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I focused on Xander. Gosh…he was like photoshopped or something.

Definitely sculpted by the gods… for sure.

He kissed me again. My thought trending towards touching him.

Which was different. Freya snorted, “It’s natural.

” I replied, “Not for me.” I wanted to lick every inch of him She purred, “That’s a great idea. ”

He called me beautiful again and stopped talking. Freya hummed, “He’s normal.” Yes, well comments about my body usually followed a guy saying they wanted to have sex with me. Lux was respectful and playful about it, but that was the closet I’d gotten to flirting.

To be fair, he flirted…I didn’t…because I just only ever wanted Xander. I knew I wanted to just be here with him and forget the real world. I wanted to forget why as Melanie McAlister I couldn’t be with my Xander. I wanted to be in this bubble….with him.

To my shock, he agreed. Freya said, “He is our mate. He will do anything to make us happy. Plus, he knows.” I asked, “Did Oden say they knew?” She admitted, “No.” I hummed, “So, he doesn’t know.” She argued, “I think he does.” Thinking was not knowing.

I pondered his words again. He’d said the words what I wanted. I couldn’t remember the last time an Alpha had said that to me. I couldn’t stop myself from kissing him…. Gosh…he was perfect. Xander pulled back all too soon. I frowned then smelled other people in the room.

Sierra linked me, “One, I can’t believe we actually got into a room without you noticing. You’re already relaxed. More than ever. I like it. Second, kissing nice! I like it. You went from never being kissed to making out. I’m so here for this.” I blushed.

We discussed some valid point regarding the weather. I sighed. I did actually have money, but what I had went to my experiments and the resistance. I could get myself a coat and Sierra could get whatever she wanted.

I just didn’t get myself new things anymore.

My money went to important things that didn’t involve things I wanted that couldn’t be used for the Resistance.

Freya snorted, “Mate is paying.” No. Freya reasoned, “He’s insisting,” I retorted, “Well, he doesn’t understand.

Once he finds out who I really am….he’d think I was taking advantage of him. I don’t want his money.”

Sierra linked, “Come on. Do this for yourself, for once.” I felt like I did was repeat myself.

I retorted, “He doesn’t know who I am! He will be upset about this later.

I won’t take advantage of him.” Sierra argued, “He wants to do it. You don’t know he doesn’t know who you are.

I’ve seen pictures of you when you were younger.

While you look different you also look the same. ”

I disagreed. He couldn't know who I was. ILYX’s probability program told me that. Freya reasoned, “It’s still not based on our mate’s confirmed words. Just hearsay.” I tried to compromise, but none of them were having any of it.

Sierra shouted, “AH HA! You’re going to cave because he said it would make him happy.” Fine. I’d let him buy a coat. Freya snorted, “You should probably let the probabilities you love tell you how you’re not only getting a coat.” Well, I didn’t want to think about those right now. She chuckled.

Xander popped us out and kissed me again. I needed to get a handle on this because when he kissed me….the earth stopped moving. Everything stopped…even my brain…which was odd…my brain didn’t even stop when I slept.

The fact were in, I was screwed. Eventually he stopped wanting me to go shop.

I didn’t want to leave him. My feet felt like lead.

I don't know how long this could all last. We were in Switzerland so we’d probably make it the full two weeks without someone outing my real name.

I just didn’t want to spend a second apart from him.

Sierra linked me, “The faster we get done, the faster we are back in their arms.” I turned and walked away.

I let her fill my arms up with clothes. I told her, “We don’t need all this.

” Sierra snorted, “Phil told me what your Xander would likely have us doing. So, for once you’re wrong. We do need all this.”

She touched my hand and linked, “Are you ok? You were right all along. He’s yours.” I shook myself, “I knew that.” Sierra nodded. I added, “Things could be different….I do actually have a wolf.” She hugged me, “I know, girl. That’s a mind fuck but she’s here now.”

She whispered, “We are going to be together for centuries now. It’s you and me forever with our mates.” It was her and Phil unquestioningly for centuries. I was a question mark. Freya growled, “No we aren’t.”

I assured Sierra, “I’ll challenge your dad when we get back….then you can go. You run to Phil and never look back. Promise me, Si.” Sierra frowned arguing, “We can go together.” I shook my head saying, “I’ll meet up with Xander and explain after his mission. Then it will be his choice.”

Sierra nodded, “Fine. You can have your moment but then we will be together for centuries. That’s the rumors with pack that have Fairy’s.” I snorted, “It’s not a rumor. It’s true.” I was destined to live a long and probably very lonely life.

At least that’s what Paige had discerned from a coven she’d worked with a few times that I’d assured her didn’t suck. She had told me that even though I was banished, I was born into a pack where a Fairy shared their light and joined the pack.

Apparently, the oldest lady in the coven dated a Fairy once upon a time. They traded in trade secrets with each other. Her for the Covens and him for the Fairies. Lucky me. One secret was about sharing light and what that would do to Supernatural groups.

Sierra ran us back to the dressing room.

I tried on all the things she’d gotten for me.

I liked it. Especially the red dress...Xander would.

..die….maybe….not like literally…but I did look good.

I sighed looking at my reflection. She’d picked a dress with a back because I wasn’t showing those hideous scars.

Freya snarled, “That boy will pay. Mate would rip him to pieces.” I pointed out, “That would ruin our two weeks with him. He’d go confront Trevor and find out everything.

I just want these two perfect weeks. We may never get more.

” She sighed, “We would but I understand your feelings and respect them.” I sighed in relief.

Sierra squealed, “Let’s get it all! You looked amazing in everything.

” I shook my head saying, “We can get the coats and some sweats...but we don’t need the rest.” Sierra snorted and left the dressing room.

I was putting everything back when it vanished, like magically, except my red coat and Sierra’s purple one.

I ran out then realized it wasn’t like magic.

It was magic. I looked at Sierra. She shrugged and linked, “He WANTED to get them for you. Stop thinking you don’t deserve nice things.

He’s a good guy. Phil told me he’s been waiting for his mate.

Let him spoil you. You deserve it, Mel.” I didn’t though.

Freya disagreed, “You do. WE do.” She did. She’d suffered all this time. Freya reasoned, “So did you.” Yes, but I deserved it. She growled, “No, you don’t.” Xander kissed me again and every argument, every single one of them... just melted from my brain and off my tongue.

When he pulled back I’d forgotten what I was going on about. Sierra linked, “He’s right. You DO need this stuff for our trip. Let’s walk around the quaint adorable town and let our mates spoil us. Ok?” Only because it clearly made him happy.

Freya hummed, “Yes, you did do a whole study on how providing for their mate’s increases and Alpha’s happiness exponentially.

” Which is why Edward was SO unhappy. Not that he read the research I’d left out FOR HIM.

It had been in an effort to stop getting him to be a jerk before I realized that would never happen.

Xander led us outside the shop. Sierra linked me, “The others will NEVER believe that this whole time we just needed your Xander. He holds the key to stopping the Melanie rant.” I grumbled, “Oh just...shut it.” Sierra snorted, “Uh huh. I’m right.”

I looked back and noted she was wrapped up in Phil. I told her, “I’m so glad you’ve got a great guy. I knew you would.” Sierra chuckled, “I knew you had one too.” Of course she did. I told them who it was and he is a great man. So, that wasn’t a novel thing to know.

I just hoped he wanted me when all was said and done. I shoved it all from my mind and looked around. I’d never been out of the country for fun. I’d been for work…and to kill people… and to meet with Anastasia…but never for fun. It was always Resistance related and I never went sightseeing.

I wanted to enjoy this. I wanted to enjoy everything about being with Xander….on a trip. A vacation. I hadn’t been on a vacation since I was thirteen with my family. Pain threatened to overtake me, but I didn’t let it for the first time in years.

Freya purred, “Mate wants to dazzle us.” Yeah, well he didn’t have to try.

I was dazzled. He was dazzling. Freya warned, “I would stop talking about how much people don’t like you if you want to hang onto that two perfect week goal.

Oden is furiously asking what that means.

” Hopefully, she was a better liar than I was.

She chuckled, “I think almost anyone, if not literally everyone, is a better liar than you. I can easily put him off since I’m still going through ALL your memoires.” Well, at least she had an excuse ready to go. I thought about Black Path and all the things they did.

A lot of men in Black Path despised me while simultaneously wanting to have sex with me. They hated my ideas. They hated that I changed things. Even though they were for the best. They did not like me.