Warning: Maeve has been taught she can't say no to a man. Her thought process shows this💔
I am in no way condoning misogynistic abuse
———
Dress shopping went well. Freya and Rebekah helped Maeve navigate the overstimulating shops, entirely different to the calm little village she grew up in.
They piled up very modest but modern dresses and skirts, paying for everything that fit nicely on Elijah's card. Maeve was hesitant to buy any jeans so they didn't.
"Do you want to change into a new outfit?" Rebekah smiled warmly and Maeve immediately returned to the changing rooms to put on a jumper and skirt. She felt a little more like herself again.
"We need to go underwear shopping," Freya muttered to her sister, nervous about how to approach the subject with Maeve.
Luckily Maeve was very agreeable and listened to all their suggestions. She was mortified when they explained bras to her but quickly realised they were much more comfortable than going without, provided she chose the right material.
"Maybe some lace too for Elijah," Rebekah raised her eyebrows cheekily and gestured to a rather vulgar-looking shop front with nearly naked mannequins.
"Rebekah no," Freya scolded her for moving too quickly. But Maeve stopped her, hearing Rebekah's last two words.
"For Elijah?" Maeve froze up, never having heard such a thing. "What do you mean for Elijah? He's not seeing me in hardly any clothes!"
Her heart rate shot up in a panic. She couldn't wear those scraps of fabric. Is that what was expected of her? Is that what mates demanded?
Freya tutted at Rebekah for scaring her, "Maeve, Elijah will not expect that of you. He sent us out for comfortable clothing, mainly dresses like you wanted."
"But will he want that from me?" Her hands shook as she realised she was the property of Elijah, now they were mates. She couldn't say no.
"Maybe later when you complete the bond," Rebekah murmured carefully.
"Complete the bond?" She asked unsure what that meant.
"You know," Rebekah grinned. "When you have sex."
Maeve looked at her completely blankly. "What's that?"
Rebekah and Freya immediately stopped walking.
"What do you mean what's that?" Freya repeated cautiously. She was hoping Maeve simply didn't recognise the word.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Maeve's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment.
"How babies are made...?" Rebekah explained a little more but Maeve still didn't have a clue.
"Vampires can't have children," Maeve spouted the fact she'd managed to hear from Kol.
"Maeve do you seriously not know what we're talking about?" Freya and Rebekah stood in shock and stared at her like she had grown two heads.
"Of course I know," Maeve defensively snapped, upset at how stupid she looked. She could always ask Mikael later.
But the two sisters exchanged a look, they knew she was lying to them. Maeve was far more naive than anyone first realised.
***
"And here she is," Kol announced the second they all returned.
Elijah instantly stopped pacing and sped over to his mate. He had been frantically worrying that Maeve wouldn't cope and wished he delayed the trip. But the huge smile on her face as she walked in, confirmed she was more than okay.
But a moment later it dropped and she stepped back in alarm. She gasped at Elijah's fast movement, scaring her by rushing forwards. He noticed immediately and backed off, still aware of her nerves around him despite trusting their bond was real.
"Let me take your bags upstairs," he offered politely after apologising for startling her. He made a mental note to approach her more slowly, she was ever so jumpy.
"Thank you," Maeve smiled graciously and all three girls gave their bags to Elijah who whizzed up the stairs to Maeve's room.
Kol and Maeve sat and ate lunch together, Maeve debating whether or not to ask how to make babies. But with the girl's astounded reactions when she didn't know, she felt stupid so kept quiet.
"Elijah won't let me look for Mikael," Maeve grumbled quietly, not realising everyone in the house could hear her.
"Good. He's dangerous," Kol replied curtly.
"No Kol, I'm scared of my magic. I will be out of control without him."
Kol scrutinised her face and quickly realised Maeve truly believed that. She truly thought she was a danger to everyone around her.
"We have our own witches that can help, I'll talk to Elijah later. You do not want Mikael, trust me."
That was the end of the conversation about reaching out to him. Kol would not allow it. Elijah would not allow it. God knows the girls would refuse too.
Sickness rose in Maeve's stomach at the thought of losing control and endangering innocent people. She promised herself she would never let that happen. She would find a way to help herself, even if she had to find Mikael.
"Sweetheart?" Elijah called her and she followed him upstairs, peace washing over her as her wolf smelt his scent.
It didn't even occur to her that she trusted him with her life now. But Elijah smiled as his mate followed, shyly yes, but without question. Her progress was obvious to everyone but her. He was thrilled to see it.
Alone in her room, he showed her how he'd hung up all her new outfits in her wardrobe.
"Thank you," she smiled in appreciation. "Did you... did you see everything?"
"I only touched your dresses and skirts," Elijah told her when he noticed her cheeks blushing at the thought of him finding her new underwear.
"Am I... do you..." Maeve blushed furiously, remembering Rebekah's joke about lace outside a rather rude shop.
"Do I what?" Elijah asked patiently.
"What do you... what are your expectations?" Maeve was mortified to even ask but it was evidently clear that she was behind in the times. She had no idea what he wanted from her and she didn't know how to act pleasing to him.
Elijah frowned. "Expectations?"
"The girls said something about lace underwear," Maeve buried her face in her hands out of pure embarrassment. "I want to know what you expect me to be. I don't want to anger you."
Elijah instantly looked displeased and Maeve worried she had overstepped.
"I'm sorry," she backed off frantically. "I know my place, I won't question you again."
That only served to make Elijah more visibly uncomfortable. He had dealt with many situations in his long life, but none like this.
"Sweetheart I don't expect anything. I want you to be yourself, you are my equal," he began explaining.
"Equal?" Maeve questioned in confusion. She had never heard of such nonsense. That wasn't how things worked. She was to submit to and obey her husband, and a mate was far above that.
She was his property, to do so as he liked.
How she felt about it was irrelevant.
"You are not under my authority," Elijah cleared up, remembering how some women were treated when he was human. "Your wants and needs are just as important as mine."
Maeve stared at him for a very long while before deciding this was a test.
"Yes of course," she answered meekly, swallowing down her rising panic at losing her autonomy now Elijah laid claim to her.
She pushed down her question about lace underwear, not wanting to ask again.
"Do you understand?" Elijah checked, dubious as to whether Maeve fully understood or not.
"I understand," she nodded passively, giving him the answer she knew he wanted. "We are equal."
Maeve knew deep down that could never be the case, but the last thing she wanted to do was anger him. Plus, there was nothing worse than wasting a man's time.
As his mate, she was there for him, not him for her.
Elijah must be put first, above herself. She was born to respect, honour and serve him until she died. His every command obeyed without question. She must submit to him in everything, even if his wants and needs went against hers.
And she would have to do it all with a smile on her face, whether she was happy or not.
"We are equal," Elijah insisted pulling her to sit on his lap. Maeve nodded frantically in agreement, feeling so uncomfortable but ignoring her anxiety.
His wants over mine. His needs over mine.
She repeated those phrases over and over in her mind. She was alive to serve him, she would not disappoint.
Her anxiety peaked when Elijah's hand reached to stroke her cheek gently. He mistook her racing heart for desire, rather than the fear it was.
When he leaned in slowly, Maeve squeezed her eyes shut and hoped with every fibre of her being that she would be able to enjoy his kiss.
She couldn't say no anyway. He was her mate.
But as his soft lips met hers, her worried faded away. The bond strengthened and she leaned into him, copying his gentle kiss.
At her response, Elijah nearly lost control. Their mating bond urged him to mate with her fully, and while he knew it was far too soon, his hands still wandered unconsciously.
Maeve felt his rough hands slip under her jumper to caress the smooth skin of her waist and she gasped in shock. The feeling of trepidation and fear came back tenfold but she refused to acknowledge it.
His wants over mine. His needs over mine.
Elijah came first. She had no place to refuse him.
But when his fingers mindlessly explored upwards an inch further, she couldn't mask her fear any longer. She didn't understand what he wanted of her and that terrified her.
"Stop, stop," she sprang back as if electrocuted by his touch. It felt nice and natural almost, but the feeling of unease was too much.
Tears sprang into her eyes as she cried out, breaking a sacred rule. She had denied him his mating rights. Whatever he wanted, she should have allowed, no matter how fearful and unsure she felt.
Elijah froze and stared at her.
"Maeve, are you alright?" He asked urgently, panicking that he didn't see her distress. "If you didn't want to, you should have told me."
"Yes I want to," Maeve said quickly, trying to correct her big mistake. She sat back on his lap, shaking violently but pretending she was fine.
Elijah noticed immediately. After the kiss, he could feel her emotions more too and his heart broke when he realised what happened. He should have known, he knew what some of the wolf packs had been like 1,000 years ago.
His sweet little mate was taught to never say no.
———
I want to cry. No scratch that, I am crying💔
Who better to un-teach those awful views than Elijah? He will move slowly and nurture her so she flourishes beautifully🌷🌹
How will Maeve find the adjustment? X