Zeke ran forward, holding me tight in a bear hug as he spun me around. "You're back?" I quickly said yes while Lucas growled from behind us. "Oh fuck off, Lucas. She's family." Maybe if the situation was different my heart would've filled with happiness but I was too engrossed in watching the scene in front of me unfold.

            Penny and Mandy faced each other, both of them a considerable distance away from each other. I watched them both as Lucas and Zeke did too.

            Penny was the first to break the silence between them. "This makes so much sense...." She whispered.

            "AH!" Mandy snapped out of her reserve and ran towards a shocked Penny. There wasn't a second left for her to process the speed she was bustling towards her at. I watched as Mandy tackled Penny to the floor and pressing a fat smooch on her face and she followed back in suit.

             I felt a hand cover my eyes and then I heard Zeke whisper. "Let's go!" He said quickly and started to push me out of the foyer, "In front of my fucking salad... unbelievable."

            I laughed at his words and removed his hands from my eyes. "If you don't want to cover your eyes, at least cover mine." He said while grabbing my hand and blocking out the two newfound mates that were currently rolling around on the floor with pure joy.

            "Actually," Lucas interjected. "Dawn, can we talk?"

             I just nodded, pulling my hand out Zeke's, letting it fall to my side and looked at Zeke who had his eyes now focused on the hand prints around my neck. He pointed at his neck while his face held confusion and undertones of anger. "Later," I told him, and he didn't seem satisfied with the answer. But didn't push against it either.

            I faced Lucas, who himself also was looking gruff. "Can I just shower first?" and he nodded.

            "I'll be out in the garden, alright?" I agreed even though I had no clue where this garden was.

             He nodded and walked up the stairs, and I glanced over at Zeke, who was the only other person left in the room with me. Penny and Mandy must've left while I was distracted by Lucas. "Zeke, which bedroom do I go to?" And he laughed.

             "Figure it out, and this isn't over. We're going to have a very in-depth conversation about whatever the fuck happened to you, okay?"

              "Alright, Zeke." I laughed in response. I decided against going back to the upstairs room and walked down the path that would lead me to the most secluded room this castle had to offer. While walking down I noticed a lot fewer maids than the last time I was here, none of them looked me in the eye and quickly scurried out of the way when I got too close to them. I watched as they did this, I made it to my room where inside was a blond haired woman quickly cleaning up the slight mess that had accumulated in the days that I had spent in here. Upon hearing my entrance her head immediately bowed and I couldn't catch a glimpse of who I saw.

             "Sorry, Luna. I'll be out right away." And I didn't have the chance to respond before she bolted out of the room leaving me very confused.

Penny's Pov

             We sat face to face on my bed, I watched her with wide eyes.

             "You're my mate?" I asked again for the 400th time, still in disbelief.

              She laughed and held my hand again, our fingers joined together perfectly little tiny jolts of energy sizzled between our every touch. "Do you feel that?" she asked, and I nodded. "I am your mate."

              I laughed, "I never thought this day would come! And I never thought I would have a mate as beautiful as you." I gushed.

               "I never thought that my mate would be female." She said, her cheeks still rosy from when I called her beautiful. "But it does make sense." She added.

               "I'm gay!" I blurted out, and her smile widened.

                "I figured that part out, Penny."

                 My heart melted like mush at the way my name fell off her tongue. "Can you say it again? My name, I mean."

                 "Penny, Penny, Penny." She said while scooting closer. And I fell back on my bed and kicked my legs up in the air, not being able to contain my enjoyment.

                  I felt her soft gaze on me as I outwardly expressed my content and joy. I shot right back, startling her slightly. "Pinch me, Mandy."

                 "Huh?"

                 I shook my head, "There's no way that this isn't a dream. I'm dreaming."

                 "Honey." She cupped my face. "You're not dreaming."

                I didn't feel the tear slide down my cheek until she swiped it away, "Why are you crying?" She asked.

                And I burst out laughing, "Because I'm not dreaming!"

               She giggled, and it sounded like a harmony of angels coming together. She pulled my face towards her and dropped the second kiss she had given me on my lips, and I sighed with so much joy and content.

Dawn's Pov:

               I had just stepped into the room after leaving the bathroom, once again I had no clothes and I had to ask Lucas for any spares he had. I was dressed in a navy blue sweater, twice the size of me. And loose fitting sweats that I had to tie in the back with a hair tie. I could've asked Penny for some of hers but decided against it, she had just found her mate. I wanted them to get to know each other.

              I heard knocking on my door and I quickly skipped towards it, I opened the door too fast and the knuckle of the hand that was knocking came down and knocked on my head, confusing it for the wood instead.

             "Ow." I groaned and rubbed the spot.

             Lucas quickly moved my hand away and held my face in his hand, "Are you alright? Did I hit too hard? I didn't mean to, I was trying to knock on the door you see." I laughed and my his arms shook from the vibrations carried from his hands on my face to his limbs. I looked down and saw that he had also taken a shower.

             "Weren't you the one who said you'd never hurt me?" I joked, and his mood fell. I effectively clamped my mouth shut, realizing I hit a sore spot.

             "Look how well I carried that promise..." He attempted to joke back, but I caught the meaning of what he tried to say.

             We walked out of the room and into the hallway, most likely towards wherever this garden was. I didn't say anything and he didn't say anything, funny because we both had so much we had to say to each other. I watched my reflection in the shiny tile, the maids really did go all out when they cleaned huh.

          "Luke..." I said before I caught my mistake. I swiftly looked at him and saw the smallest hint of a smile on his face. "Sorry, Lucas. That is what I meant to say earlier- I didn't- I wouldn't- like I know we-"

       "You're fine, it's just a nickname." He assured, but his face gleamed.

        I nodded, "Yeah, just a nickname. Sorry. What I wanted to say before- Lucas, was that the castle's much more empty. And none of the maids look me in the eye. Why?"

        His smile dropped, and his cold demeanor masked his face of any emotion he was previously showing. Something I really didn't like that he did. He had a habit of trying not to show his emotions, most likely because he had to control these kinds of things being a King... Alpha thing... after all.

        "No reason."He said coolly, and I frowned. "What?"

         I raised my eyebrow, " 'No reason'? " I crossed my arms. "Surely that isn't the full answer." I pushed.

        "Why is it so important to know?" This time he questioned me.

          I shrugged. "It isn't. I just want to know, if we want to be friends now I would like to know something about you, this castle. Just anything."

        "Friends?" He repeated and the smile reappeared. "You want to be friends?"

        Now it was my turn to smile, "Yes. You saved my life, my friendship is your reward." I teased slightly. Besides, we have to start somewhere. I heard him chuckle as we stepped into the foyer, we started walking toward the kitchen.

        "Would you want to know the truth, even if the truth did nothing else but hurt you?" He asked.

        "Why are you ask-" He looked at me with a hard gaze. "Yes. I would want to know." I answered.

         We entered the kitchen and started walking towards a backdoor, funny. I never saw it before today. "They heard everything." He said while sliding the glass door open and into the snowy outdoors of his backyard.

        "Oh," I said simply, the images of me slapping him, drowning, screaming at him at the top of my lungs, flared up in my mind again and I tried my best to get it out of my head.

       He sensed the off-ness in my voice and stopped me by the elbow. "I am very sorry for that, I shouldn't have done it." I turned to face him slowly.

       "Would you do it again?" His words from before ringing in my head.  'Would you want to know the truth, even if the truth did nothing else but hurt you?'

        "No." He said quickly, and with finality.

        I didn't respond, but if he could hear my heart beat- then he would know how much that had affected me.

      His hand moved from my elbow and down to my hand, "Friends can hold hands, right?"

      "They do, but we aren't there yet," I answered him back.

      We walked through the piles of snow, I sank in slowly with every step while Lucas seemed to have little to no problem. We reached a little gate, surrounding it was green shrubs which acted as a small wall. He opened the small metal gate open for me, and I walked inside. My eyes widened at what I was seeing.

      I stared in awe at the beauty in front of my eyes.

djhfjdd, I probably shouldn't have updated today. I really stopped taking care of myself lol. I had a very kind reader remind me im not a machine and i need to acknowledge that i have my own needs that need to be met.

speaking of machines,,,,,, does anyone know of the game detroit become human? my heart hurts so much now that the game is over and i dont know how to react. theres like 3 hours of unseen footage i haven't seen bc of my choices and im really out here about to watch it all.

no but deadass, i cant seem to get that game out of mind.... like my heart is physically aching bc i miss it already : ( im so weak BAHAHAH. I was picturing connor (bryan dechart) as Lucas the entire chapter and i mentally slapped myself for getting so whipped over a 2d character.

also, just bc im the lamest person you'll ever meet... i made MY OWN MEME DHFJKHDFKD IM SO EMBARRASSING. (don't get offended by it! It's jus for giggles.) btw... i made a twitter, im still a newbie i dont know how to use it but its @maniellah ill follow back!)