It was one of those days. One of those days when the skies seem bleak and dark, and yet with every slow lingering breeze a brown, almost golden leaf fell to the patient hands of the ground. The green welcoming the brown. 

It was one of those days where it seemed like the weather matched my emotions.

I looked up at the grey sky and let out a slow sigh as the first signs of rain began dropping down on me. Slowly, then gradually thundering down furiously. Brown leaves still twirled down, spiralling to the damp grass.

Letting out another slow sigh I slowly got off of Prue's back porch's floor and turned towards the door. Inhaling the smell of rain for a final time before hesitantly heading into the house and closing the door behind me.

Last night had not been the best of nights. Dominic had not been the nicest and I could still not come to terms with Isabelle looking exactly like Emily. It was strange, but I could understand both of them, Dominic was clearly confused, and Isabelle was hurt. So very hurt.

The lock to her room had stayed locked all night, all the attempts of asking her to come out, or to let Abigail or I in, stayed ignored. I could empathise with her though. It wasn't easy finding out you had a soulmate who would always view you as a reflection of someone else. Someone else who... clearly meant something to him.

Looking at the wooden door in front of me I hesitated for a second before bringing my hand up, I grabbed hold of the door knob and turned it. Halfway praying it would be unlocked, halfway dreading it wouldn't.

The click of the lock give away drifted to my ears and a breath of relief slipped out from between my teeth as I pushed the door open and stepped in, taking the whole room in.

Everything seemed quiet. Too quiet. The wrenching beat of my heart suddenly began plaguing my mind.

What if she's done something?

Cringing from the thought I quickly shut my Jiminy away and took a long stride into the room.

"Issy?"

Quietly siting on the bed, I noticed her packed and sealed suitcase, on the bed, beside her.

"Hey Liv," she smiled, a slow sad smile I had come to know ever since we had become friends. Smiling a little brighter she pat on the bed, beside her. "Come sit."

"You're leaving?"

We both knew it wasn't a question. She knew it. I knew it. And by the way I knew her, I knew she had already booked her tickets. She was ready to go.

"Yes, I'm leaving," she admitted, nodding as she pat her suitcase.

"You don't have to," I frowned, moving to sit beside her now.

"I know," she nodded, then sighed and put her hand over mine. "I'm moving out, out of the house. I'm done living as someone's shadow. It's time I stand up for myself."

I sat speechless.

How could I tell a girl not to go, to give Dominic and her bond a chance when Dominic couldn't see her as anything but a shadow of Emily. How could I tell a girl who was my best friend, to stay, when I had encouraged her against ever being someone else's shadow all throughout our childhood. I couldn't.

I knew both Dominic and Isabelle were hurting. To find one's soul mate, no matter how lightly some people took it, was still an incredibly pure thing, an important thing. But they were both broken. And to be able to breathe together, they had to heal themselves first.

Slowly I nodded, then looked up at her, her moist forest green pools on my blurry soil brown. "When's your flight?"

A tear slipped down her cheek, something I had grown up seeing every time Isabelle's mum missed her birthday but remembered Juliana's. Somehow though, today I knew this was hurting her deeper than it ever had.

Isabelle's hand squeezed mine.

"In an hour,"

~^~

A Friday.

One Week Later.The Semester End Examination Hall.

"Pen down guys, please. Time's up."

A round of muffled groans rang around the examination hall and I almost groaned myself as I watched my paper being collected. I had a very high feeling I had messed up the last question.

Minutes passed before Professor Heirnzberg finally walked back to the front and settled the papers into a brown envelope. Looking up, he smiled at us brightly.

"One semester done, another to go guys. Plans for the break, Kelvin? " Professor Heirnzberg asked one of the boys in the hall, placing the envelope into his bag.

"Taking a trip to the crazy house, Prof." Kelvin responded loudly, mentioning his own destination project. I smiled at his usage of the old brothel turned apartment's nickname.

"Ah! A very interesting location. Please do keep someone with you during your." Professor Heirnzberg stopped, turning to smile at everyone. His bag strap now over his shoulder. "Alright guys! I hope you have a safe and interesting semester break! See you next semester!"

Professor Heirnzberg walked out of the hall and all of farmer's market broke loose. Various excited laughs and disappointed groans echoed around the halls and I smiled as I caught a smattering of a joke being said in German. It was sad, I wasn't really good in German, although I had always wanted to be.

"I am so glad this semester is done for," Abigail announced catching up to me as we walked out of the hall.

"Speak for yourself, I'm less than happy to sign into that manor of Professor's. I can't believe he actually lives there," Jaydin grumbled, joining me on my other side.

"Well I'm returning back to the castle this evening," I announced as we walked out the doors and into the corridor, a soft sigh leaving my lips as I inhaled the cold outside air.

"Olli, do you and Abigail mind coming and staying over and the manor the night I move in for the break? I've asked Professor Heirnzberg and he thinks it might be a great idea." Jaydin suddenly enquired.

A curious expression came over his face and he frowned. "It was strange how he said it really, He literally said 'Yes, that's a good idea. It'll give the manor time to adjust to you'"

Getting into the driver's seat of my car I frowned at the both of them, Professor Heirnzberg was never an odd fellow per say, but sometimes... It was true, he did act a little scary.

"Sure, I think I could stay over. When are you moving in?" I spoke, nodding softly at Jaydin and smiling when he sent me a grateful grin.

"Next week Monday. So, two days later. " Jaydin suddenly turned to the curiously silent Abigail, I cocked an eyebrow up at her indistinguishable expression.

"Can you make it, babe?" Jaydin smirked as he nudged Abigail in the side. A grin lit on my lips when I noticed Abigail trying to hide a blush as she smacked Jaydin on his arm.

"Nutter," she grumbled, still trying badly to hide her blush. "Yes, I'll be there."

Grinning, Jaydin turned to me, and I wiggled my eyebrows at his gleeful expression.

"Alright then, I'll take your leave, girls! River and I are going out bowling tonight,"

"You should probably come over tonight, before you like go back to the castle, like for a sleepover!" Abigail suddenly spoke up as I watched Jaydin walk towards his Jeep. My eyes snapped to her and I slowly shook my head apologetically.

"I would Abi, but I really want to go the castle. I don't know, I've had this odd feeling lately, like something isn't right. You know, when I told Romanov l'd stay home for another week, the afternoon Issy left — because the semester finals were coming up. He agreed. Just like that. Plus, I haven't seen him in a week. Something feels wrong."

Looking alarmed Abigail immediately took a step forward, grabbing my car's open door. "Livy, there will be a full moon tonight! You shouldn't."

Everything stopped.

The full moon...

Romanov...

Soulmates...

Mates...

Mate.

Mate.

I shook my head, smacking my palm against my head. How could I have missed that? The full moon made mating urges nearly impossible to ignore. All of a sudden, I stilled, another thought filtering into my mind.

The full moon made mating urges nearly impossible to ignore. And usually the effects began showing three nights prior to the actual night of the full moon. So how had Romanov managed to stay away for so long?

Oh no...

Eyes wide with dread, I turned to Abigail. "What did he do?"

"He chains himself up in the dungeons. The chains are laced with wolfsbane. The dungeons have an airway for wolfsbane to be pumped in every five hours."

Immediately, both Abigail and I's eyes snapped to the person who had spoken, and my breath hitched in my throat when my eyes fell on a dishevelled, tired looking Greyson.

The arrogant glint in his eyes that I had come to know shone and I watched as he took a step closer to us.

"Did I mention that somehow Alpha Romanov is rapidly becoming resistant to wolfsbane? That means he has wolfsbane pumped into the dungeon every fifteen minutes. Did I mention he is rapidly becoming resistant to wolfsbane? Oh, I did? Great! Let's get you to the castle."

In a heartbeat Abigail was in front of me. "I don't belong to your pack, Delta. You're not taking my best friend without her permission. You're not forcing her to do something she doesn't want to."

Greyson let out a scoff before his haunted-looking eyes connected with mine. "Do you see how I am right now, Luna? I feel like I have acid in my veins instead of blood. Every second feels like a million silver bullets crush through my brain. Dominic and I can't sleep, we can't eat, we can't breathe because our mind is always open to the Alpha. And when it's not, he unknowingly rips it open. We feel what he feels, only he feels this, a thousand times greater. And tonight, if he continues this way, continues being stubborn, I will kill someone, or myself!"

"That's a little overdramatic, don't you think?" Abigail gritted out from between her teeth as she continued to stand in front of me. I continued to stare at Grayson.

"Oh, sweet Abigail, how I wish you would just shut your pretty mouth," Greyson rolled his eyes as he lazily mocked Abi, his hands however fisted on his sides.

His eyes connected with mine again.

"He doesn't want me to know, does he? Why... why are you telling me this?" I whispered, my mind tearing with thoughts of how tortured Romanov must make himself to feel just to stay away.

Grayson shrugged, "Because I'm a fucking badass, because he is my Alpha, and because his father was the only person who had trust in me when even my own parents didn't. Fuck it, let's just stick to because I'm a fucking badass, okay?"

Grayson and I kept eye contact for a second before I sighed and looked away.

"Abi, it's okay. I'll go." 

"You're sure about this, aren't you?" Abigail asked me for the tenth time and I let out a shaky breath of air before nodding at her, a small smile on my lips.

"I'm sure Abbs. Romanov is hurting himself, I just can't."

"Can't, what?" A new voice spoke up from my bedroom door and Abigail immediately scowled, rolling her eyes as she turned to face the guy leaning against the open door.

"You should respect people's privacy, don't you know?" She scolded Grayson, folding her arms in front of her.

Grayson rolled his eyes as he mimicked Abigail, folding his arms in front of him. "Sweet Abigail, trust me, I'm already respecting your privacy. Your clothes are still on, aren't they?"

Abigail stilled, her hands forming into tight fists. "Are you fucking serious!?"

"Telling you that I didn't think you worthy enough to use my seduction skills on? Yes."

Immediately my hand moved forward and grasped onto an almost leaping Abigail. "Relax," I begged her under my breath as I held onto my suitcase by my other hand.

Amused and grinning, Grayson quickly reached forward and took my suitcase away from me.

"For being so tortured every second you're still as annoying as ever." Abigail snapped at him just as he reached my bedroom door.

Oh no Abbs...

Grayson stopped in his steps. Turning to look back at Abigail with a small smirk he replied, "The sass is indestructible." 

"Are you okay?"

I was panicking. Halfway into the drive Grayson had suddenly pulled over, an expression of sheer pain on his face. Half an hour had passed, and we were still on the side of the highway, it was already getting dark, the moon was already shining brighter and brighter every minute.

Another look of horror ripped through Grayson's expression and I almost gasped as the sound of pure pain slipped out of his mouth.

"Okay, okay Grayson. Let's get you to the passenger's side. I'll drive us over. The faster we get to Romanov the better, okay? We'll be fine. We'll be fine." I quickly tumbled out of the car and made my way to his side, just as quickly dragging his shockingly heavy self to the back seat and dumping him there.

"We're getting there, we're getting there. You'll be fine Grayson. I promise." I tried to mumble out things as positively as I could, making sure Grayson was in an okay position in the back seat as I drove back into the lane as fast as I could.

How the minutes seemed to pass I had no idea, I had a niggling feeling in the back of my head that I had probably broken a few of the road rules while trying to take Grayson and I back to the castle. It seemed like as the minutes happened to pass he got worse and worse.

The sight of the castle brought a breath of relief from my lips and I almost smiled with victory when I drove through the castle gates, quickly parking Grayson's car at a random spot.

As I opened the door at once five people leaped out in front of me. Seeing Orik to being one of them, I quickly sighed and handed him the car keys.

"Please get Gray into the castle, and get his car parked." I requested him hurriedly as I motioned towards the backseat.

Looking happy to help, Orik quickly handed the keys to another man standing behind him and taking the third man with them, moved towards the back door.

"I'll get your luggage into your room, miss," Marsha almost beamed as she moved to the boot of the car.

I nodded at a tormented looking Dominic, "Where is he?"

It felt like a whisper, I almost didn't hear myself say it. But thankfully Dom did as he quickly grabbed my hand, pulled me closer, and scooped me up in his arms. Then... he ran.

My eyes were closed the first second he began to run, and when he suddenly stopped after a minute, in front of a metal door, and began removing my jacket. I let him. His scent was probably all over the thing.

Slowly he began pressing his thumb on the security detector beside the door before the system also did a quick face detector and the door slowly clicked open.

Dominic immediately took a step back.

"I can't. With the amount of wolfsbane in there, I can't."

"Wolfsbane is poisonous to humans too," I mumbled quickly.

Immediately Dominic smiled, a broken sort of smile and pressed on a button just beside the security system.

"That will pull most traces of wolfsbane from the dungeon,"

I took a step forward but stopped when a hand grabbed mine.

"He's not letting himself shift. It's worse in our human form." 

Walking into the dark, damp smelling dungeon I couldn't help but cringe at the sound of a distant yell. The yell suddenly turned into loud growls and snarls, and then just as suddenly turned back into yells.

He's really torturing himself!

I held my breath as I stopped in front of the cell I knew he was in, the burning light coming through from under the door letting me know for sure. My hand grasped onto the door knob. Another round of growls ripped past through the walls just as I twisted the knob and turned the door open.

My breath hitched in my throat, and I almost forgot how to breath as I stood there, frozen, taking in the red welts the thick chains had made on Romanov's body. His pants seemed burned at the places the chains wrapped around, and I couldn't help but let the tears slip as I watched a broken but deadly looking Romanov chained to the wall. His head bowed as his wet with sweat looking dark hair fell over, hiding his face from me.

I took a step in. Instantly Romanov's head shot up and he growled. His glazed eyes burning golden ambers. I stilled, then took another step towards him. My tears falling freely now.

The keys jingled in my hand as I continued to walk towards a now frantically violent beast, tirelessly pulling on the chains, his hands bleeding from the contact with the wolfsbane lacing the chain. Romanov desperately began trying to get to me.

His eyes almost dark with lust now. I felt a shiver run down my spine as the true impact of things finally struck me. We would have to have sex. Sex, when we weren't even dating. When he hadn't even acknowledged my meaning in his life out loud yet. When we didn't even lo- I stopped in my steps.

No... Did I? Was it too early to tell?

I shook my head, and then again, began beginning to stride towards him.

He was hurting himself to give me a chance. Taking so much pain, for me. A strange warmth spread in my chest as I reached my beast, my hands immediately finding his locks.

One lock unlocked and immediately his left arm wrapped around me. Ignoring the crazy beating of my heart against my chest I unlocked the other chain and almost fell backwards as Romanov at once slumped against me. A groan of pain releasing from his lips for the first time.

My hands wrapped around him as he sunk down to his feet, shifting a little against him I quickly began working on the chains around his legs, all the while crying harder for Romanov.

His legs freed from the chains one by one and I almost hurled all over the floor when a bleeding welt came into my view from under his pant fabric.

"Olivia," it was only a whisper, but I snuggled closer to him, sobbing into his chest, I couldn't even begin to count all the injuries he had caused himself.

"Olivia... soul—" Romanov paused, moving his lips closer to my ear, he pressed a small kiss on my earlobe, "—mate."

Crying harder I moved my face to kiss his jaw, feeling helpless and lost. I needed to get him out of there.

"Let's get out of here, please Rome?"

Instantly we were on our feet, another second later I was in Romanov's arms and he was speeding through hallways. My heart thundering in my chest for his safety.

The fact that he was so hurt and weak and still speeding through the halls, with me in his arms was... scaring me. For him.

His room's door came into view just as Romanov began slowing down, I jumped out of his arms just in time to hold him up as he faltered on his feet.

Grabbing him tightly I carefully moved him into the room and towards the bathroom. I smiled in relief when I noticed a hot bath already ready for him.

Marsha...

Stopping in front of the bath tub I began to scoop down to check the water's temperature when an arm wrapped around me and pulled me back against a hard chest.

"No," Romanov snarled at me as I made a move to step away again.

I sighed as I looked from the water to his arms around me. "You need to bath, Rome. I'll be here. I promise."

"You're mine, Olivia." Romanov growled at me deliriously, warning me as he took a step backwards; letting me kneel down and check the water.

Getting back up I gulped as I looked at his pants. This was necessary. For Rome's safety. I was his. He was mine. I was going to help him heal. I was going to give him a bath.

He is mine.

The mantra repeated itself in my mind as I slowly unzipped his pants and pulled it down, gulping at the sight of his black boxer brief. The pants came off completely before I gripped the waistband of his boxer, noticing that the once groaning Romanov was now extremely still. Slowly, I began pulling it off.

My gaze moved to Romanov's as his boxer came off. His jet-black gaze keeping me captive. His boxer fell to the floor and he immediately kneeled downward to capture my lips with his.

Pulling me to my feet both Romanov and I just stayed there, foreheads pressed together as we both tried to regain our breathing.

"I won't touch you like that unless you want me to, Olivia. I promise," he mumbled softly.

Closing my eyes as his warm forehead touched mine, I felt as he moved away and settled into the large tub.

"You can look now,"

I opened my eyes and immediately found his dark pools, the broad frame of his shoulders almost filling the large bathtub, making it look as normal size a bathtub could get. My eyes ran through each and every bruise and cut and welt on his body, and slowly I settled myself behind him, my fingers running through the dark mess of his hair.

"What if these scars?" I mumbled softly as I washed away the blood and sweat off of his back.

"Then you'll have a very scarred mate."

I couldn't help but let a broken smile show. My hands finding his hair again I leaned down and pressed a kiss on his forehead, noticing how his erratic breathing settled immediately.

"Thank you," I whispered against his skin, feeling a new stream of tears slipping down my cheeks, "For giving me a choice."

Romanov remained silent and I continued to wash him, I had a feeling something had changed between us tonight. Something we wouldn't know until sometime. But find out, we would. 

Wrapping a towel around himself Romanov walked out of the bathroom before me as I unplugged the bathtub. Letting the red water drain out in a frenzied rush. Slowly I walked out into the room behind him.

I froze, a gasp slipping out of my mouth as I watched Romanov standing before me, stark naked, but dried. Every piece of him looked like pure masculinity. Broad shoulders, strong back, perfect ar... and just muscles. Strong, well defined muscles. Everywhere.

I gulped as I followed his gaze, my eyes settled on a bowl of what looked like an herbal ointment.

Slowly I made my way towards it.

Apply these on his wounds. It'll help not scar him, please. -Sophia.

A small smile found itself on my lips as I bent to pick the bowl up and turned towards a still standing Romanov. My eyes on his black pool. His black pools on my brown ones.

Trying my best to ignore his south I dragged myself to him until I stood in front of him toe to toe. Immediately his fingers found my hair and eased them back, away from my face.

I sighed, leaning my head on his chest I closed my eyes and just stayed there for a second before placing a kiss on the centre of his chest.

"This may sting," I whispered as I scooped a bit of salve with my fingers before spreading it on a wound on his hands.

Looking up to see his face I flinched as I saw his eyes shut with pain. Immediately I began tearing up.

It didn't help that I was an easy crier, and while in this situation, I was exhausting my tear ducts, I couldn't help it. It just wouldn't stop. So, I just let it be, I let the tears fall as I looked down and continued to apply the salve on his hands and then his legs.

I could feel Romanov's eyes on me as I applied the salve, crying, feeling guilty for being the cause of this, thankful that he respected me enough not to want to force me, and warmth because my heart throbbed with it for him. But I didn't care, I continued to apply the salve until all his wounds were done. In that moment I wasn't conscious about his lack of clothing, or the abundance in his manhood. In that moment all I cared for was his wounds, and him.

Standing up on my feet again I reached for the wound on his palm when instead he grabbed my hand and pulled me close. My eyes snapping to his I smiled as I stayed there in his arms for a second before stepping back and pulling him towards the bed.

A clean white sheet lay on the bed above the actual sheets and I silently thanked the person who had done this. Romanov sunk down on the bed, slowly manoeuvring himself on his back until he completely lay down without ruining the salves on his wounds. I ran my fingers through his hair as I smiled softly at him.

"I'll just go shower and be back, okay?"

"Okay," Romanov whispered as he continued to ease into the bed.

I ran my fingers through his hair lovingly before placing a small peck on his forehead, walked my way out of his room, making my way towards mine.

Washing away the blood, sweat, and tears off of me felt like a finality for all the harsh events of tonight. I knew, that tonight was hardly over, but at least the hard parts were done with.

Twirling my hair in my towel, I straightened up to secure the twirl, my tank top and pyjama already worn on, teeth brushed, and skin scrubbed. I smiled as I grabbed hold of the bathroom door and turned it open, taking my dim lit room in as I walked into the room and placed my things on a tiny table, beside my suitcase.

Pulling my towel away from my hair I brushed the wet locks straight and moved towards the towel hanger before draping my towel on it.

Wondering whether Romanov had fallen asleep or not I smiled as I hoped he had. He needed the rest.

Slowly turning towards my bedroom door, I padded my way towards it and pulled my door open, immediately letting out a loud yelp as two strong hands grabbed me and flung me over its shoulder.

I grabbed hold of the thick black — almost dark blue fur of Romanov's as he began speeding away, low growls tumbling out of his chest.

The door slammed shut behind us as he stormed us into his room, dropping me on his bed. I bounced on the bed once before his large beast form pressed me against it. His muzzle dipping into the crook of my neck before it slowly shifted into his human nose.

"Sorry, panicked." His deep baritone rumbling out like thunder. I sighed against him as I felt him place a kiss just near his mark, a shot of electricity ran down my sides and I gripped his shoulder with the intensity of it.

"It's okay. I'm here." I breathed, my breath hitching in my throat when he placed a kiss directly over his mark.

"Miss your knickers," Romanov breathed as leaned back and looked at me, a whisper of a smirk on his lips.

A smile of my own spread over my face and I pushed him to his side, reaching for the lamp he turned the lights off and I felt him scoot away a little.

Reaching for my pajama's waistband I easily slid it off before folding it in the dark I placed it on the side. Immediately finding Romanov in the dark and curling cosily into him.

It felt like a while as we both lay there in each other's arms, his hands wrapped around my waist as his fingers traced circles on my naked belly, under my tank top, the light from the full moon glittering into the room as his lips pressed against my temples before Somnus finally draped his sleepy wings over us, and we both settled into a peaceful sleep, content in each other's arms.