————————One Year Later ————————
I walked into the shop, the sound of the bell rings as I opened the door. "Hey Annalise." She turned around, her silky brown locks was loose and went down to her hips, and her brown eyes were glowing as she smiled at me softly. "Hey Kiara." She turned back around, putting the flower seed into the plant pot and with a flick of a finger a couple of seconds later it turned into a beautiful purple flower.

I used my vampire speed to sneak up behind her and the second she turned around she let out a loud scream and almost dropped the flower, I quickly grabbed it before it reached the ground.

"Kiara! I told you not to do that!" Annalise held her chest to calm her breathing and gave me a playful slap on my arm, making me chuckle at her.

I sat on the table looking at her putting the flower on display. "And I don't remember agreeing not to do it." She narrowed her eyes at me and I put my hands up in surrender. I turned my head and noticed someone standing by the storage door. "Hey Aurora." I waved and she waved back. "She scared you again, didn't she, mum?" She smirked at Annalise.

"She keeps using her vampire speed to her advantage." Annalise rolled her eyes at her daughter. "Oh nice red hair by the way, Kiara." Aurora complimented me and I thanked her as I ran my fingers through my newly dyed hair.

I listened to the mother and daughter bicker back and forth, I looked down at the ground, thinking about everything leading up to this moment.

I arrived in Ireland with nowhere to go and I stumbled upon Annalise's shop, it seemed like she already expected me, she said that she had a premonition that a supernatural being, who wasn't a threat would need help. She helped me get back on my feet and gave me a job as a sales assistant at her shop and she also introduced me to her 18 year old daughter, they were both witches, Annalise can see the future and Aurora is an Empath, she can feel other people's emotions when she touches them.

There's not a day that goes by that I didn't think about Xylus, it is said that the longer someone is away from their mate, the more their bond breaks, but I never felt the bond break in the slightest, I just saw myself missing him more.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard the plant pot hit the ground, I turned to Annalise, quickly moving towards her and holding her so she doesn't fall. Her eyes were pure white, Aurora ran up to us in concern for her mother. Annalise eyes finally turned brown again and breathed deeply. "Annalise, what did you see?" She took a few seconds to gather up her thoughts then looked at me. "I...saw a man, he had such a dark aura about him, his eyes were red...he was definitely a vampire, something bad is going to happen, it involved a guy with 2 different eye colour's..." My breathed hitched as my eyes widened, piecing ever word together. Damian is going into battle with Xylus.

"It's him, isn't it?" Annalise's eyes softened, and I nodded in defeat. "I have to go back." I turned around, making my way towards the door when I felt a hand on my wrist, I turned to look at Aurora. "You don't think we're gonna let you go on your own, do you?" I shook my head. "Nope, not gonna happen, I can't put you guys in danger." Aurora flicked my forehead, making me rub my head to ease the pain. "You're family Kiara, we are here for you." Annalise walked up to us and put her hand on my shoulder.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine...Annalise, do you have a potion for teleportation?" She nodded in agreement, walking into the storage room and coming back out with a blue potion in a tube and handing it to me. "Think about a specific place then smash it on the floor and it will take us there." I closed my eyes, thinking of exactly where to go and smashed it to the ground.

I opened my eyes and we were in a familiar forest. I heard a twig snap, making my head turn in its direction. I saw a familiar wolf, it was the Gamma, River. He transformed to his human form, he was wearing shorts and his abs were on full display. "What are you doing on our territory?" I rolled my eyes, hearing the same nonsense from a year ago.

"Do you actually say the exact same thing with every potential threat, Smurf?" I smirked mischievously. "Excuse me?" He let out a warning growl. "You're excused. Now where is the Alpha?" I crossed my arms, and River narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Why do you want to see him?" I sighed out in annoyance. "Cause I have information that he will want."

He walked up to me. "Give me your hands." I scoffed. "Excuse me?"

"You're excused." I narrowed my eyes at him and he smirked back at me. Smug little smurf.

"It's protocol that your hands are cuffed so you won't use this opportunity to harm the Alpha." I looked at Aurora and Annalise, and they both looked at River nonchalantly with their hands out, I sighed and repeated their actions, he handcuffed us then walked infront of us while a warrior wolf was trailing behind us. I saw the pack coming into view, although it's only been a year, it hasn't changed in the slightest, my heart was beating out of my chest, I tried to calm my breathing, this was the first time I got to see Xylus in a year.

Many pack members were staring at us in curiosity, I ignored their stares as I saw a familiar mansion, I hated to admit it, but every step we took, the more nervous I got. We stepped into the mansion and a beautifully decorated living room came first into view, there was a fireplace on the left hand side, 3 black sofa's near it with a dark wooden table, the walls were also made of dark wood. I always appreciated simplicity.

"Stay here while I let the Alpha know of your arrival." River said and I nodded at him. He walked upstairs, leaving us with the warrior wolf as we waited impatiently.

About 2 minutes later, River made his way back downstairs. "The Alpha will see you now." He announced, we all were about to follow him when he spoke up again."Only you." He pointed at me, I turned to look at Aurora and Annalise and they nodded in understanding, then I looked at the warrior wolf. "If you hurt them in any way possible, I will be your worst bloody nightmare, got that?" I looked at the warrior and he rolled his eyes before nodding nonchalantly.

I followed River to Xylus' office, thinking about every possible outcome of this conversation, the next thing I knew, we stood infront of his door. River opened the door for me, and I warily walked in. "She's here, Alpha." He announced and quickly shut the door behind me. I looked at him as I nervously played with my fingers, he looked just as handsome as a year ago, but the only difference was that his hair was longer and he had a beard.

He looked up from his papers, staring at me with intensity, he got up from his chair and walked around the desk, making his way towards me his aroma was overflowing all my senses, I could barely think straight.

"Hey um...can you take these cuffs off? They're becoming uncomfortable." I decided to break the ice, he didn't take his eyes off me as he grabbed onto my cuffs and broke them with his hand, it fell on the floor as I rubbed my wrists.

He backed away from me and cleared his throat. "What was it that you wanna discuss?" His deep rough voice sent tingles over my whole body. I was quite disappointed that he only wanted to discuss work and not us.

I took a deep breath "A man named Damian from my old clan is gonna claim war against you."

Xylus leaned against the desk with his arms crossed. "And how do you know this information?"

"My friend is a witch and she has a power to see the future." I answered and he looked deep in thought.

"Is there a particular reason?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

I wasn't ready to tell him the real reason, because that would mean I would have to tell him my story.
"I'm not sure..."

He didn't look convinced about my answer but he didn't press for more answers.

He walked back to his chair and sat on it again, I stood there awkwardly, then realised it was the end of our conversation.

"Xylus..." I called out to him and he hummed in acknowledgment.

"I..." I trailed off, not knowing how to phrase what I want to say.

He looked up at me, waiting for me to speak.

"You know we are...mates...right?" I bit my lip as I looked at him and looked back at me with his intimidating gaze.

"The moon goddess made a mistake." He spoke up and I felt my heart break at his words.

"The moon goddess doesn't make mistakes." I replied back offensively.

"There's a first time for everything." He said with annoyance lingering in his tone.

"So you're not gonna acknowledge me as your mate?" I respond, feeling my eyes brimming with tears.

"You will fight with us against the vampires, but once we are done, you and your witch friends are leaving."

I closed my eyes to stop the tears from escaping then opened them again with anger in my eyes.

"You're right, the moon goddess must have made a mistake cause she wouldn't give me someone who is so daft and in denial, and rather than accept that I'm his mate, he wants to run away like a coward. You're so pathetic." I spat out then made my way towards the door, opening it, I spoke up again, without facing him.

"It's a good thing you rejected me, now I can find a man who is worthy enough to have me." As I walked out the door and closing it behind me, with my enhanced hearing, I heard him growling lowly, I smirked in satisfaction as I walked down the stairs.

I saw Aurora and Annalise sitting on the sofa with the warrior and River watching them like a hawk.

"Alright boys, chill out, we're not gonna do anything, we're having a sleep over for a while." All of them looked at me in confusion, then River's eyes turned hazy, Xylus probably mindlinked him. He sighed before he spoke up "it's true, I'll show them to their rooms." The warrior nodded and exited the mansion.

River showed us to our rooms, I had my own room while Aurora and Annalise were sharing theirs. "Thanks Smurf." I smirked at River and he rolled his eyes at me. "I told you, it's River."

"It's been a year and you think I'm gonna magically start calling you by your name?" He shook his head while sighing and left. I turned around and looked at my room, it's the same room I had a year ago, and a flood of memories I tried to bury for months came into my mind. Hopefully we will be done with this soon so we can go back to Ireland.

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Sorry I took about 2 months to post again, I was really busy with university but I will be more active with posting, I hope you guys will like this chapter!

Every vote and comment is greatly appreciated and motivates me!😊

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