23

I stared at Amelia in surprise. She stood in front of me and seemed clearly upset. Behind her I noticed Niklas as he slowly walked into the room. I wasn't quite sure how to feel. On the one hand, I was sorry that Amelia had gotten Niklas as a companion, after all, I was very surprised myself, on the other hand, I was also a little pleased with the situation.

I suppressed a smile. "I dont know what you are talking about." Her eyes sparkled with anger. "You know exactly what I'm talking about." She waved both arms in Niklas direction. "Why? Why him?"

Now I felt sorry for her. Soulmates were the most important thing to werewolves and Amelia was definitely a person who had always hoped to get one. At least that's what I thought. It was definitely not easy for her that she now got Niklas, whose first impression was not the best.

"I understand you're upset, I really am. But he's the one for you." She snorted angrily. "You announced it so big and I was really looking forward to it, and for what? For him? I beg you. The guy is an idiot."

Now Niklas spoke up: "Excuse me, I'm still here too." "Shut up," Amelia snapped at him and he rolled his eyes, but did as she asked. I got up and walked towards her. "You didn't expect him, alright, definitely understandable. Neither did I, by the way. But believe me, Amelia, he's your soul mate. And for a reason too."

I looked at Nicholas. "And he's liked you before." "Nice for him," she replied snippy. "Alina, please. This guy, he doesn't suit me. We don't even like each other. Can't you give me someone else?" I looked at Niklas and as I had already guessed, this sentence hit him hard.

It was difficult to decide which role to take on. Everything urged me to agree with Amelia and put Niklas on her side, but I couldn't do that. Like me, she was very shallow at that moment. She thought she knew Niklas. There was so much she didn't know.

"No, I can't," I said patiently and took a few reassuring steps towards her. "Believe me, you guys are amazingly compatible. Just give him a chance to explain his past behavior." "But Alina, I..." She stopped and looked at me with narrowed eyes. "I don't want him."

That sat. Not for me, but for someone else. Niklas gasped in shock. In the next second, Jack was standing next to him and put his hand on his shoulder. "Understood?" "Yes," Niklas growled in response. "I've never been better. My mate doesn't want me and I have to listen to some stupid arguments from her." I guess she meant me because he waved his hand in my direction.

I gasped in disgust and Damian didn't seem to like that comment either. "So please, what has I got to do with this? Everyone always wants a soul mate and when they do get one, the color of their eyes isn't right, or they don't live next door to you, or they haven't behaved appropriately for you in the past."

Exasperated, I fixed Amelia first and then Niklas. I really didn't have to put up with something like that. "It's not my job to make sure your mate is perfect for you. I'll match you with someone who will understand you. With whom you will complement yourself. Someone you'll never get bored with. And - surprise - someone who who you could spend your life with, then if you want it, this is not a perfect person who will do everything for you, but someone who will challenge and tease you, someone who will make you reveal your true self. I'll give you a baseline, but you'll have to do the rest yourself."

With that, I turned around and sat back down in my chair. That's where I caught Damian's eye.

So it was Niklas?

I nodded. Yes, both of them are visibly happy about that.

Oh, I think they'll get along just fine. He grinned. When they start accepting each other.

Mutual acceptance? Are you doing that?

Accept you? No, I adore you.

I laughed out loud, earning me a few confused looks. Shaking my head, I calmed down. Finally, I registered a look at myself. I looked straight into Amelia's eyes, who was staring at me in shock. Or rather, my neck.

"That's... Well I..." She wrestled with herself until Amelia made up her mind. "I'm going to go cool off now. Give me thirty minutes and then I want to talk all about that beautiful thing on your neck, alright?" It was an offer. To talk about both of our feelings and experiences. How could I turn that down? So I nodded and smiled reassuringly at her.

Amelia nodded back briefly and then walked out without saying another word. "How exactly does that work? Do you see anything from my life?" asked Niklas. He asked the question casually, but I knew it was important to him. "I connect soulmates by inferring from their feelings whether they would be compatible or not."

I watched as the realization hit him. But then he did something I didn't expect. "And now you want to laugh at me? Tell everyone? After all, I haven't left you alone over the years," Niklas growled, getting a little closer with every word.

"No wonder you have such control over the people around you when you know everyone's biggest secrets." Niklas was now so close to me that Jack intervened. He stood diagonally in front of me and put his hand on his shoulder again. But this time it was a warning.

"I only get a few crucial memories from potential candidates. And of course I won't pass them on. The control of my fellow humans and wolves is rather innate, but I think it's nice that you have noticed this talent on my part."

Nicholas snorted. The tension drained from his shoulders, and though he stayed where he was, I knew he wouldn't do anything rash. So I pushed Jack aside and said to Niklas: "Not everyone is after you or wants to kill you, Niklas."

He looked at me, really looking at me for the first time, it seemed to me, because I could see a deep exhaustion in his eyes. "You have no idea what it's like..." "Yes, I do. All my life I've been on the run in a way and had to hide. You can't go on like this forever."

When he didn't reply, I added, "When the time or moment is right for you, you should talk to Amelia about it. I know you don't think she wants to hear it, but you need to give her the opportunity give me a chance to really get to know you. Believe me, she'll understand."

Niklas just looked at me before he took a quick look at Damian and then left the house. "That was awkward," Jack murmured. I really hoped that Niklas would take my suggestion to heart.

"Definitely. Now I'm hungry. Can we please find something to eat?" Damian said. I mumbled my agreement and walked over to him. Jack stopped me, however, by whispering, "If I ever need good advice, I'll definitely come to you." He winked at me again in support of his statement.

DAMIAN’S VIEW

The last few days had been busy, but nothing important had happened. It was strange. We spent our time together happily and relaxed, however Alina and I knew it wouldn't always be like that and it dampened the mood. Egbert had sent for more warriors, but let his beta travel home briefly to keep his people safe. We all suspected that Karl would be back soon. His soul mate Saphira stayed with us.

On the one hand because she seemed to feel very comfortable here and wanted to stay with the children and on the other hand because she didn't want to leave her son alone. Zabrina had returned home. Her pack wanted to move closer to us, but still far enough away that they were not in danger, being ambushed by the organization.

The alpha wanted to organize her pack and prepare her for the time ahead. In addition, she complied with her favor and promised me that she would return with many warriors (although she was more likely to be called warrior women). During her time with us, she'd avoided Ethan for the most part. She never seemed to have forgiven him for his betrayal.

But that didn't bother Ethan at all. He was also aware of how dangerous what was ahead of us was. Which was probably also the reason why he spent as much time with Lisa as possible. Zabrina's wish to meet Alina had also come true. The encounter between the two could be described as strange without a guilty conscience.

Both women wanted to show off their strength and pride on first impressions, which made everyone in attendance feel somewhat out of place. Still, I knew that Alina and Zabrina would get along very well once they put their pride aside. My companion and I didn't get to see each other much during the day, simply because we were busy with other things. I organized my warriors and spent a lot of time fighting with them.

We trained each other. It also added to the general sense of community, which was definitely positive. The last houses were finally finished, so that nothing stood in the way of our life here. But only actually. We expected Lerhome's return any day. A plan had already solidified in my head and I was sure that the others felt the same way. Our goal was to find out as much as possible about the organization. It didn't really matter what. Because everything would help us even in the smallest way.

The best Lerhome could tell me would be if he found out where the organization was, where they kept their krecanos, and who their leader was. The latter probably didn't exist at all, as our three prisoners repeatedly asserted, but I would be completely stupid if I simply trusted them without further investigation. Alina wasn't the person to squeeze more information out of them this time. Although Egbert had insisted since it worked so well last time, Alina refused.

I suspected her last visit was still deep in her bones. Instead, it was Jack who asked our prisoners questions. When he gave us all the information, he had to drink alcohol first, because - as he said himself - nothing would work without alcohol. After finding out who her soul mate was, Amelia was reticent, not to say disgusted, towards him. I knew that Alina and she had talked that same day. As far as I know, their conversation was mostly about Niklas.

Alina didn't reveal anything personal about him to Amelia. I, too, learned nothing of what she had learned about Niklas. In between, a giggle suddenly erupted from the room, which is why I strongly suspected that it was about me too. Or more like my mark. A grin immediately crept onto my face, which didn't disappear for the whole day. When Alina finally came back to me and noticed, she had just said, "Don't say anything now" and then gave me a warning look. I just put my hands up in defense. Alina spent most of the day with my pack members.

It was apparently very important to her to find out everything about her. She talked to the old people and found out what they had experienced so far. She visited families and held a newborn who was born three days ago and was the first baby born here. She also did things with the children. Together they played outside or Alina showed them her powers. In the evenings, when we both fell into bed exhausted, she would tell me about her day. She often told me about her experiences with a smile on her face. I got the feeling that she wasn't just doing it to distract the werewolves from the war that was about to happen.

Instead, I firmly believed that Alina was doing it primarily for herself. She had something that felt like home to her and she took full advantage of it. Whenever that thought crept into my head, a warm feeling spread through my chest. Not only knowing that she loved being here, but that my family became hers too.

That she enjoyed spending her time with them. And that she told me about it in the evening until she fell asleep exhausted in my arms. It was the best feeling ever. Alina gave me a feeling of calm and security. We listened to each other and understood each other without words. Sometimes we told each other about our past. I told them about my parents and they told me about all the places she had been along with all the things she had experienced there. I knew I loved her. In a way, I had loved her since we first met in the schoolyard. But that was just our connection. The affection I automatically felt for her.

Many soul mates never got beyond that feeling for each other, but I was sure we had been for a long time. Our connection was stronger, and that, although we hadn't completed them yet. I loved Alina because she accepted and absorbed the power that surrounded me, rather than disappearing in fear or reacting in awe. She knew my doubts because they were similar to her own.

And then as we lay in bed at night, listening to her calm breathing and looking out at the moon just before I fell asleep myself, I realized how lucky I was. And that I would fight for it. So I could keep it Or, so that at least Alina would survive if necessary. I would even give my life for it. And then as we lay in bed at night, listening to her calm breathing and looking out at the moon just before I fell asleep myself, I realized how lucky I was. And that I would fight for it. So I could keep it Or, so that at least Alina would survive if necessary.

I would even give my life for it. And then as we lay in bed at night, listening to her calm breathing and looking out at the moon just before I fell asleep myself, I realized how lucky I was. And that I would fight for it. So I could keep it Or, so that at least Alina would survive if necessary. I would even give my life for it.