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While I was in my office, Eli came in with a shit-eating grin. Sometimes, I wanted to slap that damn smile off his face. Now was one of those times.

“Afternoon, boss. Why the hell are you in here instead of up in your room, claiming your mate? Dude, sex with your mate is hot as fuck. They are so damn perfect in every fucking way.”

I growled in annoyance but didn’t look up from the papers I had to go over. The urge to do exactly what he just said was strong. Every thought I had was either that or things I wanted to do to my mate. However, I had to get these files read and signed off on after spending three days by her side while she recovered.

But I also recalled the moment I grabbed onto Kylie before I came in here. She looked terrified and responded as if I would hurt her. That’s the last thing I’d do. If she reacted that way any time I startled her, this wouldn’t end well around here.

I sighed. “I’m not even sure I can claim my mate.”

Eli furrowed his eyebrows at me and curled his lip. “Why would you say that? She’s your fated mate, Max. Literally chosen by the goddess to be your perfect match. Why wouldn’t you claim her?”

I leaned back in my chair and looked at him. “She’s been through a lot. When I found her, she was in a cell, broken, bruised, and bloody. That wasn’t the first time her pack had done that to her, either. I could sense that.” I sighed, along with a growl. “They damaged her so badly that if I make the wrong move, she spirals. Like when I grabbed onto her today because of the way some of the pack was looking at her. If she responds like that to me, her mate, how will she respond when others do it?”

He shrugged. “She’s a victim of severe abuse, Max. It’s how she’s going to react until she moves past it.”

“She’s to be the queen, Eli. If we want our people to remain our people, I need a strong mate by my side.”

Eli shook his head at me. “I think you are missing the point. The fact that she survived all that abuse and is still the sweetheart she is means she is strong. Probably the strongest female you’ll ever meet.” He shook his head again and started to walk out of the office. “Do yourself a favor, Max. Get to know your mate and stop viewing strength the way you are now… or you’ll lose the best thing that will ever happen to you.”

7

Kylie

Even though the pack doctor told me I should be healed from my father’s punishments, meeting everyone from the pack had drained me. All these new people who were counting on me to help run the pack, when I knew nothing about how to do that scared the shit out of me. Many said they were happy to see their alpha find his mate because now he would become stronger. I wanted to run to the bathroom to hurl everything in my stomach.

How was I supposed to make him stronger when I felt so weak?

Maximus ordered dinner to be delivered to the room and glared at any male who looked at me. The possessive stage before the bonding had entered our relationship, and I thought it would frighten me. Instead, I had never felt safer in my life. No one dared to mention how weak I looked or even tried to make me feel like I wasn’t part of the pack. There were some who gaveme strange stares—some females with curiosity and some males with hunger—but aside from that, everyone was genuinely nice.

It was a feeling of being welcomed and accepted—something I had never experienced before.

Then he took me into his room. I didn’t expect it to be a penthouse suite. My jaw dropped at the lavishness of it all. It was an entire apartment. There was beautiful white and gold marbling on the floor, with touches of tan on the walls. The room felt welcoming and warm, thanks to the brown furniture as well. When we walked in, it opened to a living space with a big U-shaped couch that faced the TV mounted on the wall. Off to the left, there was a full kitchen with an island and a few stools to sit at while eating. I walked further into the room, where I noticed two doors on the far wall. I looked back at Maximus, and he smiled, nodding for me to explore. The door on the right opened to a huge bathroom that resembled a mini-apartment. A large tub with jets was on the left, and two sinks were on the right. A shower in the back right corner appeared to be a steam shower, given all the nozzles. Another door was in the back left, which I assumed led to the bedroom that had to be on the other side. From what I could see, the toilet was behind another small door for added privacy.

Then came the bedroom. My gods, the bedroom. Decorated in greens and browns to resemble the forest, it instantly relaxed me. My lycan let out a rumble of approval.

This is how we should be living.

I sighed internally at her.I felt that the statement was even more true with the pack accepting us so easily.

That, too.

The food Maximus ordered for us was more extravagant than I expected as well. There were Cornish game hens for both of us, along with mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and green beans. The amount of food could have fed a family of six, yet it was all for us. Normally, I received a small plate of food and was told the rest of the pack needed it more than I did. Before my lycan emerged, it was no different. Somehow, I was always considered less than even though I was the alpha’s daughter.

Something tells me my whole pack despised me, and I don’t even know why.

“How are you enjoying your new pack?” Maximus asked me.

I smiled at him. “If I’m being honest, King Maximus, it’s a dream come true.”

He chuckled. “I’m your mate, Kylie. You can call me Maximus.” He paused, then his smile grew. “Or Alpha,” he added with a wink.

My legs went wobbly at the sight of that wink. My gods, this man was perfection. Like marble on the floor, it seemed the Moon Goddess had carved Maximus out of stone. Every plane of hardened muscle made him look intimidating. Yet that smile told me he wasn’t the big, bad king I’d heard so much about.

“Sorry, it’s hard to adjust. I didn’t think I would be given a mate. Everyone in my pack said I wouldn’t. Now that I have one…” I looked away as I felt the heat rush to my cheeks. “It’s hard to get used to.”

Maximus stood from his seat and came over to me. He held out his hand for me to take, and my small hand looked even smaller in his. It was hard to stand after all the movement I had done today, but he provided enough support to help me get to the bathroom.

“Then let me show you how a mate is supposed to take care of you.”