~NYSSA
If looks could kill, I would be dead from the force of Henry's glare. But I ignored him. He was the least of my worries right now.
Instead, my gaze remained unwavering from the Lycan King.
My mate.
The man who was so different, yet so similar to the person I met in the garden mere minutes ago.
He was the only one that mattered, the only one who could save my people. And even if Henry was about to throw the Pack under the ditch just because of his stupid jealousy, I would not allow that to happen.
The Pack needed his help, and I would do anything to make him assist us.
"Before I say anything, I want you to know that my decisions are mine and mine alone. Ignore whatever Henry has to say from this point onwards. You said the future of my Pack depends on me, so from this moment, listen to me alone. Henry is secondary to this."
An amused smile played on Rowan's lips, and there was a gleam in his eyes that made a chill run down my spine.
"Sure," he stated curtly, and my heart started to race in my chest.
This was it then.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, slight panic rising swiftly in my blood. My wolf was silent too, and I was grateful that she wasn't fighting to get closer to Rowan even though his scent was all over this room. All over me.
My lips parted and I was about to speak, but Henry grabbed my wrist and yanked me against him.
I squirmed against his hold, but his grip was too tight. He dragged me away from where we stood, away from Rowan. The room was large enough to give us a semblance of privacy.
When we were slightly out of earshot, his grip loosened and I yanked my hand away from his hold.
"What the fuck, Henry?" I snapped, rubbing the skin on my wrist as I glared at him.
He ignored my outburst and ran a hand through his hair instead. His entire body was tense and rigid with barely restrained anger.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he snapped, and there was a bite to his voice that made my eyes narrow in anger.
"I am doing what is best for the Pack!" I spat back at him.
"By agreeing to jump into bed with him?"
The jealousy was obvious in his voice, and I was surprised at how green with envy he was.
"I am not agreeing to jump into bed with him. And even if I am, it's none of your fucking business. He's my mate for fuck's sake!"
Henry bit back a groan of frustration.
"Again with this mate nonsense. So what if he is your mate? Don't tell me you're actually thinking of accepting the mate bond?"
The disbelief in his voice stunned me. Who exactly did this jerk think he was?
"What I choose to do or not do is none of your damn business. It has nothing to do with you. Why are you getting so worked up?"
Henry moved closer and gripped my arms. "Let's say you actually accept the mate bond. What about me then? What will happen to me?"
My jaw dropped open.
"What?!"
"Tell me what you're going to do about me. Us. Our relationship."
I fought the urge to slap him. "There is no relation between us! You broke up with me. You have a new fiancée. There is no us, Henry!"
"So you're just going to leave me for him? Forget about Alisa, Nys. It's your my heart belongs to and you know it."
I threw my hands in the air. Arguing with him was pointless. For some reason, he had this notion in his head that despite what happened, I would still do whatever he asked.
Which was bullshit.
He was trying to gaslight me into not accepting my mate, and for what? For him? A man who didn't love me enough to choose me?
I shook my head at him, disappointed.
"Fuck you, Henry. I don't want your heart, and I certainly want nothing to do with you. Stay the fuck away from me and let me save our pack," I deadpanned
Then without waiting for a response, I marched back towards Rowan. He held my gaze as I got closer to him, and his expression remained unreadable.
I stopped before him and took a deep breath before I spoke.
"I will accept your terms, but I think we are going to have to tweak it a little."
Rowan cocked his head to the side as he considered my words.
"Go on."
"I am your mate, there is no denying that. We can both feel the bond between us, and I see no reason why either of us should outrightly reject each other. Unless you want to reject me…" I trailed off, waiting to see if he would say something about rejection.
When he didn't, I went on.
"Despite the bond though, we are actually still strangers. So we will take things slow. We don't have to throw a mating ceremony now. Let's just…get to know each other."
By the time I was done with that little speech, my heart was pounding in my chest. Still, I waited for him to speak.
"You have a point. Continue."
I bit back a fresh wave of uncertainty.
"I can't stay with you just like that though. I have a life of my own. A sudden transition from the only world I know into this is going to very stressful, and I don't think I would like that. So I think we should settle on a two weeks agreement."
Rowan's brows furrowed slightly at my words.
"What does that mean?"
I was almost at the end.
Almost. I just needed to say this last part.
"Let me alternate between staying with you and at my Pack. The pack needs me. It will be very insensitive for me to just disappear like that, especially in this time of need. The arrangement however, should work.
I will spend two weeks with you, then spend the next two weeks back at home. And the arrangement will go on for as long as it takes."
Done with my speech, I waited for the king's response. Silence stretched between us for several moments, moments where my heart was pounding so hard against my chest it drowned all other sounds.
When the silence was almost becoming unbearable, Rowan eventually spoke.
"And after shuffling between here and your Pack, what will happen then?"
"I'll make the decision whether I want to stay here with you, or whether I will be rejecting the bond between us to go back home."
He nodded slowly. "I see."
"So? Do we have a deal?" I asked. Rowan pushed back his chair as he stood up.
"I believe we do, Nyssa Fang. We have a deal."
I held my hand out for a handshake, and as his skin touched mine, an electric tingle rushed down my body.
Rowan smiled as if he could sense it, and when he leaned down to whisper into my ears, I could not stop myself from shivering.
"Welcome to my world, Nyssa. This is going to be a fun two wee