Chapter fifty nine

“I knew I would find you here,” Steven said to the boy fighting with a dummy. “Go easy on it, it’s not the reason for your frustration.”

“What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be gone by now that your brother is fine?” Sean asked irritated.

If Steven was offended the way he spoke to him, he didn’t show it. “Now you talked of it, that’s what I came to tell you. We are leaving tomorrow.”

“Safe journey,” Sean said as he slashed his sword on the dummy and kicked it with such force that the stick keeping the dummy standing broke off and the inanimate flew for a while before crashing on the ground.

“Wow,” Steven said, really impressed. “With that force you might be able to beat the Original,” he chuckled. Sean didn’t say anything to him as he marched to another dummy to begin his fight anew. “They are not your equal match, how about you fight someone your own size, maybe it would make you feel better getting your ass kicked,” he said, grabbing a sword and approaching him in stealth movement. “It would be fun.”

Sean didn’t bother replying and just straight on attacked him, wielding his sword with such expertise that a spectator would think Steven had an affair with his mate. He attacked and Steven defended with such professional movement and when he finally attacked, he had Sean on the ground with the tip of his sword on his throat. “The first thing you are taught in alpha training, don’t attack aimlessly,” Steven said and stepped back, giving him time to get up once more.

Sean wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spat out, “then it’s a good thing I’m not an alpha,” and he was attacking once more. His stances are professional but his attacks were a little aimless just like Steven had said and in no time, his back was on the ground again with Steven’s sword’s tip on his throat. He glared at his opponent and Steven sighed and shook his head.

“If I hadn’t fought with you before, I would say you are a coward and really don’t deserve your title as the future Beta. But I have fought with you and watched you fight, you are a lot better than you are doing now. If we were in a battle ground, you would have died by my sword twice now and it won’t be because I’m stronger, but because you are stupid and blinded by anger. The second thing we are thought in alpha training, you stalk, observe and then strike. Listen Sean, I may not have known Aliyah as much as you did or created a bond with her, but I know that if you want to save her, you will need to get your head in the game.”

Sean scoffed and pushed the sword away from him, “what do you know.”

“I know that if you continue in this part, you will be dead in the next rogue attack and to me, that is knowing enough.” Steven sighed. “The first time I met you, I knew instantly that you were a challenge and I hate challenges but getting to know you these few days, I realized that I would rather have you as a friend than an enemy. I don’t have many friends, you can ask around and that is because no one is worthy and I am very selective.”

“Yeah, maybe you should ask me if I want to be your friend too,” Sean said, getting up from the ground.

Steven smiled, “we are already friends Sean, you know that. And trust me when I say that Aliyah is fine, she is probably having the best time of her life, you never can tell,” he shrugged.

“We saw the rogues.”

“We saw them dead,” Steven said. “She is the Dark Prince’s mate; do you think he will let any harm befall her? Look at you, she is not your mate and yet you protect her to this extent, how much more her own mate.”

Sean sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “I will only be calm when I see her, have you seen our Luna? If she doesn’t see her soon, I don’t know what will happen to her.”

Steven frowned, “you speak like you have a plan. What are you planning?”

Sean bit his lip. “I will leave tomorrow morning.”

“To where?”

“I read in a book once that the Dark Prince has his castle on a hill. I want to search for his castle.”

Steven nodded. “Not only are you venturing into the nightwalkers den, but you are going to visit their original. Do you want to die? If so, how about I just kill you with my sword?”

“He knows me, he won’t kill me.”

“Really? Might I remind you that Aliyah is the only reason he didn’t kill us both that day in the woods? Come on Sean, that man is a blood thirsty beast, you would already be dead before he figures out you are related to his mate.”

“You are right, but I will take my chances.”

Steven scoffed and shook his head. “Okay,” he nodded. “Say you succeeded to evade all the nightwalkers that obviously would be protecting their prince, what would you do when you finally see Aliyah.”

“I will tell her to come back home.”

“Just like that?”

Sean shrugged. “I have no plan to take her away from her mate but at least, seeing her mother and letting her know she is okay is a good start.”

“I don’t know man,” Steven sighed, “I just hope…”

“Sean,” they heard and turned around to see the redhead running towards them. “You are okay,” Monica threw herself into Sean’s arms. “God, I was so worried. It’s a good thing you are okay, I don’t know what I would do if you were not,” she started sobbing softly in his arms.

“I’m fine,” Sean said soothingly to her and glanced at Steven who shrugged and dropped his sword, walking out of the training ground to give them some privacy. “Stop, Monica, really, you are crying as if something has already happened to me.”

“I don’t want to lose you Sean, you don’t understand.”

“I do and I’m fine, okay?” he pushed her away a little to look at her face and then tucking a tendril of red hair behind her ear, he smiled. “I will be fine, always,” he leaned down and kissed her gently, knowing deep in his heart that he can’t tell her about his plan tomorrow. He just hope that Edward would recognize him on first sight before acting dangerous.

***

Edward opened the door and his gaze landed on the girl sleeping on the bed. He sighed and a soft smile spread across his lips. Although being stealth already, he still walked slowly to the bed to avoid waking her up. She was still wearing his shirt and he loved the sight on her. He squatted in front of her and carefully removed the strands of brown hair that covered her face. The dream from last night flashed in his mind. A woman’s face, just like the one in front of him now but she was dressed as a princess. In the dream, she was smiling at him and offering the freshest apple he had ever seen to him.

He had never had a dream for as long as he could remember and he rarely sleeps, but last night, right after consummating his mating bond, he had fallen into a deep slumber and there he had seen that woman, the woman that looks exactly like his mate. He knew it must be a memory, a memory of his past life as a human. But what could it mean? Has he been with Aliyah before?

He had spent all morning in his palace thinking of this very dream and what influence it had in his life. The more he had thought of it, he started having a headache, a feeling he had not experience in a long time, in a life, long forgotten. His fingers traced the face of the sleeping girl, she was so young, so fragile and he could feel this protective feeling consuming him to protect her and not let history repeat itself. A history he can’t even remember.

His eyes went to the mating mark on her neck and his fingers traced it, caressing it softly and she moaned in her sleep. He could feel her, more than ever like she lived inside him. He could feel her heartbeats just like he could hear them now and he could perceive her scent, more delicious than ever but he would rather bask in the scent than sink his fangs in her to taste them. Something changed in him after last night, he can’t name what but he knew it has something to do with his feelings for his young mate.

He sighed, withdrawing his hand from his mark on her and briefly remembering the black rose on his neck that he had spent nearly thirty minutes admiring in the bathroom. The color was odd for a mating mark but he loved it, black was his favorite color after all. He smiled softly and leaned down, brushing his lips lightly on hers and loving the feel of those soft plum lips. He already had a taste of her, and now he couldn’t stop wanting more. No thanks to his beautiful, young little wolf.