Chapter Twenty-Seven

A/N- a few chapters are going to be very similar to the original as this part is my absolute favourite and I know my updating is everywhere but I can't guarantee a proper schedule due to college and family life. It'll just be when I can so I apologise again.

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I flick my ears about as I rise to the world of the living. I glance around myself, noticing the lack of warmth around me. I'm still near the cliff although I'm now a few feet away from it.

Still feeling the sleep I yawn which causes a whine to escape my throat. I stand up noticing the pain in my leg had decreased drastically. I bow down in a stretch, feeling my bones pop from being stiff in the cold.

My fur fluffs up as I shake it out, happy my winter coat hasn't thinned out yet. I cock my head to the side as I hear paws walking towards me and I can easily tell it's Azaizal. I don't know how I know it, but I do.

As I suspected, Azaizal comes trotting towards me. Though he has a large deer leg hanging out of his mouth. From the scent of it, it's not one I've had before. I sit down and curl my tail around my paws, my head tilted to the side.

Despite me being calm, Ally was the polar opposite. 'Ally what is your issue? Stop pacing you are giving me a headache' she just growled at me and continued pacing. I just left her to it, though i did wonder what it was about.

Azaizal must have heard me awaken as he doesn't seem surprised to see me sitting and looking at him. He slows his trot to a swift walk as he approaches me. He places the leg on the ground and sits in front of me, looking somewhat proud.

With my head tilted I look at him curiously. "What's this all about?"

Azaizal's ears start to lower and his head follows. His emotions were easy to read. He was nervous. "I wanted to bring you breakfast and I was hoping if we could maybe share." I look away, feeling my cheeks and ears start to warm up.

"I don't mind sharing" His tail begins to swish side to side and doesn't stop as he watches me. I wait for him to take the first bite since he's a higher rank than me and he'd also hunted for it.

However, he doesn't move an inch and continues watching me with his head now tilted. His eyes shining with an emotion I can't figure out. "Azaizal, are you not going to eat?" His tail suddenly stops swishing and he just snorts.

"It's ladies first, remember" Again, I feel my cheeks heat up and I slowly lean down and take a chunk out of the leg before moving back to sit and eat. As soon as I've taken some, Azaizal follows suit and also takes some. I look at him quickly before looking back down again.

"Thank you big wolf" Within an instant, his tail is swinging again. We both continue to eat in a comfortable silence.

Azaizal's POV (Surprise 💖)

Ella was still tucked into my side when I awoke and I had to say it was a pleasant feeling. I still couldn't figure out what it was about her. I decided to just lay there and the peace of the morning.

Whilst I was laid there I decided to clean Ella's leg, knowing my royal blood would heal it a lot quicker. Licking it clean first, I then bit my paw and allowed a bit of my blood to drop onto the cut on Ella's leg.

My peace didn't last long because Zeus started pacing around my head and wouldn't settle. 'Zeus quit it, you are giving me a headache' He just snarled at me before continuing. 'Something is off Aze and I don't know what it is. It's making me ancy.' I huff at his response.

"You're making me ancy, you stupid wolf." I growl at him. Zeus bares his teeth at me and begins to stomp around, making my head hurt even more. 'Take that dickweed' he says before blocking me out. What is his issue?

I carefully move away from Ella to stretch before deciding to go find food. I hope she likes deer.

After hunting down a deer I take it back to the camp to feed the others and make sure they are all okay. I was surprised to see everyone awake.

Zack spoke up first, "Azaizal where have you been? Is my sister okay?" I approached the circle and dropped the deer before turning to look at him.

"Yeah, sorry guys we ended up falling asleep on the edge of the cliff and Ella's okay don't worry. We'll be back, I'm just going to take some food for when she wakes up."

Zack nods while they are dive into the food. "Take a leg, that's her favourite"

I rip off the back leg and return to Ella.

I'd felt nervous when I asked her to share but after returning to find her awake and her accepting, I was over the moon. When she called big wolf - which had become a nickname that we both used - I couldn't stop wagging my tail at how happy I felt and the feelings I got. Surely this wasn't normal, was it?

'You're acting like a love sick puppy. Aze is in love, Aze is in love' I growled at Zeus mentally and blocked him out. He liked her just as much, stupid mutt.

After we finished eating, we both stretched and began preparing to return to the others. "We best head back Ella" she shook her fur out once more before strolling towards me, "I know"

When she got close enough, she brushed her cheek against mine and I felt like I was on cloud nine but the current of what seemed to be electricity that shot threw me, caused us both to jump back in shock.

Zeus began bouncing in my head like a deer and began chanting 'mate, mate, mate' There was no way. Ella was my mate? I had wished to find my mate a thousand times and now it was happening. I knew there was something between us and now I'm glad I know why.

Ella interested me from the start and I would never share my section of the castle with just anyone. As we spent more time together, I didn't want to be away from her. When Kaden hurt her, I nearly lost my mind. I wanted him dead, and I still do.

"Mate" We both whisper at the same time. I step forward and nuzzle my cheek against Ella's again and she returns it. By how consistent the pleasant tingling is, I know it's the truth and I wouldn't change it.

If we only just found out today, that must mean it's her birthday.

Ella's POV:

I couldn't believe it, I was now eighteen and I'd found my mate straight away. Everything now made sense as to why I liked Azaizal so much. We were mates. Ally was chanting loudly in my head 'Mate, mate, mate' Now I understood the pacing. I could still feel the tingles on my cheek from Azaizal nuzzling me.

Despite not fully completing the bond, our scents will slightly mix over a course of time to show other wolves whose mates to who.

"Happy birthday little wolf" Azaizal says. I blush and look away.

"Thank you big wolf."

Realising we forgot about the rest of the team I step back and look at Azaizal. "We need to get back to the team." He nods and we begin heading back to camp. My ears flick slightly as I hear them putting everything away.

"How's your leg by the way?" Azaizal asks, seeing just the slight limp I have.

"Not to bad actually" I tell him, surprised at how much better it feels this morning. "It feels much better than yesterday." He nods his head, though I can see he already knew this.

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. "What did you do?" I ask, looking down at my leg, noting the bandage isn't there.

"Nothing really" he tells me, his voice casual. "I just cleaned it while you were sleeping." I stare at him, knowing there's more.

Despite only knowing him a week or so, I already know a bit about him and right now, I know he's hiding something.

"Okay fine," he tells me, giving into my stare. "I may have added some of my blood to make it heal quicker" I flick my ear at him at the unexpected statement. A royals blood provides a healing ability to wolves who are not royal.

"Oh," I blink. "Thank you" he nods at me as we come upon the now non-existent camp. We step through the trees and immediately everyone looks at us. What shocked me was Lexi's glare that was directed at me and me only.

I soon looked away as Zack approached me, "Happy birthday Sis"