Kendrick nodded. "Yes. The committee should be well behaved little kittens after I pulled their fangs and claws." He turned to Elizabeth. "Though I must say, it was a much easier task thanks to you."

Elizabeth smiled. "One of the benefits growing up in a noble household."

Rheia clapped her hands together. "It's been a long evening, everyone should wash up and grab some dinner."

Ryuu stepped forward. "Tonight's meal is a variety of different soups. They have been simmering all day. If you leave me your choices I can have your dinner waiting for you when you come down."

Colton grabbed a pen and piece paper off of Aiden's desk and began organizing their selections. Anne shocked Kendrick when she chose the beef stew, he had pegged her for a vegetable kind of girl. He chose the lentil soup and made his way over to Anne. Smiling, he held out his hand. "Let's go check on our boy." Anne's face lit up and she grasped his hand. He took a moment to enjoy the simple act of walking hand-in-hand with her up the stairs. It was time to tell her the truth.

*****

Anne walked into the bathroom, her heart in her mouth. The walk up to her room had been too short. She wanted to enjoy holding Kendrick's hand a bit longer. Looking in the mirror, she had to face the realization that she was already half in love with Kendrick. She didn't know what she was going to do if they found out she was truly Keelan's mate. She took a deep breath and smiled at herself. This was something her mother taught her to do as a child. When things get difficult, smile at yourself in the mirror. Your body is tricked into thinking that it's happy, and your smiling face mentally bolsters you. Today, she bared her teeth then stuck her tongue out for good measure.

She took the world's quickest shower and dried off with one of the softest towels she had ever used. She looked at the clothes she had chosen and sighed. What she really wanted to wear was her anime sweatshirt, but the only other person who dressed like that for dinner was Meryn, and she had a feeling Meryn could get away with just about anything. She compromised with herself and wore her favorite jeans, but picked out a dressier shirt. The bright coral color set off her teal eyes, but the buttons on her shirt pulled slightly across her chest. She sighed and accepted the fact that she wouldn't be comfortable again until bedtime.

She towel-dried her hair one last time before walking out into the room with her brush and a hair tie in hand. Kendrick was sitting on the edge of her bed, presumably waiting for her. Seeing him sitting there wreaked havoc with her body. She needed to stay away from him, especially him and any sort of flat surface, like the bed. Images of throwing the man backward and straddling him had her pulling a throw off a nearby chair and settling on the floor to do her hair.

Slowly she began to brush and finger-comb her hair.

"I spoke with Darian," he said quietly.

She froze. "And what did he say?"

Kendrick stood and walked over to sit down behind her. He extended his legs out on either side of her. Before he answered, he took the brush from her hand and began sliding it through her hair. Carefully he began to twist the hair into a braid.

"He said that Keelan admitted to him that he wasn't attracted to you." She felt him secure the hair tie around the briad.

The words stung. Not because she had to face the fact that Keelan hadn't been attracted to her, but because now Kendrick knew how his brother felt. Would that sway his mind?

"I wasn't really attracted to him either. I was too comfortable around him to be attracted. He was more like a best friend than boyfriend," she confessed.

"Anne, I don't think that you and Keelan are mates."

Anne stood and began to pace the length of the room. "Then why did he say he dreamt of me?"

"Because he did, but those were premonitions, not mating dreams," Kendrick explained. "Anne, who did you dream of?" His voice deepened, and she turned to face him. When she took in the scene at her feet, she gasped. Just like in her dream, he was sitting on a blanket waiting for her with a patient smile. She felt tears fill her eyes and then drip down her cheeks. "You. I so wanted it to be you." She closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

Seconds later, she felt him pull her close. "I dreamt of you, too, my love."

She pulled back and looked up at him. "What did you see?"

"The day your father died."

"Oh."

He held her close and started to sway back and forth. "You've always lived for others. First, your parents, then your patients, and now Keelan. Will you allow me to put you first? I've waited a very, very long time to meet you."

She wrapped her arms around his waist. "How old are you anyway?"

"Older than anyone believes."

"Older than Aiden?" Kendrick nodded.

"Older than Darian?" Kendrick chuckled and Anne looked up. He was looking down at her with such a sad look on his face. She reached up and soothed the area between his brows with her thumb.

He smiled. "There you go, taking care of me again."

"I don't mind as long as it's you."

He leaned in very slowly, giving her every opportunity to turn away. When he was about to kiss her, she couldn't help it and began to giggle.

Looking confused, he smiled at her. "What brought that on?"

She waved a hand at him. "You. Being so careful. If you're going to kiss me, kiss me, and be sure you do a damn fine job of it."