<b>Chapter </b><b>35 </b>Amalie
I watch Mark shoot a re at Cal. He is not happy about cutting back on his time spent with Rose. But I didn’t know what to <b>say </b><b>or </b>do. I have been awake for three or four days after being out for two weeks and captive for seven years. For three <b>years </b>it has been engrained into my core to protect Rose. It has been the two of us against the world.
Now, we are free. I have two mates and my friends back. Goddess, it’s so overwhelming. What am I supposed to do?
‘Trust mates,‘ Beren says tiredly.
‘You were just freaking out too! I scold her.
‘But at the end of the day, I trust them to protect us and Rose,‘ she tells me before falling back to sleep.
‘Not helping!‘ I shout at her. I let out a huff out loud.
“Ama?” Mark asks hesitantly.
“Beren is not helpful,” I huff.
<b>“</b>What did she say?” he asks, his tone somewhere between cautious and hopeful.
“To trust you both,” I say as I re at the ceiling. I’m not mad at them, I’m not. I’m just overwhelmed.
“You don’t want to?” Calyx asks, hurt in his voice.
I snap my head down and look at both of them. “No!” I shout, startling the four of <b>us</b>. “No,” I repeat softer, “I trust you. I would be gone with Rose by now if I didn’t. It’s a lot happening too soon.”
“We can give you space and time if that is what you want,” Mark says as he gets <b>up </b>to leave.
“Don’t leave,” I tell him and grab his wrist. “I’m not entirely sure what I want. But I do know that I love you both and Rose loves you both. You both care about us. I can’t do that to you or her and let you leave<b>.</b><b>” </b>
“What do you want?” Cal asks, pushing me.
“I don’t know,” I state<b>, </b>tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.
“We’ll stay until you do,” Mark said as he slid onto the bed beside me.
“I’m sorry my life is soplicated<b>,</b>” I whisper as Cal moves to the end of my bed.
“We don’t mind,” Mark smiles as he wraps his arms around me.
“Come on princess, let’s give Mark and your mom time alone,” Cal says with a smile. He holds his hand out to Rose.
She gives me a hug and then crawls out of myp. I’m sad to see her leave, but this will give Mark and I time to also have <b>time </b>with yx.
he would
“<b>Bye </b>mommy, bye daddy,” she then takes Cal’s hand, and they leave the room<b>. </b>
Mark picks me <b>up </b>and adjusts the two of us. I’m sitting in hisp now and his arms are still around <b>me</b>. “<b>Are </b><b>you </b><b>okay </b><b>with </b><b>Rose </b>calling <b>me </b><b>dad</b><b>?</b>” Mark <b>asks </b>in a whisper.
<b>Chapter </b><b>35 </b>Amalle
<b>“</b>Rose loves you. And I was seilous about me loving you both,” I tell him, “<b>I </b><b>have </b><b>always </b>loved you and Calyx. The mate bond just helped turn that love to romantle love.”
Mark kisses my neck, some of the first actual physical contact beside hugs and hand holding.
I feel like I’m back in junior high with a crush on the twins and we are in the exploring stage.
<b>‘</b>Not far off, Beren mutters as she stirs from the back of our shared consciousness.
I thought you were sleeping,‘ I snap at her in embarrassment.
‘Stop thinking so loudly. I’m surprised they can’t hear your thoughts,‘ she scoffs at me.
“You ever think about what it would have been like to finish high school?” Mark asks me.
“A few times,” I tell him.
“I think about it a lot. You were robbed of seeing Cal and I for the first and being to feel the mate bond snap into ce. Of getting to let Beren run through the forest. Of going on pack runs. You were robbed of finishing high school. You were robbed of so much<b>,</b><b>” </b>he tells me. I hear the heart break and frustration.
“But in the end, I think it was worth it. I got Rose and now I have you two,” I tell him. If I’m being vulnerable and honest, I might as well info dump on him. I’m too worn out after our panic attack to keep my walls up and sensor what I tell him.
“You don’t have to tell me anything. You don’t owe me,<b>” </b>Mark says <b>as </b>he kisses the side of my head.
I lean into his embrace. “I need to talk to someone, and James already threatened to drag the answers out of me<b>,</b><b>” </b>I <b>huff</b><b>. </b>
“You don’t owe him anything,” Mark growls.
“He’s right though. I need to talk to you and Cal. You are my mates and should know everything about me,” I whisper. Goddess, why is being vulnerable so hard.
“Doesn’t mean you owe us anything. Being mates isn’t a bargaining system. It’s love and understanding,” he tells me as he tilts my head up so he can look into my eyes.
“Is it bad that I want to kiss you right now?” I ask out–loud.
“No, because I want to kiss you right now too,” he smirks at me. He moves
W down to reach my lips.
Our lips are about to touch when the door bangs open. “You’re needed at the pack house,<b>” </b>James huffs in anger as he storms into
my room.
“Out,” Markus and Aziz growl.
I’m about to growl as well. I was about to get my first proper <i>kiss </i>and James interrupted it.
“<b>I </b>can’t<b>, </b>representatives from the council are here and demanding to speak with you and Calyx,” James growls bac
“Did they say why?” Mark asks.
“Rumors of you two usurping Mathew and taking control of our pack has made it to the council of alphas<b>,</b>” he tells <b>us</b>.
“Damn, I was hoping they would have gotten back to <b>us </b>sooner,” Mark curses. He looks down at me as <b>he </b><b>starts </b><b>to </b>move. <b>“</b><b>We </b><b>will </b>finish what we startedter<b>,</b>” <b>he </b>promises.
713
<b>Chapter </b><b>35 </b>Amalie
When I’m back in my original spot, Markus kisses my forehead before he is making his way na the done.
“Where is Rose?” I ask, trying to distract myself from my mates being called in to talk with
“Sam is bringing her,” James tells me. “So, what were you two about to do?<i>” </i>