There were too many questions, too many thoughts and words fighting to spill out of her mouth and yet... She sat there silently unable or unwilling to prod her eyes away from the woman sitting across from her in this limo in fear that she will disappear and this would all be a cruel dream.

She's opened and closed her mouth several times, but the words tired of being strangled by the weights of the various emotions ravaging her have abandoned her.

The pain of her nails digging into her palms drawing blood finally snapped her out of her stupor and she was able to croak out some sounds.

"W-wwhy now?"

She's dreamt of this moment for so long as a child and none of the scenarios she's cooked up in her lala land came close to this one.

This was her mother....

Her mother!

Why did she give her away? She was obviously wealthy. Before she was born she was already a billionaire, so the lack of money could not have been the reason to give her up.

Then she made the quick math in her head.

She must have been a teenager when she got pregnant.

Could that have been the reason?

She took a deep breath and composed herself as much as she could.

"Why now Ms. Whitlock?"

She wince as she heard her name.

Did she expect to being suddenly called mother or something?

" Somehow, Mr. Beausejour figured it out and...well..."

"Ahhh, so that's what the tension between you two was about."

An uncomfortable silent stretched between them while she gazed out the car window, wondering what's her next move should be.

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

".................."

Her silence was deafening. It scorched through her and burrowed itself straight to her heart shattering it in a way that only a mother could do.

And that's when she realized, all these years she still kept with her a sliver of hope that she wasn't hated by her own mother, that life circumstances probably beat her down so much that she had to give her up, that maybe one day, if the universe ever willed it, they'd found each other again and she would finally know what it felt like to being embraced by a mom.

But that's not what happened.

She scoffed at the thought.

Why would it happen that way after all. It was her life we were talking about. That level of contentment wasn't meant for her, because the woman in front of her didn't even want her to know the truth. She was forced to by Henri.

The thoughts of Henri hit her like a ray of sunshine clearing away the clouds. She closed her eyes and breathe again, find the strength in her limbs again.

That's what he did for her even when he was not near.

She wasn't alone anymore.

So she opened the car door to leave, but before she stepped out.

"My father?"

"Alive."

"Does he know about me?"

"No.... Last time I checked he was in Canada....But that was years ago and..."

"You found him before, then you can find him again and give him my info.

That's the least you can do.

I gotta go. I have work to do."

Then without as much of a goodbye, she exited the car, slammed the door and made her way to the building. Because she'd be a fool to give up the potential of an eight figure commission. She was going to sell the crap out of those condos and go out and celebrate with her team and give them a nice bonus.

They've given up in the past trying to get her to go out with them. But now, she was feeling brave enough to at least try to make a friend, because right now she could really use one to talk to.

The news hit her harder than she thought, her legs faltered and she almost kissed the sidewalk. A pair of strong arms saved her and propped her up vertically, but before she could mutter a thank you he was gone and all she could see was his back walking away.

That was odd.

But she shrugged it off and continued inside the building.

New yorkers are a different breed indeed.

******

Tony looked back and watched her get back inside the building and grinned.

The second he'd touched her to stop her from falling, he knew who she was to him.

She wasn't just any woman the boss wanted to be watched and protected.

He couldn't quite comprehend how his cat knew, because she wasn't even marked by the boss and she is definitely human... But he knew and that is all that mattered.

She is beautiful and...

Better stop thinking that way before his head finds itself on vacation away from his shoulders.

One thing he knew for sure though, this mission has gotten 10 times more serious and he was honored to have been chosen.

********

Henri steps off the plane stretching his back. 15 hours on a plane even if it was a private one is never comfortable.

They'd finally landed at 2am and before he could fully get his bearings, a slew of people had already surrounded him.

There was a lot to do, most he's already informed them to finish while he was on the plane.

His third in command welcomed him with a slight bow.

"Your majesty, welcome home. We're glad to see you again."

"Thank you Jack. Just wished it was under better circumstances."

Jack nodded in understanding.

"Indeed sir."

Jack was the son of the current King second hand man. His son was to have the same position once Henri officially takes over the crown, but the latter chose his brother Luc instead. Thankfully, Jack although disappointed, understood. He was still high ranking in the pride and very well respected and for danm good reasons. He was one of the few people Henri trusted with his life.

"There's much to do, let's talk in the car Jack."

The driver already had the door open waiting with his head bowed. Henri muttered a quick thank you and shuffled inside.

As they drive out of the airport, Henri takes the quick notice of the 4 armored SUVs flanking him. Usually, he'd have just one security detail, but they couldn't take any chances with Mathieu. He was unpredictable and from the reports he received, he has gone power hungry and completely out of his mind. And the weird concoctions he has been pumping in his body, probably plays a big part enhancing his natural jackassery.

"Give me updates Jack."

"Like you've asked sir, the hospital has been stocked up with supplies and all nurses and doctors have been put on standby just in case."

Shifters usually don't need hospitals since they heal quickly, but he doesn't want to take any chances.

"Good. The Challenge is supposed to be between him and I, but knowing him he might have more in mind.

Our soldiers?"

"Every one is in place sir, our borders are secured and the extra reinforcements have a been sprinkled around protecting the population."

"The vulnerable? Children, women, elderlies?"

"Already safe with supplies sir."

"And I hope that includes the boys who haven't yet graduated from training camps."

"They of course were a bit more reluctant to agree to hide, they felt they needed to fight. We made them understand the reason for your decision."

"After all this is over I will have a talk with them. Didn't think I needed to explain myself to my soldiers. And if they were using their brains they'd know why I decided for them to go underground as well. First order of business, Mathieu would kill all the males that could challenge him now or later."

"Sir...?" Jack asked hesitating.

"Spill it out Jack, we don't have the time."

"Never mind sir."

But Jack knows what he wanted to ask.

"I didn't ask you to prepare all these things because I think the sniveling asshole has a chance of winning Jack. But my first and foremost job is to protect my people. It's no question about it, he WILL cheat, he WILL do something unpredictable and deadly. I'm only covering all of our bases so I can focus on nothing else but annihilating him. "

Jack's phone pings and he quickly looks at it.

" It's your brother sir, he is asking if you've landed already... Because you are right sir, Mathieu doesn't play by the rules.

The Challenge was supposed to be in 6 hours, but he is on our borders with his soldiers demanding for it to be now."

A growl tores out of Henri, which made everyone in the car flinch slightly as if they were just smacked.

Perhaps Mathieu expected him to be too tired for the fight in his desperate attempt to take any little advantage he could. He was expecting to fight an elderly man after all and not Henri. But as he was next in line for the throne, he has the the right to fight in his father's stead.

"So be it." he grumbles out. Today will be Mathieu's last day, may as well end it early so he could then relax and call his baby.

****************

afternoon, and lost in a pile of paperwork, Natalia was feeling very alone. She looked at her phone again for the millionth times today and still nothing.

She hasn't heard from Henri, and she couldn't shake that dread feeling like something was wrong.

His phone was off, and she didn't know Luc's number.

She refused to believe he'd ghost her. He told her he loved her for god sakes!

But the little debacle with her so-called mother has wrecked her new found confidence more than she would want to admit. All the progress she's accomplished with Henri has been slipping away, and not hearing from him is exasperating things.

She couldn't help that little voice in her mind casting doubts and trying its best to drown that new spark to really live and potential happiness.

But everyday, every hour it only gets louder and louder screaming:

"What else did she expect?

No-one loved or wanted her.

Henri was too good to be true..."

Black fudging blah... Ugh!

She slams her pen on her desk and put her head in her hands.

'Let's not overreact. Something must have happened.'

The work day was almost over when her ears perked up. The other agents were talking about going to a hot club called Les Insatiables together.

Her old stumping ground.

Henri' s club.

Perhaps that's exactly what she needed to get her mind off of her mother.

Perhaps it was time to try and... Um... Socialize.

Maybe make a friend?

A teardrop fell on her desk in front of her and she didn't even know she was crying.

All right that's enough.

They've given up long ago on trying to get close to her so...maybe it was time for her to make the first move.

She got up quickly from her seat, knocking it down which then startled and making her yelp.

God she was a nervous wreck.

When was the last time she got nervous?

She never cared enough before to feel this way. Her palms were getting clammy, her heart was racing. She kept glancing at her door while Pacing behind her desk, wringing her fingers.

OK ok ok ok... Breathe. Talking to people is easy. Been doing it for years now... Just words, like "Hi... Um...lets chill my peeps."

Nope... Who the fuck talks like that. "hey guys let me tag along."... Ugh... Lame.

"Hey Natalia!" she jumped startled again not realizing someone was there.

"Soorry! Didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh it's ok.

Um...Yes Stephanie, you need something?"

"No just letting you know we don't have any more appointments for today, so we're heading out."

"OH... OK. Well, see you guys Monday."

'coward'

"Um... We will be meeting tonight at this club if..."

"YES!"

"Um.. What?"

"I mean... Yes if y-you'd have me I'd love to join you guys."

"OMG YAY!!!" Steph squealed and clapped. "The others won't believe it, they told me not to bother!"

"Oh...right. Then I'll just see you guys on Monday then."

'stupid stupid stupid!'

"No no no no no....me and my big mouth! We'd love for you to join us. It's just that in the past you brushed us off so many times."

"Well, I'm trying something new." She answered with a small smile relieved.

"AMAZEBALLS! We are meeting at that Insatiablès club or something. I heard it's pretty great."

'Amazeballs??'

"It is cool... I know the owner."

"NIIIIIIIIICE !"

'Amazeballs! Maybe making friend thing is not so hard after all.'

"Um... Ok then. See you later Stephanie."

"Byeeeeee!"

'That was exhausting. '