We find ourselves in a different dining room than before. Different people pass by us, look to be cleaners. Each of them stare down my neck, the mark bright red for everyone to see.

A beautiful kitchen comes into view through a doorway, a large stove sitting on one side with a matching stainless steel fridge on the other. In the middle sits a gorgeous marble island, the counters clean from any kitchen tools.

"This is a nice kitchen." I mumble, Ares smiles at me.

"This manor was built for you and I, the kitchen was designed to host a large family. Do you enjoy cooking?" A large family? Like with me?

"Yes, actually. It's a favorite hobby of mine. But I don't get much of a chance to practice."

"We will have to change that. If you write a list of things you want, I can send out for it and have the kitchen stocked how you please." He grabs a skillet laying it on the stove.

"Could I just go get it myself?"

He gives me a look, and I know my answer. Not in a million years. While I can cook all I want, I'll be stuck to this manor, maybe forever. And his idea of a large family would become my life taking away any personal goals or identity that I could have.

"You'll have to love me first." He takes a deep breath warming the skillet. I see him start to line it with oil to get whatever he has planned prepped, "And I know that seems difficult, but I promise that it's not as bad as you think."

I sit down on a stool watching him work around the kitchen. He grabs another small pot to fill it with water. Ares knows his kitchen well, no hesitation in where he needs to go to get what he needs. I won't lie to myself and pretend it's not attractive, the way he carries himself, shoulders back and strong walk, is a mesmerizing thing all by itself.

"Loving you? Being here beck and call when you need a lay, the home maker when I ultimately get pregnant never to leave this house again?"

Ares throws diced chicken into the pan, taking a moment before he responds, "I promise that isn't my intention. You are to be worshiped, and children will be the blessings from that."

"Isn't that big thing though? Children?" I cross my arms, he moves to drop pasta in the boiling water.

He turns his head to make eye contact with me. I feel the tether between us go tight, the emotions he's feeling slipping into my head slightly. Images of me swollen with kids fill my thoughts, the happiness and desire to give me to world filling my heart as well. Some parts are from his point of view, his need to provide and the perfect light he looks at me in. He pulls back, words cutting through the thick air, "You pregnant with our kids is something I think about often. I can't help it, the thought of you walking around carrying a creation from our love..." He chokes a little, "But I know it will be a while before you find I deserve it."

"This still freaks me out."

"And that's okay. I never expected you to adjust quickly, but I had hoped to sweep you off your feet. If sex is all I ever get, I'll force my wolf to be happy with such."

"I never intended to give you that either, at least this morning. Something just came over me and I just..." I drop my palms in my lap, "I lost to myself. Defeated at my own game."

"The mark is going to press you forward, our bond is something of magic, and it wants us to live it out to the fullest. Most mates hide away for a couple weeks, their new bond keeping them from leaving one another."

"And that's just for wolves?"

Ares gives me a serious look, no way of mistaking him, "If you would let me chain you to that bed and make love to you like I desire, darling you wouldn't be walking. I have to suppress myself. As an Alpha everything is heightened, my needs, my strength, my sex drive. Everything. I want to keep you below me, screaming my name for as long as you'll allow. However, due to circumstance, I resist."

"It's appreciated." I mumble, the pasta now ready to be drained.

"Anything for you."

I bite my lip staring at his back while he works. The sauce he threw together smell amazing, but my stress is to high to really appreciate, "When will I see Jess?"

Ares stills, setting the strainer down, "You won't be seeing her until we've developed a true relationship."

"Wait what?"

He throws a little pasta water into the sauce, mixing the chicken in as well after checking the temp, "You and Jess together are an inseparable team, both of which lead to one another running away. Unless you are in the office, you will not be seeing her."

"We are still going to work for you?" I raise my brows, and he chuckles.

"Yes, I can't bring myself to leave you chained up here. While most mates of humans do such things, thats leave you with me as my personal secretary."

"I am going to be a terrible one." I mumble, something in me okay with working for him, at least to feel productive in some sense.

"I promise, it would be most difficult for you to mess up in my eyes, but not impossible." He slides a plate over, a bolognese style sauce with chicken instead of the normal beef.

"Ares..."

"Yes, my love?" He stands across from me with his plate as well.

"What is my purpose here? If not to produce children?"

Ares holds the pasta up to his mouth, a moments pause before taking a bite. I wait for him to answer, keeping my fork against the plate. He swallows, "Your purpose is to be my luna, serve the pack and keep me in line. Just your touch can bring me down from anger, and I need that balance. Most of my people know me as cold, heartless even, and you darling are meant to change that."