"Yes this is my mate Amara." Alaricus said staring down at me tenderly. I trembled in his hold wanting nothing more than to run into the comfort of my fathers arms away from this terrifying man.

Everyone stared with wide eyes gaping at us. Whispers rang out as I stood there uncomfortably.

"How is this possible?"

"He's not supposed to have a mate." And then there was the one that had my heart racing in fear

"That poor girl, he is going to destroy her."

"Enough." Knight's voice rang out making my slight shivers turn into full tremors and I tried to wiggle out of his grasp but his hold only tightened. He stared out at the thousands of people, almost challengingly. As if daring fir even one of them to speak against his claim. As if anyone could possibly be that foolish. They all stood there quietly, eyes downcast at the power behind his command. I was human, no connection to their twisted hierarchy and yet I wanted to fall to my knees.

"This ball is held so that wolves can find their mate and this here today is only an example of it. I ask you all to enjoy the party and wish you all luck in finding your better half." He said his deep velvety voice keeping everyone transfixed.

"Come love, I'm sure you would like to enjoy the party as well." Knight said looking down so he could see my face stepping even closer than he before was.

"I, um yes yes I would." I said slightly flustered by his close proximity trying to discreetly take a step away from him causing a frown line to appear between his brows.

"Lead the way love." He said simply, ignoring the fact that I had stepped away despite the fact that something changed in his eyes, his warm eyes seemed to tighten a bit.

I turned making my way towards my parents and he followed close behind, so close I was afraid if I stopped he would crash into my back.

My heart sunk when I noticed the way people seemed to move away from us very different from the way I had had to force my way through the crowds before. I was already an outsider.

An alpha approached us as we walked and Alaricus gently called out to me.

The large man I would normally feel very threatened by seemed as intimidating as a kitten standing near Alaricus Knight.

"Alpha Knight." The man said causing Alaricus to stiffen up. Alaricus simply nodded in return. The man turned to me.

"Hello, I'm Alpha Britchette."

"Amara" I answered trying to smile but it came out more as a grimace.

As the two men began to converse I excused myself heading towards my parents who stood whispering to each other frantically.

I gently tapped my dads shoulder and he turned towards me wrapping me in his warm embrace. I forced myself not to cry snuggling in further crumpling his fresh suit but he didn't seem to care.

"My poor little kitten I would do anything to keep you away from him." I couldn't hold it in a tear trailed down my cheek as I pulled away reaching up to give my father a kiss on the cheek.

"I know papa I know." I said slipping into my childhood habit of calling my father papa.

I pulled away from my father and turned to my mother who was tearing up looking at us. She smiled at me softly pulling me in for a gentle hug and I couldn't help it I was closer to my father but the feeling of being in your mothers arms could sooth anyone.

"Amara." His voice called out and I stilled in my moms arms. Slowly I turned around looking at him wanting to hurt the man who had caused my family this pain. He reached out to me softly taking my hand in his but I pulled away causing him to look at me with hurt but the expression was gone before I could truly read it and I faced my parents again.

My dad stood there glaring at him. Alaricus put his hand out for my father.

"I'm Alaricus Night you must be Amara"s father." My dad begrudgingly shook hands with him.

"Jay Winters" my father answered looking at Night sternly.

"And you must be her mother." Alaricus said turning towards my mother.

"Yes I'm Gloria Winters." My mom said completely serious as she put her hand into his awaiting one.

"I hope you both are enjoying the ball." Alaricus said in his velvety voice. My father simply made an agreeing noise, my mother ignoring his words completely.

"Alpha Night I-" my father started but Alaricus interrupted him.

"Please call me Alaricus." He said.

My mother noticing my father irritated expression quickly intercepted before my father could speak.

"Alaricus what we want to say is our daughter is very young as you can see, it would be appropriate for you to perhaps wait until she has completed her education to move further in your relationship." My mom said trying to keep her voice strong.

Alaricus looked furious but composed himself

"She is my mate, I can not live without her. She is old enough to attend the ball meaning she is old enough to be in this relationship and I assure you I would never rush your daughter into doing anything she is uncomfortable with." Alaricus said sincerely, making my father scoff in blatant disbelief.

Alaricus raised a brow at him his eyes challenging and I interrupted before my impulsive father could get himself hurt.

"Alaricus would you give me a moment alone with my parents?" I asked struggling not to stutter when he turned towards me his eyes boaring into me as I spoke. He nodded slowly, nodding at my parents in farewell before he left.

I stayed trying to pacify my upset parents and soon Marina joined us her eyes soft and sympathetic as she hugged me. We all stood there talking as if I hadn't just been claimed as a mate by the worst of all monsters. Soon his voice interrupted us.

"I thank you all for attending the ball I would like to take a moment to congratulate all the newly mated couples on finding their soul mates. I kindly ask you all to begin making your way to the exits, my guards will be willing to help if you need help finding your vehicles." Alaricus said his face void of any emotion as he stepped off the stage heading towards me.

We all stood in silence as he approached, the crowd lessening by the second.

"Mr and Mrs Winters if you two would kindly make your way to the cars I would like to speak to Amara for a moment."

I saw how hesitant my dad looked and discreetly modded at him doing my best to smile. I watched them walk away.

Alaricus took my hand softly holding it in both of his, bringing it close to his chest.

"I wish I could keep you here with me, it pains me to see you leave, but you must be tired, and you do need to start packing." I nodded hoping to get out of there as quick as possible until the realization of what he had said dawned on me.

"P-packing?" I questioned my eyes wide at the possibilities of what that could mean.

"Love, you your going to come live with me." He said softly as if that was just a given. He continued when he saw me frozen looking for words.

"In a week I will come to get you."

"I- but I don't want to live with you." I sputtered out. He frowned

"And why is that." He stated firmly.

"I can't live with you, your you and I'm a human and this this is just." I trailed off not knowing how to phrase my thoughts without offending him enough to rip my throat out.

"You are my mate, mates live together that is the rule. And simply stating it I can't live without you nor do I want to." He said his eyes getting softer as he spoke. I realized the hidden message behind his words there was nothing I could do about this I was his, and he could make me do anything. That was what the rule was, mates belonged to one another and wolves went to great lengths when a human mate would try to refuse, this man being the unannounced king he could get everyone I love beheaded, before I could utter out an apology. That was probably what he was hinting at when he brought up the rule. I felt my chest get heavy as I realized I had no choice in the matter there was only one way.

"I understand." I said looking down not able to meet his eyes.

He gently reached up using a finger to tip my chin up so I would look at him.

"Goodbye for now my love." He stated wrapping his arms around my waist using them to pull me flush against him as he buried his face in my hair.

"Meum miraculum." I heard him mutter into my hair. A moment after I tried pulling away and he let me softening his grasp. I didn't want to look up at him again, I didn't want to let him see the way my eyes were watering so I simply turned walking away from him.

I made my way to the car where I looked down ignoring my moms questions and my father soon shushed her putting his hand on her arms pulling her away from me gently. The ride home was spent in silence, despite the way I wanted to scream and let out the inner turmoil I sat quietly pushing back my tears.

As soon as the car stopped I got out waiting for my mother to unlock the door before rushing to my room.

That night I cried silently for all that I had lost in this one horrible day. I cried for hours using the pillow to hush my sobs. I heard my parents talk about the night before they too fell asleep but I stayed up till the early hours of the morning, until I had completely drained myself. They were upset, their only child being taken away from them, my chest ached as I bit my lip harshly refusing to let them hear me cry, they didn't need to know how much this was hurting me. They didn't need to know how much it hurt to have everything you've ever had, could ever have snatched away from you in moments, and I'd never let them know. I was physically incapable of crying any longer, my chest ached with a hollow feeling, throat parched, my eyes swollen I fell into a restless sleep.

The days were passing by so quickly, I had only two days left of freedom and I planned to live them fully. My parents had promised me not to bring up Alaricus Knight the morning after the ball when they found me in my bed. My pillow soaked with tears I had explained to them what that man had planned out for me, sobbing into my dads arms and since then, that was the taboo topic.

I had been hanging out with my friends and spending quality time with my family although a part of me wanted simply to stay alone, but I couldn't afford that. That man was a tyrant and I, simply a possession to him, I knew I would never see my loved ones again from the moment I step foot into that palace. Wolf mates seldom allowed for their mates to visit family. A wolf was extremely possessive of their mate by nature, they didn't like the thought of their mate thinking of, let alone needing another. Their mate was everything to them, and they wanted to be everything to their mate. This man was known to be absolutely ruthless, incapable of loving anyone and I was to spend the rest of my days with such a person.

Everywhere I went I got pitied glances from people even the most power hungry girls of the werewolf community I knew looked at me sympathetically. But those were the courageous ones, others avoided me like the plague, crowds parting where I walked. It only worsened the way I felt, I was clearly an outsider now, treated like Alaricus Knight himself. Already my own identity had been stolen from me, I wasn't just the human girl who could do as she pleased unnoticed. No longer Amara Winters, now I was only the mate of the infamous Alaricus Knight. To some, crossing me was the easiest path to self destruction, to others I was the girl doomed to an eternity of misery.

I heard the doorbell ring indicating my friends were here. We planned to have a movie night and eat the most unhealthy of junk foods. I opened the door seeing Marina and Aaron, my closest guy friend holding many bags of god knows what. I rushed to help him but Marina grabbed my arm leading me to my bedroom and I threw Aaron an apologetic look from past my shoulder.

We cued up a horror movie dimming the lights to the point where the room was pitch dark and setting up all the different types of chocolate and extra butter popcorn. We covered ourselves with a huge thick blanket. I sat in the middle and as the movie progressed I was completely squished by both my friends and all three of us were under the blanket.

Me and Marina were gripping onto each other as the crazy axe murdering spirit chased after the girl. Aaron had given up trying to act brave and was currently hugging a pillow whining about watching an action movie. The room went dead silent when we heard a spinning blade but the problem was it wasn't from the movie. We sat there eyes wide too scared to even blink, and soon the door started creaking open. We screamed when we saw a small unruly figure in the door. Aaron yanked on the blanket we were sitting on, and we all stumbled off the bed onto the ground. I landed ungracefully on top of Marina, Aaron's lanky form sprawled over the both of us. His knee digging into my hip painfully. The lights were turned on and any pain was forgotten as we screamed even louder.

We heard a responding scream that sounded oddly like my mom, me and Aaron finally peaked over the bed clinging to each other. My mom stood there looking absolutely horrified holding a blender which contained some sort of berry blend.

"I just wanted to show you guys our new wireless smoothie machine but you all are lunatics." My mom near well screamed slamming the door shut. We sat there embarrassed until we heard a groan. We looked down to see we were basically both sitting on top of Marina and jumped off helping her up. Apologizing to her as she cursed like a sailor, clutching her sides.

After finalizing that we were going to never again in our lives watch a horror movie we blackmailed Aaron into watching the Titanic with us. He grumbled the whole time angrily munching on cold popcorn. As the movie got close to the ending, I felt tears begin to stream down my face and I cried silently realizing I would never experience a love like this. I would always just be a privileged prisoner to the merciless king. Marina sniffled softly next to me and I hugged her but we broke apart when we heard a horribly muffled sob.

Aaron was crying, we watched him quietly for a few minutes before Marina burst out giggling and Aaron looked at us embarrassed. Whining about it being an emotional movie, and threatening us to never tell anyone. Me and Marina threw ourselves at him hugging him tightly. We all cried through the rest of the movie together and through the credits yelling we wanted a Jack, or in Aaron's case a girl version of Jack.

We heard a knock on the door and my dad walked in his eyes widening at the sight of us all clinging to each other sobbing. He looked over his shoulder back at the hallway, taking a small step backwards. But threw ourselves at him before he could get away. He nearly fell back as he struggled to stabilize the three of us in his arms. My mom was right behind him and Aaron untangled himself from our group hug and embraced my mom and she patted his back, cooing to him as if he were an injured toddler. My friends had always considered my parents their parents, and they were over so often I doubt my parents saw a difference between me and them. Sometimes I thought my mom liked Aaron better because he loved to cook with her.

I felt my heart swell up when I realized this was most likely the last time we would all be together like this, because the next time I would see them all was when they bid me farewell. I cling onto my dad sobbing now and I think they realized I wasn't just crying for the movie now, and they embraced me tighter. My mother and Aaron joining into the hug.