I got up from staring the ceiling when I caught Ian's smell. In no less than a few minutes, the cabin's door opened with Ian carrying a picnic basket.

He met my eyes and stopped by the door. "Good thing you're awake. You should be hungry, let's eat." he said, letting himself inside. He put down the basket beside me and came nearer.

To my surprise, he scooped me into his arms. "Wh-what are you doing?" I demanded, shocked with his gesture.

He doesn't answer first, instead he took the basket and put it on top of me so I held it securely.

"I forgot to bring you shoes, so I'll just carry you outside." he explained as if it made perfect sense and that it didn't bother me. As I was about to protest, he lifts an eyebrow. "Non-negotiable, I'm not letting you walk barefoot."

It was my turn to sigh. I tried to calm my nerves down. Being this close to him was difficult for me. Our bodies in contact, the familiar electrical shocks worked their magic. His smell seemed to entice me some more, making me inch closer to him.

My heart was in a frenzy, and fortunately I was able to have more control over it, taking deep breaths just to slow it down.

I wondered if Ian felt the same, but I ignored the thought. He probably didn't.

I held the picnic basket tightly so it wouldn't fall as he carried me to who knows where.

As he stepped outside, the sun made me squint my eyes instantly. I haven't been outside for a day ever since the attack from two nights ago. I have healed completely, good as new.

Ian and Alec didn't believe me when I said that I was completely fine, they weren't convinced till I showed that there were no more bruises, no bleedings and I didn't even have scars.

Still, they told me to stay in the cabin for now. I'm guessing they didn't want me to see the Delta for now and to be frank, I didn't want to meet her yet.

I started recognizing the path that Ian was leading me to. He was bringing me by the waterfalls.

After a few minutes, we arrived and he put me down. Ian took the basket from me while I walked near to the water, appreciating the view and loving the serenity. I took a deep breath. The smell of the forest around and moist earth beneath enveloped my surroundings, but Ian's scent overpowered it.

I turned back to look for Ian when I collided against somebody, none other than Ian of course. "Ow..." I rub my forehead.

"You're so clumsy," I heard him say, followed by a chuckle. My head looked towards him so fast, did I really just hear him laugh? A laugh that's free of intent to kill, free of mockery? A real actual laugh? The world must be ending soon. "Eat first." he said, turning around and walking towards a tree. Under the shade of it, I saw a neatly spread picnic blanket and food.

What is going on?

Why is Ian so nice all of a sudden? Does he feel bad for me?

Is he sick?

Still having the weird doubts in my head, I followed Ian nonetheless. As I sat down, he took a plate and put a sandwich and a few slices of fruit.

Definitely sick.

Poisoned maybe?

As he did this, all I could do was stare at him, baffled. He probably noticed me look, so he lifted his eyes to meet mine. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

My hand reached out to feel his forehead while my other hand reached out for my own forehead. Hm, no. His temperature is normal.

"Cut it out, I'm not sick." Ian explained, a slight pout showed itself.

Dayum. My mate was adorable.

"Just making sure. You're not being yourself." I said.

"And what does 'being myself' exactly means?" Ian takes a bite of his own sandwich.

I shrug, thinking about it for a bit. "Well, normally you just ignore me. You don't really care if I'm hurt or not, if I've eaten or not. You only talk to me when it's necessary. Things like that." I say lightly, but it was true. That's how I've felt him treat me so far.

He was about to take a bite of his sandwich, but stopped when he heard what I said. "That's not true."

I shrugged it off. I didn't really care at this point. It hurt, sure. It hurt so much but I've come to realize that there wasn't much I could do. If Ian didn't want to accept me as his mate, okay. If he did, okay.

"I don't even know if the mate bond has any effects on you." I whisper to myself thoughtlessly.

When it dawned to me that Ian heard it, I stopped chewing and met his eyes. He was looking at me, a conflicted look painted on his beautiful face. "You have no idea how it affects me." he answered.

So it affected him. Props to him, he was good at hiding it. I nodded nonchalantly, wanting this conversation to end. I didn't want to talk about our broken relationship.

"Are you angry at me?" he asked all of a sudden. I stared at him, his deep blue eyes hold a degree of intensity telling me that he was waiting for my answer. I thought about it for a while.

Was I angry towards him?

When I had made my decision, I couldn't help but laugh and looked away from him. I couldn't bare to look at him right now. He showed too much emotions and I wasn't used to it. "I would be lying if I said that I'm not. You haven't exactly been the nicest, you know. I never expected to even have a mate so imagine how I felt when I met you." I watched the waterfall as I remembered that night I met Ian.

"I thought you came to save me. Free me from the torture and the pain. Sure, I got away from all the physical and mental torture, but the pain that you made me go through was so much worse. Most of my life was all just pain and sadness and you adding to that, it did make me angry." I said honestly.

The weirdest thing was, I was able to tell him my honest feelings without feeling bitterness or any hurt. Like I just accepted that my life would forever be like this. A series of pain.

Ian nodded his head in understanding and decided to ask another question. "So you must hate me." he said lowly more to himself that me.

I thought about it again.

Did I hate him?

"I don't know. At this point I don't care what you do anymore Ian. Whether you accept me as your mate or not doesn't matter to me anymore. I've lived my whole life shunned by everyone. You not accepting me hardly makes a difference." my words were laced with truthfulness and hurt. It was true after all. I didn't care what he did anymore.

But I lied about the last part. Him not accepting me hurt so much all I could do is accept it. I tried to fight for my right as his mate, but he made it clear that I was not fit for the one thing that the moon goddess had given me.

"I never said that I wasn't going to accept you."

That's when I look at him and meet his eyes. "But you made me feel that way Ian. But like I said, it doesn't matter anymore. All I ask is if you reject me, do it quickly." I tried to put on a brave front and I hoped it worked because after all, it was what I was going to do.

He ran a hand through his jet black hair as he sighed exasperated. "Look, I'm not ever going to reject you." he started. What? "I'm not the ideal mate, that's true and I understand why you do hate." he paused once again before turning back to me.

His deep blue eyes had specks of silver and just looking at them, I was drowning. He seemed conflicted, he wanted to tell me something but he wasn't sure if he should or he didn't know how to.

"And honestly, I have no redeeming reason for my actions. I had just hated the fact that my mate was an omega. I didn't hate you—, I could never even if I tried, but I hated what you were." Ian confessed.

He was sincere, that much was true. However, I didn't know how to feel about it. But at least he was honest, right? That was a good step forward, right?

"I told myself that I was going to reject my mate if she wasn't of Alpha or Beta descent and when I met you, I was ready to do it. But I couldn't. I had underestimated the mate bond, I had underestimated you." Ian chuckled to himself before continuing. And to be honest, he looked real nice when he actually smiled or laughed.

I ignored the fact that my defences were halted when I saw his smile.

How could you even hate on that?

"I'm going to present you to the pack as my mate tomorrow." he said all of a sudden. I sat up straight, my eyes widening.

"What?!" I say, surprised.

"It was bound to happen soon. I can't keep hiding you away forever. And I'm almost 25. If by 25 I haven't found my mate yet, I would be forced to mate with Sierra according to Panselinos' rules."

I pout just a bit. "So you're only presenting me because your deadline is soon?" I say a bit annoyed.

Ian's eyebrows furrow together as he immediately shakes his head. "No, it's not that. I was trying to buy more time." Ian started which confused me more. Buy time for what?

"I wanted you to train a bit more because as soon as you'll be presented, Sierra will challenge you for the Luna's position. You see, our pack offers a chance for the strongest female warrior to become the Luna. It's never happened that the Alpha's mate lose in battles but that's because the previous Lunas were always of Alpha or Beta bloodline or that the appointed Delta actually ends up to be the Alpha's mate. You, however..." Ian's voice trailed off.

That's why?

So I'm going to fight that Sierra girl?

"Is Sierra the only one who will challenge me?" I ask.

"That's the problem. Once they find out that you're an omega, and they will, there are more likely chances for other female warriors to challenge you. And you'll have to fight them all consecutively. No rests."

Well, good luck to me.

I must've let worry loom over my face because then Ian approaches me. I hadn't realized it since my brain didn't process the events fast enough, but Ian had drawn his face closer to mine, touching his forehead against mine gently, as if comforting me while igniting the sparks into motion. The attraction towards him was strong and it only felt natural when I got closer to him.

But how could I be comforted?

I was to fight against one or many of this pack's strongest warriors.

I had no experience in fighting. I only know the basics in fighting, the ones that Ian had taught me. How was I to win against her?

"But don't worry." Ian started, his hand reaching for mine. My heart had started to beat frantically and I knew it was the mate bond acting up. Surely I wasn't feeling anything for this guy. I didn't care anymore. I'm tired of getting hurt. "I know you'll be able to do it."

"How so?"

He pulls away for a second and shows me a smile.

A smile.

Towards me.

I thought my heart was beating fast enough, but boi was I wrong. I could feel my blood rushing to my cheek, warming them up and staining them.

"Because you're my mate."