His eyes meet mine and there's a bit of a sparkle behind them and it causes me to smile lightly. "I'm sorry. I got distracted." The smart look on his face doesn't last as he falls down onto the ottoman. "He's a rebel. I should have killed him just for breaking the sire bond." "But you didn't. Why?" Sitting down next him I run my hand over his lower back as I unconsciously slide it up his shirt over his skin. "I understand him. The need to have control in his life, it's all I want for me and you as well." He looks down at me with an expression I can't place. "Is there really nothing you can do to keep him alive?" "There is something but I doubt he'd take the idea." His eyes don't break from mine when he speaks. He is always keeping eye contact with me. "If he submits to me, which is very hard for a rebel he can rebind the bond and he'll be rouge. He'll never look the same but he won't be in danger of being killed by packs. Never has a wolf taken the option even if it's for their mates." "Are you trying to save him for me?" He looks away from me at that. "If he doesn't take the option I'll let him go after this rebel alpha is dead. Either way he'll be leaving I'm the king if I want him free he will be." He's avoiding the question which tells me that it is more than likely true. His hands wrap around mine and he quickly pulls me up with a force that causes me to hit his chest. He chuckles lightly his tense emotion leaving him with the contact. His hand pulls my hair over my shoulder so he can see his mark. "If I tell you, you can never leave the castle again how would you react." His voice is lost as his eyes continue over the small area of discoloured skin. "Not well." He lets out a single laugh as he leans forward to give me a small kiss. "I didn't think so. Come on." "It's a little early to go to dinner Ryder." "We're going to tell my mother about this first." He lifts my hand up his finger pressing the back of the engagement ring. With everything that had happened I had forgetting about his proposal and the cool ring that was on a very specific finger. Three hours later Allie had finally let us leave hers and Alexander's suite to meet the others for dinner. As soon as Ryder told her about it she screamed almost pulling my arm from my socket as she pulled me in for a hug as my hand stayed locked in Ryder's. She had pulled me over to a lounge with her son only a step behind me. She came back with a number of bridal magazines and it wasn't long before she had ripped out pictures and laid them on the table having pretty much already planned the wedding right then and there. "You can tell her no, for certain things if you want. It's our wedding not hers." He says as we go down a level. "No, I like her ideas." Wrapping my free hand around his elbow I lean into his shoulder. "I love you." "I love you too." He squeezes my hand lightly and I smile back up at him. We are the last two to arrive in the room and it's different to walk into a room and not have everyone stare at you. A long table dominates the room but it's the plush chairs and small coffee tables and fireplace that are occupied at the moment while the table is being set by a few maids. It was almost cliché how the women were sat gossiping around the table with glasses of wine while all the men were standing near the lit fire with what seemed like their own glasses of scotch and whiskey. With a sigh I make my way towards the group of girls Ryder staying at my side. Two of the girls I have never seen before and it's them that make me most nervous. Ellie spots me first and smiles as I get close. A girl with brown hair and blonde highlights that just barley brushes her shoulders speaks first. "About time you two decided to join us." Her voice is soft as she stands and walks over to me wrapping an arm around my shoulder for a quick hug. "I'm Haley by the way, Charlie's mate. Eleanor and Ellie you already know but that is Lena, Theo's mate." Haley is pretty much ignoring Ryder but he doesn't let me go to join the other guys. Lena smiles at me. She's wearing a floor length black dress with only thin straps cover her back as it holds the material to her. Her blonde hair is messy pulled up on top of her head and I remember that she likes to help in the kitchen and it's easily out of the way with the hairstyle. "This is for women only." Haley continues her head tilting up to look at Ryder. He eyes her for a second before he looks down to me asking if I'm going to be safe with these women. I nod at him and he leans down to press a kiss to my forehead. "You want to come with me then don't you little man." When his hand slips from me he bends down to lift the little boy in Eleanor's arms. Elijah squeals happily when he's lifted up and held against Ryder's chest as his little head buries into my mates chest. Tilting my head I start to wonder what he was talking about when he said he was nervous about being a father. He looks perfect with the little boy in his arms. "It's his own that he worries about." Ellie whispers to me once I've found a seat next to her all the other girls in a conversation. "He's amazing with other peoples kids but even I can see that he freaks out over the idea of you being pregnant and it has nothing to do with danger it could cause you." Ryder pretends to drop Elijah backwards and the little boy lets out a stream of giggles at the action. My lips pull up into another smile at how happy and stress free he looks. Despite the conversation between the other girls I'm too concentrated on Ryder to put in my own input. When dinner is served Cole passes Elijah to me to feed him a bottle. When my chest started to rise and fall rapidly he tells me that I'll be fine that if I do drop him he's pretty tough and will bound back quick. It didn't reassure me at all and Eleanor looked like she was ready to kill him. If it weren't for Ryder's hand on my back I don't think I would have been able to hold the little boy in my arms. As soon as he feel into the crook of my arm he had started to fall asleep letting out warm breathes as he waited for his final feed for the day. It's the first time I've ever held a child and with the way Ryder's eyes are settled on me I couldn't wait to hold our own even with the idea scarring the shit out of me.