Magnus

I don't know why I go back to the residence of the Alpha. I kid myself I need to take some paperwork and some clothes but I want to be here. At least while her smell still lingers. I stayed locked in my office for the rest of the day and drunk all my stock in vodka and I am finally having that light buzz. But it's not enough. I need to be drunk tonight. Luckily, I have more vodka here.

I go straight to the bar, searching for a bottle when my eyes fall on the sofa. We never even sat down like normal beings to watch a goddamn movie. But then again, watching a movie with your blackmailer is not a fun night, is it?

I take the whole bottle of vodka and I gulp it down as fast as I can. I need to be unconscious this first night without her. The more I sniff the air and she is still here, the more I drink. It may be sick but I think I will sleep in her room tonight. Maybe she will come in my dreams at least.

"You are late!" Antiope's voice cuts through the silence.

Fuck, I am going mad. I turn and there she is, standing by the dinner table.

It can't be...

"Dinner is at 7," her look is harsh.

"What?" I shake my head to clear it from the vision I am having.

"Dinner is at 7," she repeats. "It's almost 9."

"Antiope?"

"Yes, Magnus?"

Her face breaks in a subtle smile and my heart breaks anew. My mind is playing cruel tricks on me.

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I have cooked."

"What?" I sound like a broken record.

"What else? Cholesterol."

I take her all in and I look down at the half-empty bottle I am holding. Is this how my life is going to be? Constantly haunted by the ghosts of my eternal loneliness?

"I am here, Magnus. For real," she says.

I glance up to her and I leave the bottle behind.

"Egil said you talked. I assumed you... left."

"Oh, we did talk," Antiope comes slowly up to me. "I told him there is no way in Hell I am leaving."

I open my mouth to say something but I come up empty. This is too good to be true. But a part of me doesn't care. I want to run to her and take her in my arms. I want to throw her on the floor, against the wall, on the table, anywhere I can be buried deep inside her and find my soul in her arms.

"Maximo is here!" Henrar doesn't need any other information.

"Down!" I chastise him.

My eyes drift to hers and I pin them harshly. She is not staying. For whatever reason she is still here, she can't stay. I can't put her in danger. I have to push her away.

"I see," my voice is cold. "You liked being the Luna. If you go back, you will be nothing."

Antiope pauses her advance abruptly. Her face turns sad and she looks down. That's it. Remember who I am, I plead though I am killing me right now.

"But," I turn my back on her with a lot of pain, "I don't need you anymore. Without the illusion that your sister is my captive you'll be more trouble than you're worth."

"Magnus?"

The pain in her voice makes me close my eyes and swallow my sigh. Every cell in my body, my wolf, they are begging me to go to her, show her how I feel for her. But that would be selfish. I would be keeping her from her true mate just to mend a heart that deserves to be eternally bleeding.

"You will leave immediately, Beta Everstone!" I growl. "Or else I will declare you a trespasser. And trust me. You won't be spending your days in a cozy cabin."

Silence. I grab the bottle of vodka and expect to see her back leave the house in a hurry. She has to go, she needs to be away from me.

"Bullshit!"

I look surprised over my shoulder just to see her eye me with narrow eyes and her arms crossed over her chest.

"What did you just say to me?" I muster all the Alpha power I have.

"I call bullshit," she says without even blinking.

"Beta Everstone-"

"Don't you Beta Everstone me, Magnus!" Antiope raises a finger at me.

Don't smile, don't smile, don't smile. I try and I manage to keep a straight face before the only person in the world that challenges me so. She is so fucking perfect!

"Antiope, listen-"

"No, you listen," she interrupts me once more. "Get it in that pretty head of yours that I am not leaving."

"Pretty, huh?" I can't but smirk.

"You and your damn, selective hearing!"

I leave once more the bottle behind and I take one step to her. I can't resist her. I just can't. It's fruitless and pointless and stupid. But I stop. I have to stop. For her.

"Oh, for goddess's sake, Magnus!" Antiope let's out a frustrated sigh and runs to me.

Not walks, runs. She falls against me and wraps her arms around my neck, glues her body to me and locks her lips on mine. And I just stand there, like a damn statue, my arms lifeless at my side.

Antiope breaks the one-way-kiss and looks at me. And for the first time since I saw her at the Mating Hunt, I see true fear in her eyes.

"Antiope, I can't... You are not safe here."

"I am safe here with you."

"I almost lost you," I shake my head.

"You saved me."

"I marked you against your will," I remind her. "It's the mark that is making you do this."

"It's not! You think this," she bares her neck to me and I see my mark on her for the first time, "is what is making my heart race when you are near? This is what makes me think of you all the freaking time?"

"It is natural. That is all because of the mark. Once we are apart, it will fade."

"It won't," she shakes her head and her long hair caress my arm. "I felt that way before the mark."

My jaw drops and I lean back to look at her whole face. She is telling the truth. Her eyes are clear and look at me with absolute sincerity, her lips are waiting for my response, her body is tense.

"I felt that way the moment I saw you," I admit.

"Well, it took more time for me," she smirks. "You were a giant asshole to begin with."

"By the goddess, you are in trouble, little girl," I warn her.

"Don't call me that!"

I chuckle and I run my fingers through her hair. If I touch her more, I will not stop. I will have her, I will claim her whole and after that I won' t be able to ever let her go.

"Antiope, your true mate is still out there."

"I think my true mate is in here," she gets on her toes and breaths over my lips.

"Ours!" Henrar roars.

"Ours," I agree.

I wrap my arms around her and I take her lips violently. The moment our lips connect, I feel a bit tingling sense, a rash all over my body, a fire burning through me. And her scent hits me harder than ever. I can feel it stronger now, more potent than ever, clearly. It will never leave my head. She smells of thyme and bergamot flowers and it's the best thing I have ever smelled in my life. I stop and I look down at her. She felt it too.

"That's..." She swallows.

"Not possible," I frown. "You are not... I can't be your true mate. I can't have a..."

She touches my cheek and sparks erupt on my skin, so forceful, I let out a moan. She keeps caressing me and the more she does the more I know It's true.

"You... You smell so good," she buries her nose to my neck and I groan. "Like water and earth."

"My chosen, my Luna, my second chance," my hands go frantically over her body.

"Magnus," she lets go in my arms.

I lean in and I cup her face. I bring her closer and I lick her lips. There is no stopping me now. This female is mine and I will have her.