Turn the handle anti-clockwise twice, then press the centre switch, Icarus had instructed before leaving to freshen up.

Back in the castle, the werewolves had departed to their allocated rooms. It had surprised Anaya when they didn't shift into their human form right in the hall room, before her eyes. Icarus had said they didn't want to cause her any discomfort, which she found to be a very thoughtful gesture.

She tried the lock for the second time, failing. Icarus' room was adjacent to hers, separated by a wall but joined by the door behind the bookshelf. She felt like she was in one of those historical drama studios. The set up gave similar vibes. It made her wonder about the other secrets the castle held, and how much time it would take her to uncover them all. Decades, she guessed and shook her head.

As if she would be here till then.

Her spine straightened, and she felt disturbed by the notion of death. If her speculation was correct, Icarus was immortal. He would lose her at some point. She tugged at the lock again, giving it a harsh push, and this time, to her luck, it opened with a 'click'.

She let out a breath and entered his room, urging her mind to ignore the thought of separation that was bound to happen and focus on the present. The remarkable time she had with Icarus in the woods flashed in her mind. At first, she'd feared falling and breaking her bones but knowing he would protect her, she'd closed her eyes and let the breeze caress her. She had smelled the earth; the various elements blending to give a scent that felt oddly soothing. The child within her had soared, giddy and carefree. She hadn't been able to stop the smile that stretched across her face.

"Thank you, Icarus. I had so much fun!" She wanted to say that to him earlier. But as soon as they were inside the room, he had shifted and she had lost her ability to speak, thrown off by his naked glory. He hadn't even bothered to cover himself, finding it amusing when she kept her gaze on the door.

The deafening silence made her turn towards him, and she was unsurprised to find him sprawled on the couch. She knew the two hours run had tired him, but his ego didn't let him admit it. She tip-toed towards him, her eyes trailing down his chest to his toned stomach and the dips of his hips. Desire scorched within her, and she swallowed, thankful for the pants that covered his lower half because when it came to him, her senses clouded and the impulse to touch him surfaced.

Leaning to his level, she blew air on his face. His eyelashes fluttered, but his eyes remained shut. She stifled a giggle and readied herself to do it again, only halting with her mouth agape when his arms circled her waist and pulled her against his solid chest.

"Fun, huh?" He planted a kiss on her lips, and all she could do was melt into him.

"Loved every bit of it." Her eyes zeroed on the locket around his neck, and she grasped it between her fingers. "Let me guess- Grandma gave it to you?"

He hummed. "It belonged to the first Alpha apparently."

"Oh." She studied the intricate patterns. "What is it for?"

"Balance, Control and Protection. The amulet draws power from the moon."

"How come I never saw you wearing it?" She let go of the locket and splayed her hands on his stomach, tracing the smooth, hard muscles with her fingertips. He followed her movements with his eyes and caught her wrist before she could explore any further. She looked up at him, and he saw the haze of heat.

"I think you didn't notice. I forget to wear it sometimes, but grandma has told me to never remove it." He draped her arms around his neck, drawing her closer. Their lips touched and at once, everything faded into the background. Anaya trembled, allowing herself to get consumed by the irresistible sensations. It flowed through her in ripples, accelerating her heartbeat and taking her breath away. Yet she didn't want to stop, not today, not anytime, that's how good it felt, like biting into cotton candy, utterly sweet and soft.

Icarus made her feel alive.

They were interrupted by loud knocks on the door. Anaya retracted from his embrace and fixed herself before going to open the door while Icarus remained seated donning his calm expression which was contradictory to the havoc brewing inside him. He wanted Anaya so bad. The next full moon was looming, and he would not be able to withstand that experience all over again. It had not only been painful for Anaya but also for him.

"Sorry to barge in, but Ellie wanted to see you."

"She is here?" Anaya perked up.

"Here." Immanuel held up his phone, revealing Ellie who waved at Anaya. "Video call."

"Oh, hey!" Anaya greeted her back with a huge smile. "It's so good to see you again!"

"I know. If I wasn't intimidated, I would have attended." Ellie sighed.

Anaya glanced at Icarus who arched his eyebrow. He motioned for her to come closer. She shook her head, so did Immanuel. They didn't want Ellie to meet Icarus just yet, physical or virtual. He was a werewolf, that too the King. They wouldn't be surprised if Ellie fainted.

"I'm not allowed to see your mate?" he asked, disbelief dripping from his words.

They shook their head and turned away from him, which seemed to aggravate him further. He came up behind them; his footsteps were stealthy enough that they didn't realise until he was looking at the screen with a half-smirk.

Ellie froze, her eyes widening. "Twins?"

"You wouldn't know since you only interact with him."

"I-um..." Her gaze jumped back and forth between Icarus and Immanuel before landing on Anaya for help.

"Meet Icarus, my mate."

"Oh! He is...he is the werewolf King!" she screeched, then the call ended.

"Not cool."

Icarus chuckled when Anaya and Immanuel shot daggers at him. "It's not my fault." He went back to the couch and picked his shirt and suit, slipping into them. "Call again."

Immanuel dialled Ellie's number, heaving a relieved sigh when her face appeared on the screen. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. I was shocked...." Her words faded as Immanuel left the room.

Anaya shut the door and approached Icarus, her steps slowing down when she saw the look in his eyes. Her skin sizzled, and the heated kiss they'd shared replayed in her head. Before he could make a grab of her, she spoke. "I think we should join others."

"Yeah," he responded softly, his gaze shifting away from her. It took him some time to collect himself while Anaya remained quiet to give him space. She knew how much she bothered him, and if she was honest, it was no different for her. The only thing stopping her was the insecurities that had risen over the last few months. She was inexperienced. If she couldn't satisfy him, what would happen? Would he find someone else? Someone like Gina perhaps? She shook her head to get rid of the sour vision just as Icarus took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. "Stop that."

"What?"

"Overthinking."

"How would you know?"

"I just do."

He navigated through the crowd with the kind of grace and power that was hard to avoid. The werewolves came forward to converse with him, and he made sure to pay attention to them. After all, it wasn't every day that you could catch a glimpse of the King at such close approximation. Anaya stood beside him the entire time, incapable to stop herself from admiring him. Feeling her stare, he arched his eyebrow and she shook her head, smiling. Surprised by the sweet and delightful expression on her face, his hold around her tightened and he leaned down to press a kiss to her nose. "Did I tell you how beautiful you are?"

She nodded, heat spreading across her cheeks and turning a shade brighter when her stomach growled. He fought a smile, whisking her in the direction of the food junction. Dinner was served and brought to them. Anaya dived into it without hesitation, uncaring of the fact that others might be watching her.

"This is so good. What is it?" She knew it was mushroom, but she couldn't recognise the recipe. She lifted it to Icarus' mouth and he parted his lips, savouring the taste.

"Alpha!" Mason, the third in command, marched towards them. Icarus growled, detesting his disrespectful behaviour. He turned to Mason, intending to reprimand him, but the words died in his throat when their gazes met. He could tell Mason had arrived with bad news.

"There's a dead werewolf outside our pack border."

A/N
Long time, no see! Finally a new chapter. I hope you like it. I had exams because of which I was unable to update, but now that it's over, I can't wait to publish new chapters and finish this book ASAP. Thank you for sticking around. You all mean so much! ❤