"Can we go to the temple some other day?"

The window was open and moonlight was pouring in. His amber eyes looked light and sleepy framed by those thick and dark lashes.

"Whenever my mate wishes to go," he said, churning my stomach. For some reason, I hadn't expected him to agree so easily. I could go there because I was untouched. Going late would mean more days of staying virgin.

"What if I say, the full moon night?" I teased, while raising the furs above my shoulder from the cold air moving around the room.

His lips curved slightly in amusement to my surprise. He blinked slowly, his hair spread all over the pillow and arms that he had rested his head on to face me.

"It would not be a trouble to me. But the temple accepts no guests on the full moon night," he said, making me remember Amelia's words.

"Right. It is mandatory for the girls to spend the full moon night there," I whispered in curiosity.

He blinked in agreement. "They close the windows and doors. Their Goddess hates the full moon's light," he murmured while observing my face. "The virgins would feel the urge to meet their mates too. It only ends bad since there is no mate around."

I sucked in a breath. Oh God!

"How do Lycans cope up with the full moon? Does it gets mad?" I asked, looking at him.

He smiled while blinking slowly. "Why would the Moon get mad? We get mad."

My lips parted as I added, "What is it like? The urge to kill or mate? You all keep growling and roaring all night?"

"We are Lycans," he said, giving me a proud look. "We are Moon's dearest for a reason. We have the strength to keep ourselves calm, my mate. No Lycan kills to feed himself on the full moon night. It is for the thrill. He would know what he is doing. The urge to mate is in control too. It gets high only because we like to fuck. Full Moon is the celebration. Goddess gets happy as we mate."

My eyebrows raised in slight shock, felt low-key terrorized.

"Only the weaker, younger or newer ones get mad," he said, looking at me. "Especially the wolves too. Father says, how my mother was sixteen and hadn't shifted when she came here. She had created a storm around with her first shift that even on the full moon night. She stayed sick for next five days. Her bones needed rest."

Thanks to Natalie, I had witnessed the best full moon night experience ever. And Axel too, I laughed mentally. Naked him was such a treat for the night. I couldn't delete those moments ever from my mind.

Suddenly, I realized something.

What if Pete's mate was a newly shifted one too?

She too must have gotten mad and managed to reach the border like King had said that fourth night of the ceremony.

"So, as a senior Lycan, you will be fine?" I asked while looking away from him and laying on my back.

I stared at the white silk roof of the canopy while he hummed, "If my mate only thinks of one man that is me."

I stiffened and glanced at him hurriedly.

He was looking at me just like he always would. For a moment, I had gotten scared if he knew I was thinking of naked Axel. But then, he just hummed again.

"As long as my mate is with me in these nights, loving me, it will all be beautiful and fine."

I licked my lips while looking back at the silk. "You sure, you will not go crazy on me? Fo-Force me?"

"You presence will keep me calm," he said defensively as if I was accusing him. He whispered, "Lycans are royals because we have control. Others don't."

I still can't take the risk.

I would have to find out a way anyhow to stay away from him. Amelia and Nysa would be of no help. The heir was their first most demand. They would only want me to be with Karam even if it would cost me a whole night of fear, risk and torture.

Or maybe, I could request Karam to sleep with Lysar that night. But what if he wouldn't agree? If he won't, I would have to be prepared for an alternate option.

I would have to go meet Chelsea tomorrow.

"Were you really taking me to Savina today?" I asked quietly.

A long breathe escaped his mouth.

I glanced at him.

His smile was gone and blank expressions rested on his face. He had lowered his eyes on my pillow that must have gotten wet because of me washing hair before the dinner. I couldn't afford soaking tonnes of oil into the pillow covers and bedsheet when now, I had to wash these myself.

I was still was wondering how was I going to manage the laundry without a machine here.

"Why didn't you enter the room all chirpy and excited?" I said, pouting while turning on my side to face him. Observing my long nails, I sighed. "But you were just the usual. Quiet, arrogant and throwing orders. Not repeating and trying to intimidate me."

He stayed quiet, still not looking in my eyes.

"I feel bad," I said, chewing on my lip. "You just had to ruin that with such a big threat. Do you know how stupid and ugly I look with oily hair? You saw me. Didn't you? It's gets all sticky. We can't go out to meet someone for the first time, when we aren't even looking presentable. I mean, you can. But if you can look more good in washed hair, then why not. I was only discussing it while you got angry. . ." I pouted, chewing the inside of my lips.

"I wanted to act bad and then, surprise my mate with my goodness."

I looked up at him. Our eyes met and a goofy smile curved my lips. I chuckled and covered my face in embarrassment.

Lowering my hand slowly, I caught his straight face that still didn't look happy.

"I ruined your surprise," I exclaimed with a tight smile, feeling stupid. "Life has given me a lot of surprises and shocks, I might have gotten so anxious and uncertain to not read the good intention in your eyes."

He stared at me quietly.

"My father was dead all these years. And I got to know about it just two months ago," I said, chuckling humorlessly. "I didn't even know that Werewolf existed for real until two months ago. I didn't even know what Lycans were."

He kept listening while I added, "If only I had known that I wouldn't be meeting Gran ever again, I would have hugged her so tight." I choked out. "Might not even have said those bad things to Mom to infuriate her mate and all of these things wouldn't have happened. Still had been with Gran."

Wiping the corner of my eyes, I stared up at the ceiling. "Ah! I hate my brother so much for throwing me here like this. No offense to you and this pack. But Pete didn't even thought about asking me first. He had no right to sacrifice me like that," I said, shakily.

Observing my nails, I shook my head. "He used me to maintain his reputation. Only if he hadn't been the Alpha," I whispered, while remembering how I was believing in him so much. "But five brothers had to die so sixth brother could become the Alpha and his son would throw me to the tall bearded caveman named as Karam."

He hummed in amazement, making me glance at him.

"I wished, my younger brother could have been the Alpha instead. He would have never sacrificed my life like that. At least, not like that. With such betrayal," I whispered while looking in his eyes. "But guess, Pete is the elder one and he will be the Alpha forever."

He scoffed slightly at my words, making my eyebrows furrow. "If the eldest one is mandatory to be the Alpha, then our whole family wouldn't have been waiting for our pup, my mate."

My stomach flipped slightly.

"Larc would be the Alpha then." He said, while giving me the thoughtful look.

Pointing at his temple, he said, "It is in the destiny, in the blood, in the heart, in the soul, in the beast inside that man. An Alpha is born. First or last, second or fifth, doesn't matter. Matters the will of his soul to lead a pack. The natural power he earns for having a strong heart and mind. The leader is chosen even before his birth."

I blinked, feeling the slight goosebumps against my arm.

"Right," I whispered, remembering how Klynn was the Alpha and Nirvan was the Beta.

Karam snaked his hand to hold mine and squeezed it, making me curious. He looked at me with determination and warmth in his eyes.

"Great leaders only become great after great sacrifices, my mate."

I blinked.

"How great would be your Alpha brother to have sacrificed his sister for the good health of his pack?" He said while my eyebrows straightened in the sudden enlightenment. "For the good health of a lonely Lycan on this side of the border and his pack."

Silence settled in the room for seconds, I kept thinking about what he just said.

My eyes narrowed and I smiled softly. "I have two half-sisters and one cousin. The Pete you are admiring, has beaten all of their mates. It's like a pattern of a curse. He did that intentionally, unintentionally. But it happened."

I stretched my arms and yawned loudly while turning on my back to smile up at the silky roof. "Good that you are protected by this border. Lycan or not, the curse would have extended in him beating you too," I said, chuckling to myself.

A hand snaked over my waist, making me stop moving.

He slowly hovered over me. My lips parted when I saw his hair hanging like curtains around his face while he stared at down at me with a confident smirk on his face.

"How I wish there wouldn't have been a border," he whispered, intertwining the finger softly his left hand with the fingers of my right one. "I could break that curse."

"How?" I asked, giving him a not-so-impressed look.

He hummed and chuckled to himself. "I better stay quiet at this, my mate." He said, while lowering his head down to snuggle his nose in the my neck.

He took sniffs while I stared at the silk roof in wonder.

"No, tell me." I whispered while thinking hard. "What would you do? I swear, even if I am angry with my brother, I won't enjoy you thinking of even touching them. They are good men, I know." I whispered while blinking slowly. "I just know-"

I gasped as my lips purred all of a sudden.

My eyes half-closed while my mouth was fully opened in the sudden pleasure. I let out another gasp as shivers ran across my body. My heart had started to beat faster while toes curled.

More flutters felt inside my chest when he sucked on my skin again, right in the crook of my neck.

I could swear, I felt shivers from my spine to my ass.

My right hand loosened, not being able to reach his back when he rubbed his lips against my skin continuously and slowly.

I let out a shaky gasp. "Ah! Karam, what are you-" My chest heaved up as my back arched while his left hand snaked inside my top, caressing my waist.

I moaned when he sucked on the skin again, leaving hot breaths. His beard tickled my skin, reminded me of his big physique and heavy weight.

Yet I enjoyed it all.

He pulled back slowly, showing me his face. Especially, those wet lips.

I breathed through open mouth, my eyes half-closed.

Our gazes met and I could catch the dilated pupils.

"Did my mate like it?" He asked hoarsely, resting his weight against his one elbow beside my body.

I nodded slightly, feeling the desire burning between my legs.

He hovered over me, again. Not moving for straight three seconds.

I kept watching as he waited for me to stop him. But I didn't want to. So, I didn't.

Our intertwined fingers opened as he cupped my cheeks with both of his hands, resting his elbow on the bed above my shoulders.

I closed my eyes while he brought his mouth closer, pressing his lips against mine.

Shivers ran through whole of my body, making me arch my back and rub my right feet against the back of his leg.

His soft ones moved against mine slowly. My hand reached for his head, snaking my fingers through his hair.

My mouth opened when he tilted his head and took his time to capture my lips again. My left hand wrapped around his thick neck while another lowered down from his hair to cup his bearded cheek.

My nose ring was touched slightly when he deepened the kiss, making me let out a satisfactory hum.

His hands pulled down the Hem of my skirt slightly, moving his thumb over my hip bones, making my heart beat faster that anything.

The sudden terror started forming at the back of my mind.

But I didn't want to stop.

He nipped on my lower lip, making me gasp when he squeezed my waist.

I arched my back, raising my chin that had him peppering kisses on my collarbone immediately.

At the back of my mind, I could feel an echo. A signal telling me to stop. I was going fast.

His torso lowered absentmindedly, letting me feel his hard and growing manhood right where I needed it to be. A whisper of desire escaped me when I realized, I liked the touch. I loved his weight against me.

But the little bit of sanity left inside me was screaming for me to stop. To realize what I was playing with. The fire.

If I wasn't stopping any soon. I would be burning to the core.

I gulped hard and gasped when he left a sloppy kiss on my cleavage, making me ready to raise my top and let him do the wonders a man would do to a woman.

He pulled back and observed my face. He was breathing softly.

"Karam," I whispered shakily, not wanting us to stop. "I think, we are getting ahead way too fast. We-We should stop. . ."

He nodded with a smirk, observing my chest heaving up and down.

"But my mate likes it," he whispered, raising my top up to under my breasts. His eyes caught mine in a silent conversation. Then, he whispered, "She lies now when she says, she wants me to stop."

I blinked blankly while feeling whole of my body burning in the desire.

I couldn't believe myself.

My face was hot as hell.

I didn't even realize when did I remove the furs off me. He might have done it.

"Then, don't." I whispered while waiting as he raised his eyebrows and looked down at my belly.

It was neither flat not had fat. It was still chubby, though. It wasn't just as taut as Eva. Keira had abs while Natalie was just attractive from each inch of her body. Even Lexi had a flat tummy.

I started to feel conscious and felt his hands holding the hem of my skirt. Lowering it down until the top of my hip bones were visible, he gave me a last look of blankness.

I blinked curiously, breathing through parted mouth.

My mouth opened and eyes rolled back up. Loud gasps escaped me while my legs started collecting absentmindedly.

He began from under my breasts down to every inch of my skin that was exposed to him.

He would wait for me to release my breaths and leave a sloppy kiss, tickling all of my skin.

"Karam!" I breathed out.

I collected myself like a baby at the tickles and shyness I felt while he deepened his kisses, sucking at the skin, making me conflicted.

His palms roamed over my ribs, making me stretch my arms on the bed, my hands curling into fists holding the bedsheet tight.

I squirmed and squirmed, dancing like a mermaid, wanting the beardy pirate to stop.

I could swear, I felt my heartbeats jolting at different places in my body.

I was burning.

It felt like a sin, yet I was tempted to let it continue.

"My mate's human body is so delicate," he whispered, while I blinked in realization.

My cheeks burned while heart was already pounding like a hammer.

"What did you just do to me?" I whispered while staring at him in disbelief.

He grinned while whispering, "I can remind you by doing it again." He sniffed the air and breathed satisfactorily.

He laid on his side to observe me when I turned on my side and touched my lips, thinking worriedly about what just happened. Did it really happen?

I felt so sleepy too.

"My mate squirms like a mermaid," he whispered while laying on his back, putting his arm underneath his head with a victorious sigh.

I blinked and opened my mouth, and closed it slowly.

I still could feel his tongue all over my skin. I squirmed slightly.

He removed his arm from underneath his head and spread it for me to put my head on it. I shifted closer as he nodded in invitation.

"Mermaid and Pirate?" I chuckled to myself at the names I had used. "More like the Tarzan and Jane.

"Who are they?" He asked in a deep whisper.

I wrapped my arm around his torso, closing my eyes and breathing in his scent of woods and the soap we use.

"They are just like us."

"Mhmm?"

I hummed while adding, "Would you take me to Savina, tomorrow?"

A light kiss came upon my head while he wrapped his hand around my waist.

"When the sun will set," he said, his deep voice calming my throbbing body slowly. "I'll take you to her, my mate. Good night."

I smiled to myself while wishing him back.

"The night has been good indeed, my mate."

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"What do you think?"

Please vote and comment.

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I don't why I felt this chapter needed to happen. Maybe, because I feel Misty is at peace deep in her heart on this side of world. There is no studying, no school, no elders she respects or admires to watch over her. The people here are still strangers for her except Karam who had entered her life on his own. With no fear of getting caught or feeling shame and deep in her heart knowing, she enjoys it. She was letting herself explore the part of her life that had been forbidden all this time. Regardless of it being attraction/mate bond/ Stockholm Syndrome/love.

Also, I am loving all your comments. Such insights and so many theories.

I hope, this chapter plays a role in our understanding of Misty's journey here and her change of moods during such tough adventure of life (being in Lycan territory)

Thank you.

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