Raven's P•O•V

It had been a week, and interaction with Alec was slim. We never spoke, we never even made eye contact. When we passed in the hall, we looked ahead and acted as if neither one of us was there. Although this was extremely agonizing, I let it be. Maybe that was best. At least that's what I had hoped to believe. The last thing I needed was to get caught up with a vampire.

Wow. That's something I never thought I'd say.

"Your food m'lady," A Romanian waiter snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up at him and smiled weakly.

"Thank you," I said gratefully as he placed my pasta in front of me.

In a house full of bloodsucking vampires, it was surprisingly easy to find a dining room. This one was smaller and designated just for the royal family. It was nothing like the main hall I had been in the night I was introduced to the kingdom.

Once he walked away, I was sucked back into my thoughts, trying to put them all together.

When I woke up for the first time here, I was mortified. And the second I recognized Alec's face as my captor's, I loathed him. He had taken me from my home, he had taken me from my job...

He had taken me from my life and stuck me in this new reality.

And to think, this all happened merely two weeks ago. I started to wonder if I even made the news in New York, which was a very slim chance. I started to wonder if my family was still searching. Knowing them, Steven would probably be the only one.

Amid all my thoughts of Alec and what had gone on in the past two weeks, I even started to wonder about DeMalo. Something about him had me feeling a bit off every time I was around him.

"Can I sit with you?" I was taken out of my thoughts again and looked up to see Piper standing there.

"Sure," I said softly and let her sit across from me.

"You don't look too satisfied with your food," She raised her eyebrows and looked at my untouched pasta.

"No, it's not that. Just a little distracted is all," I shrugged it off and pushed the pasta around with my fork absentmindedly.

"What's on your mind?" Piper asked as the waiter came up to her and placed a glass full of blood in front of her. She thanked him and sipped her drink.

"Alec," I sighed, "we aren't on the best of terms right now," I told her simply, and took a drink of my water.

"Ah, I see," Piper put her glass down, "this is about the kiss isn't it." She said ever so nonchalantly. I nearly spit out my water when I heard her say that.

"What - how-" I stuttered. Piper chuckled at me.

"Honey, Alec is my brother. Even if he hadn't told me, I would've known," She revealed with a sweet tone. I sat back in my seat and felt the weight on my chest relieve a little bit.

"He told you?" I asked in surprise.

"Why, of course! Alec and I have a very close relationship," Piper stated proudly. I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous of her still having her brother around while I did not.

"He told me the night after it happened," She informed me, already knowing I was going to ask when. "He came to my room after I'd already fallen asleep and woke me up. I knew by the look on his face it was serious, so I stayed awake to talk with him."

I nodded softly and it fell silent between us for only a brief second before I asked the question I needed an answer to,

"What'd he say?" I asked unsurely. I needed to know, whether it was bad or good.

"Well..." Piper sighed and told me everything.

"Alec? Is everything alright?" I furrowed my brow as he stood in my doorway looking lost.

"No," He murmured. I opened my door wider and let him come in. He walked into my room and I closed the door.

"What's wrong? Has something happened?" I started asking questions, concerned.

"I screwed up, Piper. I screwed up bad," He answered and started pacing. I went over to him and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," I said gently, trying to calm my brother down, "it's alright. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I kissed her," He muttered. "I kissed Raven."

I tried not to show how shocked I was by him saying that, but I did a bad job of covering up my surprise.

"Last night after she fled out of the main hall, I ran after her. I finally caught up to her and we argued. She tried to kiss me, and I don't know what came over me but I rejected the kiss and left her in her room. But today she came to see me while I was in the stables and..." He trailed off and I could hear his heart rate rise. He breathed in deep and shut his eyes.

"And...?" I brought him back to reality. His eyes opened but they looked distant as he stared out the window.

"And she saw me. I told everyone to take a break and it was just her and I. We spoke and something came over the both of us. I don't know what the hell it was, but the woman who has despised me for taking her from her home was then the woman who let me push her up against the stall doors and kiss her," He explained.

"So... why do you think you screwed up?" I asked quizzically.

"I know I screwed up. I can't take advantage of her like that. I know she's feeling lost and frustrated," Alec finally glanced back to look at me. He ran a hand through his hair, his confusion practically radiating off of him.

"But what do you feel?" I asked the question that obviously sparked something in him. He looked back at me with a blank expression.

"I feel driven by her being my soulmate. I feel chained by the instincts I have towards her. I feel like I should've stepped down from my duties as the prince and should have never gone out to find her..." He said with a thick voice, his eyes telling me of the depth of his emotions.

"Alec," I sighed, "those aren't instincts," I told him seriously. Men truly don't know anything about this kind of stuff. Especially 143-year-old vampires who you'd think would understand by now.

"Then tell me what they are. Feelings? I'm a dead man Piper. I'm not even human. None of us are. She was linked to me by the choice of my vampirism. Don't tell me that it's feelings because it's not," He exclaimed in frustration.

"What do you think you are, a Werewolf? I know you've always thought they had it better but that's because they both fall at the same time and they're both of the same species. You are no different. Don't look at yourself as a vampire, look at yourself as a man. These aren't instincts. You aren't an animal," I counseled him in a stern voice. I hated the way he thought of himself.

"You're right," Alec sighed and stood up, walking to my door. "I'm not an animal..." He looked back at me then opened the door.

"I'm worse."

I looked at Piper as she finished explaining to me what happened. I sat there, not knowing what to say. She didn't seem to notice as she kept talking.

"I can understand why he's so worried about this. With mother and father, and basically the whole kingdom, breathing down his neck and waiting for him to-" She cut herself off and shook her head and cleared her throat. I gave her a confused look as she preoccupied herself with drinking some more of the red liquid.

"Waiting for him to what?" I asked, noticing the way she seemed to turn away from what she was saying.

"Sorry, nothing," She said hastily and drank some more, now making it clear that she was trying to avoid saying it.

"No, tell me. What is the kingdom waiting on Alec to do?" I said, determined to make her spill.

Piper drew her glass away from her lips. She looked at it and slowly set it back down at the table.

"I'm not supposed to say," She murmured, but when she saw me ready to protest, she gave me a look that told me not to talk. I didn't say anything and waited.

"Raven, I really think you'd be better off not know this-" She tried to advise me but I cut her off.

"No. I deserve to know," I demanded. She nodded and looked down at the empty wine glass. It took her a minute to gather up the words to say. Finally, she looked up at me dead in the eye and said,

"The night you were introduced to the kingdom was supposed to be your last day as a mortal."

"What do you mean my last day?" I tried to stay calm as disbelief filled me, hoping she wasn't going to say it.

"Raven... Alec was supposed to turn you."

I don't remember anything after Piper told me that, besides the rage that filled me. I shot up from my seat and stormed out of the dining room. I could hear Piper calling after me but I knew she wouldn't run after me.

Winding my way through the halls, I found myself at Alec's door, banging my fist against it. It opened and Alec stood there looking at me in confusion. He only looked confused until I punched him.

I could hear all the knuckles in my hand pop as I hit him. It felt like punching a brick wall. I shot my hand back and groaned. It hurt like hell but adrenalin soon made the pain fade.

"What was that for-" Alec exclaimed in pure shock, looking at me with wide eyes.

"When were you going to tell me?!" I roared, voice booming as I yelled at him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked in utter confusion.

"When were you going to tell me that you were supposed to turn me?!" I snapped. His expression filled with shock and confusion turned to one filled with guilt.

"Raven I-" I didn't let him speak. Even though I wanted an explanation, listening to his voice was going to make me even angrier.

"Just take me home," I commanded, my voice severely low and controlled after my outrage. I could feel my whole body buzzing with fury.

Alec went silent and stared down at me in shock. He could barely comprehend words as he studied my serious expression.

"Is that really all you want?" He insinuated in a soft, hurt tone. I clenched my jaw.

"It's the only thing I've ever wanted since I got here," I hissed. The burning truth was out. Out of all the jewels and crowns and riches that were presented to me in my two weeks here, all I wanted was to go back to my old life with taxes, a boring job, and a family that couldn't care less about me.

It was quiet. His hurt and conflicted garnet eyes looked at me. He sighed and looked behind me, obviously looking at his family that had now gathered. He finally peered back down at me and sighed.

"As you wish."

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