This chapter is unedited so please excuse the grammatical errors

Dedicated to Patellabone for the constant support you have shown this story! Thanks so much hun!

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Suzzanah's POV

I quite distinctly remembered bawling my eyes out to that large wolf in the woods about how I didn't want to die. I still didn't, but being buried some ten feet underground in a remote inconspicuous corner of this earth sure seemed incredibly appealing right then.

I couldn't even begin to express how embarrassed I was feeling at that instant. All the blood in my body had rushed to my face, making it dazzle like a red ruby under bright sunlight.

Initially I thought I was shocked, but apparently not quite as shocked as the CEO was. He stood paralysed, his eyes bulged, eyebrows floated in the air somewhere and body went completely stiff, as he continued to gape incredulously at my exposed legs.

Although embarrassment was the glaringly obvious emotion plastered across my beet red face, his face became a stage to a plethora of emotions, some of which I could recognize, others which I didn't dare to.

From the initial gob-smacked look, his expression had swiftly progressed to one of confusion, then to realization, then briefly to something dark and intense which I couldn't or wouldn't dare place, before finally ending in blatant and unparalleled rage.

I only had time to let out a nasal pig-like squeal as a strong gust of wind flew by me and I was swiftly pulled back into the CEO's sturdy muscular arms. As my body crashed into his broad chiseled torso, one of his arms encircled my waist firmly while the other went to the back of my head as he buried my face in his chest.

He positioned himself to support my wounded leg so that no weight fell on it, but unfortunately it only made our current position even more disturbingly intimate.

My thoughts were too jumbled up to piece together what had just happened, adding to my distress as I was currently trying hard to regain the breath I had lost in my violent collision with this brick wall which now encircled me.

A stifled shriek escaped my lips and I squirmed vigorously in his arms when I felt bolts of electric tingles shoot through my flushed body.

Immediately after, a loud growl filled the air followed by yet another string of frightened gasps, mine included, but it was muffled into the CEO's dress shirt.

Was that...was it the wolf? No it couldn't be! A dog maybe? But I didn't see any so...was it the CEO???

"Everyone back inside, NOW!" the command in the CEO's loud authoritative statement was not lost on anyone as I immediately heard the frenzied shuffling of multiple pairs of feet as they all grew distant, all but one, which slowly but surely seemed to grow louder and closer with each passing second.

Realization descended into my disoriented persona and my eyes ballooned out of their sockets only to be pressed back into them by the CEO's brawny chest. My heart was suddenly beating so fast and hard that I felt like it would explode through my chest any minute.

The CEO is hugging me! He's hugging me! WHY would he do that?! The tingles are driving me insane! Someone is coming towards us! I'm half naked! The CEO is still hugging me and I'm about to pass out from suffocation!

I squirmed in the CEO's arms, desperate to get some air into my lungs and some distance between our torsos, but his hold only tightened further around my frame.

Tingles! Too many tingles!

"Shor, bweas wet mu oh" I pleaded into his chest and cringed at how my original sentence -Sir, please let me go- had been distorted into something resembling an early morning gargle.

I hadn't really expected a reply from him, so I was incredibly stunned when yet another growl rumbled through his chest, making me stop my squirming for a minute, and when I realized what that sound probably was I blushed even harder, something which I hadn't thought was possible right then.

Oh shoot! His stomach just grumbled out loud! And I heard it! I bet he didn't mean for me to hear it. Poor thing must be really hungry. But oh man, it grumbled out loud! The second hand embarrassment is killing me!

My cheeks grew hot as blood flooded my facial vessels. Suddenly feeling as flushed as a polar bear in the state of Hawaii, I pushed harder at his chest but he didn't even budge.

Is this a chest or a wall?

The footsteps neared us and I managed to create just enough of a gap between us to be able to stick my nose in the air and inhale deeply. I wasn't even done with my inspiration when yet again my nose was flattened into his chiseled chest making me squeal in irritation. That's when the CEO's deep, husky, masculine voice filled my ears as he whispered, "Make one more move and you're fired"

I immediately went as stiff as a dead body.

"S-s-sir!"

I instantly recognized Mr. Talon's voice and tried hard to turn my face to the side to look at him, but my movement was heavily restricted and I only managed to peak at him through one partially open eyelid. Mr. Talon looked extremely frightened as he stood with his head bowed and trembled in his shoes.

"How did this happen?" the CEO's voice was cold and harsh. I shivered involuntarily and immediately his arms engulfed my body gently pressing me further into his warmth.

Why would he do that?

"I-I thought you were i-i-informed sir! Sh-she went into the forest a-and i-injured herse-"

"That wasn't what I was talking about!"

Both I and Mr. Talon jumped at his harsh tone, but only I received the comfort of his hand gently rubbing my back.

"I was talking about-"

And yet again the CEO stopped abruptly and I felt his grip around me loosen. I took the opportunity to push myself away from him and inhale deeply. Immediately he pulled me back to him but thankfully refrained from smothering me. When I looked up, I found him already gazing down at me with a frown on his face and a hint of doubt marring his beautiful features.

"Does he...did you...?" he whispered incomprehensible questions and I frowned in confusion while still subtly trying to pry his muscular arms off me.

Not at all bothered by my vain attempts to dislodge his upper limbs, he looked back at Mr. Talon who looked like he was at the verge of a nervous breakdown.

His gaze returned to me, "Does he know about your situation?" he asked softly immediately turning my face bloodshot.

I cringed and shook my head avoiding eye contact. His grip tightened making me look back up at him uneasily while still wondering why he insisted on us being in such a ghastly inappropriate position as we had this random embarrassing conversation.

"Who did this?" he asked, his face deadly serious as if the gaping slit in my skirt was some important state affair. He said it out of concern, or so I thought, for which I would be incredibly grateful if the matter at hand wasn't so horrendously embarrassing.

"It just sort of...I mean...I did", I squeaked in an almost inaudible whisper but at the way his face scrunched up to reveal disbelief and horror, I was pretty sure he heard it.

"You? You did this? You did this, yourself?" he asked incredulously making me wince with each word. Ironically, the only thing clear in his voice was the confusion and I felt what little self-esteem I had left erode away into the abyss of nothingness. Knowing not what to say, I nodded shamefully, while pushing harder at his chest to get away from him.

This conversation was already far too unconventional and the tingles and this brazen honeymoon pose were only making it ten times worse. Why wouldn't this man just let me go so we could have a proper conversation in our own personal spaces? That is...as proper as a conversation about torn clothing and exposed body parts could get...

"Are you crazy? WHY?" he shouted and a squeal escaped Mr. Talon's mouth reminding me that he was still here.

I shook my head vigorously, "It was an accident!" I replied mentally stabbing myself from the mortification, "I just...I tugged at it...and it...it just...sort of...it..." I felt like I would explode if I continued so I let it go but unfortunately my word vomit didn't end there, "and I couldn't tell anyone and I didn't want anyone to see so I was running to the car with that blasted hospital gown when I crashed into you and it flew to God knows where and then you...you..."

Gaaaaah! This was so indescribably embarrassing! Someone please shoot me with a tranquilizer dart, preferably a heavy dose!

I buried my face in my hands and squealed into them. My cheeks felt hot against the palms of my hands. I slowly lifted my head and looked back up at the CEO who was now staring at me impassively, but his eyes seemed to hold a tiny bit of mirth as they twinkled, crinkling ever so slightly at the corners.

Having exhausted my reserves of explanations, I did the only thing I had done punctually without fail for the past ten minutes. I blushed.

The CEO still continued to stare at me silently and the discomfort started eating at my insides so I looked away from him only to find Mr. Talon looking appalled at the state of my skirt as he stared at it wide-eyed, his gaping mouth covered by the palm of his hand.

Strangely enough, I didn't feel that embarrassed or at all disgusted at Mr. Talon having seen my undignified state. There was something about him which just made him seem like family. His staring only told me he was shocked and most probably extremely concerned about my condition, but there was no trace of any cheap or dirty sentiments in his eyes. He was, to put it simply, pure!

"TALON!"

The CEO's loud bellow made Mr. Talon jump to the sky and back and his eyes gave their full attention to the CEO once again as another low growl filled the air and I gawked wide eyed, red faced at the CEO's stomach and thought not now!

"S-SIR!"

For a few seconds the CEO just glared daggers at Mr. Talon who looked as good as dead. Then the CEO squeezed his eyes shut as if he were trying to regain some semblance of control before opening them and releasing a deep breath.

One of his hands withdrew from around my waist and dipped into his pant pockets and I heard a familiar jingle as he produced a set of car keys from it.

"There is a spare jacket in the back seat of my car. Go get it for Ms. Winters", the CEO ordered making my heart flutter as I gazed at him in awe and wonder.

Why would he do that?

"Y-Y-yes sir! Right away sir!" Mr. Talon affirmed and immediately ran towards where the cars were parked, forgetting to take the keys in the first place making the CEO scowl in disbelief and irritation.

I was already hyperventilating since I heard the word Jacket but when Mr. Talon scurried away without the keys I cringed so hard that my face started to hurt.

"Mr. Tal-"

"TALON!" the CEO's annoyed snarl cut me off stopping Mr. Talon dead in his tracks. He turned towards us so fast that his feet tangled in each other and he fumbled around doing something resembling an exotic belly dance.

Oh Mr. Talon!

I whisper-shrieked at his predicament while the CEO just hissed in growing annoyance.

Once Mr. Talon had assembled himself, he stood straight and the CEO looked warily at him. He opened his mouth to say something but then clamped it shut again and just held the keys up in the air so Mr. Talon could see them.

It took all of two whole seconds for his slip to register and a shrieking, shaking, stammering Mr. Talon started stumbling towards us again. I felt the urge to reach out to him and provide some form of comfort but the minute I made the slightest of movements to get away, the CEO's grip tightened around me pressing me back into his solid torso.

When Mr. Talon was significantly closer, the CEO called out to him, "Here", he said throwing the keys to him, only to have them land with a loud clang on Mr. Talon's face making both of him and me gawk in shock.

Mr. Talon quickly gathered the keys from his reddening face and smiled sheepishly while nodding at who knows what.

The CEO sighed in exasperation, "Go", he breathed out.

"Yes Sir!" Mr. Talon replied ever enthusiastically and turned doing yet another strange haphazard dance movement making me and, surprisingly, even the CEO lurch forwards to steady him.

But he gathered himself quickly and tottered away once again.

Oh dear...He reminds me of a male version of myself

I released a strangled breath feeling overwhelming sympathy for the poor man who was staggering away. Almost simultaneously the CEO also released a breath, and I was shocked into oblivion when he bent down and exhaustedly buried his face in my hair.

My mouth went dry as I once again became strikingly aware of the tingles dancing across my flushed skin. In the span of just a few minutes, the CEO had done so many small yet intimate things making me feel extremely confused and even more flustered.

He made no movements as he stood with his face still buried in my hair and just when I started wondering if he had passed out I heard him inhale deeply as he pressed me closer into his warmth, the gesture screaming intimacy.

Why would he do that?

And all of a sudden I could feel every inch of my body against his, how my soft curves pressed into the hard panes of his strong sculpted body. I could feel his chest rise and fall in sync with his steady breathing. I could feel the ever present warmth that his body radiated, envelope my already flushed skin. I could feel his heart thump rhythmically against the palm of my hand which was placed on his chest.

And although all of that should have bothered me, what really did, was that suddenly it all seemed natural. For a minute, none of it seemed unusual or disturbing. I felt like this was how things were supposed to be, and that thought both excited and terrified me.

I didn't know how long we just stood there, not making any movements but just feeling each other's presence but when someone cleared their throat from right next to us, I could have sworn that even if a century had passed, I wouldn't have known or cared.

The CEO raised his head and I jumped and took the opportunity to put some distance between our upper torsos even though he didn't let me move away from him.

We came face to face with an extremely amused looking Mr. Penson and I immediately felt my face heat up to a million degrees again. My attempts to get away from the CEO became more voracious but so did his determination to keep me plastered to him.

When I looked up at him in irritation I was surprised to find him frowning in distaste, his gaze cold and terrifying, directed right at Mr. Penson.

"Sir", Mr. Penson nodded at the CEO with a warm smile but received nothing but an icy glare in return.

"John", the CEO's voice was hard and devoid of any friendly vibe. In fact he sounded livid and I immediately felt anxious about his cold demeanor towards Mr. Penson.

Mr. Penson didn't seem too affected by it though as his gaze shifted to me and immediately turned concerned.

"Ms. Winters, how are you feeling?" he asked sounding genuinely concerned as he stepped towards me.

I smiled at him and was about to reply but I didn't get the chance to do so as the CEO's hand immediately came to the back of my head, pulling it into his chest again, but gently this time so that my cheek rested softly on the rich silky fabric of his dress shirt.

I wanted to pull away but something told me that it wasn't a good idea so I stayed unmoving in the CEO's arms. My head was turned to the side so I could see Mr. Penson stop abruptly in his tracks. A frown of understanding marred his features as he gazed up at the CEO.

"You told her to take the route through the woods", the CEO said in a dangerously low tone, sending shivers down my spine.

Mr. Penson said nothing in return, his gaze briefly flickering to me then back to the CEO.

Although I was stunned that the CEO was that concerned about my wellbeing, I immediately felt guilty. It wasn't like Mr. Penson had forced me to go through the woods. That was completely my own decision to make and I had made it.

"You encouraged her to go all alone through a forest she knows nothing about!"

I cringed. Yeeesh! That just goes to emphasize my own stupidity at having ventured into an unfamiliar forest all alone.

"And she ended up getting injured in the process!"

"It wasn't his fault Sir!" I cut in quickly, wondering if Mr. Talon would shoot me for having interrupted the CEO, but at least I managed to catch his attention, making him look down at me, "I made the decision all on my own. He had nothing to do with it. Besides, my injuries were completely a result of my own stupidity. Mr. Penson isn't to be blamed-"

"No Ms. Winters, the CEO is right", Mr. Penson said seriously, making me want to pull at my hair.

Sir! Why you make this difficult?

But then I saw his eyes, and they looked sincerely sad "I am at fault here", he continued, "It was my idea and I take full responsibility for your injuries"

"But you didn't-"

"Yes, I did, Ms. Winters", he cut me off smiling softly yet sadly at me, "I contributed to your state, and you have my sincerest apologies for it. You may not feel that way but there are many a things you don't understand about this place, about the people and how things happen here", he stopped briefly, and then continued, more confidently, "But although I'm extremely sorry that this happened, I don't regret my decision of recommending that route to you, and I have to say, I'm rather pleased you took my suggestion Ms. Winters"

Although he was addressing me, Mr. Penson's gaze fixed on the CEO's and I saw the CEO clench his jaw in anger.

"Why?" he growled out glaring furiously at Mr. Penson.

And as always, Mr. Penson remained strikingly calm as he wordlessly shifted his gaze to me then back to the CEO and a faint smile graced his lips as he tilted his head to side slightly as if he had proved his point.

This only seemed to anger the CEO even more, "It was dangerous!" he shouted.

"It was worth a shot", Mr. Penson replied calmly.

"She was injured!"

"She is healthy young woman. She will heal in no time"

"Dammit John! It could have been much worse!"

"No it couldn't have"

"How the hell can you be sure of th-"

"Because he was there"

Mr. Penson's last statement made the CEO go quiet and although it made no sense to me whatsoever, to the CEO it seemed like a good enough reason to stop his onslaught.

'He' was there? Who is 'he'?

"He wouldn't let anything too serious happen to her, I was sure. After all, he is almost the same as you, much a part of you. And I have full faith in him"

The CEO's body tensed as his firm grip around me faltered for a brief second. While my head spun due to lack of understanding, the CEO seemed to have mellowed significantly following that very abstract reasoning that Mr. Penson gave him.

"And besides that, an integral issue was brought to light as a result of today's events", Mr. Penson stated solemnly.

The CEO immediately turned serious as a frown made its way to his handsome face.

"It's about the territorial..." Mr. Penson's voice trailed off as though he had meant to do that intentionally and the CEO's eyes widened in what appeared to be shock.

Suddenly both the men went deathly quiet, and the silence that descended was so heavy that I could almost hear the levers in my brain moving as they tried to make some sense out of their intangible conversation.

There was a certain he, who was in the forest, and he was apparently very reliable when it came to someone's, or in this instance, my safety, and this he was, for some incomprehensible reason, 'a part of the CEO', and Mr. Penson was besotted with him and then some random gibberish about a territorial issue

HOW DID ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE?!

I looked up at the CEO in confusion to find him staring unblinkingly at Mr. Penson. His eyes seemed glazed over, like a person's become when they are in deep deep thought. Frowning I turned to Mr. Penson only to find him wearing an almost identical expression, much to my puzzlement.

My head turned from one man to the other before I finally understood that I understood nothing! I didn't think there was anything about random stare downs in the instructions I was explained this morning?

Speaking of instructions, where was Mr. Talon?

Trying my luck, I gently pushed myself away from the CEO and surprisingly enough his grip loosened. Taking that as my chance I wiggled out of his grasp and put as much distance between us as was possible in that short second.

But before I could celebrate my small victory, an excruciating searing pain shot through my right leg all the way up to my thigh and a strangled cry escaped my lips. The pain became unbearable and I squeezed my eyes shut as my knees buckled under me.

And yet again, I was falling

Just before my body collided with the hard ground underneath, a shrill nasal scream filled the air, drowning out all other sounds.

"LUNA!!!"

In a flash two strong arms came around me, one going around my back and the other under my knees and I was lifted into the air as if I weighed no more than a measly feather.

Familiar tingles erupted everywhere; they felt like fireworks exploding all over my body, and somehow I immediately knew that I was in the CEO's arms. The pain was numbed almost instantly, only to be replaced by waves of warmth and strange incomprehensible power.

Luna...

My heart went into overdrive and an involuntary gasp escaped my lips. I squeezed my eyes shut as some new feeling overwhelmed my senses. My vision blurred. My ears started to ring. I felt giddy.

I rested my head against the CEO's chest, letting the earthy scent of wet soil quieten my turbulent senses and breathed deeply, trying to calm my wild heart.

Luna...

I could hear familiar voices speaking to me, but I couldn't understand a word. The waves of that unknown feeling had passed and I suddenly felt very tired, as though a huge responsibility had been placed on my shoulders.

All of a sudden a loud howl filled my head, just like last night when I had gone to the roof, muffling the ringing in my ears. Immediately the huge dark wolf I had encountered earlier flashed in my mind and the howling grew louder. It echoed in my mind over and over again, resonating throughout my body.

Luna...

I started hearing random bits and pieces of conversations I had heard today.

"Good morning Ms. Winters"

"What is your full name?"

"Wolves, are there any where you are from?"

"I'm-hah s-so sorry sir, but he- the, the Alpha-"

"I, Zuerien Kai Royale-"

"Do you want to die?"

My head spun, my eyes felt heavy, my vision alternated from darkness to light and then back to darkness.

"To confirm a certain suspicion of mine"

"Mate!"

"then explain all the uncharacteristic spacing out Mr. 'she is not my-' dot dot dot"

"The kingdom needs only me"

"-The Alpha Supreme, reject you-"

"And you need her!"

A strange feeling of freedom flooded my body. It was as if I had been chained up all these years and suddenly all the chains had disappeared. Somewhere in the distance I heard thunder peal through the dusky sky.

"I have high expectations of you Ms. Winters"

"Just please take better care of yourself"

"You told her to take the route through the woods"

"Because he was there"

"-Suzzanah Winters as my-"

"And you need her!"

"This is important. She is important!"

"Mate!"

"Mate!"

"Mate!"

"LUNA!!!"

My eyes shot open at the same time as the first droplet of rain hit my flushed sweaty skin. The feel of the cool drop of water as it slid down my hot face soothed me.

My blurred vision cleared and I registered three people, all squatting on the ground around me. Three faces. Familiar faces. Male faces. All three looked down at me with heavy concern marring their features to different degrees.

Mr. Talon looked so distressed that I worried he burst into tears any minute. Mr. Penson's brow was creased with deep worry, but his eyes held a strange understanding, which was somewhat reassuring.

But the expression that surprised me most was that of the CEO. I was currently cradled in his arms as he sat crouched on the ground. His forehead was wrinkled, his eyebrows knit together in worry. His lips were slightly parted as though he was gasping for breath himself. His skin looked pale and clammy.

But what really caught my attention were his eyes. Those deep intense chocolate brown pools of warmth were now pitch black, the color or a dark moonless night sky. Within the depths of those darker than black orbs swirled a multitude of turbulent emotions, the most prominent of them all, was fear.

Fear about what? I did not know. But it was there, and it was evident.

Involuntarily my hand moved towards his face, my fingers brushed against his cheek, and instantly his eyes widened. Brilliant radial flecks of gold suddenly appeared in his eyes dissecting the black depths all the way through. They gleamed against the dark background and I felt drawn into their rich powerful aura.

But as suddenly as the gold flecks had appeared, they vanished, leaving me staring, yet again, into familiar brown orbs.

The CEO's grip tightened and his eyes softened. The fear in them was gone and was replaced by something closely resembling longing, a deep, unparalleled, unfathomable longing. And I felt my heart hurt for him.

Drawing me impossibly close, he gently placed my head in the crook of his neck, resting against his shoulder. He held me like that for a few moments, hugging me close to himself, his warmth seeping into my now cool wet skin.

Why would he do that?

A light drizzle had started to fall, drenching all four of us in cool, transparent, sparkling droplets of clear water. My eyes felt heavy as sleep called out to me.

I felt the CEO shift as something warm was placed over me, covering my frame down to my knees. Then he stood up, cradling me in his arms and started walking. I could hear Mr. Talon and Mr. Penson follow close behind us.

Suddenly the chilly feel of rainwater disappeared and I felt myself being placed on a seat. I immediately welcomed the comfort of the soft cushion under me but missed the warmth of the CEO's arms around me. I could hear hushed whispers, the words of which I couldn't make out.

I heard a door close and the cool breeze of the outdoors completely disappeared. Another door opened and then closed promptly and I faintly registered the sound of an engine roaring to life. As sleep weighed down on me, I closed my eyes and felt myself drifting into sweet slumber when yet again a door opened and a chilly wind blew over my face.

The fresh scent of wet soil assaulted my senses and I told myself it must be owing to the light drizzle falling lazily outside. I inhaled deeply wanting to savor the rich scent but when familiar tingles trailed across my cheek, my eyelids cracked open.

Through my blurred sleep laden vision I saw brown eyes looking lovingly at me. I recognized the CEO's face but I was too tired to say anything to him. His lips parted but I heard nothing.

A golden glow caught my eye and my gaze shifted from his face into his hair. Sure enough a rich band of gold ran across the left side of his thick dark locks, just like in his eyes, only this was a single streak.

A thin golden streak running across the left side of dark locks, dark hair, dark fur...

The wolf from the forest flashed in my mind once again and my eyes widened for a split second only to be weighed down by sleep almost immediately.

I felt the CEO's fingers brush across my cheek once again as they moved the strands of stray hair out of my face. Then they brushed against the side of my face, cupping my cheek momentarily and then they trailed further down brushing against my lips, leaving them tingling. Lingering there for a few seconds, his fingers reluctantly pulled away.

I felt his hand caress my hair gently one last time before he withdrew. I heard a door close yet again and the breeze once again ceased. After a brief vibration of the seat under me, I felt like we had fallen into a uniform motion.

And as I let sleep conquer my body, my last thoughts were of warm chocolaty brown orbs which had suddenly turned dark. My last feeling was of a thousand tingles exploding on my body, overwhelming my senses. My last memory was of strong arms cradling me delicately, protectively, lovingly.

And the one question that had been plaguing my mind all this time still remained unanswered...

Why would he do that?...

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A/N

Loooong Chapter :D

Hello again, my darling readers!

Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this story! 2k reads! I'm ecstatic!

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Until next time,

All my love

Angel