Everything has stopped. It felt as if the world stopped turning. Everyone had eyes on Jacob as Thomas slowly back up towards the group of Alphas. Jacobs eyes slowly turned black with the intent to kill. He grabbed the handle of the knife. He took a deep breath and yanked it out of his chest. I covered my hand with my mouth as I gasped. Jacobs' head was low looking at the wound in his chest as the blood colored his white shirt. Jacob stretched his shoulders back and flip the knife in his hands to grip it. He began to stalk Thomas, simultaneously, Thomas pulled out his claws. Jacob began to run to Thomas, the Alphas took stand; ready to fight. Jacob lifted up the knife to get ready to stab Thomas but I stepped in front of him. Placing my hands on his stomach to stop him from going forward. 

He stopped. 

He looked me in the eyes as he turned back to his normal blue. "You don't need to do this. Don't do this. For me."  I kissed the line of his jaw to try to calm him down. I could feel his anger and rage in his body through my hands. Jacob lowered the knife. He kept taking deep breaths. "Thomas get out," I say over my shoulder. He hesitated but then walked out. 

"You, son." One of the Alphas pointed at Jacob. "Have no right to come to this occasion and act like this." The Alpha stepped forward to come towards us. I looked at my father to see him looking at the man with, he was practically screaming for him to stop. 

"Son?" Jacob tilted his head to the side. He slid his arm around my waist to pull me close. 

"Do you know who you're talking to?" His voice was deadly. I could feel his heart racing. I stopped him before he could do anything. 

"I need you to leave. All of you." I say trying to make my voice sound as strong as so could but nobody moved. They all looked at me wide-eyed. 

"Get out." Jacobs' voice was filled with power. The men walked out of the room, leaving my father standing at the door. 

"I need to talk to him alone. I'll be okay." I turned my back to look at Jacob but he was out of my field of view. Where did he go? I turn back to see my father to look confused too, he hesitated ever more to leave me alone. I only nodded my head hoping that was enough for him as I closed and locked the door.  I take a deep breath as I leaned my head against the door. I gather myself as I turn around, "Jacob?" I ask. I hear a grunt come from the bathroom. I walk in and see him splashing his face with water. 

As I walked out of the bathroom I was startled by the sight of Jenny standing there with a first aid kit. "Thomas sent me, he said someone had been stabbed. Do you-", Jenny stopped mid-sentence with her eyes locked on something behind me. I turn around to see Jacob watching what was going on as he held a towel in his hands drying them. I took the kit from her hands, "thank you Jenny, but no, I can handle a few stitches." I walk her out the door. She seemed to be star struck the whole way. I lock the door again then continue to the bathroom. Jacob had already taken off his jacket and he started to unbutton his shirt and untuck it from his pants. I laid the kit on the counter filing through it to find what I need. I laid out cleaning wipes and the materials needed for stitches. I pulled out the seat from my vanity, Jacob got the memo and took a seat. "I've only given stitches once before when Thomas fell in the creek and cut his arm." I lightly say.  "Thomas?" Jacob asked. "My brother," I say concentrating on threading the needle. "The one that stabbed me?" He said with a laugh. I turned around quickly to see why he was laughing, he just got stabbed I thought. I look to see him sitting shirtless relaxed in the chair. He shrugged, "I've had worse done to me." I put the thought in the back of my mind that my mate thinks there are worse things than getting stabbed in the chest. I grab the wipes and take another deep breath. I bend over a little to get a good look at wound before I start to clean it. Jacob created a barely audible hiss and the alcohol hit the cut. 

"Kid got some balls stabbing me." He muttered. I have a little smile. "You're not going to hurt him, are you?" I ask as I finish up cleaning. "No, he's your brother. That would be just one more tick for you the check to leave me." I ignore his comment and throw away the bloody rag in the trash. I picked up the needle and thread and look at him. 

"You okay?" He asked me. "I can walk you through it." He added. I only shook my head, Jacob grabbed my hips and pulled me into his lap. "There, now go" He had a smile on his face. I ignored his ways as I began the to stitch from the top. Jacob laid his head back as he let out a breath. "What, a little needle making ya nervous?" I chuckle as I finish the fourth stitch. "I'm trying to control myself." He said as he closed his eyes. "Control? I thought you said you weren't mad at Thomas." I ask trying to look at him. I continue the stitch, still confused. He kept taking peeks at me every few seconds. "What?" I ask, still focusing on my movements not wanting to mess up. 

"Jesus Fuck, adrenaline rushes turn me on." I was at a lost for words, I tried to pull myself off his lap but he held me in place. "Just finish, you leaving going to make it worse. I'm not going to force myself on you." I hushed. I stayed quiet as I finished up the last couple stitches, the only thing on my mind was what Jacob said. I finished off the stitches and properly tied the ends off. I laid the needle on the counter. Jacob still had his eyes closed and taking deep breaths. 

I wrapped my hand on each side of Jacobs jaw. The light scruff he has scratching my fingers, I pulled his jaw to look me in the eyes. Once his face was level with my face he finally opened his eyes.

"I've done some thinking." I start. 

"About what? Telling your family about me." He stayed looking me dead in the eye. I was going to have to get used to his bluntness.

"It was only a matter of time before my family found out about my mate," I say trying to look for emotion in his eyes; nothing.

"Your mate? So you accept me as your mate?" He asked as he lifted one eyebrow. I thought for a moment. Did I accept him as my mate? I couldn't live without him and I could feel the mate bond growing stronger second by second. I didn't know how to answer so I just kissed him. My hand fell from his face and laid on his chest. He wrapped his arm around my back pulled my leg up more to move into him more. I wrapped my arm around his neck as he leaned back more. I pull away from the kiss, I brush my hand on his cheek. 

"Promise me you won't hurt me again. Not like that." I say. He placed his hand around my wrist. "Elizabeth, I don't know if I can promise you that." He said truthfully. I looking into his eyes for a few seconds. I move his wrist, he seemed hesitant about my actions but he let me move his hand. I laid his wrist back around my back again and I leaned into his chest and laid my head in the crook of his neck. I pulled my legs up and folded them against my chest. Jacob moved his hand and slid it up the side of my leg that was exposed from the slit in my dress. He stopped his hand on the outside of my hip and rested it there. 

We sat there for a while. I listened to him breathing, he felt calm. It was amazing to think that such a man of horror could be so peaceful. "Jacob?" My finger rubbed circles into his bare side. "Yes." He answered. "I forgive you," I say as I hug his side now. "You shouldn't." I was surprised at these words. We sat there for a little while longer. 

"Come back to the castle with me." He says. I sit up in his lap to look at him. "Can we wait till the end of the ball? I want to talk to my father." I ask. He only nodded his head. I climb up from his lap and fix my dress. "Um, I don't think anyone has a shirt in the house that is big enough." I scratched the back of my head. "That's okay." He gave me a weak smile and began to put back on his shirt, he didn't button all the buttons. Leaving his shirt untucked.  "Would you like to see around?" I ask. Trying to kill time for the ball to end. "Please." He gestured his hand out. He stepped into the closet and take a took a look around. He came back out and we walked into my room. I stayed silent and Jacob took the liberty to walk around the room and looked at what he pleased. He stopped at my bookshelf in the corner. He turned around and looked at me. I watched to see what he was going to do. He began to pick up some of the books. "So you like classics?" He asked. I nodded my head. "I have a very impressive book collection back home that I think you'll like." He said as laid the book back in its place. "We have a giant library here too," I added. Jacob continued to peek into my little world. I smile at the word home, such a comforting word to use for someone so harsh.

"So...what's it like to be the Alphas daughter." He asked as he looked through a pile of records. I took a seat on one of the couches in front of the fireplace. "Well, I guess like being like any other daughter. But I do say I need to represent my family more than others." I add. "Would you like some tea? Or something else." I ask. "Tea will be fine. I'll have whatever you're having." 

I mind linked Jenny to bring up my favorite tea. Jacob walked over to the window and pulled the curtains open. He stood there looking out the window. Jenny knocked on the door then let herself in. She carried two teacups and a kettle on a tray. Her eyes immediately found Jacob, he had his back turned to her. She walked across the room and laid the tray down as she poured the tea. Jacob came and took a seat on the couch across from me. I felt Jenny become more nervous as Jacob became closer. "Wo-would you like anything else with your tea?" Jenny stumbled over her words. "No thank you. I'm good." He replied as he took hold of his cup and brought it to his mouth. Jenny looked surprised at the way Jacob had spoken to her. 

"Thank you, Jenny," I say as he began to walk out. She gave me a look to be careful before she closed the door behind her.

"Are you close with Jenny?" Jacob asked. "Yes, she's been here my whole life. Her mate died before I was born." I added. 

He continued to sip his tea in silence for a little bit.

He sat there looking at me. His eyes piercing my skin like little needles. The longer he looked at me the more I wanted him to touch me. Shivers ran across my body I pushed the thought out of my mind. "What?" I ask trying to hide the blush that tinted my cheeks. The thought of what he did to me vanished my mind. If I was in his shoes I would've acted the same way. I understood what a mate could do to you in a day, not that it makes what did was right, but we are wild animals.

"Nothing. I just like looking at you." Jacob said. I tried to hide the blush on my cheeks. I crossed my legs and slit on the dress exposed my leg all the way to my hip. Jacobs eyes locked on my bare skin, his eyes growing slightly darker 

"Why did you come back?" I ask. I take a sip of my tea, Jacob watched my lips as I drank. "I missed you." He said. I wanted to change the subject fast. "People are starting to ask about Brandon," I added thinking it would be the perfect distraction.

"Who's Brandon?" He asked in an annoyed tone. 

"Brandon is the boy who you rip the heart out of," I say looking into his eyes, checking to see if there was any emotion; again, nothing. 

"Well let that be an example of those who think they could wander onto my land." He said in his Alpha tone.

"I wondered into your land," I added trying to make my point. "That's not the same." He said quickly giving me a wicked eye. Before I could open my mouth Jacob pushed the office table out of the way from in front of us. He got down on his knees in front of me. He wouldn't even let me say a word before he grabbed my leg and kissed the top of my foot. He began to kiss up my leg. 

"It's different because you're my mate."  He kissed my knee. "I find you intoxicating." He kissed all the way up to my hip. There was nothing more I want than him. He unfolded my legs and pushed my knees apart so his body could fit in between my legs, he pulled me forward so our bodies were touching. He moved me so we were face to face with him on his knees as I sat on the couch. He wrapped his arm around my back and on under my leg. He kissed the exposed skin on my chest. "Addictive." He kissed up to my neck. "How could I of let you go?". I let out a moan, I felt like I had no control. Jacob let out a growl in approval. I wrapped my fingers in his hair, slightly pulling. This time Jacob let out a moan as he continued to kiss my neck. I grabbed his hair again to pull his face away to look at me. His eyes were black. 

"Fuck Elizabeth what are you doing with me." He says almost in a pant. I gave him a smirk and began kissing him on the lips, still lightly pulling at his hair. It felt right, it didn't feel like I was kissing the most feared man among packs. It felt like I was kissing the man of my dreams. Everything in my mind went blank, everything was on him. I felt for him, I've waited my whole life for a mate and I am already losing control but he's waiting over a thousand years. A thousand years of longing.

He began to slide his hand up the back of the dress and stopped at the zipper. He pulled it down a couple of inches. I placed my hand uncontrollably on his crouch. Feeling his manhood swell by the second. Jacob let out a growl again, he put his hand on top of mine urging for me to rub him. I pull my hand away. "Jacob I can't, I can't do this; I'm not ready," I say, I felt bad for leading him on like this, this was what he wanted. I grab his face to looking into his black eyes. They were so black I could see my reflection in them. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths trying to take control again. "I'm sorry." I softly say. Jacob opened his eyes for them to still be black.

"It's okay, I'd rather you stop me now then later." He said in a long deep breath. I pushed him back so he could stand up. He brought himself to his feet. "Here let me take your mind off it." I grab his hand and lead him to the door. "I don't think you could."  He whispered in my ear as we walked down the hallway.

I lead him out of the wing and down a series of stairs to get to the living room. "I'll give ya a house tour if you want?" I smile. He gave me a little smile and nodded his head, his black eyes still felt like they were tearing into my soul. This was the only time I have ever seen Jacob with his wolf taken over and not doing something radical.  "I thought it would pass the time for the ball to end. So I guess we'll start out with the living room." I say spinning around with my arms open, my eyes going over the things in the living room. Jacob took a look around. "Do you like that?" He asked. "Like what?" 

He pointed at the TV, "do you like to watch television." He asked again. "Sometimes. I find myself watching a whole show then not touch the TV in months. It gets kinda busy around here." I felt like I was confessing a deep dark secret for some reason. 

"Well, then I'll have to get one for the castle." He said as he walked with his hands behind his back. "You don't have a TV at the castle?" I ask surprised? The castle seemed to have everything but lacked a TV? 

"I don't have time to watch TV, have a lot going on. Plus, I've lived my whole life without one." His back was facing me but I saw him pick up a picture off the mantel. He showed no emotion looking st it then sat it back in its place. "Ready for the next room?" I ask. He only nodded his head again. I showed him every part of the house and we ended up in front of the Alpha Wing. 

"That's the Alpha Wing." I point. 

"My father wouldn't approve of you even seeing this." I look around not knowing what to do. "Your father doesn't approve of anything I do," Jacob confessed. He was right.  I began to fiddle with my fingers looking down at the ground. I heard Jacob let out a deep laugh. My head shot up, "what's funny about that." I ask. How was my family wanting to kill my mate funny? "No, you. Still a young child." He put his hands on the side of my cheeks. He kissed my lips. "I think they'll warm up to you someday," I add as he pulled away. His eyes finally fading back to the blue. I give him a really weak smile. "Come, I'm sure there are very few people left at the ball. Let's go see." 

As we walk to the wing of the house where the ballroom I  began to confess. "My father knows, we'll be forced it out of me and Jenny knows. But no one else knows anything about you. My father doesn't know the whole truth, just about the bruises on hips, and what happened there." I drag out my words. Jacobs' face turned sour. 

"Unzip your dress." He commanded. "Jacob what-" He cut me off by turning me around and starting to unzip the dress. He moved the dress to where he could see my hips. He moved the dress back and zipped it. He leaned his forehead on my back. 

"Elizabeth I am so sorry. I never meant to do any of this to you. I only want to touch you to please you, not hurt you. This never should have happened." He kissed the skin exposed on my back. 

I turned around gave him a hug. He seemed caught off guard by my action. He took a moment before he hugged back. I began to squeeze him. "Sorry, I've never hugged someone before...you caught me off guard." He said to me as he kissed the top of my head. 

"Come," I say as I pulled from the hug began to talk to the ballroom. He kept a little distance behind me as he walked. We made the same trip as before by walking by the railing looking down at the ball. Jacob gave out his arm and I locked arms with him. 

We walked down the steps and onto the ballroom floor. "Would you care for a dance?" Jacob asked with a smile. I gave him a big smile back like a child in a candy store. 

Jacob pulled me close as the music began. My parents had gone all out with the music this year. They basically had a whole orchestra in hand. He held tight as he held my hand out and I laid my head on his chest. 

"You know." He began. I looked up at him with my head still on his chest. "The last time I went ballroom dancing was when I was 23." He whispered to me. "It was in Berlin. They held an annual ball, quite like this, all unmated wolves would come in hope of finding their mate. A girl forced me to dance because she thought that I was her mate." He told me. "Did you feel like she was your mate?" I ask. I felt almost jealous that I wasn't there to dance with him. "Calm down my little one. I could feel your anger." He chuckled. "No, I did not feel the mate bond like she claimed she did," Jacob added. "Trust me, I feel the mate bond right now." Jacob spun me out and brought me back in. 

"Everyone is looking at us," Jacob said in a serious tone. "Do you think they know who I am." He added quickly as his eyes scanned the room. "I guess that they could be narrowing it down, you're not one to miss. But I think it's the unbutton bloody shirt that's really getting them." I tease. Jacob looked down at me and gave a playful growl.

The clearing of a throat brought Jacob and I both back to reality. Jacob instantly stood up straight ready and in high alert. 

"I'd like to have word with you."