Unraveling Secrets

「 Chapter 14 」

He would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying the sight. "Stop it, this is not the time Matthew." Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, he lifted his mate back over the railing, turning her over to hold her bridal-style. Her face was beet-red as she swiftly pulled the hem of her nightgown back down to her thighs.

"Were you trying to kill yourself?" He snapped, bringing her back inside. The human timorously shook her head, before he dropped her onto the bed. She crawled until her back touched the headboard, trying to get as far from him as possible. Bringing her knees up to her chest, she tucked her chin between them and wrapped herself in her arms.

He was burning with anger, but seeing his mate so afraid of him felt like an arrow to his chest.

"Calm down, and don't hurt her," He told himself. Unlike werewolves, who are bound to go back to each other no matter how much they argue, humans can simply stop having feelings for their mates and find another lover. He hoped she hasn't yet lost her love for him, though the fear in her eyes suggested otherwise.

Sighing, he sat on the edge of the bed, his back towards her.

"What did those men tell you?"

She peered at him from behind her knees, struggling to find the courage to speak to him.

"T-They said that you tortured and hurt them, and that you'll k-kill me." A fleeting moment of silence surrounded the room as Matthew pondered upon her words. "W-Why would you do that to them?"

"Do not believe anything they said. I don't torture innocent people, Madeline. Those men were murderers. They killed my entire family before my eyes: my mother, my father, my sister... Not just my family, they killed so many more. I spent years getting strong enough to achieve revenge on them, and now I finally had them, chained up like the pathetic fools they are. They took everything from me, they deserved all the pain I gave them."

Madeline felt her eyes tear up as she processed his story. His entire family? She was never one to approve of violence, but after hearing Matthew's side of the story, she was not sure what to think.

"You had a sister?"

Her mind wandered to her own brother. Nathan had always been so protective of her. If someone were to kill her while he was alive, he would've no doubt raised hell and tortured them likewise.

"She was a few years older than me. I never had many friends as a child, but she was always with me. We did everything together. Then... She was gone. They killed her in the worst way; locked her up in a house and set it on fire, while I was chained up outside. I heard all her screams, but I couldn't save her on time." He clenched his fists as the dreadful memory flooded his mind. Everyday, he cursed himself for not being able to rescue her.

A faint sniffle escaped Madeline, tears rolling down her cheeks. She never knew Matthew's past was so traumatic.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. He was still facing away the other way, staring out the window contemplatively.

"They suffered enough, I won't be torturing them anymore." He looked down at his hands, stained in blood only moments ago. "I killed them after you left. You might be against that, but I had no other choice. If I freed those vermins, they would've killed you next."

The thought of him killing four men in just a few minutes sent a shiver down her spine. "They were murderers. You can't expect him to be peaceful and kind to them. He did the right thing," She tried to convince herself.

He turned around to face her. "You may hate me, but you are the only person I have left, and I cannot let you go."

Her eyes looked up to meet his. They were filled with such pain and misery, she could not stop herself from throwing herself in his arms and hugging him tighter than ever. He fell back onto the bed, holding her on top of him as close as possible, as though she'd slip away if he let go.

"I don't hate you," She murmured, making him sigh in relief. They both stayed there in silence for a while, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms.

With his mate still laying on top of him, he moved up on the bed to tuck themselves in properly. His eyes darted to the clock in the room. 2:56 am.

"It's late, you should sleep," He observed, stroking her hair softly.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

She bit her lip, debating wether she should go on or not. "Can we please keep the cat?"

He mentally groaned. "It's an outdoor cat, we are not keeping it in the house. If you like it that much, I'll allow you to visit it in the forest once in a while." She frowned, but decided not to argue.

"... Can I ask you another thing?"

"What?"

"Were you looking under my nightgown earlier when I was falling?"

...

"Go to sleep."