Alaricus' POV

The sounds of the water dropping against the tiles flows from the bathroom as I lay on Amara's bed, her sweet intoxicating scent filling my senses making me near delirious with euphoria. My heart beat increases as the shower turns off and I hear my little love fumbling around in her shower, a small ow resounding as I hear a soft thump. My clumsy little angel had stubbed her toe, part of me wishes to go check on her but the other part knows what would happen if I stumbled in on her wearing nothing but a small towel.

Moments later the door opens, I cover my eyes with my hands, resisting the urge to peak. My little love wouldn't like that.

A small yelp is heard, she's spotted me, she stumbles forward a small gasp falling from her sweet lips as she recognizes me. I bite into my lower lip to contain the groan that threatens to release itself at the sweet smell of her wet hair.

"Alaricus what are you doing here?" She shrieks out her melodic voice causing my heart to attempt to beat it's way out of my chest.

"Are you decent?" I ask her, reluctantly getting off her bed, how I wished she would come join me on the bed, how I long for the day she would be that comfortable with me, that she would crave my closeness even a slither of the amount that I craved hers. But I wasn't being fair she was a precious angel, and I a merciless beast that had done many wrongs, along with taking away what she treasured most, her freedom. An angel could never love a beast but I couldn't stop my naive heart from hoping.

"Sort of I suppose." She answers timidly and my hands fly off my face, my eyes more than eager to see her face. My heart constricts as I catch sight of her. She stands shyly fiddling with her dainty fingers in a fluffy black robe with light pink polka dots that is several sizes too big on her petite form. Her skin is flushed, her cheeks reddened from the heat of the shower that still steams behind her. The blush is endearing in contrast to her soft creamy skin. Her chocolate brown eyes shine brightly as she stares at me, her plump rose lips in a pout as she scowls at me attempting to look threatening but looking more adorable than anyone should have the right to. This angel was mine, destined for me, my little miracle, to her misfortune I was nothing like her. I was far from innocent, I wasn't angelic, neither pure and she was all those things and so much more. For her, I would be kind, I would be good, for her I would be absolutely anything, do anything, all she needed to do was open her sweet little mouth and command me. She had enslaved me at first glance, but my naive little angel had no idea.

I move towards her slowly not wishing to startle her, she gazes at me through long dark lashes, as my hands slowly reach up to cup her soft cheeks. A soft sigh escaping me as her skin comes in contact with mine. My thumb rubs over the blush of her cheeks only further reddening it. My other hand goes up to tangle in her damp hair, the towel long fallen but she hadn't noticed. Her sweet scent surrounds me, and I struggle to contain my growls, she was too tempting for her own good, so tempting and she didn't even know it.

I lean forward slowly allowing her to pull back if she'd wish although I hope fervently that she wouldn't. I press my lips softly to the smooth soft skin of her cheek and she stiffens beneath my touch her lips parting slightly, and it becomes even harder to contain that growl. She was absolutely tantalizing, a constant temptation, the sweetest kind of torture, she was right in front of me but I couldn't have her, not completely. I couldn't hold onto her as long as I'd like, taste those pouty rosy pink lips, I couldn't hide her in my embrace for eternity the way I wished to. I couldn't hide her away from the world forever, one day the angel would struggle to break free of its cage, and I would have to relent to her wishes. For how could I ever say no to those beautiful chocolate pools if they looked at me pleadingly. She could make me do anything she wanted, I worshiped her. This beast was made to worship this beautiful little angel and he forever would.

"Alaricus." She mumbles quietly grabbing my attention and I look at her gazing into the chocolate depths wondering what she wanted, eager to please.

"You didn't answer my question." She says a slight furrow forming between her brows and I clench my fists resisting the urge to kiss it away, her lips forming an involuntary pout that has my heart. She wished to know why I was here. One of the things I loved about her was her curiosity, her thirst for knowledge, she was so intelligent and yet so innocent.

"I came to ask you to wear blue." I tell her softly, and her beautiful eyes fill with amusement before her lips part letting out a chiming giggle that has me struggling to stay upright and not fall to my knees, begging this angel to fall in love with me the way I had with her.

"C-couldn't you have asked somebody else to do that?" She says struggling to contain her giggles and I stare at her stumped not knowing what to say, how was I supposed to tell her I was pathetic enough to sought out every excuse to be near her, to be near the angel.

"Everyone's busy." I offer up, and she nods biting into her plump bottom lip to stop her laugh as she nods at me pretending that my excuse made sense.

She looked up at me, still biting her lip and I clenched my fists as Eros struggled to come forward, wishing to mark his beautiful mate. I closed my eyes, bargaining with Eros only opening my eyes when Eros finally relented, simply eager to see his mate again.

"Which one?" She asks, and I look at her bewildered, she was really adhering to my request.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, it was stupid of me to ask I'm sorry, please wear what you would like." I tell her, I was an idiot for asking this of her, it was up to her to wear what she would like. How inconsiderate of me, perhaps she had thought of what to wear and was now only agreeing because she felt pressurized. I was taking advantage of her kindness. My poor angel, I was a horrible mate.

"I hadn't decided yet, help me?" She asks softly grabbing my hand in her petite one, yanking on it softly so that I would follow her, and I do. The beast trails after his angel like a lost puppy.

She stops in front of her closet, pulling it open we both step inside and she leads me to the far end, where the gowns hang.

"Pick a blue one." She tells me softly, and I can't help but smile at my angel, she was the most precious thing out there. My fingers trail over her gowns until they settle over a deep navy silk one, my eyes falling shut as I envision my beauty in this dress. I pick it out, holding it out to her, and she nods in approval grabbing it from me.

"Thank you love." I tell her softly and she nods an enchanting smile on her face.

"Now let's get you dressed." She says and I raise a brow at her.

"If you get to pick what I wear, I get to return the favour." She says excitedly, her eyes glowing. She was so easily excited it was absolutely endearing, she enjoyed the little things in life. As pathetic as it was I loved watching her, she would smell her steaming cup of tea, smiling sweetly at the scent. The way she would get excited over a new book, or the way she would watch a thunderstorm, the thunder entranced her. She grabs my hand tugging me out of her room into my own, and I nearly stumble into a wall. Despite my supernatural senses all I could think of was her soft hand enveloping my own. The touch of her soft skin spread warmth throughout me.

She lets go of my hand as she tugs open my closet stepping in and I simply watch her, loving how comfortable she is in my room wishing desperately she would forever stay like this. Imagining a better world in which this angel would wake in my bed, in my arms and would bound into our closet this way every morning. Every morning she'd throw her picked out clothes at me, scolding me in that melodic voice to get dressed. How it would be if she felt for me even a slight degree of what I felt for her.

She picks out a black suit with a dark blue shirt underneath and I chuckle at how excited she is, it was absolutely adorable.

"Now get dressed." She tells me attempting to be stern as she bounds out of my room and my shoulders slump as I lean against the wall, my heart rate slowing again as I watch her go.

I get changed quickly, managing to attend a few calls and hear the opinions of the few alpha's that couldn't make it to the meeting. I step out of my room and my heart stops completely as I catch sight of Amara. She looks absolutely angelic in the gown, it fits snugly against her soft curves, falling gracefully to the floor, trailing behind her as she walks. She looks up at me, her chocolaty brown eyes apprehensive.

"Beautiful." I mumble subconsciously and she blushes endearingly.

"You look good." She mumbles sweetly looking down at the floor she peaks up at me from beneath thick lashes and an uncontrollable smile forms on my face, my angel thought I looked good.

"Thank you love." I tell her offering her an arm and she steps closer to me, slipping her arm into mine, her silky smooth skin nearly making me tremble.

"You really do look breathtaking." I tell her and she bites into her rosy lip unsuccessfully trying to contain a blush and she chooses not to answer.

We walk down the stairs slowly, I gently untangle my arm from hers, wrapping it around her waist instead, in case she stumbled I would be sure to catch her. My arm wraps easily around her small waist, and unable to resist I pull her close to my side as we walk down the stairs. The alphas look at us as we make our descent and my chest puffs with pride to be at the side of this angel, to have Amara by my side.

The manor has been polished to perfection decorated beautifully the soft gold of the decor contrasting wonderfully with the dark ancient wood of the floors and yet I can't keep my eyes off of Amara, as she smiles back at the few people who smile at her. The sweet rhythmic sound of her heartbeat speeds up as we walk and I grab her hand gently giving it a light squeeze to reassure her, although I was the biggest threat in the room I was familiar. I nearly gloat with pride as her heart rate begins to slow, I was a comfort to my angel.

She looks up at me, her chocolate eyes shining with sweet innocence, she offers me a small smile in gratitude and my heart swells. How I wish she would always stay smiling, how I wish the nights I had spent outside her door listening to her quiet cries had never happened. Little did she know I cried with her.

My sweet Amara, she craved to be free, and I was her restraining cage, the beast that held the angel captive. A part of me longed to see her happy and would do absolutely anything to make her so, even let her go. But the bigger part of me, the selfish beast couldn't, he wanted the angel by his side forever. For I knew if I gave her the choice she would leave me. I would become just a dark shadow in the wake of her light. I would become nothing more then a haunted memory, if she left I would again be shrouded in the darkness and having seen the light I couldn't let go of it now. I wasn't a good man, and if that was the only way I would get to keep her then a horrible selfish man I would stay.

She blushes sweetly under my gaze and my heart constricts in my chest if the beauty only knew the way she affected me. Her one glance could make me tremble, a smile could send me to my knees, and a touch could have me at her every beck and call, but she was unaware. How frightened my sweet angel would be if she knew how I longed to taste the sweet nectar of her rosy lips. How I craved to hold her in my arms as she rambled sweetly in that melodic voice of hers. How I wished to hear her command me, smiling adorably when she got her way. How I longed to feel her heartbeat pressed against mine, to have the right to hold her every night, to have her fall asleep in my arms. How I wished to see even an ounce of the love that I had for her, reciprocated in those chocolate brown eyes. But that would never happen, for how could an angel fall in love with a beast.