he added with a wink. "I thought it would be a one time thing, but you came back every night for weeks Adrian, you poured your heart out to me and I started to see the real you."

Then he gave me an almost shy smile, "and after I left, I missed it. I missed you," he corrected.

"You barely know me," I insisted.

"I know enough," he stated with a smile. "I know my wolf wants you." He noticed that I didn't understand and he continued to explain. "He's been longing for you. He tells me you're the one, and when a wolf chooses their mate they won't accept anyone else. And he's eager," he chuckled, "and because of him I've been acting too impulsive. I understand now that it might be overwhelming for a human, it's just how we do things at home."

"Do you ever disagree?" I asked curiously.

"It happens," he chuckled, then looked excitedly at me, almost like a child. "Would you like to meet him?"

"Sure?" I asked with a bit of hesitation in my voice.

Rillon instantly stood up from the bed, and moments after, his clothes had fallen to the floor and a big light brown wolf was sitting in front of me with a wagging tail. I could only stare at him. He was huge, so much bigger than a normal wolf. I could see the resemblance of Mathews hair color in his fur, they had the same blue eyes but the personality in them had changed.

"So, you're Alpha?" I asked, almost whispering, and the wolf moved closer to sniff my hand. "You are not Mathew, that's for sure." He only peered at me, and I realized he would not answer me. "Somehow I thought you would be able to speak," I snickered, "that was silly of me." He kept peering at me but eventually he took a small step forward and laid his head in my lap and I let my fingers move through his smooth fur. "I'm happy to finally meet you," I continued. I sat quiet for a while and moved my hands through his fur and noticed he loved it when I scratched behind his ear. Much like a dog, I thought with a smile on my lips. "I really like him," I mumbled eventually, "but you both need to be a bit more patient, okay?"

The huge wolf peered up at me but when I met his eyes again something in them had changed and it was Rillon who was looking back at me. Moments later he had changed back to his human naked form and I couldn't help but admire his chiseled body.

"You'll get to know him eventually," he said with a smile, "and there are ways you can learn to hear him," he continued before he sat down beside me.

"I'd like that," I said with a smile on my lips.

"But I'll answer him for you this time," he continued and took my hand in his, "We'll try to be patient and I know the proposal was a bit sudden, I just wanted you to know how serious we are about this."

I peered at him with confusion, was this man really saying that he'd fallen heads over heels in love with me? Or was it because his wolf had chosen me for some reason? "I'm sorry Mat, It's just hard to get my head around all of this," I told him.

"Because you're not used to men openly declaring their love to you," he chuckled. "I know, you can tell me to stop, you know."

"No, it's not that," I said with a sigh before I gently placed my hands on each side of his face and looked him straight into his blue eyes. "Mathew Rillon, I need you to promise me. No. I need you to swear to me, that this has nothing to do with Faria, Gera, politics and taking over leadership, lands or going to war," I commanded with a low, almost desperate voice. "Promise me this is all about love and nothing else."

I watched his lips pull up in a gentle smile and I felt his hands move to my waist, while I kept looking into his beautiful confident eyes. "I promise you Adrian of Gera, this has nothing to do with war, or the fact that you are a king, or that I am the Alpha of Faria. I want you to be mine, as my lover and my partner." His confidence suddenly faltered and he almost looked nervous as he continued. "But because you are the king, I felt it was appropriate to show you how serious I am, that I want to be someone important to you," he explained," and not someone to warm your bed once in a while."

That's when it hit me, he had no idea how human societies worked and he proposed to me because he thought it was the correct thing to do. I felt guilty for using him to get over Kendrick and when doing so I had never even considered Mat's feelings. "I'm sorry," I mumbled and let my hands fall from his face. "I'm sorry I used your body to make mine feel better."

He chuckled and pulled me closer to sit on his lap and his nakedness made me blush slightly. "You may use my body whenever you feel like it, Little King. As long as I'm the only one on your mind."

"When you traveled back here, were you worried I was back with Kendrick?" I asked, "and you were ready to compete with him for my hand in marriage?"

"Something like that," he chuckled. "But I could tell you've moved on, even though he hasn't."

I made myself comfortable in his arms and moved my fingertips over his scarred chest. "That's the least of your problems," I snickered bitterly and couldn't help but feel anxious about our future. How many new scars would he get after this war?

"Let me help you get those thoughts out of your head," he mumbled in my ear and pushed me down on the bed. His hand moved quickly to unbutton the thick fabric of my jacket while his lips started to kiss my neck, and I moaned delightedly in response and was just about to help him with my clothes when someone knocked at the door.

"Excuse me Alpha, but have you seen the King?" a terrified voice asked from the other side. I chuckled to myself as the naked Alpha moved to the door and opened it, only to gesture towards me.

"He's here, why?"

The poor young guard looked both terrified and relieved when he spotted me. "Sir Roland is looking for you, your majesty. He has some news about Joseph," he said, trying his best to avoid looking at the big naked man before him.

"What news?" I asked harshly and instantly left the bed to walk up to the guard.

"It seems he never came back to the castle, and no one knows where he is," he stammered nervously, while glancing between me and the lycan. "Sir Kendrick has sent soldiers to search the whole city but I'm afraid he's not there."

I pushed myself past the poor boy, ordered Mat to put some clothes on, and stormed towards the war room where I expected them to be. But it was empty. So I continued my search by visiting my study, then Kendricks room, then the great hall, but eventually I found the knight in the courtyard discussing something lowly with one of the head guards.

"What the hell is going on!?" I yelled as I ran up to him, "where is my friend? "Where is Joseph?"

I could see the restraint in him when he turned to answer me, "I was just asking the same thing about you, your majesty." Then his eyes fell on Rillon who was strolling after me while pulling a shirt over his head. I peered at my future husband and was relieved to see he had pants on and feeling grateful for his silent support when he ended up standing behind me, placing a calming hand on my shoulder. "I'm glad we found you. We searched everywhere," Kendrick continued.

"Not everywhere," Rillon concluded, "the king was with me, as I said at the end of the meeting, we had things to discuss."

"Yes, but neither of you were in the King's study, nor were you at his quarters," Roland hissed, clearly annoyed by now.

"No, we were in my bedroom," the Alpha replied with a wink and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes at him.

"Are you two done?" I hissed, "I need to know where my best friend is, so can you please tell me what happened?"

"According to Miss Abbey, Joseph left this morning to meet a new tradesman who arrived by boat yesterday," Kendrick answered me but kept glaring angrily at Rillon.

"He left alone?" I asked and cursed my friend for his ignorance. While Kendrick began to retell me the details I noticed how Rillon walked over to one of his men. They spoke for a while and then the much younger lycan took off together with two others. "Where are they going?" I asked as he came back to me.

"If your friend is here, they'll find him," he told me with a smile before he turned to Kendrick. "I know you've already searched the city, but our noses can usually find things better than yours."

I felt my shoulders relax slightly and I let out a deep sigh, whispering, "thank you."

"Now we just need to figure out if he left willingly or if someone took him," Kendrick muttered.

I gasped at him and almost wanted to slap his face, "Joseph's my childhood friend, I would trust him with my life!"

"It's war, my Lord," he responded coldly, "people change when faced with uncertainty."

I shook my head and turned to Rillon, "I need a drink, care to join me while we wait for your men?" I could see he had his eyes focused on Roland, studying him intensely. "Mathew, darling?" I asked again and the last word made him snap out of it and he finally looked down at me, smiling and gave me a short nod.

"Of course, just give me a moment with the Colonel," he said and urged me to go ahead without him. I hesitated, what on earth were they going to talk about? Giving them both a deathglare, a silent command to behave, I started to walk up the long stairs to the castle entrance. And when I arrived at the door I turned to look down to see them talking low to each other. Roland looked pissed, but Mathew seemed as calm as ever.

"Men are like beasts, lycan or not," Matilda snickered as she walked up the stairs to greet me. "The Alpha seems very protective of you, doesn't he?" she continued.

I sighed at the whole situation but couldn't help but smile at her, "I trust him with my life. Anyways, care to join me for a drink, sweetheart? "I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Adrian," she sighed and took my arm. "And I want to hear all the details about you and the wolfman."