Ayden's pov
No! No! No! My Lord you must do what I do."
I rolled my eyes and looked over at Kareen who seemed to be holding back a laugh. Gaspare, the dance instructor in a moment of self importance decided to grab my chin and force me to look at him.
"If you cannot pay attention, you will never learn how to dance in time for the ball!"
I let a warning growl slip from between my clenched teeth, but Gaspare didn't take the hint.
Gaspare, if you do not release Ayden. I believe you will end up giving your lessons with a hand missing."
Gaspare looked to Kareen and back to me, jerking his hand away when he noticed the look on my face.
"My Lord, there is no need for you to be hostile . . . I simply wish for you to make the best impression on your mate."
I sighed, forcing myself to calm down, Gaspare was right; he was helping me and I no right to be angry with him. Before I could apologize, Kareen spoke up again.
"I believe Ayden need a partner that he is more compatible with."
Gaspare's frown suddenly lifted into a smile that made me nervous and he quickly turned and left the room.
"What's going on Kareen?"
"You do not want Gaspare to be your partner, correct?"
"No."
"The he will not be . . . do not worry he will choose someone you will like."
A sudden thought hit me.
"My partner . . . I'll have to dance with him in front of Derrick?"
"As I will in front of Zander. We must show them that we are desirable to others."
"You want us to seduce our partners?!"
Kareen smiled sadly at my question and I knew right away what he was thinking about.
"We have been wronged by the men we cannot help but love. Our mates believe we should be grateful for any scraps of affection they deem worthy to give us . . . if we do not show them that we deserve so much more, nothing will ever change."
"Kareen______________."
"I was not honest with you, Ayden . . . I did not want you to carry a greater burden than you already do, but I want you to see the cost of allowing your mate to abuse your love. Even Zander does not know this . . . after he rejected me, I refused to accept the break in our connection and because of this I felt . . . each time he was with another my heart and mind broke apart a little more. Before he returned here with you, I had given up . . . he had been with many others, but he would always return to me and . . . when I felt the bond between you strengthening instead of fading I could not endure it and I_______________."
I covered my mouth to hold back a cry of shock as Kareen rolled up the sleeves of his kimono, revealing still healing scars on both wrists.
"B-Because of me?"
"No, Ayden . . . because I loved too much and for too long to let go in a healthy way. The truth is, you saved my life."
"What do you mean?"
"When Zander brought you here and informed me that you had given him what I could not, my heart and mind were clouded by hatred and I wished to leave you to waste away, but when he brought me to you and I lay my eyes on you I realized that we are the same . . . your pain echoed my own and I knew that you must survive."
"But I still don't understand, how did I save you?"
Kareen opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew open and Gaspare walked in with a group of men, that immediately formed a line, standing in front of us.
