Page 10 of Blinded
CHAPTER THREE
Brett
I woke up in a full panic, unsure where I was and confused because I couldn't see anything. My wolf stood, legs wobbling on an uneven surface as I tried to sense where I was.
I jumped back as another wolf nuzzled his nose against my neck, but that only confused me more. I stepped away and went falling, hitting the ground hard. I growled as I rose up again, trying to understand why the world was dark.
The other wolf howled softly, a calming noise that had my wolf titling his head trying to understand. The other wolf was trying to reassure me, but nothing made sense. I turned, hoping to see something, but still only found darkness.
A soft whine from the other wolf, then his tongue on my face had me taking a deep breath. I caught his scent, paying attention to him as I realized he was my mate. Slowly, memories started to hit me, and I lowered myself to the ground whimpering as my mate curled up beside me, continuing to lick over my head, softly yelping to calm me.
I pressed against the wolf, finding that his closeness calmed me. Bayne, that was his name. He'd taken care of me. Helped me. I slowly started to relax.
Bayne moved away from me, and as I went to follow him, he nudged me away. I whimpered, feeling rejection from my mate.
"I just wanted to shift so I could talk to you." Bayne's hands were suddenly running through my fur, his lips kissing the top of my head. "You don't have to shift unless you want to. I'm going to get us breakfast in a minute. You need to be careful. The bandage came off when you shifted last night. Don't touch your eyes, okay?"
I pressed against him, enjoying the way he held my wolf in his arms.
"You're a beautiful wolf. I'm so lucky that you're mine," Bayne told me.
I hated how instantly my bond formed with him. I'd dreamed about finding my mate for years, but the fact it happened now, right after I'd been attacked and blinded, made me want to cry. I didn't want to be dependent on anyone, force anyone to take care of me, but as my mate, Bayne didn't have a choice. It would be a need for him, something he would do without thought. He didn't get a choice.
My parents were mated. I'd grown up seeing and understanding the bond between them. It was something that I always wanted. The difference in the relationships of a mated couple compared to an unmated one was immense. I wanted that complete bond. The full oneness that came from having a mate, but now, with me being blind, I hated to force Bayne to have to deal with my issues. It was like he had been cheated out of having a whole mate.
I took a deep breath as I rubbed against his chest. Taking a minute to enjoy the feeling of my mate's arms around me. I'd dated a lot, had a lot of casual sex, been intimate with many, but nothing compared to the feel of Bayne's touch. I was torn, one minute wanting to die, the next minute wanting to explore this mating bond with Bayne and live the dream I'd always imagined.
Stepping away from him, I forced myself to shift. I sat on the floor for a moment, wishing I could look up and see what he looked like. Hating that when he looked at me, he was forced to see the ugliness of two hollowed eye sockets.
Bayne sat down beside me, his hand pressed to the small of my back. "I never thought I'd find a mate, but you are more than I could ever have imagined being blessed with." He kissed my shoulder. "How are you feeling today?"
"Bruised, but better. The pain is gone." I licked my lips, thirsty. "Other than my eyes, is there any visible damage?"
Bayne ran his hands over my skin as if inspecting it. "Not that I can see. You're perfect."
"Hardly, I'm sorry this happened to you." I hated how I wanted to lean into his touch, feel him beside me.
"Happened to me? You're sorry we found each other? I didn't think Fate would ever bless me with a mate. I'm stunned that we found each other. Excited to get to know you, share our lives together."
I shook my head. "I'm blind."
"I know, and we'll work through that. I'll help you adapt."
"You don't get it, do you? I can't run with you, hunt with you, I can't even look up and see what you look like."
Bayne moved, taking my hands in his. "Your heart will know what I look like, but for now, you'll have to use your hands to see me." He placed my hands against the side of his face before releasing them. "Touch me, Brett. See your mate."
My palms pressed against the side of his beard, my fingertips near the corners of his eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to imagine him as I slowly moved my fingers over his face, through his beard, then back up again and through his hair. "What color is your hair?"
"Dark brown. My eyes are brown too." He reached out and held my hips as I continued to slide my hands down his body, over his chest, running my fingertips through the thick mass of hair that covered him. His stomach tightened as I touched him there, then I slid my hands to his hips, feeling my way to his thighs, liking the muscle I felt beneath my palms.
"Tell me about you."
Bayne laughed. "I'm never good at this. Um, I was born here with the Terrin Pack. Both my parents have passed, but I have a grandfather who lives in Bozeman. He is the only family I have left."
"How come he is with the Bozeman pack, but you're here?"
"He married into the pack, but my father met my mother and she was part of the Terrin Pack, so he moved here to be with her."
