SIERRA

I try hard, very hard to not be afraid of Alpha Conan but I can't help it when he's standing at my door with a murderous look on his face demanding to meet my mate and cursing like a mad man. Well, a mad man he is!

"Be careful, Alpha Conan. You shouldn't disrespect the future Queen of Recrania," growls Fenris, making me jump. Alpha Conan looks over my shoulder at Fenris who walks angrily towards me, literally lifting me and putting me behind him. I clutch on his t-shirt which is becoming wet from the water dripping from his hair, no doubt he heard Alpha Conan's cursing from the bathroom while showering.

"She's not the queen yet neither are you the King. In fact, you and your horde of elders are not at all capable of ruling a country as big as Recrania. With only two elders by your side you cannot stop me from marrying off my daughter to the Alpha King of Abros."

Fenris growls and takes a step forward but I hold his shirt, feeling my anger rise at how carelessly he has disregarded his daughter.

"Alpha Conan, you cannot force mate your daughter to someone else, not when her mate is alive. Zion is a very caring mate. I have seen it, myself," I try to explain but Alpha Conan just smirks.

"You have seen Zion's caring nature? Or have you experienced it?" he says smugly. It takes a minute for me to understand the meaning behind his words and so does Fenris because he just shrugs off my hold on him and stalks towards Alpha Conan with deadly rage in his eyes.

Bad move, Alpha Conan!

I belatedly realise that Alpha Conan's hate filled words no longer affect me. I have had a lot of time to think about it and I know that whatever this man says, my love for Fenris will always be pure and his love will always be there for me.

I have never looked at any other guy like the way I look at Fenris. Aztec might have been my ex but even he didn't have that heart-thumping effect on me that Fenris has. It's always been Fenris and this man comes barging into my house, early in the morning, calling me a slut?

The hell with him!

Within seconds I am out of the door and between Fenris and Conan's verbal spat. I push myself in Conan's personal space and point my index finger in front of his eyes, too close for his liking as he winces and tilts his head back a little but I don't give a flying fuck to his eyes.

"You listen to me well, Alpha Conan. I will not tolerate such disrespect to me or my mate. That was the last time you got away with insulting me and in turn insulting my mate. Make sure that you don't disrespect us again. You even glare at me or my mate and I'll claw your eyes off their sockets. Do you get that?" I am growling by the time I finish my sentence and am immensely satisfied when I see Conan's eyes waver and look over my shoulder at Fenris. But Fenris doesn't pull me back. I can feel his body heat behind me and that's enough support for me to stand my ground till this Alpha yields.

"I apologize, Luna Sierra," he speaks, bowing his head to the side and only then do I take a step back, colliding into Fenris's chest but he holds on to me, steadying me and I cuddle close to him, seeking comfort as my anger flows away.

"Why don't we talk about it inside the house," suggests my mate and I immediately go to protest. I don't want this male in our house.

"You need to sit down, baby and we'll sit on the porch, okay?" he says immediately gauging my emotions. I nod happily, smiling at my mate and then go back into the kitchen to get some orange juice. I have been craving the tangy flavour for some time now. I am relieved that no one can scent my pregnancy. Nora put a hiding spell on me. She and Fenris both thought that it might help in keeping me safe, considering the traitor is still unidentified.

By the time I go back outside, both my mate and Alpha Conan have settled in their chairs. I walk towards my mate and settle beside him on a chair while taking a sip of my juice. I ignore Alpha Conan's look of you-didn't-offer-me the juice. I don't care. I won't share my precious tangy juice.

Fenris just smirks at my behaviour and goes back to discussing with this hopeless, brainless wolf Alpha. I can't imagine that my best friend and Connor are the off-springs of this male.

"I do not accept Zion and Tatiana's mating," he begins but I cut him off.

"You don't get to voice your opinions in this, Alpha Conan. Mates are destined. You can't just not accept your daughter's true mate," I say, smugly. I have been wanting to say this to him for a long time.

Fenris just shakes his head slightly but I ignore him. I am just too angry with Alpha Conan to let his continue with this shit. He can't just give away his daughter to some foreigner.

"I have proof against Zion. He's not a good mate. He couldn't keep you safe from Xavier," he says and Fenris tenses beside me. Oh my! How can I forget this? After Fenris was taken inside, Zion was the one who fought Xavier to keep me safe but I would never blame Zion for my abduction. Zion tried his best. It's not his fault that Xavier had some evil powers helping him.

"He's fine. Zion and Tatiana are both fine," Fenris assures me while taking my hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. I squeeze his hand back and hold on to it.

"Alpha Conan, you know that Zion is a skilled warrior. He's the future Alpha of his pack which directly means that he's capable of caring for his mate. Also, he's mentally fit, not abusive towards females or any pack member. What else do you need?" asks Fenris looking at Alpha Conan, no doubt gauging his emotions.

"I don't know that. I know that my daughter deserves more and I think that the Alpha King of Abros will be that. He's ready to claim her," replies Alpha Conan cockily.

"We'll see," is the only reply from Fenris and I am about to protest. How can he just go along with this? A wolf cannot live happily without his true mate. A second chance mate won't help at all if their true mate is alive and waiting for them. This is cruel.

Fenris senses my bubbling anger at this because his hold on me tightens and then he smiles his icy cold smile at Alpha Conan. I sit still and watch as Alpha Conan flashes his triumphant smile and looks at me with his expressionless face, giving me a nod. I don't react. I want to claw out his eyes. I don't like them even my wolf craves it, to have her way with this obnoxious wolf but I control my urges.

"I hope your ascension ceremony goes well. You might after all be useful to me. Meet you tonight," he says and I remember that tonight is the elders' council formation, our bonding ceremony and then the ascension ceremony. A very big ball of dread settles in my stomach as I digest Alpha Conan's words. He has something in mind, something which might upset me or Tatiana, I don't know. I have this feeling in the pit of my stomach and suddenly I feel like puking.

Quickly standing up and giving Fenris a reassuring smile/ grimace, I run inside our home and towards the nearest bathroom to puke my breakfast as well as that orange juice out. My eyes water and my head aches with the intensity of my misery. I hate puking.

After what I feel like an hour, I stand up, flush the toilet and wash my face and my mouth. Just as I am done washing my mouth, Fenris enters the bathroom and looks at me with a worried expression.

"I guess morning sickness has reared its ugly head," I mutter already miserable that I'll have to endure this morning sickness for at least a few weeks. Goddess! I hate vomiting.

"It'll be alright. Come on. It's time to try some ginger tea," he says as he takes over the task of removing my soaked t-shirt and making me wear his. I can't help but ogle his pecs and abs. All that muscle is mine. I can't believe it.

"Baby, if I take you now, your morning sickness is going to rush back with a force," he whispers in my ear no doubt feeling my hungry gaze eating him up. I quickly start walking out of the bathroom when I hear him mention the morning sickness. He only chuckles behind me.

"Why didn't you teach Alpha Conan a lesson on "the right to mate"?" I ask Fenris when I my stomach settles a bit. The ginger tea helped miraculously.

"You'll see tonight baby," he replies and now I am curious. What has he planned? I want to know, now.

"No, Sierra. I am not telling you. You'll see tonight and now you should head upstairs and sleep for some time. You need it. All those ceremonies will take time and I don't want you to get tired."

"Fine but you have to tuck me in."

"Always, baby."

~~~~~~

It's full moon tonight. Tonight's my bonding ceremony. I'll be officially Fenris's mate, a princess and it's scary as fuck. I am scared shitless. I don't know how will the people look at me. Will they think of me badly or will they understand that I was immature when I made those decisions?

I am nervous and scared and nauseous which is the reason why I am pacing in our bedroom in my underwear and Fenris's shirt covering my body instead of the big white dress that's hanging in the closet. I am scared!

"What are you so worried about?" asks my mother who's sitting calmly in her chair, all dressed up and ready for the ceremony. Christine sits in the other armchair munching on those chocolate cookies which I made for myself but couldn't stomach them. It looked like she hadn't eaten a chocolate cookie before so I offered her the whole tray.

I learnt that Christine was Xavier's true mate and unlike the rumours, she wasn't the one who rejected him. Xavier imprisoned her and raped her on daily basis, impregnating her. When she was pregnant, he left her to fend for herself that is rot in those dungeons. Her son, Cayden is almost Fenris's age, a few months younger than my mate but is a very calm guy, always taking in his surroundings and speaking only when required. A few days ago, I overheard their conversation where Cayden asked for participating in the Beta competition of his pack. He's prepared. Fenris is prepared, excited even but I am nervous.

"I don't know, mom. What if I embarrass Fenris? What if I do something wrong?" I say waving my trembling hands.

"Why do you think that you'll embarrass him? Did he say that?" Christine asks. I shake my head which feels heavy with the number of pins holding my hair in a perfect bun.

"You know what our pack thought about me when I was dating Aztec? I don't want Fenris's people to think that about me," I reply in a small voice. Yes, Christine knows. I told her when she asked about how I met Fenris. The thought of Fenris believing his people and then leaving me scares me. I would rather die than live in a world without Fenris in it. I can't leave him.

"You are overthinking, baby girl," says my mother who's looking at me with an amused look in her eyes.

"You know what. I see the potential of a ruler in you, child. All you have to do is be there for Fenris. Think what Fenris needs not what his people need. You are your mate's anchor not the people's. When you prove to your mate about your potential, his people will automatically start respecting you," Christine says. All this heavy conversation but she doesn't even realise what she said and my eyes water at her supporting advice. She just nibbles on her cookie.

"Is this a chocolate chip? You have to teach me, child, yes?" she asks looking up at me and notices my teary eyes but she just smiles and then stands up to walk towards me. Laying a slightly trembling hand on my cheek, she pats it and then takes my hand in hers.

"You are lucky, Sierra. You got your mate, a sane one at that. Don't let such trivial things hinder your happiness," she says and I nod frantically letting her know how well I understand her words. She got her mate but hers wasn't sane. The man didn't cherish but crushed her.

Overwhelmed by my overflowing emotions, I hug her small form, taking in her homey scent. Her red hair signifies that she must have been of a fiery temperament but now she just appears to be a shell of a woman who is living only for her son, to watch him learn to live and love.

A loud throat clearing startles all three of us and we turn to look at the door where Fenris is standing in black pants and a black shirt which stretches deliciously over his chest and biceps. He's dressed and I am not. Oh, my Goddess! I am late for my ceremony.

"Don't panic, Sierra. We need to talk. Am I interrupting?" he asks the question to my mother and his aunt who still has a hold on my hand. She gives me a reassuring squeeze and a mischievous smile before walking out of the door and patting Fenris's cheek lightly.

My mother fusses over me a bit, telling me how underdressed I am, but I don't care. He has seen me naked and in many other ways. I am decent enough for my mate.

"Fine but get dressed fast so that you have some time to calm your nerves," she says and I nod at her logical advice. I do need time to calm my nerves. She smiles at Fenris and then walks out of the room. Fenris enters and walks towards me with a slightly nervous expression. He isn't smiling at me like he always does and now I am more anxious. He said he wants to talk. What must it be? The talk means what he wants to break-up? We can't reject each other and I don't want to reject him.

Urgh!!! Stupid hormones.

"Relax, Sierra. Your emotions are all colliding and it's not good for you," he says. I nod at him and try to relax, taking in a few deep breaths.

"Yes, I am calm. Tell me."

He looks at me with so much adoration and love that I feel myself tearing up but I calm myself again to not disturb him. He wants to talk. This is important and not to be disturbed by my hormonal overload.

He clears his throat once then pats his pant pockets before slipping his hand in it and removing his hand back from it. I think I see an outline of something in his pocket but don't comment.

"I actually never thought of asking you this but then we didn't have a normal start in our relationship so..." he pauses and then takes a deep breath. He is nervous and for some reason I find his nervousness quite endearing. It shows that this big bad Alpha male is a normal being who does face a problem like anxiety like all other normal beings. I give his hand a reassuring squeeze and lift them back but he holds on my hands, squeezing them so I take a step forward towards him. We standing with only a few inches separating our chests from touching. I look up in his eyes when he speaks.

"Okay, so I want to say something. I want to ask you something," he begins to which I nod my head.

"I never asked you this. When we first met, I just claimed you right away without asking for your consent and that was wrong of me. I want to apologise for that," he says.

"You don't need to apologise, Fenris. I am your mate. It's your right to claim me as yours. I am yours," I say not able to stand the nervous look on his face. He nods, closes his eyes and then opens them again to show his black eyes staring down at me.

"You are the light to my darkness, baby. You remember when I killed Xavier. How I had a blood-thirsty look on my face?" he asks. I recall that memory and unknowingly a shiver runs down my spine. It was very terrifying to look at that blood-crazed Fenris.

"I never had such rage filled episodes before meeting you. Only when you were kidnapped and when I caught your kidnappers did I first experience this blood thirst. I couldn't stop until the rogue's body was in pieces and my hands filled with their blood. No one could stop me from losing my rage like that but you. When my wolf detected your terrorised emotions, we automatically reigned our anger, killing Xavier in a slightly less traumatising manner.

"I just want you to know that no one else has the power over me the way you do. No one has ever made me lose my ability to speak like you do," he chuckles at that and I smile too. My tears are falling non-stop now, not at all hindered by my make-up.

"Will you marry me? Be mine of your own free will and not out of duty? Will you after all my short-comings trust me and give your life in my care?" he asks. He pulls a black box from his pant pockets and holds it open in his palm for me to see.

It is a ring. A very beautiful ring with three gold bands, each band having its own diamond on top of it. All three diamonds are different as are the three bands. The first band has a diamond encased between two small black bands. The middle band has four diamonds on each side of the main diamond and the last band is a plain one with a diamond in its centre. I love it.

I am completely awe-struck. I never thought he would propose to me that too like this. This is so romantic and so unlike Fenris's personality. He is unsure that I am doing this as an obligation. Being an empath, he sure is a little thick-headed but I love it. I am so overwhelmed right now that I just hold on to his hand with both of mine in a death grip thinking that this is all a dream when his voice penetrates through the fog.

"Ummm... I am still waiting," he says nervously and a very hysterical laugh escapes my mouth.

"YES. Of course, yes. I am yours, Fenris," I yell happily. He chuckles at my outburst, his eyes bright with love and happiness and then slips the ring on my ring finger.

"It is magically altered so that it won't be damaged when you shift into your wolf," he says and I hold my hand up to look at the ring on it. It fits perfectly.

"I love you," I say looking up in his eyes, pressing a soft kiss in the hollow of his throat feeling those sparks intensify.

"I know. I love you, too." He engulfs me in his arms, crushing me to his chest mindful of my hair. I snuggle closer, kissing his chest over his wolf mark when I feel his roaming hands inside his shirt that I am wearing.

Nothing is better than this.

~~~~~

Aabhar!

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