I woke up to find Kristin sleeping, peacefully in my arms, her blonde hair was covering her beautiful face so I moved it away with my hand until I could see her face.

After a minute, Kristin stirred and her eyed flew open, she saw how close we were and tried to back away but my hold around her tightened as I was determined not to let her go because I didn’t want a repeat of yesterday.

“Let go Tom,” Kristin said.

“No,” I replied with a smirk.

“Why not?”

“Because I nearly lost you yesterday, I won’t allow that to happen again. I can’t lose you, you mean too much to me. Why did you leave me when I love you?”

“You shouldn’t,” Kristin said.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t feel the same,” Kristin replied.

“You should because like I said you will be in pain if you aren’t with me,” I reminded my mate.

“Why wasn’t I in pain yesterday then when I ran away?” Kristin asked me with narrowed eyes.

“Because I just marked you then. If you leave me now, you will feel pain,” I warned.

“I don’t believe you,”

“I’ll prove it then,” I let go of Kristin and stood up to leave the room but Kristin stopped me.

“Where are you going?” Kristin asked in confusion.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” I assured as I stepped out of the room. I shut the door and locked it behind me to make sure Kristin didn’t try to leave me again.

Kristin wants proof and she will get it. I stepped outside the palace and went up to the entrance gates before running away.

When I was a couple of towns away some time later, I made my way back to the palace as I was in pain and it was getting unbearable. I needed to get back to my mate.

I unlocked the door and found Kristin on the floor crying quietly in pain. I ran to her and pulled her up into my arms and she instantly stopped crying.

“Do you believe me now?” I asked.

Kristin nodded her head tearfully.

“You won’t try to run from me again?” I asked.

Kristin shook her head and I gave a sigh of relief before hugging my mate.

“Are you alright?” I asked with concern.

“Yes,” Kristin replied quietly.

“Good,”

Then I moved Kristin’s hair away from her neck to see my mark.

“I love my mark on your skin, don’t ever hide it,”

“Ok,” Kristin said, she was too weak to argue.

Kristin’s pov

I can’t believe this, the pain I felt when Tom left was unbearable. Now I have no choice but to stay by his side.

“How far apart can we be without feeling pain?” I asked Tom.

“I only went a couple of towns away before so that means we can’t be that far from each other,”

“This isn’t fair,"

“It is, you won't feel any pain if you stay with me," Tom told me.

“Isn’t there any way to stop the pain?” I asked.

“There is but you won’t like it,”

I grabbed Tom’s shirt and pulled him close.

“Tell me,” I urged.

“Mark me,” was all Tom said.

“No way?” I disagreed angrily and let Tom’s shirt go as I took a step back.

“It’s the only way. Our bond will be complete, our souls will recognise each other as mates and you won’t feel pain if your away from me, no matter how far,”

I thought about it, I didn’t want to mark Tom but it was the only way I could run away from him, for good this time.

“Fine I’ll do it,” I said.

“You’ll mark me?” Tom asked in surprise.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Do it then. Do it now, bite me,” Tom ordered and came closer.

Tom brought his neck close to my lips to give me good access. I opened my mouth wide showing my fangs then I put my fangs into Tom’s neck.

When I pulled away, I licked the bite to remove any excess blood and saw the mark appear. It was just like mine, in black ink there was a rose with swirls around but in the middle there were my initials ‘K.A’.

Tom was smirking.

“Why are you smirking?” I asked.

“You marked me, you made me yours,” Tom stated while his smirk grew.

“I only did it to stop the pain so now I can be far away from you and not feel any pain,” I explained and Tom’s smirk disappeared.

“Don’t lie. You did it because you love me and wanted to make me yours,” Tom disagreed.

“No I did it because I don’t want to feel pain,” I argued.

“Yeah right,” Tom snorted in disbelief.

“Whatever, I don’t care. At least I can be away from you now and not feel any pain,”

“Who said anything about being away from each other?” Tom asked.

“I did,”

“Well there’s no way that’s gonna happen. Do you seriously think that I’ll let you out of my sight now after the stunt you pulled yesterday?” Tom asked with an eyebrow raised.

“You will if you know what’s good for you,”

“Are you threatening me?” Tom asked.

“Maybe,” I replied.

Later that day, Tom decided to go out somewhere because his bruises were gone and he was fully recovered. He wanted to take me with him but I refused because I wanted time alone. Tom agreed and went with his mum instead.

This was my chance to escape again. I couldn’t just walk out of the palace this time as there were guards everywhere.

I decided on doing something I’d never tried before, something Tom does all the time, disappear out of thin air and go to wherever he wants.

I didn’t know how to do that but one second I was in Tom’s bedroom and the next I was on the outside of the entrance gates. I did it. I escaped. That was easy, too easy.

I decided to go through the woods this time, no one will think to look for me in the woods as it’s so close to the palace. Someone running away would never stay close to where they are running from.

I walked through the woods, I could hear birds chirping and an owl hooting, I also heard other noises that I didn’t recognise. All I could see were trees everywhere with no path or road. If it were night, I would have been afraid to go through the woods but it was day.

I had been walking in the woods for ages not knowing where I was going or what I was going to do, I just kept walking.

Suddenly I heard a loud noise, it sounded like the howl of an animal. However I couldn’t see anything around to be certain so I continued walking.

After a while, I saw movement behind some bushes that came into view. I stepped back and continued as the movement in the bushes continued.

My foot then got caught on something, it looked like a twig. I struggled to free my foot with no luck, I only slipped and hurt my head. I touched my head and saw blood on my hand then I felt uneasy and everything went black.

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