As soon as I gave in and started walking again, Caleb reached out for my hand and intertwined our fingers. He looked more at ease now. His wolf must like the physical contact. I wished I could relate to how he felt, but this all felt very foreign and unnatural.

"You know," he casually stated, causing me to look up to him. "Your name starts with a C, mine does. We can have our children have names starting with 'C' and then we'll all have the same initials."

I was sure I looked like I'd just been struck by lightning so I quickly cast my eyes back onto the path ahead and didn't reply.

I felt his hold on my hand tightening because of my lack of a reply.

"I'm sorry, that was way too early, I shouldn't have said anything.

I shook my head. "It's okay." Seemed like all we did, was apologize. Wasn't a matebond supposed to be easy? Instant love and fireworks and what not? I couldn't say it didn't feel nice that he wanted me, for now at least, but his feelings weren't going to last long.

Every second I spent with him, I tried to concince myself that I felt something of our connection, that I felt some kind of pull, but I didn't and it hurt. Another thing I probably wouldn't be able to experience to the fullest. Sure, if he decided to stay he would love me irrevocabely, but I would never be able to love him equally as intense because I couldn't feel our divine connection.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for myself and for him too, to have been dealt such a shitty hand of cards. Such a pathetic life I have. I shouldn't have come back for the funeral and should have kept living my human life. Blissfully ignorant of what I could have. I knew I could never go back to not knowing my mate, no matter how this turned out, and that made it extra painful. It made me want to believe in a future with him, it gave me hope and hope was a dangerous thing. Hope meant you had expectations and that you could get hurt. It scared me.

Every step closer to my house also meant he was one step closer to finding out about my most serious offence in not deserving him as a mate. I was also afraid of his temper when he did. I had put his wolf on edge so much that he could very well lose it. Would he try to kill me then, or worse, try to kill Alexander? I couldn't risk that, so I would need to find an excuse for him to get within hearing range of the house, and fast.

I chewed on my lip, racking my brains for a way out of this innocent walk. Eventually, a light bolb went on in my head, I had the perfect excuse, or at least one that sounded reasonable enough. Right on time as well, I noticed the path getting wider.

"You know, I think this is far enough, Caleb." I stopped him, raising my hand to touch his chest, but deciding against it at the last second.

I removed my hand from his and continued:

"My Mom will be a bit too much for me too handle when she finds out I'm an Alpha's mate, so I would like to prepare her on my own, before I introduce you, if that's alright."

See, I sounded perfectly normal and considerate of this mate thing now. He'd surely fall for it, right?

No, not right.

He looked towards the house and raised an eyebrow.

"Why am I hearing two sets of heartbeats coming from that house?" he inquired, calmly.

Very frighteningly calm, actually.

"Maybe she has a visitor I don't know about? I'll make sure to let you know when we next see each other though."

His piercing gaze landed back on me. So not falling for it, I guess.

"Right," I continued. "I'll see you soon then, thanks for walking me home, bye!"

I scurried of, taking a few more steps before I was held back and pulled into a rock hard chest.

"That's no way of saying goodbye to your mate." he murmured in my hair, inhaling deeply.

I stilled, with my arms at my sides, unable to really move or do anything to object.

So instead I waited until he had enough of a decent goodbye, but I already sensed that could take some time. I just hoped Alexander hadn't seen us yet so he would stay inside.

While he was holding me though, I had some time to actually focus on him and I had to admit, even though his chest was very hard, it was also oddly comforting, to be held like this and I couldn't help but snuggle into him a little. I was going to regret this so much, allowing myself to get close to him, I could feel the hope growing within me, like a flame growing brighter. I was walking a dangerous path that could end up with me broken and alone.

"I really need to go." I said, after a while. "I'm sure my Mom's wondering where I am and I don't want her to start a search party."

"I am the search party, I can just tell them you're with me then."

Stupid Alpha wolf with a solution for everything.

"Yes, right, which is precisely what I want to be able to tell her myself, remember?" I started pushing his chest a little, but I couldn't make him move with all my might, he was like a mountain or something.

Eventually he let go though, but not before he had kissed my forehead for a few seconds, and this time, I swore I felt a little tingle where his lips had touched me, as I watched him walk away from me.