"Because she doesn't live here."

My body dropped dead on the ground. I feel like I'm dead. My eyes shut and I patiently waited for the life to be sucked out of me. The sun was shining bright in my eyes, making it hard to fall into the darkness.

Yet I'm so exhausted.

The light was gone and I opened my eyes. William looked down at me in his sweaty glory with a smug smile on his face. "Did you enjoy killing me?" I asked referring to how hardcore training was today. "Of course I did. But now I realized that wasn't a smart decision since I need a favor," he hesitated. William stretched his hand out to me and I gladly grasped onto it so he could pull me up.

"And what's that favor?" I wondered while dusting off my pants. "Dinner tonight...with my parents...at the castle," he revealed. My heart that was slowly falling back into a normal rhythm went sky high again. Is he trying to kill me? Parents? I don't do parents. Hell...even my parents tried to kill me. "Oh um...I thought you didn't want anyone to know but um...you know," I say with my eyes on the people chatting around us. We were in our world. "Well...I don't mean that now and um...they uh really wanna meet you," he struggled with his hand on the nape of his neck.

My eyes snapped to his. Those deep grey eyes. I nod my head while gladly accepting that information. Parents are scary. "I haven't been to the castle since the first day I was here though," I mumbled. "Yeah well...Renee suggests that it's in a private place. If you get uncomfortable, we'll leave. I promise," William offered.

"So you'll go?" He excitedly says, his lips pulling into a big smile. All it took was a nod for him to hug me. William is a hugger deep down inside, I know it. I hug him back automatically because I didn't want him to regret it. "Can I pick out your outfit? I don't want you to stress on it," William suggested. That's a relief. "Yeah sure, save me from the struggle," I agreed.

William smiled brightly, much different from the fixed cold features he had while training his pack members. "Let's go," his fingers easily slipped between mine and he pulled me to the packhouse. It's a shocker he didn't care about the people looking at us. Not even a little. When we made it back to my room I dropped on the bed and watched as William go through all the clothes I had on the racks of my closet. Eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes would scan over ever detail my dresses or shirts had to offer.

"Perfect," he mumbled and faced me with my lavender bodycon dress with thin noodle straps. I've never worn it before but I saw myself with it in the dressing room and it isn't....appropriate. "Isn't it like...too revealing?" I wondered. This wasn't what I was imagining to wear for a dinner with his family. "That's the point, sweetheart. You have a beautiful body and you should show it off now and then," William proudly says while grabbing the shoes to match. "All done," he smirks at the outfit he picked.

I sighed and remained quiet. I'm excited to look pretty tonight though. "Now for the jewelry, do you keep them in here?" He wondered and grabbed my bathing suit drawer. Fuck. "William, that's-" I jump off the bed to stop him from opening the door but it was too late. His eyes darkened, his pink lips slightly parted as he saw them. "Oh," he said and his eyes slowly met mine. I stood there frozen, not knowing what to do. "Have you ever worn any of them? Specifically, the purple one?" William hesitated.

"No," I answered. He nods his head and shut the drawer. "I'm taking you out on Saturday. You'll wear it then," William decided, taking me by surprise. Saturday? A bikini...with William. "I c-can't.." I stuttered and William frowned. "Why not?" He asked. Enrico's birthday. Bradey really wanted me to come and even so, Enrico and I got closer to where we were sort of friends. I don't mind attending his birthday party. "Enrico's birthday," I reminded him. His lips parted in realization.

"Sunday then. I can't believe I used to go clubs and now I'm attending teenage birthday parties," William mumbled the last part to himself. If I analyzed that line properly then that means that he's going to Enrico's party. Also, he used to go to clubs? They're fun for the couple of times I've been to them. "So that means your coming along?" I asked just for confirmation. William held his head high with a smirk forming on his face. "Are you letting me take you out on Sunday?" He returned.

"Yes."

"Then yes, only if you want me to join you," William finally said.

I guess that's a yes then.

_♤_

Now it was much later and I stood in front of the castle doors. "I'm nervous," I mumbled to Luis. He shakes his head and walks back into the car. "You have no reason to be. The king's parents are very lovely people. They're the reason our packs are in such great shapes. Just be yourself," he tells me. I nod my head and relied on his information.

I knock on the door and three seconds later the golden doors are open apart and William stood in there. My lips parted slightly as I drunk in the sight. A light blue shirt and navy blue pants. The first buttons were seductively unbuttoned for my wondering eyes. His dark brown hair was combed back neatly as usual but of course, there were loose curls on his forehead. "Everest," Wiliam cleared his throat and he finally took his eyes off my chest and tried his best to keep them on my eyes.

"You look beautiful, as always," William continued. "So do you," I returned and he rolled his eyes. "Come on, Renee really wants to see you," he changed the topic. William's hand was flat on my lower back as he directed me into the dining room. As expected, it was as enormous and fancy as it can get. Beside Renee, there were William's parents. It wasn't a secret that they are his parents, William has both of their features. "There she is! Everest right? It's a pleasure to meet you," Vison smiled and walked over to shake my hand. I gladly accepted," it's a pleasure to be here sir," I politely say.

"Vison, please. You're family now," Vison requested, his eyes flicked to William for a split second. "Let's sit," William whispered and we walked over to the table. Of course, William and I sat together with Renee on my other side. Opposite us sat his parents. "You're very beautiful. How do you like the Royal pack so far?" His mother wondered. "It's very nice...different. I like it," I truthfully say. "So...tell us about yourself then, we know nothing about you sadly. William boy likes to keep you to himself," Vison laughed. William was the first to take the lid off his plate and everyone followed to reveal the mountain of delicious food in front of me. No way I'll be able to eat all of this out.

"There isn't much to me actually. I went through some stuff that basically forced me to rethink life and I don't want to talk about my past life so...yeah. I like to paint, sometimes read...yeah," I rambled off. Usha, William's mother, nods her head at the information. "Rieka loved to read. She had a special section of the library for her favorite books. You could probably check it out and get a good read out of it," Usha suggested.

I think I might.

"Son, why didn't you let us meet her before? She seems fine," Vison directed his question to William beside me. His jaw clenched and under the table, his fists formed. "You weren't in the country dad. Drop it. We don't need a repeat of breakfast," Renee snapped. "What happened at breakfast?" I wondered, the words left my lips before I can think twice. "Nothing, they just had questions about us," William mumbled before shoving food into his mouth and I copied but with smaller spoons.

Us.

"So...how are you both. As mates?" Usha questioned. Such an interesting question. We're better from what we were a few weeks ago. The progress was slow but yet at other times, it was fast. Something tells me that something is gonna happen and it's gonna get fucked up. That can just be paranoia. "I don't want to talk about that right now," I pleaded silently that they wouldn't force us to go into this. "That's enough, mom," William mumbled with his eyes glued to his plate.

"How come you got ready for the dinner at the packhouse? That's a bit strange..." Usha continued to herself. "Because she doesn't live here," Renee huffed. "What! why aren't you staying at the castle then dear? Mates should never stay apart. How is it possible for you both to sleep without each other?" She looked at me as if I was another creature. Mates are inseparable...most of the time. "Mother she has friends that can be with her when I'm busy during the day. I rather that then her be alone with the maids at the castle," William sighed.

"I understand that but she can always have her friend come here. Also, it's not like you're restricted to the castle during the day. You can venture out during the day," Usha rambled off while cutting her lettuce into smaller pieces before forking it into her mouth. "I'll um think about it," I dismissed, and to my advantage, she dropped the topic. Wiliam turned his head around to my side," please eat," he whispered to me. It was only then I realized I stopped eating. "Sorry," I mumbled before shoving a full spoon into my mouth.