The sun is already up when I finally open my eyes. The warm rays of light get through the closed curtains to heat my body. The bed is empty, but Alec slept in here for sure. His scent is omnipresent on the sheets, and I can smell him on my skin. I sit up quietly and look around me.

Alec stares at me from the couch. His green eyes are piercing, and his gaze is sending sparkles straight to my heart. I feel like my heart is beating fast, but two different rhythms in me seem to cause this discomfort once again. My Prince wears sportswear clothes: even with these large pants and his dark oversize hoodie, he is the most remarkable and sexiest man I have ever seen.

He smiles at me with lots of benevolence. He smells like love.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. You've been sleeping for almost 24 hours. It's almost 2 pm." His voice is soft and loving. I wish I could say I'm all love too, but a bittersweet flavor fills my tongue, my nostrils... my entire being. I hate this feeling, but still, I'm affected by it.

I step up and go to the window. I can see that there are no more signs of yesterday's bloodbath. The grass is green, without a trace of blood. Everything is neat: benches and tables are back at their place; children are in the garden, looking at the vegetables and the tiny inhabitants hidden between the leaves.

I could think everything was a dream if I hadn't slept for so long. The warriors patrolling and securing the clearing are also clues to yesterday's awful story.

That, and the babydoll on the desk. I instinctively turn to it as the disgusting smell coming from this thing is everywhere in the room. Alec looks at me and sees that my eyes are on the dress.

"Now we talk?" Alec's voice does not really sound like an honest question. More like a fact that can not be avoided. I nod, as I can't even find the will to speak. Words I don't mean would come out because of the deep sadness growing in me as I realize what this dress means.

He extends his hand in my direction. I come closer and grasp it: his touch is warm and calms my crazy heartbeat. Exactly like he did yesterday, his proximity makes my heart beat as one, in perfect harmony with his.

He pulls me to him, and I sit on his lap. He smells my neck and kisses it: goosebumps cover my skin, each inch of my body reacting to his lips.

"You want to know about the babydoll, right?" Alec asks me.

"I would really appreciate it, yes." I thought I would sound angry, but I am just calm. Maybe too quiet: something inside me acts like a wounded beast who observes his predator. Except my beast could surely bite if the answer does not please her.

I may be less potent than a lycan, I'm still an Alpha's daughter, human or not, and I've been taught to be respected.

"I was in a relationship before I came here," he speaks right away without trying to hide anything.

I can feel it.

My body and my mind feel it.

My guts stop their crazy ballet, and I am more inclined to listen to him, as long as he does not try to play me. Unfortunately, thanks to the late events, my legendary patience seems far more limited than before.

"Is that serious between you two?" I take his chin and move his head so he can't escape my gaze. His eyes fall right into mine.

"It was. But now, you're here. So you don't have to worry about her or anyone else. Bond-mate is stronger than anything." The sparks in his eyes and on our touching skins show how much he wants to kiss me. Still, he waits for the end of this discussion. Nice to see he can be that thoughtful.

"Does she know? About us?" My heart tightens a bit as if it already had the answer, and it would not like it.

"Not really, yet. She heard the news. Well, in fact, my wolf told her before we left the Capitale, but she does not know about you, Olivia, being my mate," Alec answers. I can hear his heart beating turning erratic.

"We've been together for decades, Liv. I can't just call her and tell her that I'm sure we are more than done. She deserves to hear it face to face." He kisses my hand.

"Plus, you don't know her. She won't believe it until she sees us." My fists clench as a grave husky sound escapes my throat. His jaws straighten a bit: that's discreet, but I can catch it.

"Do you love her?" My heart stops beating, scared of the answer which is about to come.

"I did. But now I can't..." an urge to growl at him grows inside me, but before I can do anything, he hurriedly adds the disarming-bomb words.

"and don't want to love anybody but you. You're my everything, Liv. You changed everything. And it's not just the bond: you're the most incredible and surprising woman I've ever met. You are above anyone else."

He turns my head and kisses me. He lies me on the couch, kisses my collarbone and neck, then goes back to my mouth. My body shivers under his touch and kisses.

This mate-bond is impossible to resist. My whole body falls under his charms.

"My world is you, Liv. Can you trust me? All I want is to love and protect you. Together, we're invincible."

He is no more a mighty Prince. Instead, he is just a wolf who mated with a woman and can't do anything but try to convince her he is sincere.

For the first time, he lets his fragility show. I remember Jackson's words when he took me to Alec after the training yesterday. My powerful mate has no idea about how to act with me. I can see it today.

He is just a little puppy trying to do things the best he can. He shows me how vulnerable he is because of the mate-bond. I'm now his greatest weakness; I can see it. Just like he is mine.

"I don't want to lose you. I can't survive it. I thought I was dying yesterday. I could do nothing but cry and hide in a closet. I was no help. Just a burden, and you could have died, and I would have been so useless. Jackson should have been with you, not me: you're the future King. You are important." I realize I scream and sniffle at the same time. Alec kisses me.

"You're the most important thing in this building: to me, to your family, to your pack, and all the wolves. You're the future Queen, Liv." His eyes are crossed with dark green flashes.

"You're not useless. Never say that again. You should get some training so you can defend yourself as efficiently as possible. I'm gonna take care of it personally. And you will grow stronger and more powerful. I don't know all of you, but I am a hundred percent sure you are everything but weak or useless. So now, let's get dressed, cute puppy. We have a busy afternoon waiting for us." He quickly smacks my lips and puts me on my feet.

He leaves me for a few minutes and goes back with some clean clothes for me. Shorts and top, socks and trainers: not the sexiest I have but not the worst. I should not care about it, but still I want him to desire me. These urges are so terrible. Damn.

I put them on quickly before I turn into a slutty bitch.

Before we go, he takes me to the dining room. The tables are well dressed, and everything has been cleaned. The decoration was removed, and the room returned to its everyday state. A white room with wood elements. The windows are wide open, so the hot breeze can surround the room. The flowers delicately perfume the room, and the birds' songs are so relaxing.

That's where I grew up, far from the fancy room it was for the ceremony.

Some food is left on the buffet: toasts, salad, and some cooked cold roasted pork meat. There is no one but the two of us in the room. We're silent, and the entire room seems more extensive than it's ever had.

He grabs some toasts and pours me a mug of coffee.

"Eat it before we train. I'm not gonna be soft with you, little wolf." He grins and kisses me on my cheek. I could almost feel like there were no other people in the universe but the two of us.

I just focus on us, this precious moment that I have to cherish. Who knows how long it's going to last?

"Fine, your Highness." I make a toast and eat it: a simple one, with nothing but some butter.

I'm not a fan of big meals, particularly before training. I don't want to vomit everything, particularly not today... Then I gulp my coffee.

"So what do we do, Alec?" I suppose he will spend the day with me and make me believe we train, so I consider myself less of a burden.

"Not really, darling." He takes my hand. Did he get my thoughts? I stare at him, surprised.

"It is going to be more intense. Something like lycan training, little wolf." He takes my hand, and we go outside.

I have to admit that I didn't expect that.

The warm-up is more of a distance marathon. We finally stop after a 10 miles run.

"Do you try getting rid of me before we even start training?" My lungs are burning. I run almost every day but not that long, not just as a warm-up. What's worse is that he does not sound even short of breath at all. I'm all sweaty, and he is only the perfect picture he always is. It is so unfair.

"It seems I failed. Maybe I'll be luckier with the actual training," he says with a smirk on his handsome face. So he can joke: that's good to experience. I punch his arm, not so hard. Well, I think even if I hit with all my strength, he won't flinch a bit.

He checks the self-defense moves I already learned with my pack. It is just like what I did with my brother, except he is less kind than Eli. I end on my back, on the ground, with him straddling me more than once. Every time, my body just gets hotter.

As time goes by, I can fight back more skillfully. I suspect Alec restrains himself so I can feel stronger than I really am. At least I can sit on his abs, and let me tell you, they are so fucking great.

"I thought you were supposed to train me, not satisfy some fantasies. I will not protect myself by sitting on my enemies, Alec." I kiss him because I love his lips. They are mesmerizing, and it is torture to have them so close and not touch them.

Then he taught me more self-defense and attack moves to protect myself if new attacks come. Or at least try to defend myself long enough for another wolf or lycan to come and save me. He was friendly at first, but then he went to ask for more. Nevertheless, I doubt he was at full strength, as I could hit him several times.

"You're surprising, little wolf. You're stronger than I expected as you claim you have no wolf...." Alec seems amused but also genuinely surprised: he is a crazy, talented actor. I could almost believe him.

"Don't mock me. That's not fair. If I had a wolf, I would have kicked your ass on day one, Prince." I hit his arm. He grabs me and takes me against him.

That's a mean move: I can't get out of his embrace. Not that I'm physically unable to escape him. I don't want to be away. His touch is comforting, and I feel like nothing can happen to me in his arms.

"I don't mock you, Miss Evans. I am truly impressed. You're a mystery to me. I've never seen someone like you in my 148 years of living. I'm pretty sure there's no one like you in the universe." He smiles, then his lips sweetly join mine, sending electricity through my whole body.

I've never wanted physical intimacy with anyone, but he has the power to turn me on. My cheeks get redder, but fortunately, I'm already red because of this inhuman training.

"You look younger, your Highness." Some mocking rictus appears on my face. But in fact, I just think he is perfect. And he is mated to me. I'm so lucky. The Wolf-less and The Lycan Prince. That would be a good movie title: a cheesy vanilla one, but still a good one that all teenage girls would like.

As it starts to rain, we run and enter the empty gym. It will soon become a giant dormitory for the royal warriors as the packhouse, and the different guest-houses are definitely not big enough to welcome everyone.

That's pretty basic, but it is still comfortable, and they'll have the best for the most important thing: food. Our cooks will prepare everything so they can be up to fight if needed.

Some tents have been put inside to make small dormitories and allow the squads to sleep even if the others are up. They're pretty the same as military ones, but camp beds have been put inside so they can sleep well.

Some gym parts were left empty to allow the lycans and royal wolves to train. Only some mats on the ground to train without hurting themselves inside if they don't want to train outside.

We go to the main room and to the corner near the office. I try to open the laundry door, but it is locked, and I don't have the key. I didn't expect this thick rain to appear so suddenly.

I'm thoroughly wet: my clothes stick to my body. My nipples are erect as I'm cold. I wish I could enter the laundry to take some towels and dry myself. Humans do get sick when wet, even though lycans don't. And I don't need to add "sick human supposed to be wolf princess" to the list of my uselessness.

Alec passes his hand in his hair, and water is dripping on his face and t-shirt. I hope I don't drool at the sight. Inside me, my body screams for him, my guts boiling with lust.

Focus, Olivia.

He looks so sexy.

I don't know if it is because of the training or if it is because I am falling for him a little bit more every day, but he looks sexier than ever. And my body is so hot. Definitely too hot. My mind pictures dirty thoughts - filthy ones.

I can't help but bite my lips. I chew them so hard that a slight cut makes my lower lip covered in blood.

"Are you okay, little wolf?" he says, a lusty smile illuminating his face. Definitely, in some mysterious ways, as he did not mark me, he is already feeling my deepest emotions. And I am pretty sure I also experience some of his.

And right now, his mind seems as aroused and needy as mine.