I stiffened.

My PureBlood, Cynthia seemed like she was uneasy inside me and wanted to come out. I clenched my fists at my side; some weird feeling was curling in my stomach and I was feeling nauseous. I kept staring at the man, but he was too far for me to catch his features and above that my vision was getting blurry.

All I could do was feel - the intensity of his gaze, the possessive feeling coursing through me as I watched him go farther from me and the need to be with him. Going away from him did not feel right; all of a sudden, being in Adrian's arms did not feel right. I was confused and only acting on instincts, I never knew what Liana had been saying would ever be right.

But, here I was.

The car was moving way too fast for my liking. I wanted it to slow down - not just slow down, I wanted it to fucking stop. I wanted to escape out of the suffocating car and run towards the man whose presence was pulling me towards him.

"Stop the car!" My voice didn't sound like mine. I was still staring at the man, who was quite away from me now. The increasing distance was making something in me ache and I wondered why he was standing just on the same spot. Why was he just looking at me? Why wasn't he coming for me - coming after me?

He didn't even look surprised.

"Josh, move it faster. Don't. Fucking. Stop!" The growl that rumbled from under me registered after some time, and my attention snapped back to my mate, Adrian. The one I couldn't bear to touch right now because everything felt wrong.

He was glaring at me.

His arms came around me, his one hand fisting in my hair and his mouth crashing down on mine. He held my head in place while I was squirming, his tongue forcefully parted my lips and he deepened the kiss. I struggled for sometime, but he managed to bring my entire attention to him.

And suddenly, everything felt right - his touch, his kisses and me being in his arms.

Lust coursed through my blood, sending tingles down my spine and it had heat pooling down to my core. My body melted in his arms and I sighed in his mouth - my lips moving against his on their own accord. He didn't have to hold my head in place anymore, but he kept pulling me closer.

The kiss wasn't gentle or soft in any way - it was possessive and he thoroughly ravished my mouth with his. My brain shut down, the two voices inside me that were about to fight just faded away. My body recognized its soul mate; there was not a single thought in my mind that wasn't about him.

Adrian Wolfe.

After he got what he wanted - me tamed in his arms - he pulled away, staring at me right in the eye. Rage flamed in his eyes and I hung my head to avoid eye contact with him.

Looking at that man, I felt like I was cheating on my mate. This was not how I was supposed to feel.

A surge of jealousy and possessiveness curled in my chest and it wasn't difficult to guess the owner of those emotions. My insides felt like they were being torn apart and there was nothing more I wanted than to get away from all of this. The dark emotion threatened to bring out tears, and the rapidly increasing distance between me and the man shattered whatever remained of me then.

When the man was finally out of my sight, that too because of a hulking figure blocking my vision, I slumped back into Adrian, feeling too drained to protest and remember that I was supposed to be mad at him.

Mate.

Cynthia whispered in my mind. For the first time since I heard her, I could hear the despair in her voice; I could feel every emotion plunging and twisting a knife in my heart.

Abandoned. Again.

He didn't come after us.

Something between a sigh and a sob escaped me. For the first time, it wasn't Celeste threatening to take over me - it was Cynthia breaking me down.

A soft kiss on my forehead could do nothing to comfort me.

Celeste went silent inside me, and I shivered, feeling helpless. Just passing away from him in a car left me in shambles - even when I was in the arms of my other mate.

What was happening to me? Why was it that men had suddenly gained control over my emotions and thought it to be the best to toy with them? Why did I want to cry my heart out for a man whose face is still a blur to me?

I remembered the time when I met Adrian and my state of mind when he left me time and again. Nothing had changed since then - except for the knowledge that he was destined to be mine, but could never be.

But what about him?

Was I fated to remain heartbroken for my entire life? Was I too late to come into the lives of my mates? Could it be that I was better off as a human?

But who was he? A human, or was he another supernatural creature. He was Cynthia's mate - could it be that he was a PureBlood or perhaps a hybrid just like me?

Was he really my shot at another chance for a happy ending? I glanced up at Adrian and he was glaring ahead with his jaw clenched. His emotions were still creating turmoil in my chest - he definitely looked pissed off. Maybe he did realize what was going on in my head when my eyes fell on that man.

Don't think about that man.

It had been long since I heard Celeste say something. This time, it was straight for commanding me to not pay attention to the other man.

Can't do that, you know, it was Cynthia, the man is my mate. And our human isn't normal, she has both of us - and because of us, she now has two mates. Cynthia was, now, surprisingly calm about the whole ordeal. It seemed like she showed her aggression only when her mate was around.

Then what should we do? I don't want another man, PureBlood. I need my Adrian - and I can't have her cheating on him just because she has another useless fucking mate who couldn't even come for her.

He didn't come after me. He surely must have felt something, just the way I did when our eyes met? He was looking at me, quite intensely might I add, so he must have known that there was something between us. Yet, he didn't follow me, he didn't stop the car and he didn't even call out for me. Was he standing there the entire time?

Did he have another life, another woman back at home just like Adrian did?

Was I misunderstanding the entire situation?

No, you aren't. Cynthia said. He is our mate and he didn't come after us. Her voice was sad, perhaps like Adrian, he too will never be ours.

I heard Celeste and Cynthia's collective sighs. My mood plummeted down rapidly and there was a heavy feeling in my chest.

I couldn't breathe - the thought of being so fucking alone was depressing. But then I internally held up my chin.

I was a fucking independent woman and I didn't need a man for me to feel complete.

I don't want us to end up alone, Moon. The two voices inside me said. It was strange, how the two voices inside me were so connected - loving two different men but sharing the pain.

"I've got you, baby, I've got you."

I ignored the murmur and fell into a dreamless sleep.

****************************************************

Adrian's scent lingered heavily in the air around me and I felt disoriented when I woke up. All I knew that I was wrapped up in something warm and comfortable, and there was an uncomfortable ache inside me. There was something different I couldn't pinpoint to - inside me and in the air around me. I had never been to a place that hinted Adrian's presence so heavily.

It was making me feel weird things.

Slowly opening my eyes, I inhaled another lungful of air. His scent was overpowering, but I could feel that he wasn't in this room - I would have known if he was in the room. Where was all this scent coming from?

Was it his room?

I sat up instantly, making my head spin for a while. I looked around and indeed found that it was his room. The portraits hanging on the wall depicting various casual and formal pictures of him, the clothes placed on the chair and the masculine vibe of the room gave me enough of a clue along with his scent.

A look out of the windows showed that it was bright outside - I had no idea what day it was. I could be sleeping for years and I wouldn't know.

I looked down at myself, really loving the lace nightie I was dressed in. I was not wearing any underwear inside, but I didn't give a fuck - looking at myself in it made me feel a lot better. I didn't even care who changed me or clothed me.

Then the memories hit me.

The man.

I slumped back into the bed. Perhaps Adrian's scent could comfort me. It didn't, though, because soon, the tears started rolling down my cheeks. The pillow covers felt wet against my cheeks, my nose was blocked, my eyes felt puffy, and for what felt like hours, I kept on crying.

Maybe, I had never felt so alone than I did right then. It felt like a curse, being so emotional when I had been so strong, each and every fucking time. I remember every moment when I fought bullies head on, hit idiots in their ball-sacks when they were getting too touchy.

I tried to remember every moment to gain back my strength and confidence, but it still felt like I was lost somewhere. It dawned upon me that I couldn't feel both my wolf and my PureBlood.

The door opened at the same moment but I ignored the noise and buried myself deeper in the bed. I knew that it was Adrian, and I dreaded any conversation that I could have with him at the moment - I didn't even want to talk to him about the weather.

"How are you feeling, Cynthia."

"Don't call me that!" I spat, but didn't make a movement to sit up and look at him.

"I'll call you whatever I wish to, but never mind. Answer my question, how are you feeling?" His voice was cold and unfeeling; there was no trace of warmth or comfort in his voice.

"That's none of your business."

There was silence for a moment.

And in the next moment the covers were snatched away from me. All the warmth was gone, and I could feel how cold it was everywhere around me. I was shivering - and I could only curl myself in a ball.

Adrian ran his finger through his hair for a moment, and murmured to himself for a moment, "Shit, she's still cold."

The covers were back in another moment, but along with them, I found myself wrapped in Adrian's arms. He was now sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard with me straddling him so that I could face him properly.

I wanted to get closer to him and get away from him at the same time.

"So now, I am asking you again. How are you feeling?"

"And I said - it's none of your business." I haughtily replied, trying to get out of the position he had entrapped me in, even if it felt so good to be in his arms. I was pissed at him and rightfully so.

"Cynthia," he did just what I asked him not to do, "If it's not my business, I'm sure I have no problem in making it my business. After all, you, beautiful, are my mate." He said that, tracing a finger down my cheek.

His thumb rested on my bottom lip, and his eyes were staring right where his thumb was. It was a push and pull struggle inside me; I wanted to give in to the urge that overwhelmed me as he kept staring at my mouth, with his face so close to mine. Yet another part of me didn't want to give into his ministrations - I was well aware that he was laying a trap for me, using all of his weaknesses against me.

I would be damned if I let him use my body against him.

And I was damned. That darned man swooped right in, sensing that I wanted to kiss him just as badly as he wanted to. His lips enveloped mine with a bruising force, the ferocity leaving my mind senseless and my body anticipating what was to come next. He kissed me hard, he kissed me fast, he kissed me passionately, and sent blood singing through my veins.

I knew I could do this all day - I wanted to be close to him all day long - I knew I craved for his touch, something that seemed difficult to attain because he had fucking mated another woman instead of waiting for me.

I pushed him away instantly.

"This is your bedroom." I said, panting. My heart was still pumping in my chest and my core was throbbing with need. A vague thought entered my mind about my heat approaching and I was wondering how I would avoid this man then.

He raised a brow, looking slightly out of breath, "And your point is?"

His lack of concern for my emotions provoked my anger, "My point," I gritted out, "Is that it's extremely callous of you to kiss another woman in the bed in which you lay with your wife." I held my chin up, "I am not going to be your 'other' woman."

He sighed, "You are not the other woman, Thia, and I had told you earlier that Delia does not sleep here. She has another room for herself. "

Oh yes, he did tell me that long ago. Never mind...

I threw him an irritated look. "So who is the other woman? Delia? Your pregnant wife?"

He fell silent, but his clenched jaw and his hardened stare spoke volumes of what he wanted to do with me at the moment. I tried my best to let him know about the fire that was raging inside me. I wanted him to know - not the effect he had on me - but that if I ever left, I would never be coming back to him again.

Even he knew that this was an argument he could never win because he was at fault here.

"I'd rather this topic be not discussed at the moment."

Well, I didn't want to, too, but he was leaving me no choice but to bring up topics we both didn't like. I didn't want to be near him - because I felt these emotions which confused me. I wasn't the one who wanted to go after two men at the same time.

"Then I'd rather get out of this room, instantly. I feel suffocated here."

In a flash, I sprinted towards the door, hoping that Adrian would only see a blur. But you see, I had done a mistake by saying anything about getting out of the room. He already knew what I was about to do and caught me halfway before I could even reach the door. Those midnight blue eyes stormed with anger, and he threw me on the bed.

I was equal parts aroused and equal parts scared.

There was no point in hiding anything because he caught the scent of my arousal before I could do anything about it. But then, what could I even do about hiding my scent? Fart?

An amused look crossed Adrian's face for a moment, and I blushed, realizing that he could read my thoughts. The stern look replaced it all once again and he slowly advanced towards me.

The stern look didn't come out of anger, but it was a look that burned up my insides. His smoldering gaze shifted from my eyes down to my chest, skimming down my waist to my hips and legs.

"Mine!" He growled and pounced on me, not giving me any time to react or run away from him.

My body was pressed down to the mattress by a heavy weight - and there was no other way I wished to be. It was shameful, to be honest, the way I reacted to him despite everything he did to me - and everything he didn't let me do.

"Let me go..." I said weakly, meaning it literally and figuratively.

"No," he growled, "Never."

"You can't be only mine, you and I both know that," I whispered, trying my best to convince and stop myself before I did something I would regret. At the moment, at least some of my sense was working, but I knew it wasn't for long.

He pushed himself away and in the next moment, I found him standing in the farthest corner of the room.

"This won't happen again, I lost control," he murmured and marched out of the room. All I could do was watch him walk away.

***********************************

It felt like a day or two had passed but the clock said otherwise. It had been around two hours since Adrian had awkwardly left his own room and it felt like he had left me imprisoned here. An hour ago or so, when the room had really started to suffocate me, I tried to get out of the room.

I was bored out of mind with nothing to do, no one to talk to. Adrian had a television in the room and I had tried finding something interesting, but nothing seemed to please my mind. I tried the book on his shelf and even took a through tour of his room to occupy my mind, but in the end, I always ended up getting bored and uneasy.

But there was something about the walls, the windows and the doors that led to the corridors. Celeste didn't give any response to my thoughts, but the moment I made a move to leave the room. I could feel a sense of uneasiness creep inside me. Some otherworldly force was trying to keep me from getting out of the room.

At first I thought, perhaps she was depressed, some other times I thought perhaps she was missing Adrian and felt close to him in this room. But then, there was something different about the way she was responding.

I also noticed that I was feeling like a human - both Cynthia and Celeste were quite subdued. Whichever kind of voodoo Adrian did on me, I knew he would have to pay for this later.

The door opened from outside, and I was ready to strike Adrian - but then I realized that it was Mercy.

And she looked nervous.

"Hi," she said meekly, her hand absentmindedly rubbing on her belly.

"Hey, Mercy, how are you doing? How's the baby? How's Theo?"

Her eyes brightened instantly and she almost swooned when she came to sit near me on the bed.

"The baby and I are perfect, Luna," She started, looking like she had stars in her eyes, "And Theo is perfect, too. Oh Luna, you don't know...he's just so good, and he pampers me every second and every moment. I have never felt like this before. I try my best to be the reluctant mate, but he makes it so difficult to ignore him and he's so..."

Well, I had never heard Mercy gush that much.

A small smile came up my face, Mercy's flushed cheeks and bright eyes were a sure sign about her happiness, and I was so happy for her.

"And the same is for Luna Liana, you know. But she is much more capable than me in ignoring Alpha Jaxon's puppy eyes."

"What about Kia?" I asked her.

Her eyes saddened slightly, "Well Josh is still bound to the curse and Kia is hell bound on not telling him that she is his. She's having fun though," a smirk erupted on her face, "It seems that Josh desperately wants her by his side the entire time but is too dense to understand what it means."

She stopped for a moment and looked at me nervously again.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I don't know. Both inside me are quite subdued and it feels weird."

"It's because we had to sedate you," She said, fidgeting.

"Why?" I frowned.

"You shifted."