Kwan sighed in contentment as he felt the pleasant tingles running through his body. His eyes shot open when he realized he could feel fur against his skin. He quickly placed his hand over his shaft when he noticed Beta Lee and her mate's presence.

His face contorted in confusion when he sensed guilt radiating from his mate. I hope she's not blaming herself for the death of her Gamma. His heart clenched at the thought. He had seen first hand how close his mate and Gamma Campbell were.

Jia and Aladdin's voices were gentle yet resolute as they spoke in harmony. "Alpha, it's not your fault, so stop blaming yourself."

"I'm just—"

"They are right, you know," Kwan said, cutting off Sasha. His voice sounded weak and dry as he spoke for the first time after waking up.

He felt the heat of embarrassment creeping up his neck as she stared down at him. Her ice-blue eyes were wide with surprise.

"It's not your fault, buttercup. The only one who should feel guilty is the petty witch who came to destroy your pack," Kwan said. He spoke with conviction, his voice unwavering as he stared into her eyes.

He let out a sigh when he noticed she still had a bit of guilt left in her eyes. He removed one of his hands covering his shaft and placed it against her neck. "You're giving yourself too much credit for his death, buttercup. Gamma Campbell didn't just die protecting you, he died protecting his pack, me included."

If only she knew how true my last words were.

A clearing of a throat caused Kwan to remove his hand from his mate's neck. And placed it back over his manhood. He knew his cheeks were red as his mate's eyes followed his movement.

A rush of warmth flooded his senses as Sasha's gaze traced leisurely over his exposed skin. He could feel the weight of her stare, a tangible pressure that seemed to caress every inch of his body.

Kwan's blush deepened as a low, throaty growl emanated from Sasha's chest.

"Sorry to burst y'all bubble, but we got work to do," said Beta Lee.

Kwan buried his face into his mate's fur covered stomach. He was thankful for Beta Lee's interruption. But damn it! She should have spoken up before I started getting hard because of my mate's lustful gaze.

"Yeah, it's about time we move our dead members," Beta Campbell chimed in.

"You guys go ahead. I'll join in after finding a pair of shorts," said Kwan. He spluttered as Sasha's fur entered his mouth due to him talking with his face pressed into her belly.

Beta Lee and her mate released small chuckles.

"We'll get going then," said Beta Lee.

Kwan groaned. I've had enough embarrassment in one day to last for a lifetime.

"You just had to rip the only clothing we had," said Kwan to his wolf. He quickly got up from his mate's lap and ran to a nearby tree in search of clothing.

***

Kwan let out a tired sigh as he flopped down on Sasha's bed. It had taken them four hours to clean up the scene and move the dead bodies to the hospital.

The scene after the battle resembled a violent tempest that had ravaged through. Uprooted trees lay scattered in all directions, obstructing their usual path.

His mate's rage during the battle had revealed the incredible power she possessed. Her powers had left the area outside the enchanted barrier in a state of devastation. The ground was littered with bones, broken branches, and leaves. The once-green fields had been a muddy brown, stained with the blood of fallen warriors.

With a grunt, Kwan stretched his tired muscles, feeling the satisfaction pop of his joint. He had to wait for his turn to take a shower, since Sasha had already beaten him to the bathroom. But the sound of the shower running was like a gentle lullaby. Slowly coaxing him into sleep.

He let out a low, irritated groan as he felt a soft tapping on his cheek. His hand sluggishly came up to swat away the thing that was patting his cheek. Kwan's eyes flew open when he felt the sharp sting of a hand slapping his right cheek.

His mouth formed a perfect 'o' of disbelief as he met his mate's fierce gaze. "You mind telling me what that slap was for?" he asked while rubbing his burning cheek.

Sasha shifted her dark gazed from him to her bed. "You are laying on my bed with blood and all of the outdoors on you," she said. Her jaw clenched as she locked eyes with him.

Kwan stared at her, waiting to figure out if she was being serious. "You're being for...," he trailed off as he caught the sight of her towel slipping down. The top half of her voluptuous breasts were on display. He bit his lip, waiting in eager anticipation.

A low growl from Sasha caused him to look up at her. She was looking at him with desire. Her ice-blue eyes took on a darker, more intense shade.

He gulped as he tried to force his desires down. One wrong move on his part and he would have her pinned beneath him, quivering in ecstasy. He could feel the growing bond sizzling between them. Yet instead of allowing what was supposed to flow naturally between them, happen. He decided to defuse the sexual tension because of his hurt pride.

"I can't believe you hit me for lying on your bed... Despite almost losing me in battle earlier. And I'm still healing," Kwan said while pointing at the scabbed-over wound on his neck. He was pouting as he stared at her with puppy dog eyes.

Kwan smiled when her gaze shifted from his lips to scan his body. "You can take out a new set of sheets. I'll spread the bed after I take a shower."

"Hmm," Sasha replied as she continued to check his injuries.

Her piercing stare was sending shivers down his spine. He cleared his throat and her eyes returned to his face.

Kwan rubbed his neck, feeling embarrassed. "Um, I'm going to take that shower now." He scrambled out of bed and ran to the bathroom.

He sighed as he stripped off his shorts and entered the shower. He shivered when the cold water hit his body. His mind flashed to his gorgeous mate. Her warm, dark brown skin was naturally radiant. Her round-shaped soft pink lips always seemed to be silently asking him for a kiss. A groan escaped his lips as he remembered the desire he had seen in her beautiful eyes. He longed to run his fingers over every deep and curved part of her body.

Goddess, my mate is a walking temptation.

He wanted nothing more than to kiss away all her insecurities and show her just how perfect she was. It was getting harder for him to resist marking her. But he still felt hurt from her hiding the truth from him.

The water turned murky as Kwan scrubbed off the dried dirt and blood from his body. After hours of scrubbing, his skin was no longer its usual tawny beige, but a bright shade of red. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes as the cold water from the shower washed away the remaining soap.

The sound of rushing water ceased as he turned off the pipe and quickly grabbed his towel. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. As he walked over to the bathroom mirror, he ran his hand through his damp hair.

As he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, he couldn't help but notice a marked change in his usual dull gray eyes. They were now sparkling with a sense of uncontrolled joy. The sound of a knock on the room door jolted him out of his thoughts.

Leaning against the face basin, Kwan's ears twitched, waiting to hear the identity of his mate's visitor.

A man's voice broke the silence. "Alpha, I apologize for disturbing you. Beta Lee sent me to deliver these luggages to you."

"That's okay. You can just leave them there. Thank you for bringing them, Nate," Sasha replied.

"No problem, Alpha. Have a good evening!" replied Nate.

Hearing the room door close, Kwan emerged from the bathroom. His eyes swept over the room trying to locate the luggages that was brought up.

"Your suitcase is by the foot of the bed," said Sasha.

Kwan stiffened when he heard the low growl that followed her words. She was standing with her back turned to him and her hand holding the doorknob. He could see how tense she was by the way she gripped the knob tightly.

He took a step towards her, but stopped short as he heard the menacing growl emanating from her throat. His head tilted in confusion as he stared at her.

"Are you okay?" Kwan asked. Worry washed over him, and he felt his chest tighten.

A thought suddenly came to him. "Buttercup, I can accompany you to relay the messages to the families that lost a member during the battle," he assured her. He chanced another step towards her.

Sasha growled. She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Another step and I won't be responsible for what my lycan does next," she warned.

Kwan froze as he stared at her in shock. His mate's eyes glowed brightly, showing that her lycan was, in fact, present.

She ripped the door open. "That's what I thought. Meet me in my office in the next thirty minutes if you want to accompany me," she said through gritted teeth. "And stop walking out of the bathroom with water dripping off that delicious naked body of yours. You're teasing a beast that wants nothing more than to destroy this room with you deep inside of her, cutie." She flashed her lengthened canines at him before exiting the room.

Kwan stood rooted to his spot. His eyes blinking as he tried to process all that transpired since he'd walked out of the bathroom. I don't know if I should take that as a warning or a compliment. He shook his head as his wolf's purring filled his head.

"She talks as if I'm the only one being a tease," he mumbled as he walked over to his suitcase.