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She hugged him again, clinging to him. Wolfaraine held her, thanking the heavens over and over again for giving his sister back to him.

"Time has dulled the memory. Staying in wolf-form has blurred it. I barely remembered what happened anymore." She admitted softly.

The last burden in his heart fell away, and he felt so much lighter. "I'm so glad to hear that, Aila. You've lived with those memories all these years in wolf-form. I hope you get to live in your mortal form again without them burdening you."

"She's very beautiful, so kindhearted, your mate."

He smiled, "She is. Do you remember all your time together with her? "

"Oh yes. She is my best friend."

"She will be so happy to hear that. It'll probably make her cry. She thinks of you that way too. Maybe even more."

"I want her to stay with us forever. You're going to mate her, right?"

"Yes, I will. If she will have me." Wolfaraine stated matter-of-factly. He has no doubt anymore. He wants to spend the rest of his life with Ismena. In fact, he cannot imagine his future without her in it.

"I'm glad. I hope she will have you, too.

We will be one big family. She is so brave.

She's everything you need in a mate. She always came by my room, all the time, no matter how scared she was.

She came every day. I knew you two fought when she didn't come by for a few days.

I was mad at you because you let her go. "

"Is that way you growled whenever I came close? I thought perhaps you hated me."

"I never. I was just mad at you, madder, because I couldn't tell you how I felt. I'm happy you two sorted things out. I can't wait to meet the baby when it comes."

He pulled back and stared at her with an astonished look in his eyes, "You knew?"

"Of course, I can smell the baby."

Wolfaraine smiled, "Your nose always put you in trouble when you were a child."

"Yes, it did," Her eyes brightened at the memories, "I am a Throne. I always smelled more than the other children, and most of them hated it. You always saved me when they gang up against me. "

"I've missed you so much, Raine." She whispered.

Emotions welled up inside him, "I've missed you just as much, Aila."

She might be twenty-eight, but she still has that look of innocence she always did, almost childlike. Her voice was just as melodic as it always was.

"I know you always hated when I called you Raine," she sighed, "I'll try to stop now—"

"No, don't stop. I don't hate it anymore. I love hearing it now." And that was the truth. The name reminded him that his sister was back to him again.

Sandra was asleep, but she felt his presence. Her eyes opened, and she caught his form even before she turned up the bedside lamp.

Alphose was leaning against her wall, lost in thoughts, but he started when the light came on.

"I hope I didn't wake you?" He asked his deep voice low.

"No. How long have you been here?" She asked drowsily.

"Minutes, hours, I don't know. Eline let me in, but you were already sleeping. I didn't wanna wake up. These past few days have been very rough on you; you deserve your rest."

They'd been really rough on her. She'd barely gotten any sleep or any good food.

Seeing her best friend and her mate back, safe and sound, calmed her heart.

Then hearing that Ismena is pregnant and watching the miracle that involves their Alpha King's sister changed her sadness to sheer excitement.

She rode the clouds all night until her head hit the bed, then exhaustion finally hit .

But no matter how much she wanted to get that beauty sleep, she wanted to be with this man more. She rose from the bed and walked toward him.

"I'm fine. What is the matter? I know something is bothering you."

"These past few days reminded me how short life is. We should make the most of the little time we have on earth—never waste any of it."

Sandra had a bad feeling that she wouldn't like where this was headed. It can't be good with such great sadness on his face.

"I've been selfish since I found you. Wanting to keep you to myself, coveting what isn't mine, touching my brother's mate. It was unfair to him, to you. I'm going to give you to your mate, Kassandra."

She was right, after all. She hated being right in situations like this.

The truth is that she wasn't surprised he'd said that. She had known that a day would come when he would say something like that—she'd dreaded it. A heavyweight settled on her chest, but she didn't say anything.

"It's the right thing to do," he lowered his head, his shoulders hung in defeat. "I already called him, told him about you so my heart wouldn't talk me out of it. For the first time since he left, Josiah is coming back to Naturiah tomorrow."

"Under a different circumstance, I would have been elated—I mean, my twin brother is visiting home for the first time in ten years—but I'm only filled with a kind of sadness I've never known before.

I feel like my heart is being ripped into tiny, little pieces from the inside.

" When he raised his head, his eyes were filled with tears as they settled on her face. Is this what heartbreak feels like? "

"Oh, Alphose," she hugged him, tears in her own eyes. Her own heart was tearing apart, too. The tears in his eyes were hurting her badly. God, why does it have to be like this for her?

"Is that what it feels like? Because if it is, it sucks badly.

Surely, nothing should ever hurt like this, right?

Or do you think I should call Siria, our clan's medicine woman, to check out my chest?

Who knows, something must have broken when I fought the human soldiers.

This feeling can't be right." He spoke against her shoulder, and she felt a slight tremor run through his big body.

His words made tears flow down her cheeks like a river. "You are the one I love, not your brother." She cried helplessly.

"Yet, he's the one you belong to, Kassandra.

Isn't fate a funny thing? As far as you're his mate, whatever feelings you have for me will fade once you spend a little time with him.

Josiah, he's...tough, but he is not a bad person.

He will never hurt you. He will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. "

"But, he's not you." She sniffled, her arms tightening around him. "I don't want him or any other man touching me. You're the only male I want."

"He has to touch you for you to claim his scent. Maybe a kiss on the lips, on the neck. An intimate hug too. Tomorrow, you'll be alone with him, and he will put his scent on you. He'll put his mark on you."

"I don't want him; you're the one I want.

You're the one I need! I don't want a stranger putting his hands on me, dammit!

You're the one I love! I love you, Alphose, I love you.

" Desperately, she tried to kiss him, but he turned his head away.

Her head followed his. However, he swiveled his head again, keeping his mouth just out of her reach.

"No. Kass, no..." He sounded agonized, but he still repeated, "No. We can't. "

"Please, Alphose please, I need you. Just kiss me one last time, please I need you." She was crying as she was pleading, her eyes closed and her lips searching for his frantically.

"I can't touch you, anymore—"

"Please, oh God, please...!"

He gave in. His lips took hers, and he devoured her with all the hunger in his soul. He poured every emotion he felt but couldn't describe into the kiss, his arms holding her tightly as he ravaged her mouth.

They tasted each other's tears, swallowed each other's pain-filled cries, and held each other so tied they looked glued together. Time fell away as they kissed, and kissed, and kissed. The world dissolved around them for a very long time.

But eventually, they broke the kiss, and reality came knocking again.

They simply held each other after that. Alphose led her to the bed and urged her to lie down, but when he tried to leave, she held on to him, begging him to stay with her.

He promised to stay until she fell asleep, and he did. She cried for a long time before she fell asleep.

He stayed with her for hours after she slept. Only when he sensed Eline wake did he get up and leave—his heart heavy, his soul crushed.