Page 139 of My Broken Mate
Atlas’ dark eyes seem to be watching me.You are strong,he says.Thank you for being so strong and for capturing our mate.
I know you protected me,I say.
I tried to,he says.I had to close myself up to keep you safe. Sorry, it took me so long to finally be able to come forward. It had nothing to do with not wanting to meet you. I just needed the time.
I smile.I know… now,I reassure him.
You are a good human,he says, amusing me a little. It sounds like something I’d say to a pup. But somehow, it’s comforting to hear him utter these words.We are going to get stronger now,he promises.
He wasn’t able to stay in his wolf form for long, but I still feel beyond happy that I was able to shift at all. Now that I know he is there, I am so much more optimistic. I have been patient for so long, I don’t mind being patient a little longer until he gains his whole strength.
You are a pretty huge wolf,I comment.
At that, he seems to grow a little, with pride.That’s because our mother comes from a particularly strong lineage,he says.Our predecessors are said to come from the first shifters to have ever existed.
Really?I ask, stunned.That’s amazing.I feel my heart clench a little.I guess it was the reason the monster was so into our mom.
His expression grows sad.Probably.For a moment, he stays silent.The path to recovery is always a long one,he tells me.But we will make it. I am not going anywhere, Remus.
We get halfway down the mountain when the path becomes a little flatter. From here on, it will just be a leisurely, comfortable walk. Kata and I take a little break, sharing the last protein bar from the stash I took along, before continuing the path.
“Kata, I want to spend more time with you,” I admit, deciding to talk to her about something that has been lying on my mind for a while.
“Me, too,” she says. “Especially now that we have marked each other.”
“I have been thinking. Now that my wolf has finally connected with me, I need Sean to train me properly. He is the best person to do it. But I thought we could take turns, staying at each other’s places.” I pause. “I… I will move out of the packhouse. We have a few small cottages for one or two people that are currently vacant. I am sure Sean and Gabriel won’t be against it. I just can’t stay in the packhouse anymore. Too many bad memories. I want a place to myself. So, if you come to visit, we would have some privacy.”
“Are you kidding me?” she blurts out. “I was having similar thoughts. Time to move out of my little bedroom. I will take one of the smaller apartments in the packhouse. Actually, when Joel became alpha, he offered one each to Eve and me, but at thattime, we wanted to stay with him to have his back. But he is good now, his position is secure, and I think I am ready to move out.”
“We can alternate between packs,” I muse. “Until we know where we want to stay.”
“Yes, that way we wouldn’t need to make a decision immediately, and we could see who needs us the most or where we want to stay.”
“That’s the plan.” Relief fills me when I realize she not only isn’t against it but actually had similar plans on her own. We are still young. We have our studies to finish, and we have time to plan our futures. Our families are friends now, not just allies, and I don’t know what the future will bring for them. Kata and I have time to figure things out.
“Thank you for having taken me along on this trip,” she suddenly says, taking my hand. “It means the world to me that you didn’t push me away.”
“I contemplated it for a moment,” I admit.
“I know, and I understand why. I am still glad you took the risk.”
“Me, too,” I admit. Had I not brought her along, I wouldn’t have shared everything so openly with her. Or maybe I would have, later, but it’s not the same. I was able to walk this path with her because she followed me, and because I let her.
“Goddess, I am so hungry,” she says all of a sudden, making me laugh.
“The protein bars weren’t enough,” I chuckle. “Let’s go straight for lunch when we are back at the rehab center.”
My plan doesn’t work out, though, because the moment we are in sight of the rehab center, I spot Gabriel. I recognize him instantly, now that my senses are sharper. I can see and take in his scent.
Gabriel waves like crazy before running back inside. A couple of minutes later, the others appear, too.
“You can’t be serious,” Kata sighs.
“Why are you surprised?” I chuckle. “You told the nurse you were convinced they would all pop up.”
“I know, but it’s still weird that they did. They can be so embarrassing.” Despite her words, she waves back at them enthusiastically.
They are obviously overjoyed to see us. I was expecting either Sean or Gabriel to be reproachful because I just took off without further notice. Well, I left a note, but it’s obviously not the same. But they don’t seem to mind.
