‘I feared for your safety and I feared the worst to happen. I’m glad it didn’t. I know I can’t help much other than just… be here, but I worried for you…’

Aindreas stood still for a second, taking in what she said, but then started shaking his head. Is that what she truly felt? That she was useless other than as a place setting, a body to provide words of comfort? Did she truly think so little of herself? His brows furrowed together and he stared her with concern. “Mai… when I spoke to you before the war, when I said I did not want you near the battle, it was not because I thought you could not help. But against the vampires, you are susceptible. One bite from them would damage you, perhaps irreparably. I know you have not have much contact with them, perhaps none even, so let me enlighten you. A bite from a vampire is one hundred times more painful than the most venomous sting from a scorpion, and it sets your entire body aflame. If you are lucky, you come out the other end unchanged other than in pain, exhausted, and with a nasty scar. But those unlucky and ill-fated… they either die from the venom, or are themselves turned into a vampire. It is a horrible fate for anyone, yes, but I simply could not risk the chance that that fate could be yours. That is the reason I wanted you far from the battle and no other. You are not useless.” Aindreas huffed and turned away from her. How could he make her understand that the magic that ran in his veins, made him stronger and faster, that made him resistant to the powers of the vampires, also had tied him to her. How could he explain to her that each second that his heart beat, he could feel her existence, could feel the pull toward him. Was it love? No. Aindreas had loved not once, but many times before, and knew that he did not love Mai. But the magic had bonded their souls together, had created an affinity that perhaps would never have existed otherwise. And it terrified Aindreas, for he knew that if he ever did fall in love with Mai, the love that grew would far surpass anything that he had ever felt before, would make the years long affair between himself and Stormy seem like a childhood crush. It would be all encompassing, and would forever change his views on everything.

He had seen Vladimir and Seraphina together on more than one occasion, both before and after Vladimir’s transformation into an Oferweder. They had been young then – hardly even teenagers, and yet the feelings they harbored for each other were obvious to everyone except for them. Vladimir was moody, with a temper that could not be dulled, and so took everything personally and overreacted to anything that even was mildly offensive, even it had been meant playfully… and Seraphina had been just as stubborn. But afterwards, the change in Vladimir had been substantial. No, that was not the right word for it did not adequately describe the difference. Now, when he was with Seraphina, the difference was extreme. Should anything threaten her, the temper he had always had before turned into a whitehot flame of rage, a burning sword ready to cut through anything that should make the fatal mistake of coming between Vladimir and his mate. And at times of peace, when they were together either alone or with any of their innumerable pups? Vladimir was soft and supple without a trace of his temper. It still burned brightly though, but with passion for her. His eyes were for her, and only her. The most beautiful and carnal wolves could traipse before them with their tails flagged, their intimate parts displayed shamelessly and he would see nothing but the silhouette of Seraphina in the distance. The dedication he was now capable of feeling, the responsibility of the pups, the heart within him… all of it would make him into a good ruler, a good king. He had finally grown up and into the Alpha that their father Kalgalath had always intended for him to be. But what would it do to Aindreas? He had changed because he had been put into the Alpha position, not in order to become an Alpha. And even though he had never wanted the position, he had done well with it, or at least as well as any body could have hoped.

In short, the potential future between Mai and himself terrified him, for he had no idea what it would bring. If they had met under completely different circumstances, perhaps on the battlefield as enemies, she would have become his mortal enemy, capable of creating a hatred like no other within him and giving Aindreas a near obsessive desire to destroy her. But they had met amicably… and so whatever grew between would grow to be something great. Was he ready for the type of commitment that would require of him? He had never flourished in relationships before, always falling short of what he should have done, always floundering with inexperience. He had terrible timing, had no idea how to dish out compliments… he took everything quite literally, and was terrible at talking. After all, he had not grown up essentially on his own, without parents for the large majority of his puphood and teenage years, and had not learned any social graces. How could he ever hope to explain the intricacies of a soulmate to her? And if love ever blossomed in his heart, how could he ever hope that the sentiment would be mutually shared.

Aindreas turned around to face her again, his facial features softening as he cocked his head to the side. He studied her for a moment before talking again. “What is it that you want Mai? I have lots of connections and can get you a master to study under, no matter the career path that interests you. So… what interests you?”

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