"No she is NOT!" the CEO replied harshly and anger brimmed his eyes again. "Sir please try and hear us out", Mr. Penson spoke up, "this matter requires extensive thought. It doesn't only concern a few people, its bigger than all of us. The kingdom needs her!" "No John, the kingdom needs only me", the CEO replied. "And you need her", both Master Cole and Mr. Penson said in unison and the CEO's tough expression immediately wavered. This man that radiated such copious amounts of untainted power suddenly looked doubtful, confused and dare I say it...vulnerable! His gaze suddenly flickered to mine and I went stiff. His expression didn't give much away but his eyes looked pained. The need to comfort him returned and I found myself using all my sanity to not run to him and hug him tightly. Something is definitely wrong with me. Very very wrong! Suddenly the CEO stood but an inch away from me. I was so startled that I staggered backwards but immediately he grabbed my free hand and steadied me. Tingles exploded through my arm yet again but this time, I didn't pay them any mind. I was too distracted by the CEO's proximity and pained demeanor. He squeezed my hand and I looked into his eyes. "What is your name?" he asked in the softest, most gentle voice I had ever been spoken to in. And I finally found my voice. "Suzzanah Winters", I whispered, feeling lost in the warm depths of his mesmerising brown eyes. His eyes immediately clamped shut and he shivered. And for some strange reason I felt incredibly happy by the way he reacted. He opened his eyes and what I saw surprised me. I saw longing. A deep, overwhelming, unfathomable longing. But as suddenly as that longing had appeared, it disappeared again and was replaced with determination. And for some strange reason this expression of his chilled me to the bone. I felt it deep inside of me, something bad was going to happen. Something incredibly bad. He dropped my hand but held my gaze with his own unwavering one as he squared his shoulders. He looked intimidating. "No Cole, John", he spoke calmy, too calmly," I don't need her" His words sent a wave of hurt through my veins. From my peripheral vision I saw Master Cole and Mr. Penson stiffen. "And I'll prove it to you, once and for all!" the CEO said with finalty in his voice. He looked determined. Master Cole and Mr.Penson tensed visibly as their expressions turned from worried to panicked. The CEO stood facing me, the power and authority flowing out of his aura made it hard for me to even breathe, but somehow I managed to hold his gaze. "I", the CEO began and I felt a strange dread fall over me. "Zuerien Kai Royale", oh his name! It was the most beautiful three words I had ever heard and I knew I would never again forget them. But he looked like he wanted to forget. "The Alpha Supreme", Alpha Supreme...the words suited him, for some absurd reason unknown to me. He seemed to fit this title perfectly. But he looked like he didn't want it. "No! Please don't sir!" "No alpha!" both Mr. Penson and Master Cole pleaded to the CEO to stop but he didn't. Although he looked like he wanted to. "reject you-", pain welled up from deep inside of me. Searing, slashing, unbearable pain. He too looked like he was is pain. "Suzzanah Winters", it was the first time he said my name, it was like music to my ears. I could have cried tears of joy were it not for the dreadful circumstances. He too looked like he wanted to cry...but for a different reason... Suddenly the world around me blurred and the only person I could see was him. Master Cole and Mr. Penson's pleas seemed faint and distant. Time seemed to stop yet again. A sense of foreboding lingered around us. It felt like Doom awaited its chance to strike the minute the CEO finished his sentence. He gulped and his jaw clenched. His every movement was strained. Somehow I could hear his heartbeat. It was slow, unsteady, faint, almost as though his heart was breaking. I needed to help him. I wanted to help him. And he looked like he wanted me to...no. Wanted me. Period. At that moment I wanted nothing more than to take all his pain away no matter what the cost! I would embrace it with open arms if it meant I could see him happy, unburdened, free! I would do anything for this stranger, whom my heart had deemed important. He opened his mouth with finalty and I knew this was it, the moment that would decide everything to come. The arm that still held the glass of water twitched ever so slightly. "as my-" SPLASH!!!!!