Page 8 of Blinded
"I don't want to get used to it." Brett tried to pull back, but Cohen gripped his shoulder, keeping him in place.
"Hold still. I'm almost done." Cohen finished wrapping the gauze around Brett's head. "Do you think you can eat?"
Brett shook his head no.
"Have Corta bring something for both of us, please." I looked at Kurt.
"Do you want to call your family?" Cohen asked.
"No, I don't want them to see me like this." Brett pulled away from me.
My wolf whimpered at the loss of him in our arms. It was shocking how much I needed him beside me. It was overwhelming to have someone suddenly become such a huge part of my life. I wasn't sure how to handle the feelings stirring inside me. I wanted to demand he stay in my arms and I never wanted to let go.
"When you are ready, you can make the call, but you need to make it, or I will. I can't let your pack wonder what happened to you if you don't make contact. Bridger's family told me you were from the Bear River Pack in Utah, right?"
Brett didn't answer.
I was sure Kurt was just letting Brett know that he knew where he'd come from, confirming that he could and would call if Brett didn't.
"Finding your mate can be a bit overwhelming. I suggest you two rest tonight, then take tomorrow to talk. Don't try and force things." Kurt narrowed his eyes at me. "Let it happen naturally. I know it's hard, but it's the easiest way."
The easiest way would be for us to rush to the bedroom and commence with the mating ritual right away. I didn't want to wait. I wanted Brett bound to me in every way possible. As hard as it was going to be, Kurt was right. I needed to let Brett take his time with this. The mating ritual wouldn't work unless both wanted it to. I couldn't force this. Brett needed to want me the same way I wanted him, and while I was sure he felt the pull and connection between us, it was clear he wasn't ready to mate.
I had to wonder what it would have been like if we'd met under different circumstances. If he hadn't been injured and so scared. I'd dreamed of finding my mate, but I'd always seen it as an instant attraction, instant claiming. Scenting each other across a room and rushing off like crazed fools to the nearest place we could consummate our mating.
"I'll be by in the morning to check on you. Call me if you need anything at all." Cohen stood. "Bayne, there is more gauze and bandages in that bottom drawer should you need to replace the bandage at any point, but keep the eyes covered. You don't want anything getting into the eye sockets."
"Thanks." I pushed up, then placed my hand on Brett's shoulder. "Let me show you where you can sleep?"
"Not like I have a choice." Brett slowly stood.
Kurt gave me a sympathetic look. "Corta will bring food shortly. I'll let you two know if I find out anything more."
I nodded. "Thanks." Gently placing my hand on Brett's back, I asked him, "how is this going to be easiest for you?"
"A gun to my head would work."
I growled and reached for his hand. "I'll lead you."
I reached down, picked my backpack up off the ground, and opened the door. Ignoring the looks from the other wolves, I led Brett toward one of the bedrooms. I picked one on the main floor, so he didn't have to deal with stairs.
I needed to think about everything now. I had to think as if I were blind, so I could be one step ahead, making sure Brett would be okay, and things would be as simple for him as I could make them.
The rooms on the main floor were usually used for prisoners or wolves who were losing control. There were bars on the windows, and the doors were reinforced. It didn't matter. Brett wouldn't see that it wasn't a normal room. There was a bathroom in each room, so we would have all we could need for the night. I just wanted him to rest and try and come to terms with both his blindness and our mating.
Once in the room, I shut the door. "The bed is about five feet directly in front of you. The bathroom is four feet from the other side of the bed." I wasn't sure what he wanted to do.
"Thanks." Brett slowly shuffled his feet forward, going to the bed. Once there, he turned and sat down. "I'm sorry you have to babysit me."
I closed the distance between us in one stride. "I am not babysitting. Don't tell me you don't feel the mating bond between us. You can't ignore it. It's too strong. I never dreamed it would feel this way. I feel like if I am more than ten feet from you I might lose my mind. I don't know how people handle this. I want to kill anyone who gets near you, looks at you, even thinks your name."
"I feel it, but I'm not going to make you stay with a disabled wolf the rest of your life. Had we met a week ago, I'd give in to what I feel, but now, it's not fair for you to be bound to a blind mate." Brett sighed as he lay back on the bed. "I'm sorry Fate did this to you."
I climbed over him, straddling him as I braced my hands on either side of his neck. "Let's get one thing straight. I don’t care that you are blind, just like I wouldn’t care if you were deaf, mute or missing your legs. I don't care what condition you are in. You are my mate. That means you are perfect for me just how you are. Fate doesn't get this wrong. It never has. You know your history as well as I do. Fate puts us together. Fate knows what we need and desire. You are for me, I am for you. The sooner you deal with that, the sooner you know I'm not walking away from this, the sooner we can be happy together." I leaned down and licked up the side of his neck, enjoying the swift intake of breath Brett made. "Feel that? It's us. We can't find that feeling with any other. I've searched years for it. Now that I found it, I'm not letting go."
Brett lay still beneath me. "You can't force me."
"No, I can't. But I can stay with you and show you just how good it can be between us. I can show you that we are better together than apart. I can wait for you to see what I do."
