My Dark Mate [2021: Editing]

Chapter 20

“What’s this all about?!” I demanded; needing to know what it was that had my mate reacting this way.

I almost didn’t understand her when she spoke next. “I met your fuck buddy; Kat, today.” She gasped out; her bones cracking as she prepared to shift. I winced every time I heard a crack; the sound making me sick. Who the fuck is Kat? If I had slept with her, I sure as hell couldn’t remember it.

Remorse and agonising pain from hurting my mate filled me as I realised what she must be feeling because of what I’d done; the pain I’d felt earlier from seeing her with that human must’ve been nothing compared to what she felt now. At that moment; the sight of her had me thinking of every single time I had wronged her; the long list filling me with shame. It was then that I began to truly realise what I had done to her.

I began to feel desperate as I continued to watch her twist in pain. She laughed; the thing sounding cold and dead, nothing at all like the sweet melody that was my mate’s voice. “You don’t even remember her do you?!”

“Chelsea, you’re not making any sense!” I snapped; grabbing her shoulders. Before I could react; she shifted, her teeth sinking into my shoulder immediately. I couldn’t even feel angry at her for doing it; after all I’d put her through, I knew that I deserved this. Even so, my wolf was not very happy with our mate’s attack and before I could stop him; he’d pried her off and hurtled her across the room.

She smashed into the TV; not giving me any time to feel sorry for doing it before she instantly got up to leap at me again, her claws barely missing my skin. I took a step towards her and she growled; baring her teeth. She bent her hind legs and the muscles in my own tensed as I prepared to dodge her. I felt her worry for me through the bond; and I almost couldn’t believe it, despite everything I’d done to her, she still cared.

I could see her human side regain control just as she shifted back. The moment she did; she pulled her legs up to her chest again; effectively hiding her body from me. The sight of her; injured and cowering on the floor, had pain shooting through my veins immediately. The sight reminded me so much of my past; the images making me cringe. You’ve been so selfish all this time, you were fucking scared she’d hurt you while you were putting her through hell! You don’t fucking deserve her, you ass! My wolf snapped; his tone filled with disdain.

Shame filled me as I watched my mate suffer; knowing full well that all her grief was my fault. I tried to pry into her mind again and this time, her dam broke; letting me feel everything she’d felt these past few days. The amount of pain that crashed into me was so great I had to struggle to stay conscious. You did this! My wolf growled; tucking himself away as he ignored me. I wanted to comfort her; no, I needed to comfort her as I began to move forward. “Just leave me alone.” She pleaded; making my need to help her build as my wolf howled in pain from his mate’s agony through the bond.

“I-“ I started; the pain, evident in her expression, making me wish with all my heart that I could take all I had put her through, back.

She looked up at me; her green eyes wet as her tears began to pool. The sight of her tears had my heart cracking. “Please, just stay away from me.” She gasped; just as she began to sob uncontrollably. She kept her head down as she cried; tucking into herself even tighter when I came closer, unable to stay away from her any longer.

I pulled my shirt off and wrapped it around her. She seemed to accept it as she held it together at her chest; getting up. I didn’t dare touch her; not at all feeling worthy of that privilege. I saw the shard glisten in the light right before it buried itself into my mate’s foot. I shot up immediately to catch her before she could hit the floor; the contact of our bodies giving me a foreign type of comfort, one I realised only came when I was touching her. It was like I would suddenly forget about how fucked up my life had been and all I could feel was certainty that everything would turn out alright, just because she was around. In other words; she made me nothing but happy while I’d made her nothing but miserable the entire time we’ve been together.