"What's the difference?" I asked him,

"Between the Love of your life,

and your soulmate?"

"One is a choice and one is not."

SHOUT OUT TO ! You're Amazing!

"I'm not sure we should keep going."

I looked up at my mate in confusion.

Her eyes were scrunched together tight. A cute sign that told me she was in deep concentration. I could feel through the bond, waves of concern and doubt, flooding into me and mingling with my own thoughts- making me confused.

I stood up and brushed the dirt away from my pants, slowly reaching for her hands.

"Why would you think that?" I asked, taking her hand and leaning my cheek against them.

Her expression still etched itself with concern, but I could tell through the bond that my touch was relaxing her. She let out a deep sigh and took a few steps closer to me, allowing me access to wrap my arms around her and bury her in my chest.

I moved my nose up and down her neck, breathing in her scent.

I laughed out loud, knowing she had forgotten the question I had asked a few moments ago.

Straightening her out so that she was looking at me, I stared into my life mates eyes and asked again, "Why do you think we should stop?"

Crystal's eyes misted over. I knew then not to play with her. She was serious. Before I could embrace her again in comfort though she let out a small sob and said, "I know it's hurting him."

I didn't need to ask who.

Our mission.

The Prince.

We both stared at each other.

Crystal grabbed my hands and held them close to her.

"Gavin can't you see that every town we go to, every Pack we meet with, every girl we look at... all of it is getting to him now."

Tears were threatening to overflow from her.

"It's hurting him. So much. After two years, I've lost count of how many girls eyes he has looked into."

"Apple," I said, stroking my mate's face. "How can you possibly tell that our Prince is hurt? To me he seems to be doing alright and...." my voice faded at the look crystal was giving me.

"You don't see it!" She growled at me.

I looked at her lost. "No," I replied, "I don't."

Crystal shook her head. "Has he always been silent?"

"He is a soldier born and raised Crystal, he talks only when he needs to."

Crystal gave me a doubtful look.

"And does he always just....stare? At you....with no emotion?"

I sighed. So this was where she was getting her basis for her argument.

"Crystal, Apple, He. Is. A. Soldier. How can I stress this to you? I have known Prince August since he was a pup! He learned to keep his emotion in check so he could be stronger than everyone, to be...power," I looked at her to see if she understood.

"I think it's because he hasn't found her yet!" Crystal said to me.

"No Apple trust me, he's always been like that."

"Why is this even a ritual that the heir must go through?" crystal muttered under her breath.

I sighed. I didn't want to agree with her but secretly I did.

The first ever Wolf King's reign was with a life mate by his side. After realizing that a life mate had played a part in making his rule strong, the first king put in a passing ritual that all heirs who were taking the throne must proceed to undergo. At the age of 20, they must go and travel for at least two months to find their life mates. No punishment would fall unto them though should they fail to find their mate.

No king since has found one.

And the Prince has been searching for his for two years.

I sighed at how extreme and diligent he was. Of course along the way he had set up relations and negotiations with various wolf packs around the world. But many called him a fool behind his back for what seemed like his impossible quest.

My head turned at a noise to my left. Facing it, I saw Prince August himself come out of the forest. He had sweat dripping all over him. Another hard day of training I thought.

He truly was a warrior.

Crystal perked up and went to greet him, asking if he wanted water and some apples.

When I first introduced them at the beginning of the quest two years ago, Crystal had been nothing but scared. Intimidated by the tall, tanned skin and black haired man, she was barely able to speak to him, let alone be in the same room as him.

His looks were menacing but it was the aura that he emitted that had caused her to faint when she first heard him talk.

He had simply asked for the salt, saying that one word to her. Yet everything he said was done in such a commanding and powerful way, that the mere word Salt uttered from his lips had sent her gasping in a faint.

I still teased her about it to this day.

Watching now, I was glad that through the years my apple had gotten used to him and treated him almost like a mother would a child.

He should have a mother figure to look up to I sighed inwardly.

Both of them approached me then.

I had been too busy thinking of the past to notice what was going on with the bond.

A wave of smugness and satisfaction was coursing through. Her eyes dancing between I told you so and concern

Looking between the two, I raised one eyebrow waiting for someone to say something.

Finally August spoke.

"I'm going home."