Pulling down my dress, and then moving back to my seat, I watched as Nohr zipped up his trousers opposite me, the lust still there in his eyes when he never tore his eyes away from mine.

Without notice, the carriage stops and I'm left flustered as we could've gotten caught, as a few seconds later, the carriage driver stepped down from the front and opened the door for us.

Nohr leaves first, then he holds his hand out for me. "Thanks." I said, taking it as I stepped down from the carriage.

It felt like something out of a fantasy romance novel, where everything was perfect and nothing could possibly destroy the moment, but that was before I smelled my grandfather, Kane.

I smelled him before I saw him, I knew he was close because the scent was getting strong, and his was a scent I grew up with, it was overpowering and strong, something you'd never forget.

Kane landed five feet away from me, in his beast form he lands effortlessly before he puts his large black and threatening wings away, shifting into his human form, wearing only shorts.

"What are you doing here?" I had to ask, stepping forward to him as he smiles widely at me.

Kane wraps his arm around me and then brings me in for a kiss, but then pauses as his eyes shift from mine, to Nohr's, and that's when time stops completely.

"You touched her?" His voice was dark, thick with anger as his eyes shone red.

My stomach dropped as he left me to stalk over to Nohr, who was standing with an emotionless expression on his face, staring straight at Kane who was inches from ripping his head off.

There were no more words, as Kane's claws sprung free, long and sharp he swiped for Nohr's neck, but Nohr was fast enough to dodge it as he ducked and avoided being killed, making me spring into action as I run over to them.

"Grand- KANE!" I yell out, looking to the knights in front of the door for help. "This isn't what you think!" I shout out, as Kane takes another swipe.

Growling loudly, I felt the inside of my heart break as Kane was starting to shift into his beast form, making me pale once I look at Nohr, his hand on his sword, ready for whatever is to come.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" A loud, familiar voice filled with authority shouted out.

Dad!

I watched as my dad, Kane's son came over to us, Kane still very much wanting to kill Nohr, my dad stood in the middle of them, his eyes glowing just as threatening as Kane's as they glare at each other.

"Move out the way son, I need to kill this fucking disrespectful mutt!" He snarled, his wolf taking over.

"What's the problem?" He asked, unmoving. "This is Hayden's protector, you won't fucking touch him!"  My dad said, making Kane growl louder.

"He's deflowered my granddaughter, I should rip his spine out and shove it down his throat!" He threatened, pushing forward into Caelan, ready for the pounce.

My dad looks at me and then Nohr, then he smells the air, and just like that, he moves out of the way from between Kane and Nohr, to walk over to me.

It all happened in slow motion as my dad walked over to me, and slapped me hard across the face, so hard that I felt a bone break as his palm connected to my cheek.

Touching my face, I don't know how much time had passed because my mom had shown up and stood in front of me, staring down her mate with her claws out, protectively blocking me from him.

"Have you all lost your damned minds?!" She screams out, her voice ringing through the air.

I saw my dad's face pale and noticed Kane, my grandfather had shifted back, with a guilty, yet still angry look on his face, and Nohr... Nohr came to my side and touched the side of my face, where my dad had hit me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered out, inspecting my face. 

"You're sorry!?" My dad roared, as my mom put her hand on his chest, trying to calm him. "I'll give you something to be sorry for!"

Nohr's hand was comforting, yet it didn't make the situation any better but this was bound to happen, this was just my luck, after all, I was the mutt.

"I'm not sorry." I say, moving Nohr's hand from mine, then smiling at my mom before I look at my dad and grandfather.

"Unless you haven't noticed, I'm not a wolf, and I'll never be like you." I say lowly, my hand resting on Nohr's arm.

"I've been alive for 150 years yet you expect me to follow your traditions, when I'll never have a mate, I will never shift and be a part of this family, not how you want me to be, I will always be seen as the runt of the litter."

"Hayden-" My mom starts to say.

"No!" I snap out and then laugh, rubbing my forehead before glaring at my dad, not caring who hears me.

"You've controlled me for the last time, I fucking quit being your daughter!" I say, ripping the royal Black pin from my dress, and throwing it on the floor in front of my dad.

"This is not our way, Hayden." Kane says, disappointment on his face. 

I shake my head and then smile up at Nohr, then my dad, before intertwining my hand in Nohr's and walking away from them, towards the long path down to the gates.

"HAYDEN!" My dad yells out, filled with anger. "DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME!" 

I ignore him completely and tighten my hand in Nohr's, despite my insides twisting in so many emotions, my chest almost beating out of my body with finally saying what I have only dreamt of for so many years.

"Keep walking." I tell Nohr, who frowns slightly, looking down at our hands and then back to where my dad, mom, and grandfather stood.

"Prince-"

"Hayden!" I interrupt him, then sigh.

After we've reached the gates, I command them to open them, despite my dad and grandfather's scent getting closer to us, and possibly mind linking the knights to keep the gate closed, yet they open them, and I never look back as I drag Nohr with me.

I ignored them calling my name, telling me to stop and talk, my mom crying and the pain in my chest from walking away, yet despite all that, I felt free, even though I didn't have money on me, or anywhere to go, I didn't stop.

Nohr suddenly stops and pulls me into his chest as his hand goes to my back and gently strokes it, my eyes start to water as they threaten to fall as I clung to his chest, fighting to not let the tears fall.

"I-I'm sorry Nohr." I hiccup out, rubbing my eyes. "I've probably gotten you f-fired."

Nohr puts his hand on mine, making me look at him. "This isn't your fault, don't blame yourself."

His eyes shone brighter under the night sky, so bright then I felt entrapped by them, I felt safe under his gaze, safe and free, something I had never felt before.

"I have nowhere to go." I sigh out shakingly, my throat sore. "I can't go back there."

Nohr leans forward and pauses for a moment, before kissing me on the forehead.

"My place is close." He says, softly. "Don't worry about anything, ok?" He said, looking down at me as I nodded my head.

Nohr led me into the night, further and further away from the Palace, I followed Nohr, with his much larger hand in mine, and we walked in silence through the quiet streets of The Vale, neither one of us saying another word more, as the disgusted and angry faces of my grandfather and dad glue to my mind.