“You let her go, I’m tired of you abusing your power and people just to get what you want.” Mother says.

“What did you do to her?!” I say and rush forward without thinking.

The king pulls out his sword and points it at my chin, “Not another step.”

“I told you to leave, I wanted you to be safe!” Abigail says hoarsely.

“Look at what he did to you, I can’t leave you like this. I can’t leave you at all!” I say holding back tears any my wolf who is trying to rip out the kings throat, “You’re mine, and I am yours. I love you, so fucking much. Please don’t hurt me again.”

Abigail lets out a choked noise, “This. This is illegal. I can’t be with you.” The king must be brain washing her. She can’t hate me that much. Please don’t let her hate me.

The king takes a swipe at my throat, but I take a step back, “Leave now and I won’t throw you in the dungeon for treason.”

Mother pulls me back and stands protectively over me, “The last woman I left here died by your hand, I am not making that same mistake again.”

“Who do you think you are?! Coming into my castle, telling me how to discipline my own daughter-“ the king says. My grip on my wolf slips and he is cut off when I turn. It takes all my strength to not tear away his jugular.

“Control yourself girl!” The king says.

Mother laughs evilly, “Actually, she just learned to phase very recently, and I suggest you listen to us before she can’t control herself any longer.”

“Look, I know what you think about me! I do. I wasn’t a good man. I know. But you have to admit, Arabella was a catch, you can’t blame me for wanting the best! And after everything that …umm… happened, I finally met my real mate. You know, the mother of my son. He is the real successor because his mother was mated to me from Luna! Abigail, she was just a mistake.” The king says.

My wolf rushes forward and pounces on him, knocking both him and Abigail down. Mother pulls me back right before my teeth can close around the king’s throat, “We probably shouldn’t get ourselves in more trouble.” My wolf whines. Mother looks at the king, “Just because you’ve fallen in love doesn’t mean you’ve changed. Look at what you did to your own daughter.”

The smell of urine brings me back to my senses enough to stop trying to rip off the king’s head. From behind me I hear the most beautiful laughter. Abigail is okay, I know that she is okay.

“This is how you properly over throw a kingdom.” Abigail says through her laughter, “I gathered a few high-ranking nobles to listen in from that hallways. I had hoped them seeing or hearing my own father treating me harshly would be enough to get them on my side, but you got him to admit to things so much worse. This couldn’t have gone better.” Guards funnel into the hall way from either side, followed by a few people dressed in fancy clothing, “Today I inherit the kingdom from my father and put a stop to his abuse to the people. I shall rule fairly and bring prosperity to everyone!”

For the following few weeks, I wasn’t able to see Abigail very often. Just a lunch here and an afternoon there. She was always busy fixing the kingdom and securing trusted guards and nobility. Today she cleared her whole schedule to spend the day with me.

“Are you ready?” she asks, looking at the forest by the castle where we first met.

I nod my head yes and I see her phase for the first time. Her wolf is a brilliant white, like she is a cloud from the purest water on the sunniest day. I allow my wolf to take over and phase. I’m getting better at controlling her, but she still has a mind of her own. I don’t see that disappearing any time soon. Abigail starts running into the forest and I take off after her. We race for a few miles past trees and streams. After a field of wild flowers, we stop at a lake. It’s the clearest lake I have every seen. The water shines in the light of the morning sun. Abigail stops at the edge and phases back. Her bare skin glows in the sunlight. She’s gorgeous.

With her back still to me, Abigail starts to speak, “Before I spend the day with you, I want to apologize. I’ve been wanting to apologize once I said it, but I just wanted to protect you. It took all my strength to do that, and I just need you to know that I didn’t really mean it.” Abigail stops and turns around to face me, “I’m sorry, for everything I put you through, I’m sorry I hurt you and made you suffer a pain not even monsters should have to suffer. I know there is no excuse, I should have done things differently so I didn’t have to hurt you, but I promise that I will never do that again. I’m saying all this to you… because… well because… I love you Olivia, and as long as my heart is still beating, that will never change.”

A rush of happiness spreads through my whole body. I phase back into human form and rush toward Abigail. When our bodies meet, she trips and I tackle her into the water. My lips find hers and for the first time, I feel our wolves together. Intertwined like our bodies and in a state of bliss. “I love you too Abigail, with all my heart.”