Finishing the water, Xael looked up at her mate. "I need another bath." Shado lifted her up off the floor and sat her on the toilet seat.

"Sit here okay, I'll get it ready for you."

Xael felt a little better now that her stomach was empty. Shado kept a watchful eye on her. Just then his phone rang, he quickly went to the bed to grab it, it was Ms. Emma.

Walking back into the bathroom he saw Xael trying to stand. He let the phone ring as he tossed it on the counter, he would need to call her back.

"Stop! Stop trying to stand babe." Reaching her, Xael leaned against him, their bare chests coming together, she whimpered in pain. His hand went to her back to help support her.

"It hurts to sit."

Shado picked her up once again and carried her over to the bathtub, and put her down. "Lean against me till the water is ready." Xael slowly put her weight against him as he supported her, resting her head on his shoulder.

With the bath ready, Shado helped remove Xael's underwear and bandages. This time she didn't flinch but relaxed into the hot water.

Letting out a sigh, she rested her head on the side of the tub, Shado knelt beside her. He dipped his hand in the hot water.

"Fuck! How can you stand that?" The water was scalding hot.

"Hmm...it feels good to me."

He dipped his hand back in again to scoop some of the medicinal water over the mark on her neck.

"Thank you, you are taking such good care of me." 

Shado smiled at her as she closed her eyes to enjoy the bath. He noticed they still had a ring of blue around them. His phone rang again, this time he went to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Adam hun, how is she?" Ms. Emma was anxious and worried.

"Better, she's soaking in the tub again. Tell Houser I said Thank you!" He returned to his Mate's side to continue scooping water over her bite mark.

{I forgot the soup, I need it}

"Oh Ms. Emma, we forgot the soup that Xael has in the freezer."

"No problem, I'll drop it off in a bit."

{No. One of the humans needs to do it, Ted, the others won't be able to come near your apartment.}

"Uhh...Xael says Ted needs to do it, you guys won't be able to come near the apartment."

"What? Oh don't worry, I'll leave it outside the door." Ms. Emma hung up before he could respond. He turned his attention back to his Mate.

"Talk to me baby? How are you feeling?"

"Much better. You're a strong Alpha, you're healing me pretty quickly."

"Good, I'll be right back, I need to put fresh towels on the bed for you. Do NOT fall asleep in that tub."

"I won't"

Shado was back in no time, as his Mate rested in the bath, he got the bandages and towels ready for her. Her eyes followed him intently. She watched from the tub as he lit some sage and stood in front of the huge mirrored wall along the countertop. He dug out a pair of scissors from one of the drawers and untied his hair.

"Adam..." He looked back at her and smiled. Before she could say anything else, he cut his ponytail off. A few more passes with the scissors and he was done. He gathered the cut hair in a bundle and wrapped it back up. Walking over to his Mate, her eyes were starting to tear up. He knelt beside her again, her hand coming up to his face. His hair now just barely past his shoulders, thick layers framed his face.

"Why?" Xael's voice was still weak.

He held the bundle of hair and looked at it. "This is full of old memories, old thoughts and old pain." he looked over to her, his eyes were also watery.

"You Xael, are my life now. I want a fresh and new start with you."

Xael brought their lips together in a tender and loving kiss. She didn't have any words for him other than "I love you."

"I Love you too Xael. You have no idea how much I love you."

Another kiss and Xael wanted out of the tub. This time she was able to stand on her own as Shado put on fresh bandages. All done, he stood up in front of her. She still wanted to go topless and he wasn't going to argue with that. Facing her, she ran her fingers through his hair.

"You look so different. I love it." he smiled and nuzzled the unmarked side of her neck. Her scent was still strong.

"God I love how you smell."

"Good, because I'm not able to hid it for awhile." he kissed her again.

"Can you walk?"

"Not yet, maybe tomorrow." Shado carefully picked her up and placed her in the bed. She moved to sit up but yelped from putting too much weight on her arm where the mark was. Shado helped her as she pulled the blanket up to cover herself.

Shado placed the bundle of hair on his desk, the picture of him and his previous mate he placed on top of it. His phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Shado? Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah? Xael just had another bath, why?"

"No one can get near the buildings. Xael's scent is preventing any Wolfen from getting close, she's cleared out the buildings on both sides of you!" Shado turned and looked at Xael as she sat in bed waiting for him.

"Uhh...I... Uh Sorry?"

"Okay...look, we'll be there in a minute with the soup. Ted will knock when it's there. The humans are the only ones that can get near you!" Thankfully it was Sunday so not much was open.

"Ok." Shado went to his Mate and sat on the edge of the bed next to her. Xael gingerly moved over to him and rested against him, one hand holding the blanket up while the other caressed his arm.

"That was Skylar, he said your mated scent has cleared out both buildings on the side of us."

A soft chuckle and Xael spoke, her voice still weak. "I know, it's to keep others away from me as I heal. I guess I should have mentioned that. The scent will go away by Tuesday, I think."

"Mn. How you feeling?"

"Better, I need to sit up for a bit." Shado started to move to sit behind her when there was a knock at the door. Shado growled and went to answer it. He was extremely protective of her now that they had just mated and Xael was so vulnerable.

He opened the door just a crack, it was Ted with a bag. "Chief told me to drop this off for you before we....dude your hair!"

"Thanks Ted." Shado grabbed the bag and shut the door again. He went into the kitchen area. He left out a container of soup and Ms. Emma had included a container of food from the breakfast they had.

"You want some of your soup now babe?" Xael shook her head as she slowly moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She pulled at her undies and bandages to see how the claw marks were healing. She winced a little at seeing how bad they were and quickly covered them back up.

Xael patiently sat with the sheet covering her bare chest as her Mate heated up the food for them. Soon, Shado walked over to her with a cup filled with broth and his plate. She wrapped her delicate hands around the hot mug and inhaled the aroma. He sat his plate on the side table and grabbed the chair from his desk to sit in front of her.

The Omega quietly drank all of the broth and sat the cup to the side. For her first day after Mating, she was doing better than she thought she would. Shado was almost finished with his meal when Xael felt fluttering again in the pit of her stomach. Before she could react she began sweating as waves of heat flushed through her body. Shado looked at her, her eyes were glazed over and back to that unusual electric blue.

"Xael?" She closed her eyes as the heat intensified again. She slowly stood up and in one swift movement she had torn her undies off along with the bandages.

She moved closer to the Alpha, by now he had put his plate on the side table, shocked by her movements. Xael no longer felt pain, just the building heat.

Xael straddled the Alpha while he sat in the chair, running her nose along the unmarked side of his neck. She moved to look at him.

"I'm...I'm in heat again."

"Again!?"

She whimpered as her need for her Alpha grew. Her scent was now wrapping around both of them and Shado was responding to it quickly. He hoisted her up and had her on the bed and his boxers off. This time their Mating was different, it was gentler and there was no rush. His touches were tender as they both enjoyed each other thoroughly. There was no need to mark the other, they were already bonded. They made love until they were exhausted, the two laid entangled together on the bed.

Xael was snuggled against him as he held her close. Her scent was now calming and relaxing.

"Xael?"

"Hmn?"

"Why did you go into heat twice?" She moved so she could look into his face. Her eyes were a dazzling mix of grey and blue. Her hand gently caressing his face.

"Because I wanted you again. This time I wanted it to be just us, not our wolves."

His hand came up and held onto her neck as he brought her down for another kiss. Pulling back he stared into her eyes.

"Your eyes changed again."

"I know. This is how they'll be from now on."

Shado just looked at her, his eyes studying every inch of her. Her hair was coming undone as it framed her face. She never took her eyes off of him.

"What are you Xael?"