His Broken Mate

Chapter 5

Elaina's POV

When I wake up, warmth is surrounding me and there's something wrapped around my waist, pulling me into the source of warmth. Surprisingly, I feel safe, which I haven't felt in nine years. It's nice. I sigh and open my eyes, immediately filling up with fear. An inch away from my face is Xavier's admittedly handsome and innocent looking face and I jerk back only to be caged in by his strong arms.

I start struggling like a wild animal as tears come to my eyes. HE'S TOO CLOSE! He wakes up, startled, and looks around defensively, like he's expecting something threatening -other than him- to be here. He realizes I'm crying and does the worst possible thing he can do- he TIGHTENS his grip. I just want him to let me go!

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asks concerned, wiping my tears as I thrash around in his restricting arms.

 "Please just let me go," I whimper.

His arms reluctantly release me, and I jump off the bed. "I just want to leave."

"No." His eyes harden, and he also stands up.

"Why not? I-I haven't done anything to deserve this, a-and I just want to be left alone!" I cry, more tears slipping down my cheeks.

Xavier's brown orbs soften, and he takes a small step toward me. I take a big step back. Is he going to punish me for crying? "I just want to leave," I say again, repeating myself.

He sighs, running his fingers through his hair. "How about we make a deal? If anyone hurts you, you can leave. But I'm not going to harm you. I want you to know that. So . . . deal?"

Hmm . . . I get to leave if someone hurts me? I like the sound of leaving, and someone hurting me is inevitable, and if no one hurts me, which isn't likely, me being here won't be as bad.

"Okay. Deal," I say quietly.

"Since you agree, can I know your name now?" I can tell he's been dying to know what it is.

"Elaina," I whisper, not quite wanting him to hear it. I hate my name. My dad named me Elaina.

He smiles. "Elaina. Beautiful. Are you ready for breakfast?"

I shrug. "I guess."

I run my fingers through my tangled hair as Xavier leads me down a flight of stairs to a large kitchen where a couple already sits at the counter, enjoying a meal with each other. Wait - aren't I supposed to make the food first?

"Um - how many members are in your pack?" I ask Xavier quietly.

"About . . . five hundred?" he answers. Oh great, even more than my old pack.

I look over at the clock to see it's already 7:30. Oh crap, breakfast won't be done until like 10:00 or 11:00! Great.

I start right away, pulling out pans, pancake mix, hashbrowns, eggs, bacon, sausage, and a few more things to make breakfast with. In fact, I make a stack of pancakes, twelve sausage links, and some eggs before Xavier touches my arm to get my attention, making me instinctively flinch and take a step back. "Yes, Alpha?" I ask with my eyes not meeting his.

"Just Xavier. What are you doing, Elaina?" he asks curiously.

"Making breakfast for the pack," I say, going back to the several pans to make sure nothing burns. I add a few more pancakes to the stack, and start piling bacon on a plate. I also pull out a few oranges and a pitcher for juice. I'm halfway done filling it when I realize Xavier is staring at me with confusion.

"Why would you do that?" Okay, now I'm confused.

"Aren't I supposed to?"

He shakes his head. "No, we mainly make our own food, unless there's some big pack dinner, but then a lot of people pitch in to help make it."

I furrow my eyebrows. "What about cleaning?"

"Again, we usually clean up after ourselves, and a lot of people have small chores to do."

I am so confused. "Then why am I here?" I ask.

"To be my mate and this pack's luna," he replies seriously, looking into my eyes. I look away.

"Okay," I say.

I finish cooking, make two plates of the food, and put the left overs in the fridge for anyone who wants any later. When I go over to the counter, I realize the couple sitting there is the beta, Jaydon, and his mate, Allison, who I recognise from my old pack's basement. A great place to meet people, really.

"Hi, Elaina!" she waves.

I put the plates down, and keep my eyes on them. "Hi."

I glance up to see her looking at me pityingly. Oh yeah, I guess she did see a glimpse of my abuse-filled life. Ha! If she thinks what she saw was as bad as it got . . . she's wrong. Very wrong. Because it got SO much worse.

"How are you doing?" she asks. She doesn't want to know. She doesn't really care, she just wants to feel like she's helping me so she won't feel guilty.

"Fine," I shrug. Everything's JUST fine. Really.

But she sees me frowning at my food as I pick at it with a fork. "Are you sure? What's wrong?" she asks.

"Nothing, I'm fine," I reply, half smiling to assure her.

I always have to assure other people. Make them feel okay. Even in my old pack, I guess I made people feel better. Most of the guys and girls just beat the crap out of me to take out their anger or sadness, but a few of the nicer members would just cry on my shoulder because their friends would judge them if they cried out in the open. So some members would just come into my cell at night and cry on me. It's not even like I hated them for doing that or anything. I don't hate them now. They just wanted someone to cry on. Someone to make them feel better. I guess I did that.

But is it so wrong for me to want someone to cry on? Someone to make ME feel better? I always do stuff for other people. Usually it's because I got beat up if I didn't do anything, but I also did stuff for people if they were having a bad day. Yup, I'm a real saint. It's just - No one's ever there to make me feel better. To make me feel secure. I don't see anyone around that would possibly help make me feel happy and safe.

Just as I finish that thought and take a small bite of pancake, Xavier sits infront of me, holds my gaze for a second, then I focus my eyes back on my plate, feeling queasy under the intensity of my mate's stares.

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Oooooooooooh, what do I see brewing at the end there? You'll have to wait and see ;)

Also, who wants Xavier's POV in the next chapter? I'm thinking about it, but I haven't decided yet. Let me know!

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~MysticWillows