***Conlan's POV***

'What the hell Karr!' I yelled at my wolf. James and Theo followed me as I stormed out of there. It was so hard to keep a level head when all I saw was red. When I walked into the dining room my eyes found Zara immediately. She's like a magnet. I'm hopelessly drawn to her. The image of her and James laced together at the fingertips made Karr and I want to punch him. My best and closest friend.

'Go back.' Karr growled out.

'No. If I go back there I'll do something I'll regret!' I said angrily as I stripped down. 'We're going for a run.' My clothes sank into the snow as soon as I threw my boots on top of the pile.

'We ran!' He said angrily, fighting my body during the shift. 'I wants Zar. Zaaarrrrraaaaaa.'

This has been the most painful shift of my life; broken bones, partly shifted, and bloody. We've never been at odds this badly before. Teagon and Ash whined at us just a leap away and paced frantically, nearly tripping over each other as they witnessed the scene in front of them. After what seemed hours my paws crunched the white powder around us as I shook off the remaining pain healed by my wolf.

Battling with Karr on my way through the nearby woods he kept repeating her name over and over. Sometimes it was angry and other times it came out as a pathetic plea. Our torment continued. He wasn't the only one that was confused about the rogue she-wolf. She was so irritating, but so fucking strong and weak at the same time. It was driving us crazy. A part of Karr and I knew that we cared for her. The real question was why. 'What was really the reason we cared about her? Was it obligation to the King, loyalty to Bryce, or something else.'

Karr had quieted at this point. Only there in bare presence as he sunk into the furthest reaches of my mind. He didn't want to leave me completely vulnerable, but I felt he didn't want to be bothered either. After running around the inn countless times I slowed us down to a light trot. James and Theo's wolves slowed their pace as well. Theo's wolf, Ash, bravely came closer and nudged my side with his wet nose. Teagon was still wary of approaching me, but after I playfully pawed Ash he relaxed.

"I'm sorry Beta Conlan." James' apology was hard to hear. I was the one that needed to apologize. "In all honesty we were just having some fun."

"Let me stop you there." I sat down in front of his brown wolf as I fought the urge to lash out at the mention of "fun." "Don't apologize to me. I wasn't thinking. All I saw was red and as a. A Beta it's unacceptable to lose my head like that." My snout touched the icy snow in a sort of bow as I continued, "It's true that a part of me, I'll admit, cares about her and I can't explain why very well." Now eye level with him, "But I don't have the right to stop her or you or anyone from finding their mate."

Teagon nodded and barked in reply.

"Did you want her to be your mate?" It wasn't such a far-fetched question as James was a Beta himself. The question just came over my mind and I couldn't stop the words before I uttered them. Now I'm not sure I wanted to know the answer.

A long silence followed. His brown wolf with glowing brown eyes padded over and slowly uttered; pointedly, "I wanted her to be yours," and padded away just as smoothly.

***

Back in my room I could hear that it was mostly quiet. The only sounds were the occasional snore and mumble in someone's sleep. Light footsteps creaked the floorboards in the hallway leading down to the staircase. I took a good sniff near the door to see if I could pick up the scent to see if I could identify the mystery wanderer. Problem was that there wasn't a scent. 'Zara?'

"Uhh," I sighed and rested my forehead against the bedroom door.

'Karr.' My wolf was already sitting at attention. 'I guess you also want to make sure she's fine?' He groaned in response and huffed as he laid down looking expectantly. 'Weren't we supposed to be upset because of her.' The stupid mutt just groaned again. 'We really need help. Otherwise she'll be the end of us.'

With my heightened hearing I could hear that her footsteps stopped. Both curious and full of cautiousness, we peered down the stairs. Zara was just standing on the last step.

"What am I doing?" She questioned herself as she sat down and softly thumped her head against the wall. The sight of her drawing her knees to chest like a lonely child broke something inside of me. Back and forth she rocked herself. I could hear her sniffle and gasp for air. My fingers dug into the center of my palms. Karr was whining to go and comfort her. It was I who stopped us.

'We can't.' I said to my wolf. He whined so loudly I was afraid it was projected through the inn. We hated seeing her like this, especially when we couldn't do anything for her. 'She probably doesn't want to see us anyway.'

'But she sad.'

'I know. All we can do is protect her from now on.'

My wolf and I just stood there waiting for her to finish crying her heart out. 'Now we're creepy stalkers.'

'Speak for yourself stalker. I keep guard.'

'Great. A stalker and a guard dog.'

We didn't talk after that. Her cries and sobs of anguish were enough to occupy our thoughts. As she was quieting down she had curled herself into a little ball. Not sure if she was asleep or not, but I approached her anyway. It just seemed right.

"Mate." She said sleepily.

"No." I said, "It's Conlan."

I wanted to see her face. My heart was racing. 'Was she asleep?'

Nestled on the stairs with her hair an absolute mess was a sleeping goddess. She was perfect in every way. Every tear stain made her look even more beautiful in my eyes. Even her puffy pink nose did little to deter me from my wayward thoughts of how striking she seemed to me.

'Let's take her back to her room.'

'What's wrong with our room?' Karr asked.

Ignoring his comment, I checked her coat pocket and found the room key. She stirred in my arms and nuzzled closer to my chest seeking warmth. My cheek found the top of her head and it was scorching hot. 'A fever?' All of a sudden I had the urge to do as Karr implied and take her back to our room; to our bed. My heart ached.

"Mate." She hummed into my chest. I felt the vibration deep down into my bones; my soul.

"Mate." I echoed. 'What a lovely thought.' A serene calm washed over me.

"Arrrraaafff." Zara whispered. Her body constricted and her fisted hands came up to cover her messy face. It would have been the most adorable thing I have ever seen if she didn't start silently crying.

"Zara." Karr and I called. "Don't cry. Please," we begged.

"Rrrruuufff. Awwwnnn," she mumbled unintelligently as she curled in tighter to herself as she balled with hot tears streaming down her angelic face.

"It's going to be okay." I cooed as I brushed some stray hairs away from her face.

Suddenly, the grandfather clock at the end of the long corridor chimed. Only once indicating that it was one in the morning. After the long day I've had, it was a mystery as to why I haven't collapsed yet. Fighting for my loyalty to a man I've respected nearly my whole life, and fighting my wolf has been one of the worst days of my existence. Top five for sure.

"Conlan?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. 'What do I say?'

"Yes?"

'Don't upset Zara.' Karr whispered; afraid to move.

"I'm sorry." She said in a hushed tone.

A heavy sigh escaped me.

"I," Zara continued, "didn't want to make you angry. It was that I was angry at myself, and also didn't want to be scolded for doing something that was for that reason." She was trying her best to explain her actions. Her bottom lip was pressed between her teeth after a few words here and there. "More than anything. I need to find," she said with fresh tears as her hot hand rubbed against my jaw. "My mate. I need to find him before it's too late. That's why I was doing what I was doing."

"You don't have to explain to me. We all have our own secrets and morals." Her hand quickly left my cheek that was now burning from her lingering touch. "And I don't have a right to interfere with what you do if it doesn't harm you in any way. I promised to protect you, only. And that's all I can do since I'm not your mate. And until he. Until then I'll do my part and uphold my end of the mission."

In my arms I could feel that she stopped breathing. When I looked at her expression, I wished I hadn't. Her mouth was slightly open from shock, and her eyes were murky from her emotional wounds. Then she pursed her lips together as determination radiated from her core, much how an Alpha would exude his dominance, and jumped out of my arms.

"Thanks for taking me back. Sometimes I fall asleep in strange places." She looked anywhere but me. "That's twice today." Her forced laugh was grating on my ears. "Now, can I please have my key to my room?" With her hand out and gaze on the floor I gave her back her key feeling like an asshole for some reason. Her whole body was shaking as she tried to open her door. Without thinking I grabbed her key back to help her. "Let go Conlan. I'm pretty sure it isn't part of your mission to open doors for me, well, as long as the door doesn't harm me. Right?" Rigid and angrily whisper shouting, her words punched me in the gut.

"Zara." I started to say.

"Enough. I don't want to hear anything else. All I want is to go to bed and forget everything for a little while."

Completely defeated, I let go of her hand and key. The pain from stepping away was real as the emptiness engulfed me. Emptiness that quickly turned into rage.

"What do you want me to say? Huh?" 'I can whisper-shout too!'

The hood of her coat flew off when she whipped her head around to shoot daggers at me.

"I don't want you to say anything!"

"Sorry. But we're kinda stuck together." Sarcasm dripped from my exasperated tone.

"Yup. You're right. I'm just some wolf-less "rogue" that has become some nice little bait package for the devil for a king that doesn't give a shit about me," and slammed the door to her room in my face.