Yes, but No, but Yes

"Let me ask you something. Was I ever cruel to you? At all?" At least he queried her with only a little bit of darkness in his tone this time.

"No...that's why I was so paranoid. No one outside my siblings has ever done anything nice for me without wanting something in return, or holding it over my head. I just didn't want that again, that's all" she admitted with defeat.

Meta waited for a moment before he responded at all so that he chose his words carefully. "If you can't accept me for who I am, then it will be hard for me to accept you for who you are. I figured you had noticed already, but I'm not a fan of holding over other unless necessary. My parents may be disappointed in me, but I am still the Prince."

He paused and looked down to his mate as she grovelled. He looked displeased. "You look rather pathetic. Sit up, is unbecoming - is not you," he sighed out with a bit of annoyance, but she swore she heard some softness behind his tone, and saw pain behind his eyes.

"I accept your apology," he started stoically. "However, I can't accept the fact that my destined mate hates a part of me that I cannot control. I didn't pick my parents - and neither did you."

"Please, Metas - give me another chance. Let me get to know you better like I should have from the start. I'll let my guard down around you and I'll trust you. Just give me time to accept that its real - that you're real," she plead and tried not to lower her posture further for agitated her leg with great discomfort.

"What happened to your leg?" He asked with hidden concern as he looked to the grey wound that was not healed well. It looked a though her body had ceased her recovery entirely.

"A silver trap," she answered with shame.

"Ah. If it is hurting, you may sit how you please. I'm not trying to talk down to you, but I'm not exactly happy with last encounter, and I don't want to be hurt again either," Metas admitted with eyes that burned with anger rather than desire for her.

"I don't blame you. I promise, I won't hurt you again. I just - please just trust me," Myranda pleaded with her eyes, but he seemed to just stare back with an empty sadness in his gaze.

"Then you must trust me in return. I may act weak to throw off my enemies - but I am much like you. I don't want to be told what to do. I don't want to be misread or under-estimated. You did both. What should I feel?" He asked, and sounded as though he wanted to choke.

"I don't want you to actively seeking me out. I need you to trust me from afar, and see that I am real. No one defines me - not even you," Metas added proudly. He even seemed to grow in size the more he spoke to her, or maybe she was just pressed into the dirt harder...

To her, he looked twice as handsome and intimidated her ten times more. She would give anything to know what he thought in this moment...and anything to be under his strong form and warmth.

"I-but.. Please don't reject me. Please," her voice broke, but his expression did not move.

"I'm not rejecting you - but I can't accept you right now, either. Give me time, just like I afforded you. If you distrust me in future, it will make everything fall apart. I cannot stress enough how vital is for you to just leave me alone for a while. If can manage it - I'll come speak to you again myself, and we can see how you feel then," Metas sounded as though his words were hollow, as though he meant nothing had just promised.

Her ears went back as the pain in her leg throbbed harder with each pound of her heart. How could he just say he hadn't rejected her, but then told her to stay away from him? It didn't make sense - but she wanted to trust him with all of her might, so she swallowed the temptation to ask why he would do this.

The last thing she wanted was to already show she distrusted him.

He was right, though - she needed to trust and respect him just as he had accepted and approved of her. She felt ashamed once more in her past actions as the entire picture dawned upon her.

"The real question is this, are you willing to be vulnerable and trust me despite chance of pain, or are you going to shut yourself off and ignore who I am for comfort? I want to be Alpha King, Myranda. I need a Luna who trusts me entirely, and would never question my honor. Can you honestly say you can do that?" Metas questioned and breathed in deeply in what looked like a continued speech or lecture - but instead it exited his nostrils slowly.

"I...I can try. I want to -" she started, but stopped when he shook his head and refuted her response before she even finished it.

"You don't, though" he spoke over her as the sound of paws crunched in the snow which signaled that company approached them.

He was right, what could she say to refute him? She would have to believe in him somehow, even if from afar. Now that she had realized how compatible they were, and how much she truly desired him, all she wanted was to accept he was real, and admit she was wrong.

"Jyriah, as you requested my Prince," Lara panted with fatigue, and sat to catch her breath.

Myranda's older brother was almost half as big as Metas - almost -. His hair was thick and had a range of colors in each strand of his fur as the light moved. Sometimes it looked brown, sometimes it highlighted the deep red that ran in their family, and sometimes it looked like it had a golden-white sheen to it.

Myranda had always found it magical.

"Thank you, Lady Lara. Jyriah - help your sister get the things she came for, and keep her away from me," Metas ordered, and had not even greeted the wolf like he once had before.

"I'm sorry if she disturbed you, sire. Myranda hasn't been herself since the silver infected her blood. The doctors said she should be back to her normal self, soon. Forgive her, please" Jyriah excused respectfully and bowed lowly.

Metas looked shocked for a moment, but it was hidden in a flash. Myranda hadn't even seen his expression due to the fact she was focused on her shame.

Jyriah had noticed, though.

"Silver poisoning?" Metas started with concern, but after he looked at Lara, his tune changed. "This is why Lara and I are taking the routes together. We know what to look for. Perhaps she should send one of you to do her errands instead. Otherwise, she may get hurt again" Metas' voice wasn't like anything Myranda had heard before. It sounded like he had warned them both rather than advised them of danger.

"As you wish, sire. I'll make sure to send someone in her stead" Jyriah replied respectfully, still bowed to the Prince with obedience.

"Thank you. I appreciate that - would help me not feel so paranoid. This meeting - this can't happen again, do you understand?" Metas threatened seriously as he looked down to Myranda with eyes that seared into her brain.

"Yes..." she answered sadly.

"I mean it," he pushed further - almost urgently.

"As you wish, sire. I will not come near you again," her heart and voice wavered at the thought of no longer being the equal he talked about before.

"Good. Please gather her things, and get her inside to safety. We are not safe in our own territory anymore," Metas commanded, and then stood. He turned his back on them, but took one more chance to glance over his shoulder to see his mate's saddened face.

The Prince and his Lady sat and watched as the two siblings walked together. Metas folded his ears back and huffed out a sad exhale between his lips they faded into the wood.

"Are you okay?" Lara asked once their targets had left their view.

"No. How did you feel when you rebuffed Ajax?" He replied sullenly.

Lara agreed immediately."Good point. Listen, we'll fix this. It will all work out - I just know it. My parents completely believe that I'm so into this they're already making plans to have us exchange vows at the ceremonial grounds."

"Hey, don't out perform me. I am told I don't seem happy. We need to be in this as team, remember? Myranda isn't safe as long as my parents think I still feel for her. They need to think I am crippled just a little so they underestimate when time comes."

"What are you going to do about Silas?" She followed up with worry.

His resolution never wavered as he unveiled his simple plans. "Fight him if he challenges me. I've let him best me in combat for decades. He'll never know what hit him when the time comes for me to protect Myranda and our people. We started this, and now we must finish - agreed?"

"Agreed. Do you think Myranda will wait for you?" Lara posed to him with concern. "I do not trust her. She seems too acrid for you."

The Prince shook his head and refuted her immediately. "I trust the Moon Goddess. She picked Myranda for me for reason. For now, the best way to protect our mates is to make them think we're considering other offers. The less our parents suspect, the better."

Lara followed up and tried to sound as strong as he had. "I'll make sure to keep some extra eyes on her under the guise of keeping her under control, so worry a little less, okay? Our focus should be on liberating the kingdom. If they are destined to be with us, you're right - they'll wait,"

"Thank you, Lara - you have always been my best friend. I will reward you deeply when this is over," Metas promised.

"I know you will, Mets. Just remember - you owe me a huge wedding cake for Ajax's and my ceremony --and I want a party at the palace."

"Deal. I'll give you a wedding cake every day if we pull this off," he jested.

"Well - now we have to succeed. I want that cake" she said with a smile and turned to Metas. She hoped to cheer him up as she steered the conversation elsewhere.

Unfortunately, she failed as their chatter died, and instead they both sat and stared off in their own daydreams.