"Ana? Is that true did he imprint on you?" "Yeah he did. He is my mate in their words." Ana told him in a sift voice. "So that day it was real the glow and everything. I mean I swear I even thought I saw him check you over. Even your dad searched you there was nothing…jus-… how?" Jaxon felt so lost. "Well he is the second prince of his planet he is very high ranking their mark goes over their heart and the heart of the other being." She said showing him the top as it was on the top part of her chest clearly visible if she wore a tank top. He looked at the matching Phoenix in flames with Phoenix written on hers and Analeigh on his both showing him as Nix had his hand wrapped around her waist.
"So all this time your engaged to me you were cheating with this?" Jaxon asked. "Well now wait I wouldn't go as far as call it cheating I mean we haven't done anything besides hug and I hug everybody. But this is also why I am calling everything off with you. There are so many reasons I am calling us quits Jaxon this is just one of many. IF you want to call it cheating fine. I'm ok with that because you cheated me out of a lot things to and you know it. But I know what you mean since both beings have to have a certain connection for this to happen or go that deep. Over time Phoenix became my best friend because I could communicate with him about stuff I couldn't with you." Analeigh told him.
"You can tell me anything. I have always been right here for you." He tried to argue. "Bullshit Jax and you know it this whole time I keep telling you I can't do this. I can't do us. I just don't feel romantically with you and the entire time you blow it off. You blow my feelings off all the time you're still doing it in fact this entire conversation." Ana argued with him. "That's true dude. You act like you didn't hear a single thing she tells you and you try to bypass it with hopeful strategies." Echo said shaking his head taking a drink of his tea. Looking at him and then back to her and then back to Echo shaking his head.
"Ok may be I do that or did that. Only because you just don't want to give this a chance. Be honest have you tried 100% with me to try to make us work even before everything got pulled into play because if you honestly have then shouldn't you have some feelings by now?" Jaxon asked her. "I have feelings for you. Their just not what you want them to be. Jaxon it's not that type of love I have for you. I've done nothing but try for months with you Jax especially the beginning but it just got worse. You do deserve someone who loves you. I mean killing my mom aside and having the need to let my dad have his way aside too. You are a great guy. You got so much going for you. You will get someone way better than me down the road. I just can't marry someone I don't actually love like that. Too be honest I don't trust you the way I should to help make this work and neither do you. If you had trusted me wouldn't you have laid all cards on the table at the start. You based the whole start of us on lies." She told him putting her hands in her butt pocket Nix's arm still around her waist.
"And Him? Do you want to marry him? Do you love him like that? You realize once you're mated they mate for life you'll be it for him. Do you have any idea what that'll do to him and you? What happens when you come back from there? Your dad slaughtered so many of his people like cattle Ana what do you think will happen there? What if Darious gets ahold of you and he gets caught up in his mate hormones and dies do you have any idea what they'll actually do to you?" Jaxon asked tears still silently falling from his eyes to his cheeks. Nix went to lunge at him again until Ana patted his chest. "I understand everything that can happen." Ana told him. "Ana is our planets hero and she is treated as such they all already know her as a Saint and Savior she is the General's Princess or Commanders Princess. She is treated as the royalty she is. Hell she is ranked now even higher then my brother the king himself only Darious is mad about the past my people are forgiving and good hearted we never try the off spring for the parents crimes." Nix told him with pride.
"Princess?" Jaxon asked her as reality set in. "You aren't' planning to ever come back are you? He is in line for the throne and being mated if you have his kid first you take over." Jaxon was getting worried. "I denied my right to the throne as long as I am the one to lead every soldier on our planet. My elder brother and my third brother is the heirs. In our home planet the King can't rule the armies only the other heirs can. One can it keep Wars down and also keeps better peace among the people. My brother will bring up problems the rest is up to my command. He only gets Veto's in certain situations." Nix added. "Not like here where only dad gets a say and everyone else has to eat it." Ana added. "I don't want to come back. I will at some point but I think I do love Phoenix. I mean how else would I be able to mated to him right?" Analeigh said making Echo head and eyes pop out. Jaxon's jaw drop a bit. Phoenix smile from ear to ear. "You think love him?" Jaxon asked the same time Phoenix asked. "You think love me?"
"Ok we're getting off the subject. Jaxon I want you to leave. I want you to give me some time and then I will call the engagement off at the right time. Please I know this may be a lot to ask but can you not tell anyone about them or us, or me and him. You owe my mother this for me. You owe me this after everything. Hell you even owe him this he did just save your life today. Please Jaxon I'm begging you." She said softly in a way that made his heart hurt. "Fine." "I want you guys to leave to." She said pushing them to the door. "Why us?" Echo asked. "After the last thing you said you want me to leave now?" Nix asked her. "Yup, I got all I need." She said as Quinn came walking up the walk way. "Well this'll be good story." He said waving everyone off. "My sister asked you to leave and y'all will do it." Quinn said happily waving them off and putting his arm over Analeighs shoulder.
After walking a bit away out of view. "You knew we were engaged. How could you imprint on her?" Jaxon asked angerly. "All the times you saw interact you still have the gall to steal my woman." "First off if she was really your woman we wouldn't have been able to imprint onto each other. Get that fact straight. Second off you were always the one forcing yourself on her. You weren't the one who had to piece her poor soul back together after you left. Every time you forcefully kissed her she grabbed her knees to her chest and cry. She did try to make it work. You were just too stupid to notice and you were also too stupid to always try to take it further then her comfort zone. You were always trying to get her to get on the same level you were on but she could never reach it." Phoenix told him flatly. "It always tore me up watching her like that. I couldn't believe you actually try to force her to feel things she just didn't. All that time together I learned everything about her. I know her like the back of my hand by now. I read her like an open book. I bet you can't say the same. Yet you knew her since school days right? In the end Jaxon you can't force feelings on anyone. There either there or they're not. She really did try for so long and it just drained so much of her she was starting to lose herself in the process. Is that what you really want for you two?" Nix laughed in mockery to him.
"You don't know the first thing about us." Jaxon argued. "Don't I? You forget how much of you affection you displayed in front of the statue she never let you get rid of? I've seen plenty for months almost a full year. In fact as long as I known her and she vented everything else to me. Because she was and is my best friend." Nix told him smugly. "Dude, I'm right here. Like you see me." Echo said in defense. "Yeah well I know a whole different side of her then you do and I know there is still a chance to get her down the aisle. I am not giving up on her that easy. Rather she's your mate or not. We both know there are ways to get her out of that." Jaxon told him smugly. "Well if she ever makes that choice I will gladly go through with disconnection procedure but luckily with the Analeigh I know and understand you won't ever get that chance." Nix told him with a smile as he and Echo went into stealth mode and took off. "Guess we'll see." Jaxon said as he drove off.
After Analeigh told Quinn everything that happened he was just staring in awe. "So like are there more of Darious men or scouts out there?" Was the first question. "No he doesn't have that many men he can just keep out his following isn't that big. Also the cameras and alarms would have went off by now. "So Jaxon knows you're kind of already married now? How did he take it?" "As good as you think he did. He's in denial." She sighed. "He promised to keep his mouth shut. And I believe him at least on this." She added. "How do you feel about all this?" "I'll let you know when I finally understand what's going on. It's all still slowly sinking in. I'm going to take a shower and hit the sack. You feel free to the fridge." She told him as he smiled to her taking her drink. Waving her off he went to the fridge.
Looking in the mirror after her shower she stopped and stared for a bit at all the new bruises and cuts upon her. 'Good thing big guy aint here he'd probably freak if he knew just how everywhere these really are.' She thought to herself. Changing and walking into her room turning off the lights and letting the fairy lights come on the blue lights always calmed her. Laying down she started replaying everything in her head. Started wondering about everything that might happen next. What will she tell her dad about the bruises? She could always say she got in a fight with some wildlife, that's one she hasn't tried yet. Its not like anyone will go look for it then anyways. Thinking back she's starting to feel more like she did cheat on Jaxon she did all these things to him to get inside his mind before he was ready to talk to her about it. Maybe they were both wrong on that. Also she planned to leave the planet and not tell him after making him plan with this wedding the families wanted and after agreeing to it. She is now joined through the soul to another male while being engaged to another. Yup she is not coming out of this feeling or looking good.
Shaking her head. 'Doesn't matter now anyway. I should apologize to Jaxon he was right about all that. Do I really love Nix? I know I have strong feelings for him. I mean hell the man is like a walking wet dream. I know I have some type of feeling for him that way or else we wouldn't have this on our boobs.' She thought looking at her mark. 'But damn if aint one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Enough of this just lay down and pretend you don't exist you're in another world and you're just a tree.' She said sighing to herself getting comfortable and trying to sleep. It wasn't easy now that she was feeling so many things the one thing she knew was hers that she felt and even magnified was she missed Nix.
Sighing to himself wishing he could have stayed with her but understanding why she threw him out. Laying on the bed that still smelt like her. Echo coming in and getting on the hammock laughing. "Man the look on fake mates face when she said she loved your big ass was priceless." Echo said rocking a bit after getting comfortable. "Yeah that was actually pretty cool. I never expected anything like that to leave her lips so soon." Phoenix said with a huge ear to ear smile. "Do you think she meant it or do you think she was playing against fake mate?" Nix asked worried for a moment. "She meant it. She even said she has to or how else would you two even be marked and she's right. If you don't have love in there between you there wouldn't be that lovely artwork on your chest now would there?" Echo told him proudly with happiness in his voice.
"Do you think she feels pressure now between us because of the bond? Do you think she will see me as Jaxon because the bond will pull us more together over time. I don't want her to feel like she left one trap to go into another. I don't want her thinking I'm forcing her into something else she didn't want like the other two let downs in her life. I swear all she gets is men who let her down. Her father, Jaxon yeah they are both real winners in the manipulative- selfish asshat category. I don't want to be another candidate on that list." Nix said running his hand down his face feeling a little unsure and nervous. "You are overthinking this way too much brother. You should know the difference by now between us and them on these things. These are the things male D'marlians know best. Somewhat anyway. But we do know what we feel towards our mate and how real it is. She wouldn't be your mate right now if she truly had those thoughts about you and you know it." Echo told him flatly.
"Phoenix you got to stop beating yourself up on this so maybe the way you imprinted on her wasn't one of the most elegant ways. I mean it's kind of nice that you went along with the tradition of the other two women in her family. I mean the whole damsel in distress I think they say. It's just something she can have in common with her elders now. I mean sure you may have wish it happened differently but I mean honestly it's still beautiful in it's own way. It happened and it happened because you both share a bond with each other that no other has come close to or you wouldn't be this way right now." Echo told him with a smile.
"Guess your right." Nix said with a smile. "I think one day you two should have an open talk about what you both honestly felt in that moment before during and after it happened and work off from there. Give you guys a fresh clean start at the kind of beginning. Echo said waving his hand flatly sideways. Nix felt something surge through his body a familiar feeling making him sad and smile. "Maybe it is all in my head. Maybe I did think too much." Nix said with a chuckle. "What makes you say that now?" Echo asked him looking at him getting ready to fall asleep. "She misses me." Nix told him happily as they both laughed a bit and fell asleep.
Moving around in the morning she walked over to the coffee pot and hugged it as it held the beautiful beverage that will give her the strength to find the will to live today. Quinn came in walking the same zombie way she did looking at her and joined her in the hug against the coffee pot. "All hail the caffeine master." He said loudly. "Hail." "Hail they both said weakly. Grabbing their cups and getting ready for work the wen through security with a friendly chat to the sweet old guys running everyone through. It was so quiet and calm. There was a good atmosphere in the building today it was empty yet full.
So many people were either getting things ready for Millies send off or taking time off to grieve her. It was optional to come into work for two weeks once an elder of the staff passes to mourn properly. Ana always thought it was a cover to make the bosses look human or have emotions. Nice cover too. She was pretty sure their human side was long gone. Ana was even smart enough to send flowers in Sienna and Jace's name. She made sure to give the coordinator $2000 saying it was from Eddie. Thankfully they were still on FMLA. Making her way down the elevator she noticed once again no one was at the post before luckily her father listened to her and kept the guards out there is a special bell they can press and will connect to her intercom. Though no one ever really comes down here. They are smart enough to email her.
Walking in the doors and putting food down she made earlier. She was looking for her things to make sweet tea when she saw Nix already holding it out for her. It touched her to very core. "I have crossed the horizon to find you…. I know your name. They have stolen the heart from inside you." She sang happily. "You and that Disney music always crack me up." Nix told her with Echo right behind her. "This is perfect thank you." She said giving him a one armed hug pressing up against his chest happily drinking the tea. She has done this many times but now it feels different. It made them feel even more content and relaxed. Phoenix wasn't even sure if this was normal or the pull from the bond. All he knew was that pretty soon it's going to start getting more intense if they keep staying apart from each other. He didn't want to see her in pain either.
"What's on your schedule today? Done with grunt work? I have some things I have to test, check and run. Then I will be going up to see some people like 3 of them and give them the printed results so they can continue on with their work as planned. It all looks good so far except one. I will retest this and add some different plants to it I need to bleed these ones instead." She said taking them out of their place in the huge garden. Looking over her emails she sighed and rubbed her hands to her face. "ow do you guys feel about Chinese today? I have a late nighter tonight and will most likely just crash here." She said stretching her arms over her head. "Sounds great get the usual." Nix said grabbing some other things on the list she will need. Echo was going over some old blue prints of the building.
Paige's army has already sent in scouts to the lower levels and meet up with Echo and Phoenix as they gave out a few plans and instructions. Everyone knows the risk and every knows the importance of making sure Analeigh gets off this planet with or without him. The one and only goal is to make sure Analeigh gets to his brother at all costs. That was the only agreement Nix assured them that D'marlians will give them whatever they want in exchange just for those terms. Luckily no one asked for a single thing other then to make sure Gabriel Alderman disappears from this Earth forever. They missed their jobs and the way things were. The biggest part of the lawyer section was under Paige's eye and had made it to where should anything happen to Gabriel then Paige would inherit the building as long as Analeigh couldn't be found in a year she would act as acting CEO until a year and then be turned into a CEO.
Everything was falling in place. Everyone was ready and on board with all the plans. Every thing was set and felt like smooth sailing. Analeigh even cleared the air for the most part with Jaxon with just a little ways left to go. She felt so relieved sitting there in her office this morning like any other day. Except it wasn't this was one of the last few days in her office. On this planet. She would soon be taking a journey she never thought she would take filling shoes and roles she never thought possible. Her life from this point on was never what she had planned and for the first time in a long time she was excited about it. Feeling new things. Learning new things. Accomplishing something to help an entire planet was such an incredible thing. Her happy emotions were contagious for the guys. It was just almost to happy for her. She kept a small part to be more alert in the back of her mind. The small parts that warned you if everything's going to good to be true it's because it is. It always get better before it gets worse. Remembering it's always calm before the storm.