Chapter 18 - Too Many Secrets

"Adalyn? What wrong? Are you in pain??" He went to pick her up but she stopped him and placed her hand on his chest.

"I'm okay" she bit out through the pain. "It's just a headache, it will pass...in a sec". Her eyes were screwed up tight as she tried to ride out the pain.

"Just a headache?" Kai challenged. "Let me get a doctor" He tried to pick her up for a second time but she stopped him again.

"No! Please don't! I promise you I'll be fine in a moment"

Kai wasn't happy, he wasn't happy at all, but she was adamant about staying put. He held her hand as she curled up into tiny ball in his arms.

As the pain eventually passed her face started to relax. She stood up gingerly out of Kai's arms and without saying a word proceeded to continue walking down the path towards the main-house.

Kai stood up and quickly caught her up in a few strides. He grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Are you really trying to walk away like nothing happened just now? What was that?"

"I just get headaches sometimes, it's nothing to worry about." Adalyn tried to dismiss it.

"That looked like more than a headache to me. Has this happened before?"

"Really, it's okay. It only happens from time to time"

"How often is from 'time to time'?"

"Not often!" she was getting annoyed at the barrage of questions.

"Adalyn?" Kai asked a bit more forcefully.

"Please! Just drop it okay. I don't want to talk about it!" she snapped back as she forcefully pulled her hands out of his.

Adalyn had already made the connection that the headaches were related to her wolf and in her efforts to hide how broken she was from Kai, she was determined to try and shrug it off. She stared at the ground, determined not to make eye contact with him She didn’t want to see him looking worried about her or feel pity for her in any way. Gabriel and her aunt constantly made that face when they saw her go through this and she hated it. It was one of the reasons why she started hiding how often it was happening from them.

Kai didn’t know how to help her and felt frustrated. Whatever it was, it was anything but normal. "Why would she try hide it and why is she so stubborn?” he asked himself. They had been with each other for such a short time, but it felt like they were constantly butting heads. There were too many secrets between them.

The silence was long.

"Just tell me, are you sick?" Kai asked with genuine concern in his eyes.

"No."

"If you're sick, I need to know."

"Don't worry I'm not on death's door, so you can relax, you'll be fine even if we are fated mates" she said sarcastically.

Kai looked pained at her response. "Don't do that. I thought we cleared that up already. You know I'm not asking because of me."

Adalyn instantly felt guilty throwing out old dirty laundry in a loose attempt to try and hurt him. She knew that wasn't why he was asking but she wanted to do anything to get him to drop it and attacking was usually her first form of defence. She really didn't feel comfortable with bearing her soul to him yet and exposing all of her vulnerabilities.

"I'm okay, I promise." She looked him straight in the eyes to try and appease him, but the tears threatening to prick her eyes didn’t make it look very convincing.

Kai wasn't satisfied at all with her response but the pained looked in her face and the levels that she was going to, to not have to explain it, made it clear that he wasn’t going to get an explanation without pushing her.

Kai sighed and re-took her hand silently and continued leading her up the path. He was really aggravated and wasn't hiding it very well. As a prince and as an alpha he wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted, but his mate was testing him in ways that he wasn’t familiar or comfortable with.

“If you don’t want to explain this to me now, fine. But if it happens again, I’m taking you to see a doctor whether you like it or not!” Kai didn’t look back at her as he spoke.

Adalyn had already seen a doctor about it before so she knew there wasn’t any point. They assumed it was related to her losing her parents so young and was more a symptom of the emotional detachment rather than anything physically wrong with her. The doctors also decided that might be why her wolf was so wild and didn't seem to respect her. Not being able to remember her parents made it next to impossible for her to be able to move past it, so she had just accepted living with the headaches.

As they approached the main door Tsuna came out to meet them.

“Good morning your highness,” she smiled brightly at Adalyn seeing Kai holding her hand, but sensed there was a little tension between the two of them.

“I came to meet you and inform you that you have guests waiting for you in the lobby,” she continued.

“Is Arrow here?”

“Yes, your highness, along with her royal highness Melody and her attendant.”

“Mel is here?” *'Shit! How did she know that I was here?'* he thought. "Elias!" he said out loud. That sly dog! He must have figured it out that he was there at their holiday home with Adalyn and told her. He was not in the mood for her right now.

“Melody? As in the royal princess?” Adalyn asked Kai.

Before Kai could respond there was a commotion at the door of the main house and Melody came flying out.

“Is this her?” she yelled excitedly whilst speed walking over. Behind her, her guard Naya was hurriedly chasing after her shortly followed by Arrow, strolling leisurely behind them.

Melody was dressed in her combat gear which consisted of ribbed black leather pants and a black halter top. She had her waist length long black hair neatly tied back in a french plait. She snatched Adalyn’s hand from Kai’s and held on to both of them eagerly.

“My goodness aren’t you gorgeous! I can’t believe Kai was trying to hide you from me? I nearly had to break Elias’s arm to get him to tell me about you." Kai didn’t often feel sorry for Elias, but he’d personally been the victim of Melody’s *tell me what you know* methods before.

Adalyn was completely taken aback by how touchy she was and didn’t know what to do or say.

“Uhh... your highness...it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Adalyn responded a bit awkwardly. She put one of her feet forward and tried to do her best curtsy.

“Well, aren’t you adorable!” Melody beamed. “Please no need to be so formal. We’re practically family now”

Naya, her guard had finally caught up to her. "Melody, I wish you wouldn't keep taking off like that, you're make it very hard for me to do my job when you keep..."

"Relax Naya, I’m a big girl now" Melody waved her hand at Naya's face to try and stop her from making a fuss.

"Naya! What is she doing here?" Kai asked her, aggrieved at her sudden arrival.

"Believe it or not Kai, Naya is not my keeper, and I can go where I please!" Melody snapped back at him.

Adalyn couldn't help but be slightly amused at how Melody was talking to him. It was the same way she and Gabriel teased each other.

Kai sucked his teeth and took Adalyn's hand back from Melody. Resigned to the situation, he formally introduced them. "Adalyn, this is my sister Melody, Melody, this is Adalyn".

Melody, beamed at Adalyn again. "This is great! How lovely to meet you. I've always wanted a sister. Elora is so stuck up." Melody rolled her eyes thinking about Matias' wife. "It's so nice to have someone nearer to my age."

Adalyn had always wanted a sister too and Melody smile felt genuinely warm and welcoming. It's nice to meet you too Melody."

"Soo!" Melody clapped both of her hands together in excitement. "When are we gonna formally do the mating ceremony? Fated mates too! How romantic. I can't wait to plan it!" Melody’s eyes glazed over all dreamily as she planned it all in her mind.

Adalyn didn't know where to look in response to this. Kai had already told her that he wasn't yet ready to claim her.

Not getting a response, Melody quickly sensed awkwardness. Melody looked from Adalyn to Kai, then back to Adalyn. Melody zeroed in on Adalyn’s neck. There was no claiming mark where there should have been one.

"Wait...you've not claimed her yet Kai? What are you waiting for? It's not like you're an amateur when it comes to sex...Ow!" Melody was suddenly cut off as Kai started dragging her away by the elbow.

"O…kay! Come with me! You and I need to have a little talk!" Kai roared finally losing patience. “Tsuna can you take Adalyn inside and let Arrow know that I'll speak to him in a moment."

"Ow! Wait! Hey!" Melody squirmed uncomfortably as Kai dragged her away inside the house. "Was nice to meet you Adalyn!!" she yelled behind her.

After dragging Melody inside a room, Kai closed the door. “Sit down Mel, I need to explain a few things."