By the time I make it to the back of my house, my thoughts are still in disarray. All I can think of is that I hurt my mate, and I have to fix it.
The light flickers on in the kitchen as I approach. A moment later, the back door opens, and Tara steps out. Her eyes go impossibly wide as she takes in Nora’s sleeping form in my arms. Tara’s gaze moves to Nora’s neck, where I marked her as mine, and she gasps.
Tara’s mouth is still hanging open as I walk past her and into the house. She closes the door behind us, and I carry Nora up the stairs and to my room. Tara doesn’t follow, and I’m glad. I don’t have the patience to explain anything to her right now.
Once I’m in my room, I lay Nora on my bed gently, careful not to wake her. Her head falls onto the pillow; her long blonde hair spreads out like a halo. I brush away some strands from her forehead, reveling in how soft her skin feels under my touch.
My wolf is content having our mate lying in our bed, but I still remember the pain I felt earlier. She was in physical pain too, and I need to figure out where she is hurt.
I start by inspecting her feet. She ran barefoot in the forest, leaving the bottoms of her feet scratched up and dirty, but that couldn’t have caused the kind of pain I felt. I move up her smooth legs, noticing a small smidge of blood on the inside of her thigh. The proof of her virginity.
I felt that she was a virgin the moment I entered her. My wolf rumbles in satisfaction, knowing that no one else had touched our mate but us. Possessiveness roars in my chest, matching my inner beast.
Reaching for the hem of her nightgown, I slowly lift it up, exposing her torso. Anger explodes in my chest as I take in her almost naked form. There are bruises scattered all over her stomach and ribs. Some fresh, deep purple, others half healed, blue and yellow. She looks like someone has been using her as a punching bag.
My wolf snarls, ready to attack whoever hurt our mate. I try to contain my anger, but my hands shake as I peel her dirty nightgown off until she is completelynaked.
I make a quick trip to the bathroom where I grab a washcloth and run it under warm water. When I return to the bed, Nora hasn’t moved an inch. I gently wipe the dirt and blood off her body. When she is clean, I reach for the blanket and pull it over her.
I don’t want to leave Nora’s side, but I can hear Tara pacing in the hallway, and I know she won’t rest until I talk to her. Grabbing a pair of shorts from my drawers, I pull them on and quietly open my door to step out.
As soon as I’m in the hallway, Tara bombards me with questions. “What the hell happened? Did you purr? And why are you all scratched up?”
I don’t even know where to begin. Taking in a deep breath, I do my best to gather my thoughts. “I was out on a run when I felt the pull toward my mate. It didn’t take me long to find her. When I realized it was Nora, I was shocked, but I also knew right away that our bond is strong. I couldn’t fight it.”
“Okay…” Tara pauses, as if she needs a few seconds to process everything. Then she asks, “How did she react?”
“Not good. She tried to run away from me. She was going to reject me,” I say, the words heavy on my tongue. “I just couldn’t let that happen.”
I can see it in Tara’s eyes—the moment she puts it together and realizes what I have done. “You forced her to mate?” She questions in a whisper.
Shame and guilt rip through me as I nod slowly. “I know I fucked up, but I just couldn’t let her go.”
“Cole… I… don’t know what to say.”
“There is more,” I admit. I might as well tell her everything. “After the mating bond was formed, I could feel her pain. So much of it. Physical too. I just checked her body, and she is covered in bruises. Someone has been hurting her.” Just thinking about it again has anger rising inside of me.
“We’ll find out who is responsible, and we’ll make them pay,” Tara offers, and I’m relieved she is already accepting Nora as my mate. “Everything will be okay.”
I cling to my sister’s words, hoping that she is right about this. Will everything be okay? Or will Nora hate me forever for what I’ve done to her?
Chapter 5
Nora
I’m trapped somewherebetween sleep and waking up, but I’m not mad at it. I want to stay here forever. I feel safe in this limbo, warm and protected. My wolf is oddly content too.
For a long time, I don’t understand why I’m feeling this way, and I don’t care either. All I know is that I’m surrounded by this all-consuming scent. I suck in another deep breath, wanting more of it in my lungs. It soothes something inside of me.
I wish I could stay here forever, but something is tugging at the back of my mind. Something that tells me this is all a lie. I’m not really safe here; no one protects me. I only have myself. That’s how it’s been for the last eight years, and that’s how it always will be.
Convincing myself something is wrong, I force my eyes to open. I blink a few times, taking in the unfamiliar ceiling I’m looking at. Panicked that I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be, I sit up quickly. Pain shoots across my torso, but I ignore it.
Frantically, I scan the room, my eyes immediately landing on the person sitting in a chair next to the bed I’m lying in.Cole.
Oh god. A different kind of pain slices through me as I remember what happened last night. Cole and I…no. I don’t want to believe it, but when I rub my legs together, I can still feel him there.
I stare at him, fully expecting him to say something hurtful or mean, because that’s all I’m used to. He doesn’t say anything, but his usual cold stare is replaced with something else completely. Guilt. He looks at me with rueful eyes, asking for my forgiveness without saying a word. I almost laugh. How could I ever forgive him for what he did to me?
