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I look at her, staring at Rieka with intensity as she did her check-up. Rieka was gone for almost five days and she was paranoid and needed to make sure Everest was okay.

"How is she?" I asked. Rieka's soft brown eyes landed on me and she quickly turned back to Everest. "She is fine, healing a lot quicker," Rieka answered with relief. Thank God. Everest has been in so much pain it literally hurts to look at her.

"When can I get out of this hospital?" Everest softly asked, her sweet voice timid as usual. Rieka looked at her with a smile," tomorrow actually."

I remembered Evander telling me that where she used to live was now empty and it was a crime sight. Evander didn't want anyone around there. I'm sure he has an extra room at the Alpha's house or the packhouse. My mate gave the doctor a small smile before looking at her hands that were on her lap.

Rieka racked up her things and just as she was about to say her goodbyes, I spoke up. "When will we be able to leave the pack? We have been in here for almost a week," I questioned. The purpose of me coming here was to find my mate. Jayden and Renee already say that there is no luck with their mates in this pack. My wolf was getting restless, being away from my pack. I needed to go home and Everest was coming with me.

"Why?" Rieka softly asked. I inhale sharply at how soft her voice sounded. "Because I'm thinking of leaving as soon as possible since Everet can leave the hospital, I'm thinking tomorrow," I declared, trying to push away my feelings.

Both of their heads turned in my direction. "What?" They say in unison.

"You will take care of her from the castle. This pack is a threat to my mate and I won't allow us to be here any longer." I notice Everest winced when I mentioned her being my mate. "That's the thing, I'm not leaving," Rieka says softly like she was afraid of telling me.

I can see why.

"When are you planning on leaving then?" I challenged her, my fists only clenching tighter. "Never, Will. I found my mate and my family is here," she softly sighed, as if she was already tired of this conversation.

My lips part as I stared at her out of shock.

Rieka found her mate.

That only made me angrier and for some reason, I wasn't truly that surprised. "What family?" I scoffed. Her parents are at the royal pack which is where her brother would be going.

"My actual father's family is around here," she answered. I didn't know much about Rieka's actual father. All I know was that she was born when her mother was seventeen and Joseph isn't her real father. "You can't just demand to leave my pack, Rieka. You're the best doctor out there and the best doctor deserves to be in the royal pack," I stated,

"I don't get your problem, Will. You hate me, you bicker with me every chance you get and you call me these silly names at any opportunity. I thought you'd be the first to be excited for my leave," she says, folding her arms across her chest.

I don't hate you, Rieka Knight, I'm fucking in love with you.

Or at least I think I am.

Or was.

Or maybe I still am.

Wait no, I'm not.

Yeah...I'm not. Wait, am I?

With Everest in the picture, I had no idea what to think. My emotions were all over the place. It was becoming exhausting and all I wanted to do was drink the pain away but that isn't a responsible decision.

"That is not the point, your pack still needs you," I stated. She rolled her eyes. "This is my pack now, my mate is here," she firmly stated.

"Well tell the lad to come with us!" I shout. She shook her head and sighed. "He can't, I don't need your permission to move packs," she decided, staying firm to her decision and it was only pissing me off even more.

"Yes you do, Rieka! I am the king for goddess sake and I would not stand around to being disrespected and treated badly. If you request to leave my pack, you ask. And my answer is no!" I shout, standing to my feet.

My loud voice makes Everest wince and she pushes back further into the bed. I instantly regretted shouting since she definitely was afraid of me now. "Will, I'm not trying to disrespect you. I don't want to leave-" Rieka was about to continue but I cut her off.

"Then don't," I say and she sighed.

"I don't want to leave that hospital that I grew attached to and I lived in that castle all my life but there is a new place that I'm needed and I...I want to stay here," she finally says.

"Do you really want to leave your mother? Jayden? Renee? Your friends at the hospital? Are you serious right now? Stop being so selfish!" I shout at her. "I'm not being selfish, Will! My mate is here, I can't stay without him," her eyes fall to the floor, and as she said that, it made me want to shout.

I was hoping she wouldn't find her mate because that would kill me.

What am I saying? I have a mate.

"Think about Everest, I know you care about her, you haven't left her side. You want her to go back to the castle with you," the realization dawned on me that she was right.

Over the past couple of days, Everest has been in every single thought of mine. I was confused in my head what to do. I was entranced by two women and I knew I had a desire for Everest more but I'm not sure if I'm willing to let Rieka go.

I've loved Rieka for as long as I can remember. Since I even knew what love was. I would pray to the moon goddess that she was my mate and when she wasn't...it shattered me.

"I'm..."

"Let her go, William, and I will go with you. Evander needs her here," the soft voice of my mate reached my ears and something surges through me, forcing me to calm down but it wasn't enough.

Evander? My eyebrows furrowed.

"Why would Evander need her here?" I say confused.

Rieka stared at me with guilty eyes. "You know why," she stated. I thought about it and the realization hit me like walking into a brick wall. I stumbled back, staring at her.

Every time she was with Evander ran through my head.

I was so stupid. How didn't I see it?

"You're...you're his mate," I choked out, the walls of my throat clenching. "It was obvious," Everest mumbled.

I felt like something was crashing inside me. I felt stupid. I felt hurt for some reason. "Well, congratulations Rieka. Now you can stay here and never come back to my castle," I scoffed, knowing it was the wrong thing to say but I couldn't help myself.

I didn't realize I was storming out of the hospital until my bones were breaking.