Unloved Mate (Wolves Of Night Shade Pack)

18

Valor

I stood in front of the bed, watching my father as he slept. I was awake throughout the night looking after him. After Frey and I had arrived on the first floor, the nurses checked me as well to ensure that my injuries would heal, and that was when everyone heard the good news. I was pregnant, and that nothing had happened to the developing fetus. Turning on my heels, I unbuttoned my shirt, heading into the bathroom. I stripped and had an hour long shower and changed into a new set of clothes, returning to look after my father. A few hours into the morning, the nurses came to check on him, and I used the opportunity to go downstairs and grab myself a bite. The kitchen was empty, and it gave me the chance to dwell on my thoughts as I made egg scrambles and pasta. By the time I finished, I sat on the stool close to the counter and feasted on my food. I was almost done when I heard the honking of the vehicle, and I hurried out of the kitchen, entering the common room and plodding down into the foyer. I reached for the door handles and pulled it, seeing the SUV stop in front of the fountain. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the man stepping down from the vehicle.

“Don’t let him in.”

I informed the two guards posted at the entrance and turned on my heels after I had locked the door. I mind-linked Logan and the other wolves, knowing that he would try to fight his way through, and we needed more wolf warriors to keep him out of the manor.

As I struggled back to the living room, a new sense of aching settled in my chest as events of what had transpired between us rushed through my memories. What was he here for? Why was he here? He wasn't supposed to come here. Kane should be back at his pack, helping his people and not be here. I was pacing the floor of the living room when I heard clamoring at the entrance. Kane struggled with the wolves at the entrance. “Let me in. I need to see my mate.”

He hollered at the wolves. I swallowed hard, and a breath escaped me as I worked up the courage to head toward the door. I wouldn't invite him in. He had to go back to his pack because I didn't want to see him. Not that I wasn't ready. I just didn't want him here because I was moving on from everything that had happened in my life, all the chaos, and I didn't need him back here, disrupting the peace I was finding. I marched toward the door and pulled it open, seeing him pacing the polished floor of the porch whilst Leda stood by the stairs. When he saw me standing at the entrance, his eyes roamed over my body, torture appearing in his eyes as tears broke free. I shook my head and said to him, “I don't want to see you, Kane. Please go home.”

“I’m not leaving. I'm not leaving without you.”

“I don't care, ok. Just go. Go home.”

I said, my voice shattering. I couldn't let him see me break. I stepped back into the threshold and shut the door, covering my face with my hands as tears flowed freely down my cheeks. I was moving on, right? I wasn’t supposed to be crying. I was supposed to be free from all this pain. But unfortunately it all came flooding back because he was here. Because I cared about him. I sauntered back into the living room and dried my cheeks of the tears, seeing the nurses coming down from the stairs.

“Your father is awake. He would like to see you,”

she informed me. “I will be back to check on him tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

I sniffled and headed up the stairs without waiting for her response.

I strutted down the hallway and arrived in my room, walking into the apartment and seeing my dad sitting on the bed. Sighing, I hurried toward him and pulled him into an embrace. “Hey, son. You don't have to cry. I'm ok.”

“I almost lost you last night.”

“But you saved me. I'm alive. There’s no need to worry.”

“Yes, there is. You're my dad, and you're the only person I have left. I can't lose you.”

I smiled at him. He looked at me with happiness and ruffled his hair, searching my eyes.

“Is everything ok with you?”

“No, I'm fine, I muttered, tearing my gaze away from him. “Kane is here.”

I finally let out.

“Do you want to see him?”

“Yes, but I can't.”

“Valor, does it still feel right? Wanting him? Do you want to be with him?”

“Yes, but I can't. What if he breaks my heart again? I don't think I can handle it.”

“But you love him.”

“I do.”

I rose to my feet and ran my hands through my hair, the stench of frustration oozing from me.

“Then go to him.”

“I can't, dad. Can we just talk about something else? Anything?”

I shrugged and sighed exasperatedly. He gave me a nod of approval and patted the bed, and I came to sit beside him. We spent the entire day discussing the happy memories of our past and laughing at one another whenever a silly, fun memory came up. My mind darted to Kane a few times, but I kept myself immersed in the conversation with him. After he had finished dinner, I gave him his meds and put him to sleep.

I showered and headed downstairs for dinner. Luckily, the family had finished and gone to bed, and it was just me again making myself supper. I was halfway through when I heard a knock on the door. I raised my gaze from the counter to Frey, who was leaning against the door frame. “Hey, Frey. How are you… and the kids?”

“I think I should ask you that,”

she said and sauntered closer. “Kane is still here. He said he isn't leaving until he has spoken to you.”

“Well, I hate to dash his hopes, but he's never speaking to me.”

“His witch, Leda, explained everything to me and you really need to talk with him, Valor.”

“What if he leaves again?”

“He won't.”

“You don't know that. You weren't there when he told me to leave. You didn't see the way he looked at me, the way he made me smile. I can't feel that way again, not when it won't be forever.”

“You have to. You've been alone most of your life, Valor.”

She was saying, and I saw Kane step into the kitchen.

“Frey, you let him in. You shouldn't have let him in.”

“I’m sorry, but he wouldn't leave, anyway,”

Frey shrugged. “He literally threatened the entire pack for you,”

she turned on her heels and walked out, shutting the door behind her palm. “Look, Valor, you have to fight for your bond with him. If you don’t, no one else will.”

I hurried toward the door and tried to get out, but I couldn't. “Valor.”

He breathed, and I stopped struggling with the door. I turned to him and shook my head with a trembling sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“That is not enough. You sent me away!”

I roared at him, completely overwhelmed by anger.

“I know. I wasn't in my right mind.”

“You promised you would never hurt me.”

“I know.”

He tried to step closer, but I warned him with a glare.

“You promised,”

I cried. “Is it a crime to want love? Cause I've tried, and it doesn't always work out for me.”

“I know, little wolf. I know.”

“Don’t call me that when you hurt me.”

“I’m sorry,”

he cried, his voice having a sense of urgency and fear. Fear that he would lose me forever. I had never seen that in any man’s eyes. Especially an Alpha that held power at the tip of his fingers. “Tell me what I can do to make up for it.”

He stuttered, pleading with his eyes.

“Just go.”

“I can't leave you. Not like this. I don't want to,”

he said and tried to touch me, but I sidestepped and shook my head. He dashed toward me and pulled me into an embrace. “I’ll do anything. If you want me on my knees, then I'll go on my knees,”

he collapsed helplessly to his knees and looked up at me with nothing but complete forlornness and wanting in his eyes. “If you want me to take out my heart and hand it to you, then I'm ready to do it. As long as I get to be with you,”

he choked, and his claws extended. He forced them into his chest and curled around the shape of his heart, blood spilling down his shirt. “I would do anything you want, little wolf. I am at your mercy.”

He bowed his head and his shoulders shuddered as he knelt heavy-hearted.

“Kane, please, stop. You're hurting yourself.”

I quivered and fell in front of him.

“For you, little wolf. I would do anything for you, and I would never let nothing drive us apart ever again,”

he drove his claws deeper, and I pulled them out of his chest and brushed my hands against his cheeks. “From the moment I saw you, I knew it was… it was me and you,”

he took my hands and placed it on his already healing chest. “And I know, I, I know that I messed it up, that it hurt you so much. But I promise I will never leave you again, and I'll protect you always. From him, from anyone who threatens our love. You don't have to be alone again. You have me. Me.”

He confessed to me, and I just held him in my arms, the bond that tethered our wolves coming back to life once again. We stayed there for over an hour, drenched in our tears and blood. I wanted to be with him. I needed to be with him. He was the only one who didn't want something in return. He just wanted to love me, and he did. It was Zeke that wanted to ruin everything. I wouldn't let him. He didn't have that power over us, over our love. “I love you,”

Kane muttered, with his nose buried against my neck. “You don't have to say it back. I just want you to know that your mate loves you.”

He held my cheeks and caressed softly. I nodded and helped him to his feet.

“Come on, we have to go to bed. I'm not hungry anymore. I just want to be with you.”

I smiled at him, and he sighed with a bittersweet smile. He curved his hands around my waist and lifted me from the floor.

Once we were behind closed doors, he carried me to the bed and laid me gently, covering me with the sheets. I sighed and watched as he took off his shoes and jacket, joining me and pulling me into a cuddle. He wrapped his possessive arms around me and laid a kiss on my neck exactly where he had left the mark of the bond, his beast humming in agreement to his claim.

“Our mate is here with us again.”

Leo bubbled with excitement and I smiled.

“Goodnight, Kane.”

“Goodnight, little wolf. I'll be here when you wake up. I promise.”

He laid a kiss, and I shut my eyes with the unwavering assurance that he would never, ever leave me again.