Protective instincts.

"Where do you think you're heading, Garrick?" Matilda who was about to return to Ned's place after a little shopping, was surprised to see Garrick just few steps ahead of her, that man can't be mistaken for anyone else due to his unique appearance.

"Your quarter is in the other side commander...make a turn please." Matilda said growling, she added some action to her words as she stood in front of Garrick, blocking the way.

The two Alphas were near equals in height, but her deep glares overpowered him easily.

Whenever Ned was in heat and she's around, Matilda goes into protective dad mode over him, it completely alters her sweet and carefree persona, making her more assertive and aggressive than usual.

"I want to check up on Neddie." Garrick felt a certain feeling of jealousy, knowing That Matilda was always closer to Ned than him, he didn't like smelling the ice cream scent all over her.

But at the same time, he couldn't act on that jealousy, he wasn't jealous because he knew she's not interested in Ned that way, and he could sense something else coming from her that made him instinctively fear her.

"Well...that can wait Garrick, he's preoccupied at the moment, and btw what happened to your face?" she asked, noticing the bandaid.

"The scent on you, it's his scent right...ironic isn't it, I thought he disliked sweet things." he replied ignoring her question.

"Ice cream is the only sweet thing Ned tolerates, he likes cold food and shit...the irony here is that he actually hates feeling cold but drinks and eats nothing but icy shit at the same time...kinda of a masochist if you ask me." she replied.

Her response sounded friendly, but The atmosphere was getting heavier with each second between them, Matilda could see the sweat dripping of the male alpha facing her.

Looking down, she caught a glimpse of a bulge in the Knight's pants that he desperately tried to conceal.

"Dude you can't even hide your junk? can you?! you're dead meat if you get any closer to him!

Humph!... Anyways you still haven't told me what happened to your face though." Matilda was demanding an answer, and Garrick knew he can't wiggle his tail out of her grip again.

Biting his lips, he looked straight into the pissed female alpha's eyes as he removed the bandaid on his face, revealing the permanent mark he has being carrying around all day on his face.

Matilda's eyes went wide open, her mind immediately gave her the answer she needed "That's a mating mark isn't it?! and a diamond too...That's gotta be Ned!" Nodding at her, "You seem to know what it is." Garrick replied.

"If it's about my friend then I'll know, plus I have one of these as well."

"You Too?! you have a mating mark!? when did that happen?!"

"Few weeks ago, however I have only known since yesterday, thanks to Ned.

To tell you the truth, it was Socorro, she's my mate...I still find it hard to believe that I have found someone to spend the rest of my life with." Matilda replied.

"Belmonte? Coco? that's unbelievable! she didn't mention a word about it, it's crazy to think we'd get mates around the same time." Garrick replied.

"Nothing is impossible, my mark was there for weeks but I didn't notice it, that's all."

"She accepted you, didn't she?"

"Yes...are you afraid Ned won't accept you? is this why you're here?"

"I'm terrified of such possiblity, I really want to be with him, I have already accepted him in my head." Garrick said, then his eyes dropped to the floor.

The fear that has been choking him all day and stomping on his heart, has resurfaced.

The feeling never stopped, it only got stronger.

What will he do if Ned says no? what if his mate didn't accept him, worse! what if Ned Accepts him just because he has no other choice, the last thing Garrick wanted to actually happen to them was being tied by a bond, forced to be in love.

When Garrick learned that the doctor was coming to the palace, that he was going to be around him all the time, he was just planning every possible way he could charm the boy from the woods and ask him out.

Although he's happy that Ned turned out to be his destined mate, his one and only till the end, Garrick actually wanted to make Ned fall in love With him by himself, slowly and through so much flirting.

"Do you know why mates who get rejected die Garrick?" Matilda suddenly said.

Garrick lifted his head up at her question, he didn't know the answer so he shook his head with a no.

"Being mates is basically being married, there's two types of marriages...one where you voluntarily get tied to your partner and that is by law, and there's one where you involuntarily get married by being Marked and having a magical unbreakable bond, tying you and someone else together." Matilda spoke explaining her pov to him, she tried to hide her smile as she remembered that meant her and miss Belmonte are basically married now.

"You mean to say that I can consider Ned as my husband?"

"Yes! you didn't know that? Anyways, though you still need to get accepted first Garrick, and then actually develop a relationship with Ned.

Maybe in few years or less, the two of you can also get married by the law, because despite that being mates is recognized as a form of marriage, judging from its rarity and very personal nature, you'll still need documents that prove you two are husband and husband for life." Matilda replied.

The more she explained, the more Garrick's expression turned from anxious to hopeful. Inside, Matilda was excited that her best friend turned out to have a mate like her, and she was more happy for the fact it was apparently Garrick.

As clumsy and airheaded as he can be, he is one the most patient and kind persons Matilda has met throughout her stay here at the palace, she felt like she can rest her mind a little easy now about Ned, now that she believes he's in good hands, other than hers.

"Piece of advice for the future Garrick, just because he's your mate now, doesn't mean you can treat Ned like you have him for granted... Remember my question that you couldn't answer?

in weddings people often say 'till death do us apart' and that is also true with being destined mates with someone.

That's why you die when they reject you, so don't be too optimistic, I don't think Ned will reject you though...but don't make him want to get out of this that way because of you...Garrick, you have no idea how far he can go when he's hurt... he'll throw his own life away."

Taking her words into full consideration, Garrick smiled at her " I promise you Matilda...from now on I will do whatever it takes to get this to work between us, and I wish you all the luck with your mate too." bowing down, Garrick turned around happily planning to go back where he came from, but Matilda grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I thought you wanted to see Ned? what happened to that?"

"I thought you said that I can't do that? what happened to that?"

"Stop joking, the situation has changed commander, you're his mate now! and Ned deserve to at least know all of his options, he's in a bad situation."

"Bad situation? what options?"

" I don't think Ned knows about your mark, if you walk away without telling him, you'll be putting him in much greater pain than he already is in...I can testify to that myself." Matilda spoke while effortlessly dragging the commander with her.

With her abnormal and impressive strength, Garrick was reminded once again at this moment how strong Matilda is compared to him.

"BTW! Remind me to never get on your bad side Miss Jeannette...And just a question, with a physique so incredible like yours, why did you become a messenger instead of a knight?"

"Dear Garrick, The pen is mightier than the sword , also it was his Majesty's idea to personally hire me for this job, saying something along the lines of he loved my work.

Besides, Royal letters are extremely important documents that should be handled carefully, and that is why his majesty prefers the more efficient way of handling them...my way.

I edit if not write most of his letters by myself, and then personally deliver them to the receiving side." Matilda replied.

"I have Much More respect to you now! I couldn't even write anything solid for homework back in school days... The only thing I was good at, were sports and art class." Garrick said.

"Much respect to you too, I'm surprised of the fact you can still hold a normal conversation while being heavily intoxicated by an omega's pheromones...and btw you don't have to hide the tent in your pants from me Garrick, it's pointless...I can see it and I'm not bothered by it."

Lowering his head in embarrassment, "I feel ashamed, I'm barley able hide it or to hold back, since we have to protect his majesty here... within the palace, most alpha knights had to go through a serious training to remain as functional as possible during such times, since his majesty is also an omega himself.

And honestly I have been around many omegas before uneffected , but I am not sure why Ned's scent is specifically hard to ignore...maybe because he's my mate."

nodding, Matilda stopped in front the room facing the one she occupies, which meant they made it to where Ned is staying, "Maybe you're right, I can't really tell since my partner is a Beta, Anyways stay here...I will have to ask for Ned's permission first before I can get you inside, is that clear?" Matilda spoke while wrapping her hand around the door knob.

With his head hanging low, Garrick nodded eagerly, still slightly nibbling on his lips to calm down.

Matilda sighed, then opened the door and quickly got in, closing it behind her and leaving the sweating knight behind.

Since he was near the source, the effect of the pheromones was getting stronger and stronger on Garrick, it made him loudly gasp for air from time to time, while clutching his shirt.

Garrick leaned on the wall outside, His lips were bleeding at this point from all that nibbling and biting, so he resorted to biting his hand instead to compose himself while waiting for Matilda to come back, to either kick him away or invite him in.

...Meanwhile...

Placing the shopping bags away, Matilda headed to Ned's bedroom while avoiding all the moving boxes scattered around.

"Poor thing, he didn't even get to settle in peacefully yet." she whispered to herself as she made it to his bedroom door.

Matilda was about to open the door without a knock, when she heard Ned moan loudly.

Her eyes bugged," Oh shit! that's why they say knock before you come in." she said embarrassed.

Taking a deep breath, Matilda knocked on the door, " AYE! NED YOU DECENT? CAN I COME IN?" she asked yelling, but heard another moan, he wasn't going to stop.

"OKAY NEVERMIND! ... I'M GOING TO TELL GARRICK TO COME BACK ANOTHER TIME!" she yelled through the door again, this time she heard a thumping noise inside.

Ned quickly opened the door, dripping in sweat with nothing but an oversized shirt on his body, his dark purple hair was all over his face from the sweat. " What the hell is he doing here? is that where that fucking scent of spices is coming from?!"

"I suggest you find an underwear first Neds."