Chapter 81

The next morning, Lucianne thought of looking for clues about the intruder who followed her and Xandar

to the freesia field. But when she recalled it rained for a few hours the previous night; she aborted her

plan. Any tracks or trails left would’ve been washed away. She shifted and began running down the

familiar path.

When Lucianne reached the river, she was a little disappointed that Xandar wasn’t there. But when she

started sniffing again, she caught a faint scent of acacia wood and forest trees so she turned to look

around in anticipation. When she found nothing, she started sniffing the air before a large pair of arms

lifted her off the ground.

‘Moming, beautiful.’Xandar brought her face to face with him, his animal smiling in radiance.

Lucianne smirked, ‘You were hiding somewhere, weren’t you, Xandar?’

He nuzzled his nose with hers, ‘Thought it’d be nice to surprise you. But you don’t seem very surprised.’

‘I caught your scent.’

‘Ah, that explains it.’ He leaned against the same tree and placed Lucianne on his lap as he started

stroking her back. ‘How did you sleep, Lucy?’,

‘Hm. After the 50-page report? With a slight headache.’

His hands stopped and he peered into her eyes in concern, ‘Do you still have a headache? Maybe you

should take the day off.’

‘Xandar, I’m fine. I slept it off. I can’t believe the fifty pages aren’t even everything yet. Chief Dalloway will

surely be busy for the next few days. So, how did you sleep, my darling?’

He sighed, ‘Maybe asking Chief Dalloway to send me the report by last night wasn’t such a good idea.’

Lucianne chuckled in amusement before tilting her head up to meet his gaze, ‘Had trouble sleeping too,

my King?’

‘Yes,’ he admitted before inching his head towards hers and continuing, ‘But when I thought about you, I

dozed right off.’

‘I see. I guess it’s good to be boring enough to help you sleep.’

Xandar didn’t fall for Lucianne’s trick this time because her wolf’s sapphire eyes sparked with cheekiness

so he started tickling his mate’s body mercilessly, eliciting her wolf’s chuckles and her human part’s

giggles through their link. ‘Xandar, stop! It tickles!’ She said between giggling.

‘You started this, you little rascal.’ He linked in a husky voice as he continued his assault.

‘It was…Giggles, …just a joke. Hey!’ Giggles.

She rolled off his lap to get away, and Xandar linked, ‘Oh no, you don’t. You know you can’t outrun

me yet, babe.’

Lucianne stood and smirked, ‘Yet? Admitting that a wolf’s speed can rival that of a Lycan’s now?‘

He matched her smirk and leaned into her and linked, ‘That’s not what I meant at all, mate.’

Lucianne felt herself blush at what Xandar meant. After a Lycan mates and marks a wolf, the wolf would

tum into a Lycan overnight. Literally overnight. The transformation from being marked by a Lycan takes

place when the wolf is asleep. ‘Are you saying that I might be faster than you in future, Xandar?’

‘Mm. It’s a possibility. And I hope that it’s in the near future, my love.’ He realised he made a mistake

telling her that last part when he saw uneasiness swimming in those blue orbs his Lycan couldn’t get

enough of. He whimpered in regret, ‘Baby, hey. We’re not rushing into anything. What I meant was I hope

it’s not fifty or a hundred years away.’

‘Okay.’ She linked meekly, clearly not believing what he just said. Not that he believed himself either.

They both knew he wanted to start a life together at that very moment if Lucianne let him. But they were

also aware that Lucianne wanted time.

‘Sweetheart, hey.’ He tried again, ‘I won’t force you into anything. I could never. I don’t want to do

anything that makes you uncomfortable. I’m already happier than I’ve ever been in my life when I’m with

you.’ He nuzzled his nose gently on hers and she managed a soft giggle through their link at the ticklish

sensation before Xandar continued, ‘I just want to be with you. That’s all I need.’

She pondered for a moment before she looked at the grass to hide the tears in her eyes as she linked in

a soft and sad voice, ‘Xandar, I don’t know how much time I’ll need. Are… Are you sure you want to

wait? It really is okay if you’d rathe

When Xandar realized what his mate was thinking, he scooped her up to stop her from finishing the link,

and held her close to his chest as he begged, ‘Baby, don’t go there, please. It already hurts. My heart is

not as strong as yours. I won’t survive if you l-leave me. Please just don’t go there. I’ll never leave you for

someone else. There isn’t anyone else. Don’t even dare suggest ending what we have just because we

need time.’

She linked guiltily, ‘We don’t need time, Xandar. I need time.’

‘Lucy, the only thing you’re asking for is time. It’s nothing compared to what I’ve been… implicitly

demanding of you.’

‘You didn’t demand, Xandar. You just implicitly asked. It’s different.’

He scoffed, “Now, you’re making me feel worse by being understanding.’

‘Demands are possessive and brutal, Xandar. I’ve heard countless stories of ruthless Alphas making

demands to their Lunas and their pack members. I’m not the understanding one here. You

are.’

He held her tighter, and when he ran out of arguments and explanations, he linked meekly, ‘I just want to

be with you.’

‘I want to be with you too.’ Lucianne linked back equally meekly. She didn’t want to leave him. But

she didn’t want to leave Xandar hanging for Goddess knows how long. It was clear that he wanted a

family, a child. Well, a daughter, to be precise. She wanted all those things with him too. But Lucianne

wasn’t sure if he wanted to wait as she took her time with their relationship.

‘What are you thinking about?’ He linked gently as he stroked the back of her head.

‘You’re the one making me feel worse by being understanding.’

He nuzzled his nose at her wolf’s nape and linked, ‘Don’t be, baby. I never want you to feel bad. As long

as we’re together, I don’t care how long it takes. I just want to be with you.’ His nose traced her ear as he

continued linking her, “Lucy, you deserve everything your heart desires. Anything and everything.’ He

then rubbed the side of his face against hers as he linked, ‘And as your mate, I’m determined to give it to

you. Everything and more.’

The sadness and pain Lucianne felt in her heart slowly diminished as he said those words. She then

linked softly and gratefully, “Thank you, Xandar.’

He pressed his forehead on hers, gazing deeply into her eyes as he linked, ‘I love you, my little freesia.’

His eyes only had faint traces of guilt as anticipation dominated them. Lucianne chuckled lightly through

their link before uttering, ‘I know. Thank you. I love you, too, my acacia.’