Chapter 24

I looked into his eyes, "to avoid suspicion in the humans and to further difficulty to the pack, we should marry."

His smile broadened, "nothing would make me happier," he whispered. "I want you so badly to be mine."

I looked to him sadly, "It will break their hearts. Especially the heart of the half blood."

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it, "sacrifices have to be made to keep us alive." He

squeezed my hand slightly, "please live here. It will make things easier. I can help the others find jobs and settle down in their new lives."

I nodded, "I need to talk to them first. If it comes from you or someone else, things will be problematic. I need to talk to them and profess this lie so that they can move on."

"I can go with you."

I smirked, "you are an outsider to a pack centuries strong. Ty, Chris, Collin, and I have been our own pack and supported each other through a lot." I went to get out of bed, but stopped when Ivan grabbed my hand.

"I don't feel comfortable just having sex with you. At least come with me to lunch."

"Fine," I groaned with a smirk to him. We both got up and got dressed. I followed him out to his car and got in. "So what do you do?"

He looked at me through the corner of his eye as he drove. "I am a lawyer and started my own company about 18 years ago. I have been in this life for about 25 years."

I chuckled, "I have never lasted past 7 years before having to start again."

"Have you ever lived in Australia before?"

I shook my head as I looked out the window, "no, I never got the chance until now. Collin knew it was on my list of things to do before I was brought back to the pack."

"Do you think the whole pack is looking for you?"

"Most are. Either they are a friend of his or are a follower hoping to please the first son."

"He has always been a fan favorite."

I laughed, "if they knew the real man behind his mask, they would run too. He is a true monster."

Ivan sighed, "I likely have not seen the true man he is."

I squeezed my hands together, "I do not believe anyone has but me. I always took the brunt of his anger." I scoffed, "for some reason, I felt that I had to protect the other members of the pack. Especially the young ones." I sighed, that was how I met Ty." I closed my eyes as I thought back to that time. "I got in the way of his attack on Ty when he failed a mission."

Ivan growled under his breath, "he has no reason to harm you."

I looked to his, "he took mercy on me. I must hold some type of importance to him. He would not kill me like the others. I always was his favorite toy," I chuckled even though tears were in my eyes.

Ivan's grip tightened on the steering wheel, "if I knew it was that bad, I would have gotten you out of there sooner."

I sighed, "he would have killed me first. He always said that if someone took me, he'd end me before they could have me and then kill the traitor. That's how bad his possessiveness has gotten. And that was three centuries ago." I felt emotions running through me even though that was not typical. "I hate this body," I whispered. "To yearn for that man and not be able to escape the man that I hate most in this world."

"He saved you from dying. Is this worse than death?"

I laughed even though tears nearly fell. "Is that what he tells everyone?" I chuckled in order not to cry. "He kidnapped me," I whispered as I felt Ivan stiffen further.

"He took me out of my own bed in my parents home and straight to the king to take me as his

partner. I begged him, I pleaded with him to leave me alone and to kill me rather than change me. I had already seen what our kind could do, when they attacked my family. I had already seen what of one of ours could do and never wanted to be one. If my soul would not switch to a new body, I would have ended it a long time ago. My dream was to die alongside my lover when I was human." Tears finally escaped as I pulled my legs up to my chest and hugged them tightly. "I have never told anyone this but, as my next husband, you should know." I laughed as my body

shook and I remembered the night he took me. "I was to be married the next morning," I said as I wipe tears away. "That is the only man of ever truly loved. He was my childhood friend, a brave warrior, and a true gentleman. I wanted nothing more since childhood to be his bride. He took that chance for me and I will never forget it. Please, do not mention this to any of the others." I pulled my hands through my hair in order not to cry. "I took his memories away of anything other than our childhood. I was selfish enough to turn him into one of my familiars"."

"You did it to save his life," Ivan argued as I finally took a few deep breaths to calm myself.

"But I needed him to face this harsh reality at my side. He has no idea of what we were to each other and I can never tell him. He and I can never be and I accepted that a long time ago."

"Do you still love him?"

I laughed, "that is not a thing in my heart. The human thoughts I had and the human heart I used to own died long ago." I sighed, "I guess that is one thing I

could thank your brother for. He turns me into a survivor; he took away this childish emotions of a human."