It's Never Easy

Chapter 20 - Astor

"I'm telling her." I state, as soon as Dion opens the door a crack.

"Fuck." He growls, running a hand through his hair. "Let me talk to her Father once more." He pleads. My wolf roars in my head, agonised at being kept from his mate. Tonight had placated him somewhat, all the soft touches and skin to skin contact and intimate connection

"One more chance. Then I'm telling her tomorrow night." I turn on my heel, grabbing some water and head back to my mate. She's still sprawled out in my bed, looking cozy wrapped up in a blanket. "Hey gorgeous, how you feeling?"

"So good." She gives me a lazy smile, reclining back and stretching her arms over her head, causing the blanket to fall to her waist. I watch, in rapt fascination, as she slides her hands down until their cupping her breasts, her thumbs gently rubbing her nipples "Ready for more."

I grin, plonking the glass of water on her nightstand and crawling over her. "I've created a monster." I murmur against her lips.

"You have no idea." She grins as she kisses me, eagerly pushing my sweatpants down and so I lose myself in my mate once again.

The next morning, I'm in the kitchen making breakfast for my mate, who still sleeps soundly in my bed, when Dion emerges.

"Well?" I demand.

"He...still disagrees." He says, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, "He wishes to discuss things with you in person."

"No, if he wanted to talk to me face to face he could have organised it weeks ago. I'm done waiting. My wolf needs her and will not tolerate being kept from her any longer. Never mind the fact that you're lying to her! And so I have to lie to her, I won't stand for it. The longer I keep this from her, the more she will resent me for it. If I have any chance of salvaging a future with her I need to tell her. I'm doing it tonight."

"Astor, respectfully—" My phone rings, interrupting him. I yank it out of my pocket, prepared to just shut it off but then I see the called ID. Dad. Fuck. Arianne is in the shower so I leave Dion and head into my bedroom to take the call in private.

"Son." My father answers gruffly and my stomach turns to lead at his tone, my wolf immediately on alert.

"No," I breathe, fearing whatever it is he has to tell me, I numbly sit on the edge of my bed.

"I've sent a private jet to come pick you up. It'll be at London Oxford Airport at six pm. I've organised a car to pick you up at five."

"Is everyone okay?" My mind immediately goes to the worst - my family, my pack dead, our lands ravaged—

"Yes, your mother and siblings are fine, the pack is fine." He says quickly, a small kernel of relief eases the tension in my body slightly but my wolf is still agitate, confused.

"Then, why?"

"I'm heading to Quebec, then Ottawa, for peace-talks. I need you holding down the fort at home while I'm gone. And if the peace talks break down I'll need you to help launch an offensive to protect our lands."

Ice spears my heart. My pack is in danger, I have to leave. I cannot disobey my fathers orders, because he's my alpha, but I also don't want to. My pack, my family needs me, as their future Alpha they look up to me I need to go back, but that means I have to severely expedite Arianne and I'd timeline. I'll need to tell her everything as quickly and succinctly as possible and then somehow convince to get on that plane with me, spin a story for her sister, inform her father. My mind races, I need to get off the phone, I need more time.

"Five pm? That's not enough time. I need to talk to Ari." I go to hang up the phone but my father's voice stops me.

"Son, it's safer if you don't." My wolf howls, raging, desperate for me to shift and taste the blood of anyone who dares keep us from our mate, even it's our own Alpha. "She has protection in the form of her father's wolves and its safer if she remains unaware of our world for now."

"She's safer at my side!" I roar.

"You want to bring your human mate into a war zone?" He asks, calmly, rationally. If the danger is in Canada then it does make the most sense for her to remain in England, where it's safe, and her father's pack can protect her. It's the most logical course of action, but my wolf does not care about logic, he only cares about keeping his mate close.

"I don't know how much use me or my wolf be, being separated from our mate."

"I know it will be hard. I know you will be distracted, but at the end of the day you are more use to me in Canada than England. The sooner you get here, the sooner we get this resolved, the sooner you can get back to her." He's right, I don't like it, and my wolf likes it even less, but my Alpha has given me orders and I must comply.

"I have to leave her." I say, resigned.

"Yes. I'm sorry son. I'll see you tomorrow." The call disconnects and I'm left staring at the floor, trying to get my raging wolf under control. My fingers are tipped with claws, elongated fangs biting into my lip. He's desperate to get out and go to his mate, snatch her up and run away with her, take her somewhere safe where we can be alone together. I've just barely gotten a leash on the beast inside me when Arianne glides into the room, clad only in a towel.

"No breakfast?" She asks, her gaze roaming around the room.

"I'll finish it in a minute. But I need to talk to you first." She stands in front of me, subconsciously fisting the towel closer to her chest.

"Sounds serious, can I get dressed first?"

"I'd rather you didn't." I reach for her hand and tug her until she's standing in-between my legs. I admire the love bites I've left down her neck and chest, having to hold in the satisfied rumble from my wolf. If we have to leave her at least we leave her thoroughly claimed. God this could not have come at a worse time, having to abandon her right after we have sex for the first time.

"Is everything okay?" She asks, running gentle fingers through my hair. I close my eyes, soaking in these last few moments of peace.

"I have to leave." She stills and I can't tell whether the cold panic that overwhelms our bond is from me or her.