CATRINA

I wake up to the pain of my aching head and the sound of a steady beep, beep, beep, echoing around me. Looking around myself, I take in the lights, the machine, an IV that's injected into my left hand. It looks like a hospital room, but not the one where I work.

How did I come here? What's this place?

Wasn't I supposed to be in Xan's house? He was telling me about how to bring back our father but I can't recollect a single thing after that.

Trying to recollect, I try to focus on the events but a sharp pain goes off in my head and I feel nauseous all of a sudden. Gasping for air, I sit up in the hospital bed, grunting in pain when my shoulder digs into the bed.

"Oh, you are awake!" whispers someone from my right side and a shocked scream leaves my throat. God!

There's a man to my right, he's sitting on a couch. Wearing a thick coat, only his face is visible. He stands up at my question and I note that he's tall and built-in his shoulders. His green eyes look at me in assessment as if he's trying to scrutinise me.

"How did I come here? Where's my brother?" I ask, panicking suddenly but for what I don't know.

"I found you at the border of my son's territory. I am Connor's father, rebenok"

He's whispering as if talking to a scared child and I realise that I probably am scared. I am confused more than scared.

"Where's Xan?" I ask and Connor's father's eyebrows rise in question.

"I don't know who you are talking about. I found you at the border of my son's territory and I have informed him. He was searching for you when you disappeared from your home. He will be here at some time."

Oh, shit!

I was supposed to go to lunch with Connor. He's searching for me? How long was I at Xan's place? How long was I asleep? Belatedly I remember that I probably didn't even lock my door, in my haste to talk to Xan and then get back home. That must have shocked Connor because I never leave my door unlocked.

How careless!

Connor's father exits out of the room, leaving me alone to deal with my thoughts and to try and recollect if I was dreaming about my step-brother or if he indeed is a real person. Lately, I think I am losing my mind. The incident with the trespasser, I don't know if there was really a trespasser in my house or if I am slowly losing my mind. Then I imagined Connor in my apartment and now this.

I try so very hard to recollect if Xan dropped me off at Connor's territory. If he didn't then how did I come here?

More importantly, why don't I remember leaving Xan's place? I just remember that I was drinking hot-chocolate with Xan. I remember the pregnant maid, I also remember that Xan told me about needing my help to bring back our father but I don't remember what it is. I don't even remember if I said good-bye to Xan.

Why can't I recall anything?

On the verge of having a mental breakdown, I am saved when Connor's father and a woman enter the room, diverting my focus to them.

They both scrutinize me as if I am a bug and somewhere I get a hint that Connor's father doesn't like me.

The woman comes forward and takes my hand in hers while smiling gently at me. I return her smile, not quite sure of what else to do.

"Hello, Catrina. I am Alyona. I am the pack healer for Alpha Connor's pack," she introduces herself and then squeezes my fingers.

"Hi, thank you for taking me in," I start but then she shakes her head making me stop.

"It's my honour Luna," she says and I notice that Connor's father's face has twisted as if in disapproval. I wince inwardly at the blatant dislike that he has for me. I am Connor's mate and if he doesn't approve of me then probably it's going to be a problem for us.

I sigh, not knowing how to deal or what to speak but I am luckily saved when the doctor speaks.

"You were asleep for nearly 10 hours, Luna. We found you at the border and at that time, I didn't know if your identity. I just took you in and treated you. When I informed Luna Aurora, she recognised you as our Alpha's mate and then Alpha Conan waited here with you till you woke up," she explains.

"I informed Connor just an hour ago when we found out that the human we found yesterday is actually Connor's mate. He'll take some time to return since he's out searching for you."

The way Alpha Conan speaks, I feel as if he's blaming me for Connor being away from his home and I find myself blaming me, too. I should've informed Connor or at least, I should've remembered to take my phone with me. I am sure he must have called me a lot of times.

"I am sorry for the trouble that I caused you. Please pass my apologies to Connor's mother as well," I whisper to Alpha Conan while Alyona removes the IV saying that one bottle is enough and that I should eat solid food.

I murmur thanks when she moves to leave.

"Connor will be returning in a few minutes, I assume, so it's better if you stay here only," he says and I notice that he could've easily invited me in the house but he doesn't. It stings a bit but he probably doesn't know my history with Connor that's why he must be hesitant. I try not to let it hurt me more than it should.

"Thank you for taking me in and looking after me," I say once again not sure of what to say.

He shrugs nonchalantly and then walks towards me to take a seat on the chair on my left.

"You are a human?" he asks, very seriously and I stiffen a bit.

"No Sir. I am a dormant wolf," I reply. The words dormant wolf don't sound foreign on my tongue as I had assumed it would.

"I see," he says, brushing his index finger against his chin and appearing to be in deep thoughts. I don't let it bother me and try to look calm but, on the inside, I feel very nervous and very scared of this man. I don't know why, but he's very closed off and looks very uptight. He's not welcoming at all. He's very different from Connor's mother who welcomed me warmly.

"Do you know that my son is an Alpha?" he asks, quietly but his voice is firm. He sounds more Alpha than Connor at this moment.

"Yes, I know," I whisper and inwardly shake my head at how weak I sound.

"Then you must know that an Alpha is best supported by a werewolf mate," he says and immediately my heart starts pounding. He's implying that I am not fit to be his mate, isn't he?

"I didn't k... know that Sir," I wince at my stammered reply. He notices that and again his brows raise, in scepticism.

"What's your last name?"

"St. Clair," I answer, dreading this conversation and praying that Connor returns to me.

"St. Clair. Hmm, I've never heard a werewolf having this name," he says and frowns.

"I was adopted by a human family. I am Fenris's cousin," I say and Alpha Conan's head perks up. I immediately realise that I've made a mistake. I shouldn't have said that I am related to Fenris. He shouldn't think that he's obliged to accept me just because I am a royal's cousin.

"Oh, I see. So you are that wolf Cayden's lost sister?" he asks, his voice laced with disgust?

"Yes, I am his twin sister," I agree, looking down at my hands while trying to stifle my shudder at the word lost. I wasn't lost, I was given away. I keep that information to myself and wait for him to continue.

"Do you know who your father is?" he asks and I shake my head, on the verge of tears now. This sounds like an interrogation. He knows my family better than me and the realisation hurts me.

Bad or good, I want to know about my father. Is he really alive? Connor says he died. Xan says he's alive and he needs help. Cayden didn't tell me anything about my father. I don't know anything about my father and the realisation hurts.

"Don't be upset, Catrina. It's not your fault, okay. I just want to explain to you that dormancy is not accepted in the ruling class of wolves," he explains and I tear my gaze from my lap to look into his green eyes which look so much like Connors' yet so different from the warm look of my mate's.

"I am sorry," I whisper knowing that he's trying to hint that I am not fit to be Connor's mate because he's an Alpha and he requires an Alpha mate.

"Don't be, rebenok. Do you love my son?" he asks and I frown at the direction of this conversation. Without thinking, I nod. I do love him even when I know now that we live in two different worlds.

"Then will you do him a favour by rejecting his claim on you?" he asks making my heart crack.

The sharp pain in my chest leaves me gasping for air and those unshed tears fall as I close my eyes, not wanting to see Alpha Conan's pity-filled gaze.

"I am sorry to ask this of you but Connor won't reject you knowing that you are his mate and a royal princess and that it would hurt you. Connor has always put King Fenris's needs before him. Since you are his cousin, my son might feel obliged to be with you but he's an Alpha and he should think of his pack before his mate. He has to give an heir to the pack and that's not possible with you," he says and I freeze, thinking that he knows about my inability to conceive...

"You are a dormant wolf and the chances of your children being dormant is very high. If you have Connor's pups their chance of shifting into a wolf are very low. If he mates some other she-wolf of his calibre, they will have stronger pups who can rule over this pack more efficiently," continues Alpha Conan unaware of my inner turmoil. The words hurt me more and more. I know that he is purposely insulting me to show how different Connor and I are. We are nowhere an ideal match. Maybe we got accidentally paired together. Is there anything like destiny? Or is this just karma biting me in the ass? Was I a sinner in my last lifetime?

He's completely oblivious to my thoughts as he goes on and on about how Connor's duty is first to his pack and then for himself and then last for me. All the while, my heart slowly shatters into tiny pieces.

"So, will you reject his claim? No one will know that Connor had a dormant mate. No one will know that you had a mate. It will be a closed topic. I will also search for a suitor for you. Someone who will keep you happy and who won't have to put his pack before you" he asks me, leaving the final decision in my hands.

He says it so easily as if it is very simple. Jump from one man to another. Is this how he thinks of mates and mating? From what Sierra and Connor told me I thought mates were sacred. No one can come between mates. I also remember Connor telling me that his father tried to force his sister is marrying some other guy which means that Conan promised his own daughter to someone other than her mate. Is this why he left his own mate? Doesn't he feel the love and attachment to Aurora anymore?

More important than all this is the fact that I can't imagine my life without Connor not after being with him just two days ago.

Can I live without him after meeting him now and after knowing that he does love me? He loves me I know but he's ignoring his duty by being with me. And if what Alpha Conan says is true, then does it mean that Connor is with me mostly because he wants to be in Fenris's good graces?

But then he is an Alpha, his duty to the well-being of his pack and to protect them from the rogue wolves. If he doesn't give powerful heirs to the pack then the pack won't respect his children and in turn him.

Am I selfish enough to let him ignore his duty, let him be disrespected by his pack and keep him to myself? Just for myself?

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