My Dark Mate [2021: Editing]

Chapter 13

Sadness pierced my heart as I came to a startling conclusion. A conclusion that explained why I couldn't talk, touch or do anything in this dream. I finally grasped that it wasn't a dream, but a memory. And it was not one of mine but one of Logan's. My heart immediately began to twist as I realised that if that were true, this scene playing out around me had actually happened to him years before.

Even though I knew it was pointless, I still remained in a protective stance over his body; my arms stretched out as if that would keep his father away. I couldn't do anything as his father went right through me and began to carve into one of Logan's leg.

Pain shot through my leg, my mate's pain travelling through the bond immediately. I fell to the blood soaked ground as dream Logan began to scream in pain; the sound making me grasp my chest. My wolf let out an agonised howl as my mate continued to scream. "Daddy don't, please!" He pleaded. He continued to scream as his father began to cut deeper; using his claws as a type of shovel as he dug deeper into his son's flesh.

I stood up then; my claws immediately making an appearance as rage filled me; replacing the sadness. I aimlessly clawed at the back of Logan's father, not caring that that wouldn't do any good. "Get away from my mate, you fucking son of a bitch!" Tears filled my eyes as the sound of my mate's howls of pain filled the room; that God awful sound sucking all the strength I had at the moment right out of my body. I collapsed to the floor again before I closed my ears and began to rock back and forth; pulling my knees up to my chest. "No!" I screeched. I felt warmth as tears spilled from my eyes. "Stop it!" I repeated those two words like a mantra, over and over again; all the while willing myself to wake up so I could escape this horrible nightmare that was one of Logan's memories.

***

The moment the screams ceased; my eyes flew open. Relief flooded into me at the sight of Logan's dark bedroom ceiling. I grasped my chest as my heart's beating began to return to normal; having sped up because of the horrific scene I'd just witnessed. I held a hand up to my forehead and found it covered in cold sweat. My dark hair was stuck to my face and the back of my neck; all the strands damp.

I felt wetness on my cheeks; which I later found out was a result of tears I had shed while I was asleep. I kicked the comforter off of me; instantaneously feeling way too warm under the thick covering. A yelp of pain had me searching for Logan right away. I found him tossing and turning a few feet away from me on the large bed; our bodies somehow getting separated while we'd been asleep.

I crawled over to him as another pained gasp escaped his lips; his face twisting into an expression of agony. I grabbed his shoulders and began to shake him. "Logan, wake up!" He continued to toss and turn while he suffered from something I couldn't see. Horror filled me at the thought of him enduring a memory like the one I had seen earlier; especially because he would be reliving the moment, seeing as it had been one of his memories. "Logan, baby? You need to wake up, right now." I pleaded. "Logan, please!" I said; stroking his face. "Come back to me!"

Panic filled me when he didn't open his eyes; his suffering continuing right in front of me. I remembered the water from earlier and my arm immediately shot out to grab it. The moment my hand wrapped around the bottle; I twisted the cap off and threw the contents all over his bare chest; shocking him awake. He shot up and bumped right into me; seeing as I had been straddling his waist when I had been trying to get him to wake up.

His eyes were wild as they flew around the room; whatever he'd been seeing in his dreams combined with the sudden wake-up call making him extremely jumpy. I grabbed his head and forced him to look at me. "Shh, it's okay." I muttered; my eyes meeting his.

He seemed to calm down a little at the sight of me; his stiff shoulders drooping as he relaxed. I pulled him towards me as I sat down on his lap; letting him rest his head on my shoulder as his arms wrapped around my waist; pulling me closer.

When I realised how close we were; my thoughts immediately wandered to the topic of mating. The moment they did; I mentally slapped myself for thinking of something so inappropriate at a time like that. I stroked the back of his neck as he leaned on me; doing my best to resist the urge to do anything besides comfort him; knowing that that was what he really needed at the moment.

It was actually harder than it seemed; especially seeing as we had so little clothes on. He pulled back and I braced myself for his anger; assuming that the effects of the alcohol had already worn off. Instead, he grabbed my face and crushed his lips to mine.

I was shocked for a moment; not being able to respond. His lips moving insistently against mine snapped me back into reality. Unconsciously; my lips began to move in sync with his. He pulled me closer as his lips pressed against mine harder; his fingers biting into my waist.

He lay down with me underneath him; trapping my arms between our bodies as he bit my bottom lip. Yup, definitely still drunk, I thought; all the things we could do instantly flying into my mind. Even though my wolf and I were both ecstatic at the thought of being mated to Logan, he was definitely not happy with the idea; or he wouldn't be when he was sober tomorrow with a huge hangover from all the alcohol he'd probably drunk last night.

I wasn't happy with the decision but I had to stop this before it got out of hand. I pressed my hands to his muscled chest and pushed as hard as I could; every fibre of my being protesting. "Logan, we can't do this." I muttered; trying to slip out from under him. He grabbed my shoulders roughly, effectively keeping me in place.

"Why not?" He whined; his eyes already dark with the thought of mating which wasn't helping me resist him. I sighed; it sucked to be the responsible one in this situation. Truthfully if it were up to me, we'd both be naked by now and judging from the bulge in Logan's boxers, so would he. Too bad, that wasn't happening.

Believe me, I wanted to mate with him; I wanted it more than anything in the world, but if I did; I didn't even want to think of what he would do tomorrow. The mark would probably make him angry and mating wouldn't exactly make the situation any better. Based on the memory I'd just seen, he obviously had some problems we needed to address before we moved on to that stage of our incredibly short relationship, so love for me was probably very far down the road for him. It hurt me to admit it, but my mate wasn't in love with me.

I knew that telling him it was for its own good wouldn't change his mind because he was, after all; drunk, so I had no choice but to lie. "I'm, just not ready for that okay?" I said softly; looking up at him from under my lashes, using all the charm I could muster to get through to him in his drunken state. Don't say that! My wolf wailed. I have to! I replied. He seemed to ponder my reason for a moment before he nodded.

"Okay, I won't force you." He said; before kissing me again; sending those little bolts of electricity; that always appeared every time his skin made contact with mine, through me; spreading warmth throughout my body. I didn't even hesitate before I parted my lips; immediately letting his tongue slip past them. I enjoyed every second of the moment; knowing that it might never happen again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer as he continued to squeeze my waist; our lips moving to a similar rhythm. I pulled back to take a breath. When I looked up, he was smiling at me.

A smile of my own appeared. I leaned up to brush my lips against his once more before I yawned. He pressed his lips to my forehead as he moved to lie down beside me. I wrapped my arms around him once more; even more determined to keep him close to me this time. I buried my face in his chest so he couldn't see my sad expression as I said, "I love you, Logan." Tears appeared in my eyes as my heart broke; the images of my imminent rejection popping into my head.