"Who said I was playing Damen."
Her voice was cross, sending my beast into a spiraling turmoil. Baring my teeth I stalked back towards her.
She didn't even flinch.
I watched instead, as she bowed up to me, her fire flaring within those amber eyes.
"I'd be careful with what you say to me, I may never physically hurt you Valerie, but there are other ways of torture love. Some I wouldn't mind showing you."
I watched her shudder, before I felt a vicious sting across my cheek.
Did she just slap me?
Raising a tentative hand to my cheek I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips, this was going to be harder than I thought.
"You'll learn to trust me Valerie, I'm not like them. Now, if you don't mind, I'll see you later love."
***************
I found my father in the library a book in hand.
"What took you so long son?"
"Problems with my mate."
"I heard she threw a knife at your head." I caught his subtle smirk as I took a seat beside him.
"That she did."
He chuckled, "I'd be careful of that one, she seems dangerous."
"Well can you blame her father, honestly, after everything she's been through it's not a surprise. Although I wish she'd show her frustration in a less harmful way. Or at least relieve it in a less harmful way."
"Oh I bet you do son, I bet you do."
"You know, I've always wondered how mom puts up with your dirty mind."
He chuckled.
"Have you ever considered she might just like my dirty mind son?"
"Ugh no, god I didn't need to know that."
He sighed his broad shoulders sinking against his chair. For the first time I saw just how tired he was, the dark circles were more predominant than before and he looked rather pale.
"It's getting worse isn't it?"
He didn't answer.
Instead he set his book on the side table and rose, his strong stature returning.
"You wasted a perfectly good deer son, all because you were frustrated. It's already hard enough finding food as it is, we don't need a useless killing added to it."
I hang my head, I knew what I'd done was wrong and I shouldn't have slaughtered the doe like that but I couldn't control myself.
Hearing a throat clear, caught my attention.
Glancing up I took notice of Royce, father's best friend and Beta.
"A word Alpha?"
With father's dismissal I left the library, my mind going back to fathers pale stricken face and sickly eyes. It was getting worse.
Trying to hide the pain I felt, I hid my face from all that past. Should've known it wouldn't have been that easy though. Soon enough I found myself face to face with Draven his crystal eyes filled with worry.
Damn it. Leave it to my kid brother to pick up on my feelings.
"You just saw father didn't you?"
I nodded.
"He's getting worse isn't he?"
Again I nod.
"The virus is spreading it'll only be a few weeks, a month at the most before..."
He left the sentence hanging, unable to finish.
I knew how he felt, I too felt the pain. Our Alpha...our father was dying.
***************
I sat in my room, my sketch pad in hand, drawing a fond family memory when a knock brought me to.
"Come in."
Glancing up I noticed Valerie leaning timidly against the door.
"How has you're day been?"
"Good seeing how you haven't bothered me since this morning."
My fingers stilled.
"Is that so?"
She stepped away from the door, her movements hesitant as she walked towards the bed.
"I didn't know you drew, may I see?"
I caught the change of subject, but let it fall.
Shutting my sketch book, I set it on the bed allowing her to pick it up.
Watching her gave me comfort. Being close to her soothed the aching grief, even if she hadn't a clue as to what she was doing for me. I didn't want to push her away, not now, not when I needed some sort of solace.
Resting my back against the head board, I reveled in her beauty. Her eyes were full of wonder as she shuffled through the many pages of my work. I took in the part of her lips as she gasped, knowing then she'd come across the drawings of her. Her fragile fingers preceded to indulge in the artwork, tracing the deeper lines and quick swifts of the pencil.
"They're beautiful, but they're dated over a year ago...how?"
I patted the bed beside me. She seemed to second guess her decision, before reluctantly taking a seat beside me, her legs folding in on themselves as she got comfortable.
"Every royal heir usually finds their mate when they are eighteen, I however, have surpassed that age by six."
"So you're twenty-four?"
I nodded, "Yes, and due to the fact of me being the heir, my beast's spirit began to become restless when I turned twenty. It began to search for it's soulmate when I rested."
"Me?"
I gave her a soft smile, but nothing more, I didn't want to frighten her.
"Yes. When I turned twenty-one I had my first dream of you. I had never felt such longing before, it frightened me. When I awakened though, my fingers itched to draw. Before I realized what had happened, your beautiful face was staring back at me from a once blank page."
I watched as he clenched her hands into fists.
"I'd searched every day I could Valerie, trying to find you, but after about a year and a half I gave up. My beast grew angry with me, refusing to speak to me. Then, the other day during patrol he couldn't take it any longer, and rose from within, taking complete control. He sensed you, and before I could stop him he ran, and ran, and ran. I must have ran for hours deep into our outermost territory. Eventually we found you under that pine and brought you home."
She remained silent, her frame shaking. I hadn't realized she was crying until a soft sob fell from her lips.
"You mean you've searched for me for over three years, and only now you've found me?"
Taking her hand I begged her to not pull away, luckily she didn't. Instead she turned, rising to her knees.
"Please understand that it wasn't easy, the connection never was clear. I could never catch the pull long enough to follow it, my guess was that you were too young when I came of age. You're beast wasn't ready to call out to mine. Please you have to understand I would never have wished what you've gone through. The pain. The fear. My dear Valerie please don't be angry with me, for not saving you sooner, for not protecting you."
Her bottom lip trembled and before I could stop myself I pulled her to me.
She fought slightly but after a few minutes of failure she finally gave in. Her sobs rocked through her, causing me such a pain I'd never experienced before. Her beast was grieving and letting me know.
Holding tighter to her trembling body, I began to soothe her.
I don't know how long she cried, but it was well into the night before she finally fell asleep in my arms. The pain I felt before had drowned to a simple throb in my chest now. It didn't save the fact that, that was what she felt. Such agonizing pain.
Brushing her hair from her face, I began to tuck her into the soft sheets of my bed. Once I knew she was safe and sound, I lent down and left a small kiss upon her forehead. My own fatigue began to take its tole and before I knew it, I was past out beside her.
