On the next morning, the first thing Helena did was to check Keiran's room. When nobody answered from the inside, and she took a peek, her face paled.

He wasn't there.

She gasped and dashed to the kitchen. Where was he? Had he run out again? What if someone saw him? Her heart drummed in her chest in dread and worry as she jumped down the stairs. She hoped her imagination was worse than reality because since last night, it had started showing her unimaginable and disastrous things. And each one of them broke her heart.

Slamming the kitchen door open, Helena was flooded with relief when she saw Keiran and Shawn, sitting at the table, casually talking to each other.

“Good morning!” Shawn greeted her. His gray eyes were pleased and excited. He was much calmer than last night while they were fixing the fridge. Not that he had said anything, but his pursed lips were proof of what he was thinking.

Keiran also smiled and this put some of the tension in Helena to rest. He was fine with her Beta, they were even having breakfast together.

“We are going to the mall today!” Shawn cheered and ruffled his sandy blonde hair.

“Oh, I was going to propose the same thing,” Helena said, feeling like she had to catch up and had missed out on spending time with her mate. “After the mall, we're going to buy some meat too.”

“Lots of meat.” Keiran nodded playfully, but then his expression changed and became dark. “I'm sorry I broke the freezer yesterday!”

“Don't worry!” Helena sat in front of him. “It's still working for now. But just in case, let's add a new fridge to the list of shopping tasks today!”

“Great! In the meanwhile, I can take this one here and move it to my kitchenette in my part of the house!” Shawn proposed with an excited glint in his eyes.

“No, let me get you a new one.” Keiran looked at him. His tone was strong and final, but there was guilt was swimming in his eyes.

Shawn was in the same situation. He remained calm and composed, but Helena could tell he was as surprised as her. And it was a pleasant surprise. This was a very kind gesture on Keiran's behalf.

“Keiran, don't worry about it,” he said, his pride not remaining hidden in his voice. “I've had my eyes on this fridge for a while now, and I don't want to let this opportunity slip from my hands.”

“No, it's my fault. I don't want you to take a broken one. I'm sure we can find you a suitable new one you'd love.” Keiran straightened his back and insisted, authority oozing from every part of his existence.

Helena's lips tugged up. His attitude caressed her confidence and pride. Her mate looked so mature and confident, just the way a leader should be.

Keiran's gaze turned to her, waiting for her confirmation and approval. He was yet to get some money of his own. He didn't have any documents or debit cards. But now that he was finally with his mate and she was the one taking care of a whole pack, Keiran was going to share the duty and the money Helena had as an Alpha.

It looked like he was willing to step in that role immediately.

...

Even with clothes sizes too big on him, Keiran still gathered the girls' attention at the mall. But still, all his attention was focused on Helena.

She couldn't believe she had been startled when Shawn got an important call and disappeared somewhere. Everything was going well.

Browsing through the end of the ladies' zone, she glanced at her mate. He was holding a few sets of clothes he had chosen himself and was checking out a white shirt. A young girl, probably a teenager and his age approached him.

Helena froze in expectation. She couldn't deny she wanted to get to know him better and that included testing where his loyalty stood. Lycans loved having fun and thoroughly enjoyed the carnal pleasures. It was easy to say they could be shameless cheaters if they decided to.

Keiran's expression was a hard one when he spoke. He glanced at the item the girl was trying to give him (which was probably her phone number) and shook his head.

“I'm here with my fiancee,” he said, and both Helena and the girl gaped at him.

The innocent human apologized and ran away and Helena blushed. It was the first time she had heard it. They were not officially dating, but finding your mate and accepting him almost equaled that. Not that they had officially done that, either. But to say they were even engaged... Keiran was a whole other thing. He definitely knew how to reject invitations he did not desire.

But he was going too fast.

Keiran turned around and approached her.

“What do you think about this one?” He lifted the shirt he was examining a minute ago and smiled.

Seeing her dazed expression, he smirked and grabbed her hand. He led her to the fitting rooms and entered one with her waiting outside for him.

When he opened the fitting room, showing himself, Helena was left speechless. The dark jeans he had put on stood perfectly on his long muscular legs and the red-black shirt defined his lean body in all the necessary places. Noticing she was staring, she tried to get a hold of herself and smiled approvingly. By that time, Keiran had already left the fitting room and was reaching for her waist, pulling her back inside with him.

Keiran shut the door and leaned into her, just a breath away. He inhaled her scent and opened his shining eyes.

“I had to hide you here, your drool was sliding down your chin,” he teased with a sly smile.

Helena squeaked. 

“U-um, I can't be here with you. You need to try clothes on, not distract yourself with me,” she protested, feeling herself get hot.

Keiran smiled again and pecked her on the lips.

“I'm going to try them with you here. It's going to be much more fun if I do it this way.”

She gasped. He was unpredictable, andno matter how nice or attractive he was, he was going too fast. They needed boundaries. Yes, they were mated by the laws of nature and maybe fate, but it didn't mean they were dating.

They had to talk.

...

When they reached the food floor, they noticed her Beta. He was talking to three human girls on one of the tables, and he seemed quite intimate with one of them.

“Is this his important job?” Keiran asked begrudgingly and squinted.

“It seems so.” Helena shrugged.

“Doesn't he have a mate? He doesn't smell like there is any close female to him, besides you,” he asked in thought.

“He hasn't found her yet.” Helena forced a smile, sensing tension from him.

“And he's not going to wait for her?” Keiran arched his brows.

She bristled. “He's not sure if he's ever going to find her. We all go through this fear, but I guess he has gotten tired of waiting for something that might not happen at all. He recently turned twenty five.”

Keiran narrowed his eyes.

“So you would've done the same if I hadn't shown up?” he gritted out.

“No.” She jerked her chin up. “But I'm a different person, and I can't judge him. Shawn can make his own decisions. He needs a stress relief, he needs company, and well... contact. Shawn respects our traditions and especially the mating one, but he's still just a person and feels lonely. His wolf side is going crazy without his mate, and I don't know how much longer he'd be able to bear it. We, as werewolves, live in packs and need our other halves. Even if most of my generation is trying to disprove this and get rid of the idea of mates. The thought that his own mate could be one of them discourages him even more. Maybe she's seen him before, but she never told him, maybe she's dead or sick...”

Keiran's expression changed into a grim painting of pain and misery.

“I understand his need for her. It's hard to contain your instinct and bear it all alone.”

Helena stared at him, confusion and sadness filling her body, but he grabbed her hand and led her out of the mall.