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The older woman patted her hand consolingly, "Do not worry, my dear. I have some ointments for those bruises and sore muscles. I will mix it in your water. You will feel so much better after your bath."

"Thank you so much, Mirian." Ismena meant it too, the woman is a savior.

"You know, I slept in my room at the downstairs of this tower the night before and I pitied you so much, my dear. Oh, I did not eavesdrop, trust me, the King will have my head for that. But, I did overhear you a few times."

Ismena ducked her head shyly.

Mirian shook her head, "It's alright, my dear. You cannot blame the king, you know. You are his mate. And when you both are still unmated, the hunger can be so driving and sometimes, very uncontrollable."

Ismena needed to know, "Does it mean that it... goes away after the couple's mate?"

"Oh no, my dear. It never goes away. Ever." She smiled, "But, it regulates. Now, nature and the mating pheromones are forcing you both to do what needs to be done, but once the mating ritual is completed, these two are satisfied and takes a few steps back. Your love for each other and your bond created at the mating ritual as lifemates continues."

"My love, Odin and I have been mated for over forty years now, and that fire still burns between us. We do not need the full moon night which lights the werewolves up with the intense fire of craving sexual intimacy to get closer to each other because our love—our bond—is strong."

Ismena envied the light that shines from her eyes as she speaks about her husband. It is so obvious, the love she has for her husband.

"At the beginning, it was like this too." She continued, smiling with memories, "We could not keep our hands off each other. I was among the lucky changelings that found their mates early. Odin and I found each other when I was seventeen, and he was twenty-four. We had to wait for me to reach eighteen to mate because it was the right thing to do."

"Usually, the mating heat starts coming from eighteen years old but mine started at seventeen. It was hard to keep our hands off each other, you can understand what I am trying to say. A month to my eighteenth birthday, we started being intimate in secret." Her cheeks flamed, "Of course, the hunger gets worse with every sexual intimacy between us without the mating ritual and it's even harder on the males. So, once Odin started touching me, he couldn't stop."

"So, he was...uhh...like this? Like Wolfe?" Somehow, it made Ismena feel better that she wasn't the only person that has ever gone through this.

"Close. The Alpha King is the Alpha King, so I'm sure it must’ve been different for you...much worse. He is infamous for his insatiability after all—most of our Alphas are." She grinned, "But, my point is, I understand what you're going through because I've been there too. I just pity you so much, my dear, because you are not like us. I do not know why he hasn't mated you yet." She finished in a baffling tone.

But, Ismena knows. Her heart tightened at the reminder.

The older woman does not know that there will never be any mating ritual between her and the Alpha King. It hurt.

She pushed the unexpected pain away. Don't even start, Ismena. You knew what you were going in for when you entered into this physical relationship with him.

Mirian continued on, "Heaven knows that I cannot wait to see him mated and happy. He has been through so much! So much...!" Her throat choked up, she had to stop talking and take a deep breath to get herself under control again.

When it seems she has achieved that, she gave Ismena a small smile, "Anyway, I want to help you."

"To help?" Ismena asked, curiously.

Mirian took Ismena's hand into hers again. "The Alpha King is a man of his words. He never breaks his promises and his word, when given, is gold. That is an advantage on your part, my lady. Anytime you are not ready for a marathon, you get him to agree on the rounds you can go. At least, until the mating ritual is performed and the heat regulates."

"If you want to go two rounds, you get him to agree to it and give his word before anything. I'm sure it's going to work." Mirian whispered confidently.

Ismena said nothing, but she was giving it some thought.

Mirian stood up then, smiling warmly. "So, while you keep that in mind and give it some thought, I'm going to get your healing bath ready. The Alpha King cannot know I gave you this advice though because he will have my head for it. But I could not help it. We females have to stick together and help each other out too."

"Thank you so much, Mirian," Ismena said, sincerely. More than the advice, she was happy that the woman loves her enough to even give it and trusts her enough to tell her about her own life.

"You're welcome, my lady." The older woman inclined her head respectfully, "Now, I need to change that bed sheet, so, if you can get up and sit on any of those chairs, I'll be grateful."

"Actually, I wanted to use the bathroom but I can't...uhh...I can't get up." She blurted out, blushing furiously. God, this is so embarrassing!

"You can't get up—Oh, Oh, of course." The confusion cleared from Mirian's face. "Sorry, I forgot to think of that. I'll help you."

Ismena wanted to bury her head somewhere and allow the world to pass away. She cleared her throat, "Okay... Thank you."

Mirian saw her embarrassment and smiled warmly at her before she walked over to lift her up from the bed.

"I'll have the medicine man get something for that sore voice of yours too."