Kellen POV:
I pace Ana's office, too angry and horny to think straight. The scent of Ana's heat... my groin pulsates painfully as my wolf fights for control of my consciousness. Sweat drips down my forehead with the effort of keeping him at bay. I don't stop moving, afraid that if I do my wolf will take advantage and phase us.
I struggle to remember why I came up here instead of staying down there to claim what's mine. My teeth elongate, my fingers clawing as I try to think about anything and everything that isn't Ana.
Why had I come up here? Think Kellen!
Instantly my wolf brings up the pictures of Ana as I found her in the shower, curled up in the showed naked... and her scent! No, no! Her scent didn't align with her expression – that's right! She was angry, miserable, and resigned, but then she'd dropped her towel... why did she drop her towel? What did she mean by that? An invitation to take her and mate her!
I groan as the image of Ana dropping her towel dances across my mind. Why did I wrap her back up? What was I thinking? I need to go back down there; I reach for the entrance to her flat. No. No! It's wrong, the emotions she is emitting are all wrong. That is why I left. Aries was right when he said to fight my instincts. The look on her face, the defiance in her tone, the resignation in her gaze and the bracing of her emotions, it didn't match up with her actions. Her thoughts drifting down our flimsy bond say it all; she expects me to sexually assault her because she's in heat. She expects me to behave like an animal and completely disregard her choice in the matter.
I shake my head, my anger at the assumption pushing back my wolf's desire to mate and helping to clear my head. I would castrate myself before doing that to her. What the hell am I going to do?
"Oh!" announces a voice behind me, surprised. I turn to see Ana's Beta Rick entering her office. "Excuse me, your Highness, I didn't know you were still here." He bows.
I growl automatically, walk over to him and square up to him, sniffing his scent. Mated. Good. I relax. "What are you doing here?" I ask sharply. I didn't want any males around Ana, mated or not.
He bristles at the question, narrowing his eyes, "My presence has been requested by the Prowess. Now, please, excuse me your Highness." I could stop him if I want to but throwing my weight around where its not wanted won't get me anywhere. I step aside, he nods stiffly and makes his way down the stairs to Ana's apartment.
I pull my hair, frustrated. What do I do?
Dad, I need your advice. I reach out to him, he responds immediately.
What's wrong son? I explain the situation, and privacy be damned, describe to him Ana's reaction to me just now. Ah, er, I think your Mom better join us. The female mind is a minefield and we best not take a wrong step on this one. He answers sheepishly. A moment later, Mom joins our mental interaction and Dad shares everything with her. What think you, my love?
That poor girl cannot catch a break! Sighs Mom sympathetically. You made the right choice to leave the room Kellen. I think you will have to fight your wolf and be a man, not an animal. Anastasia's in a very fragile place, she just lost her father and now she's in heat which will make her a slave to her wolf's nature. She won't have much control over her instincts and the side effects of heat will be extreme, especially with a royal as her mate.
My head swims, clouded by lust, desire and confusion. My human nature fighting my werewolf one. I don't follow. I return with some difficulty.
Dad replies this time, sensing my trouble. As Royals our bloodline is stronger than the average wolf, every aspect of our being is amplified to make us the strongest breed. The need to mate will only get stronger the longer she's in heat, and as your mate she will feel the effects twice as much.
Also, begins Mom, the longer it takes you to mate with her, the worse it will get for both of you. Your instincts will cripple you, unfortunately this is the one aspect of our everyday lives that cannot be compromised to the wolf. It is integrated into our existence.
My blood slowly begins to boil. My hormonal senses overpowering me, my very absence from Ana in heat feels like a crime against nature. The door from the stairs opens and out walks Ana's Beta Rick. He nods but says nothing as he leaves.
I don't want Ana to mate with me unwillingly. I don't want it to be because she has to, but because she wants to. I tell them, digging my claws into Ana's desk as I fight my urges to run down the stairs and become the beast Ana is expecting.
A touching sentiment, son, but our wolves are not sentimental creatures they are instinctual ones. If you want it to be a romantic experience, make it sooner rather than later. Before you both lose a choice in the matter. Returns Dad, his tone matter of fact, his sympathy lurking. After both wishing me luck, they disengage and I'm left to my own thoughts, soaking in desire.
The door to the stairs opens again and this time the girl from earlier, Chanel, walks out and politely curtsies as she passes. That means Ana is now alone... I push back all the thoughts and needs presented by the thought and focus on how best to handle this situation. Staying away from Ana is out of the question, maybe I should just go down there and make my intentions clear? Seems a good plan and it's the only one I've got.
Taking a deep breath, I open the door to the stairs, only to regret the move as Ana's intoxicating scent hits me square in the face.
I steady myself against the wall. Every cell in my body screams to phase and claim my mate, I bite my knuckle against the pain of resisting my wolf's strength and the need to howl. Ana's scent is the match to the petrol of my blood, setting me alight and drenching me in sweat. I stumble my way down the rest of the stairs.
My teeth elongate as my groin throbs in time with my racing heart. My knees give way at the door and I clatter to the ground. Weakness, and determination not to take Ana against her will, keep me on the ground; I battle my wolf as we fight to force our wills on the other. I refuse to move until he submits and while in my human form the veto power remains mine. My muscles tremble, my sweat wetting the floor until eventually, and with great difficult, my will triumphs. I succeed in pushing back his instincts. They don't subside but are significantly subdued, I can breathe again despite Ana's scent bombarding me like the smell of food to a ravenous, starving man.
Pulling myself up, I untuck my shirt to hide my wolf's desire and with a shaky hand open the door to Ana's apartment. My wolf once again side tackles my will and I'm paralysed by the conflicting turmoil. Holy Moon Mother, this woman will be the death of me!
Locking my teeth together, I speak through a clenched jaw and squeeze my eyes shut – if I can't see Ana, my wolf can't gain an advantage by using my attraction to her against me.
"I don't want to hurt you. Or further deprive you of your choices. I know what that feels like and I hate it too." I breath through my mouth, hoping to negate the power of Ana's scent, only to taste her on my tongue! Her conflicting emotions, so many emotions: anger, confusion, rage, resign, grief, and then one, which has me cling to the doorframe for dear life... desire. "You're making this very difficult." I growl, my wolf pushing through.
"I'm not doing anything" She snaps from the far side of the room.
"I wasn't talking to you, Ana." I mutter, eyes still squeezed tightly shut. I don't know how long I can hold him off for, but if I don't the result will be irreversible. "Ana. I need you to understand..." I tell her desperately, my hands cramping as the door frame turns to dust in my claws. I open my link with her and share my conversation with my parents, the information they'd shared about what was in store for us both during Ana's heat, and finally the current war I'm fighting against my wolf for her. The instinctual ridden part of me knew exactly what I secretly hoped to gain but the human side of me only wants Ana to let me in.
"I'm terrified" she murmurs, too low for me to pinpoint where in the room she is.
"Me too" the truth of my reply rocks my foundation with its truth. It feels comforting to know that regardless of how she appears to the public, Ana and I were in the same boat of uncertainty. With my eyes closed, clinging to a frame link the weak human I am, I continue; "I know a future with me will force you to choice between being Prowess and becoming Queen. I know that, but I want you to know" I take a deep breath and collapse to my knees again at the strength of Ana's scent, she must be creeping closer. I rush the last few words, knowing I am moments from caving. "I'll abdicate for you if that's what it takes. I'll give it all up for you." The burning intensifies I feel the warmth of her skin right next to me. "Don't come any closer if you want to keep your choices." I snarl, my entire body shaking.
"You'd really consider abdicating?" she asks softly, the sound coming from right above me. I must look pathetic to her, clinging to a door frame with my eyes shut, claws out, teeth protruding and muscles rippling. I nod, unable to speak from the growls vibrating my chest.
"Kellen, look at me." She orders. I open my eyes to look up at her. "I want to." She wispers, her eyes pooling black. My wolf's yellow eyes are reflected by her wolf's black ones. At those three words I cave, my will flying out the window. Instincts winning, we both phase.
*
Heart still racing, I rub her bare back comfortingly. "How do you feel?" I ask softly.
"Considerably less angry and emotional. Sated? I don't know... calmer I guess." She smiles briefly, resting her head on my chest. "These last few weeks have really knocked me about. I haven't had time to really steady myself, I've felt very lost and uncertain; emotions I haven't felt since Dad first sent me away to boarding school. Now Dad's gone... I didn't realise how much I relied on knowing he always had my back. I always knew that no matter what, Dad supported me as Prowess even if no one else did. Losing that safety net really pulled the rug out from under me." Her voice shakes, her bottom lip quivering as she looks up to the roof in an effort to stop herself from crying.
"Don't. Let it out" I tell her cupping her cheek and kissing her forehead. My love for her...words cannot describe. Since we are now mated, our bond shines that a bridge between us, allowing me to feel the dam of emotions she is repressing.
Her beautiful grey eyes fill with tears, heat creeping up her cheeks as she speaks. "Dad always believed that only your mate should see you cry." Her voice breaks on the last word, and with it, I feel her dam collapse, the tears flowing freely. I hug her close, listening as she describes her childhood, how she felt being sent away, her experience at boarding school and how Aries saved her. Guilt colours our bond as she talks about Aries, confirming my suspicions about their relationship. My wolf instinctively rages, demanding I find him and tear him a new one, assert my dominance, and my claim to Ana as her mate.
I push my wolf back. Aries' dislike of me is a mutual feeling. I'm not oblivious to his feelings towards Ana, he obviously still loved her to which she thankfully seemed oblivious. That said, his actions towards Ana hadn't crossed a line, he'd looked out for her for when I couldn't. Just today he was encouraging Ana to trust in her relationship with me, in spite of his feelings for her. Although I hate to admit it, the guy deserves credit – he remains a good friend to her. I don't have to like it, nor the past they share but he contributed to making her the woman she is today. The woman I love her for being. I can respect Arie, albeit begrudgingly, for his part in that.
"It helped..." Ana continues, wiping her eyes and making them red. "When you said you would abdicate. I would never ask you to do that, but knowing you'd walk away for me... it reassured me that I don't always have to be the one to make sacrifices. Thank you." She smiles, drying her eyes. Leaning forward, I give her a lingering, tender kiss. Her lips taste like cherries, same colour too. Mm.
"Growing up in the Royal family as the first son wasn't easy," I confide, rubbing my finger up and down her back absentmindedly. "I grew up knowing I was only growing into a future expectations and responsibilities. My parents made such a big deal about the power mates hold for each other and how I'd never be a successful King without my mate by my side. So, when I turned 16 and didn't find my mate immediately, I knew the pressure would get worse. When Maxim found his mate at 16, two years later, I felt so much resentment towards his happiness, it served to solidify my feelings as a failure. I became desperate. Reckless. Rebellious. I began filing random girls into my bed to fill the emptiness, maybe I would stumble onto my mate, who knows?" I laugh hollowly. "At least then way my parents had something to be disappointed in me for. I couldn't stand their sympathetic, pitying gazes, veiled comments and subtle dating advice towards high ranking females who fit the criteria for a future King's mate. It was unbearable. The way they made having a mate sound, I began to think I wouldn't even be good enough to be a mate. So when the Jennifer situation arose, I panicked all my worse fears about not being good enough were coming true and a reason to reject as not good for you was about to be handed to you on a plate." I shake my head, a lump of bile collecting in my throat at all the memories.
"Looks like tradition screwed us both," she smirks mirthlessly.
"Sounds about right," I smile at her, amazed at my fortune. "I'll flick the judgmental eyes off you in future, like irritating little flies. Keep them out of our business." I wink, grinning.
"We'll flick them off together." She grins, pouncing on me using her kisses for weapons. I let her win this one.
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So... Kellen and Ana are finally mated! What are you all thinking? Let me know please <3
COMMENTS & VOTES please! Much love <3
Next upload: Sunday (provisional)