Something woke me, maybe it was the quiet. I realized that I was still in the cell. There were no guards standing outside the door, and I couldn't hear anyone in the basement with me. Sliding slowly off the cot, I take note of the injuries on my body. Most of the minor cuts and injuries had already healed, but there were a couple that needed to be looked at by a doctor because I could tell that they were caused by something made of silver.
Looking down at my wrists, I winced when I saw the burnt skin. Straining against the cuffs, I finally manage to break them after several tries. The fresh smell of blood hits my nose, but I just rip several strips from my already torn shirt and tightly wrap it around my wrist. Walking swiftly to the door, I push against it and watched in surprise as it swung open. "Stupid mutts don't know how to even lock a cell door properly," I mutter as I make my way down the corridor towards the exit.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly push the heavy door open and take a step into the sunlight. A small smile appears on my face as the warm rays of the sun hit me. Then the sound of fighting overwhelms me. My eyes scan the clearing in front of me and I spotted several of my warriors along with bodies of dead rouges. A soft breeze floats by me and my head snaps to the right. Narrowing my eyes, I soon catch the cause of the scent. The boss of the rouges was sneaking up on one of my pack members. Letting out a growl, I shift and race towards him, ignoring the pain that racked through me as I did so.
He heard my growl because he froze and looked at me. I knew that he knew who I was but I didn't give him a chance to do anything. I jumped onto him and the fight commenced. I had to admit that he was a decent fighter, but even though my body was weak from lying in a bed for almost three months, I was a better skilled fighter than he would ever dream of being. Right before I killed him, I looked him in the eyes and smiled. I told you that they would come and that they would wipe every single one of you mutts out. With one blow, I snapped his neck in half and let his body fall to the ground.
Looking around me, I noticed that the fighting was over. The rouges were either dead or being rounded up to be taken back to Dean for their punishment. "Gamma Cooper, she's not in the holding area. She managed to escape." Rivers shouted and I turned around. Standing in front of the door stood Dell, Rivers, and Dean. Shifting back as fast as I could, I begin running towards them.
The closer I got to them, the stronger the smell became. It managed to call out to everything within me and I ran faster. "Dean! I'm here," I call out as I get closer to them. The three of them whirl around at the same time, shock and disbelief written on their faces. Dean stepped away from the other and Lilly zoned in on him. It was him; he was the source of the mind altering smell that had been plaguing my memory ever since I had been in that stupid cell.
"Tami." My name slips off of Dean's lips softly, but I heard it. A smile began to grow on his face as he started moving towards me. MINE! Lilly roared out in my mind and it startled me. My legs gave out but before my body hit the ground, Dean's arms were around me. Sparks flooded my entire body. I'm sorry. Lilly whispers as I lay my head on Dean's shoulder. He was my mate. But how, I couldn't figure out. He still had his true soul-mate out there somewhere. I was positive that he would have told the pack if he had met her and something happened to her.
The shifting and the fight took most of our short energy supply. We have.... To rest... Her voice faded and my eyes closed. "Dell, get the doctor. Now!" Dean yelled as he picked me up and began running. The last thing I heard, or I thought I heard, was Dean whispering, "Oh, Tami, sweetheart, I thought I had lost you, love."
My eyes slowly opened and it took me several seconds before I realized that I was no longer chained in a cell. I was lying on my bed in my room. A soft sigh left my lips as I slowly slipped from my bed and made my way to the shower. The hot water would do my sore body some good I was hoping.
Thirty minutes later, I emerged from my shower feeling ten times better. The aches and pains were still there, but I could keep them blocked out. Silently, I left my room and slowly made my way down the stairs. It took me almost ten minutes before I can to Dean's office door, and I was almost out of breath. I knocked softly and heard him call out for me to enter.
Dean was sitting behind his desk working on something. He didn't even glance in my direction as I shut the door behind me and slowly slid into a chair before him. Every now and then, I would catch a word as he muttered to himself as he flipped through the pages. "Arrogant, stubborn..."
"I hope that you're not talking about me Sire." I spoke softly, my tone teasing. Dean's eyes snapped up and met mine. Several emotions fluttered over his face but they were gone before I could really see what he was thinking. "You're awake." He spoke, still staring at me.
I nod slowly as I watched him. Fragments of what happened had been playing in my mind ever since I woke up, but it was the last few things that I had a hard time believing. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm f..."
"If you say you're fine Tami, I'll put you on a month vacation." I laughed softly, but just shrugged. "Fine; my body's still sore, but it's nothing I can't handle. I'm alive and well, and back where I belong." My answer seemed to satisfy Dean and he fell silent. "How... How bad was I injured when you found me?"
"You were dehydrated and had multiple injuries all over your body. The doctor was surprised that you managed to survive with the extent of most of them."
"Well, I was determined to see my friends again." Dean let out a soft laugh, but I could tell that something else was on his mind. "Spit it out Dean."
"What do you mean?" He asked as he made himself look at me. "I've known you for several years, you're my best friend. So, it's safe to say that I know you pretty well. And I have learned when you have something on your mind; like you do know. So, what is it?"
Dean stood up and moved to his window. My eyes didn't leave him and the feelings I felt towards him were stronger than they had been. Lilly was slowly pacing in my mind, Dean the only thing on her mind. Is he upset that we're his second mate? Does he not want us? I could both feel and hear the sadness and pain in her voice. My heart felt as if it was being squeezed. If Dean was truly my second mate, would he accept me? I didn't think that he would reject me like Jubal had done.
"How much do you remember during and after your escape from the rogues?"
"Not much. I remember finding out that they left my cell unlocked, I hurried out and found my warriors fighting with the rogues, saw their leader sneaking up behind one of our people and I attacked him. After I killed him, I turned around to see you standing next to Dell and Rivers. After that, things tend to be mixed up and confused."
"What do you mean?" Dean's voice was soft and he still hadn't turned around to face me. "Well, I could have sworn I heard Lilly yelling the word "mate" just as I collapsed and you caught me... Is she right?" My voice softened on its own, and Dean finally turned back around.
His eyes held mine and I couldn't look away. "Hypothetically she's right... How would you feel about being my mate Tami? I want the truth now."
"If Lilly's right in saying that you're my second mate, hypothetically, I couldn't be more proud. You're a fine man Dean, and you would make an exceptional mate for anyone. And above that you're my friend, someone who over the years, I have come to greatly care about.
"The truth would be that there is no one else in the world that I would be happy to be paired with then you." Dean sighed and I watched as he relaxed. He gave me a smile, which I returned. "I'm glad to hear that Tami. Yes, you're wolf is correct. I'm yours if you want me."
I laughed softly and slowly stood to my feet and made my way over to him. Giving him a hug, I laid my head on his chest and listened as his heart beat fast and strong. "I want you to listen closely to me Dean, because I mean every word I'm about to say. For a while now, I have known that I was in love with you. But because I thought that your true mate was on the way, I hid how I felt. I mean, you were my best friend and king. I was not going to put neither you nor my future queen through the pain I had been through. But now that you're mine, I can't describe how happy I am.
"There's nothing you can do that would ever make me regret being your second mate. I, Tamar Hale, accept you, Dean Colt as my mate from this day until the day that I draw my last breath." Dean gave me a tender smile before he placed a gentle kiss on my lips. "And I, Dean Colt, accept you, Tamar Hale as my mate from this day until the end of time."
5 Years Later
I stood in front of the window and watched as Dean played with our two, four-year-old sons in the grass. Dean had already taught our sons to how to hide their scent from anything and everyone that might try to find him. And I had to admit that Chakotay and Pairs was almost as good as their father. As my eyes followed Dean and our sons, my hands slide unconsciously to my flat stomach.
For the past two weeks, I had grown suspicious that I was expecting again. And this morning, the pack doctor had confirmed my thoughts. Worry filled me as I watched my family play. The one thing that Dean and I hadn't talked about was how large of a family the two of us wanted. I wanted a large family, being an only child made me realize that I had missed out on many things.
But I wasn't sure if Dean would want more children or not. That evening as Dean wrestled our two sons into their pjs, I sat in the living room trying to figure out just how I should break the news about the new additions that would soon grace our home. I could hear the twins' laughter that was soon followed by the deep tones of Dean's voice. Half an hour later, silence had taken over the house and Dean was silently walking down the hall towards me. He joined me on the couch, his head resting against the back of the soft cushions. "How would you feel about adding onto our little family?" I asked him softly, my eyes not leaving the book in my hands. Instantly, I felt his eyes on me but I didn't look at him. "Why do you ask?"
"The doctor told me this morning that we'll have several new additions to our little family in about six months." Dean was silent and I was scared to look at him in fear that he would be disappointed. That's fantastic sweetheart!"Dean spoke as he pulled me into a hug. I felt my lips curling up into a smile as I closed my eyes. A content sigh left my lips. My mate, my children, and my pack were the most important things to me in my life. And to me, my life was perfect.