-Auggie's POV-

I stood in Grace's bedroom, fully clothed...just listening.

I heard everything Grace had said...and while I wanted to be excited that she wanted us as her mate, and that she'd fully accepted us as her mate in every way...I couldn't help but feel like shit.

I am her mate and yet I'm already doing a shit job of it.

I should have figured out a way out of this...maybe I can marry the girl on our own terms and then we can get a divorce or even better...if I could meet her, maybe I could convince her of backing out of this.

'No Good.'

I knew my wolf was right...it was no use...if I couldn't back out of this I knew damn well she couldn't either...and no doubt they've already come up with some heavily detailed contract so once we are married that will more than likely be us sign, sealing, and delivering it to them.

I stood there and shook my head.

I began to wonder, what if I married Grace first? I mean is that even an option?

'Won't work.'

I sighed.

I couldn't let her risk her own life challenging someone for me as I just stand by and do nothing to be with her...there had to be something I could do.

Suddenly Grace walked into her room, she looked at me and smiled.

"Hey." She sounded sweetly.

I smiled, "...so the rain's cleared."

She nodded, "Yeah, I'll get changed and take you back."

I walked over to her, I could see she was hurt. I risked upsetting her further by taking her hands into my own. She looked down at our hands and I sighed, "I'm sorry that you're going through this because of me Gracie...I'll figure something out, I promise."

She looked up at me and her eyes were full of sadness.

My heart broke.

"My Aunt thinks it would be smart if we stayed away from each other for a while...give our wolves some time apart, says it will hurt a lot less."

"I know this isn't something that I want to do, but maybe we should at least try it."

"This isn't something I want either." She sounded a little defensively.

I reached up and took her face into my hands carefully, "Hey I promise it wouldn't be for longer than the res of this week...trust me, I don't think I can stay away from you for much longer than that now...but at least we can say we tried."

She gave me a smile, "Just this week then?"

I nodded, "Gonna be hard to get rid of me now that you let me sleep over at your place."

She rolled her eyes and a much more eased smiled spread across her face, "Yeah more like took pity on you."

"I should let you get dressed." I said letting go of her face now and looking down at the short shorts she'd put on last night.

Her face flushed with a warm pink.

I smirked and let myself out of the room, and upon doing so I found that her Aunt had gone.

I looked back at Grace's bedroom door and sighed, I honestly didn't know how I was going to survive not seeing her this weekend...just standing here in her living room knowing she's in the other room was already agitating my wolf. He wanted to be with his mate and I had to remind him that being close to her is only going to hurt her in the long run.

After Grace was all dress we took off, once we were in No Man's land we grabbed brunch (as we'd slept in) and then she dropped me off by the school so I could get my car.

I got out of her car and so did she.

We both knew this would be bye until we see each other at school next week.

"So I was think I am going to officially take photography this semester." She said to ease the growing tension.

I smirked, "I'm sure the professor would love to have you."

Silence.

She sighed and once again I went for broke when I stepped in and pulled her body to me.

I know we'd only just met recently, and yes she's only just acknowledged and accepted us...but after last night something changed.

I knew our Mates Pull had strengthened, so of course our draw to one another would be stronger...but there was more, and I'm sure she's noticed it as well.

A sort of unspoken, unwritten allowance of physical touch...but more than than...a yearning for the other's touch.

I took in her scent as I held be body against mine, and I knew she was doing the same as I felt her little nose touch my chest.

I didn't want to be the one to kill the moment and let her go but I did know she had to get going or we'd end up staying here all day.

"You should go before my wolf tries to keep you."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad to me." She teased before stepping out of the hug, "But I should go and talk to my Dad...see if there isn't anything we can do."

I nodded, "and I'll do the same, We've got tons of books in our packs library surely there's something out there."

I watched her get back into her car and drive away, with a final wave goodbye I turned and got into my own car. It roared to life and I sighed contently, I had a very good night and with the game plan to find something to get me out of this damn contract I was off.

_____

The rest of the week dragged on, but luckily I'd catch glimpses of Grace here and there when I was on campus.

We'd keep our distance of course, but I'd always get a smile from her and that was what seemed to keep me going in my search to find an out of this contract.

Unfortunately I had officially come up blank.

Anyone I talked to, every book I read...they all said short of someone dying I may as well just give up and accept it.

But this wasn't something I could just sit down and accept...I didn't want it, and my wolf wouldn't accept it.

But as I was coming up to nothing but dead ends on this front it actually had me trying to find other outlets to piss my superiors and the council off...almost like, yes you can make me marry this person but she'll never be my choice.

This in turn had me thinking of marking my Mate. She would be the first person to carry my mark so even if I'm ordered to mark my contracted fiancée I would technically always go to my mate first in any emergency as she bore my first mark...I also thought about getting my mate pregnant, per the new laws on pack hierarchy The first born child would take any familial rights over their siblings...especially a child of mates over a child of non-mates.

But I knew I couldn't do either of those things.

No.

As much as I would love to mark my mate and have her carry our child...I'd want to mark her on our own terms at our own time in a romantic way we were both ready for...not because we're being forced to as a last resort. And children...well again, if Grace and I could be together then perhaps children would come with time, not as a last ditch effort to get back at my dad and brother.

My last class of the week was wrapping up and as I told everyone goodbye I dreaded knowing I truly wasn't going to see Grace for a few more days.

the sun was beginning to set and I drove home in a mood, All I really wanted to do right now was get home and have a run.

But as I pulled up to my house I saw the all too familiar pick-up.

"Alfie." I said as I got out of my car. I sighed, "So...what job are Dad and the Alpha asking of me today?"

"Nothing too strenuous...just dinner."

Then it hit me, tonight was the dinner where I meet the girl I'm suppose to marry.

My brother immediately picked up on my aversions. "Look Ace, it's not really an invite more so an order, so...we can do this the easy way with you coming with me, or the hard way with me taking you over there."

I knew there was no getting out of it, "can I at least have a run and a shower before we go?"

He looked at me, and just shook his head. "...They're already here and dinner's starting as soon as you get there."

I growled, there was nothing I could do.

I knew I'd be going to dinner tonight, and I knew I'd be polite to the girl (as this was no more her fault than it was mine)...but after this all bets are off and I would do anything to get to be with my mate, even if that means going against every single person in my entire family and the pack itself.