HIS Young Mate: "Sequel to Her Young Mate"

Part Twenty Four: I Will.

"We never had that talk..." Hunter says with a tired chuckle as he lays beside Kaylee in his bed. She's sound asleep, I've helped her shower and changed her into some spare clothes from Hunter, and she fell asleep almost instantly. Frea said she would contact her parents and let them know what's happened- What's now in store for their daughter. I'm just here to make sure she's okay. Hunter isn't laying closer to her, he's at least a foot away, but he can't stop staring at her.

"No, we didn't... we will though- there's a lot I want to talk to you about... I just- I don't think right now is the best time," I admit, because there's now so much more going on. I want to talk to him about Durst, his want for a family, my inability to give him one... and then there's us being married, I want to tell him that I intended on telling him before Durst.

"Alright, soon though," he says.

"Okay, right now just focus on this moment, it's special..."

I thought about when I met Durst, when I realized he was my mate. I wish it had been less confusing, I wanted him to cherish this, because it was all so right, and so peaceful.

"I didn't think it'd be this way Lavender," Hunter says as he looks past Kaylee and at me.

"What do you mean, having a mate?" He looks at me for another moment, then back at her as he nods.

"Yeah. It's... painful. Scary..." he says this as he watches her, and it seems that there's almost tears in his eyes.

"What?"

"Well... I had accepted I wouldn't have one. Now... now I could never accept that again. It's- it's terrifying..." he rubs his eyes once, to get rid of any precipitation, and then sits up with a sigh. "I had never paid any attention to her, but now she's everything in my universe. The idea that anything would keep me away from her... I'm sorry for ever judging your actions when it comes to Durst. I couldn't imagine feeling kept away from Kaylee now. I would give anything- do anything- to keep her happy and safe...."

"You'll-you'll get used to the feeling," I say with a shake of my head and a smile.

"What's wrong?" He asks, but I'm confused by the question, "No, seriously, you seem like you're hiding something..."

My mind is racing, and I'm trying desperately to keep my emotions at bay. I don't want to turn things towards the conversation I was meaning to save for another time.

"It's just... there might be a time you can't give her everything... and if that time comes don't give up on making it work..." I say, and I feel myself begin to cry without wanting to. He gets up from the bed and comes around to the chair I'm sitting at and crouches beside me.

"You okay? Was it something I said?"

"That talk... that we were gonna have... I wanted to tell you about Durst. I wanted to let you know..." I say, as he rubs my back. I rub my eyes and shake my head- I hate crying, and I've been doing too much of it lately. "There's- there's shit that I still have on my chest, I just... I want to talk about it, I just want you to have this moment..."

He sits on the edge of the bed in front of me.

"I had all night with Kaylee, and I'll have all morning, and every day from now on, you're my friend... I want to help you clear your heart of what's burdening it. I know you can't talk to Beckett like you used to, and I know you try to keep things from Kaylee, because she's delicate and tender, but I'm here for you..."

I ruffle up his hair and he smiles a half smile.

"No wonder you and Kaylee are mates, huh? Too sweet for your own goods." I tease. His face turns red all the way to his ears and he nods a bit as he looks down. He shakes his head.