She's been asleep for days. Never once had she woken up but when she did, it wasn't herself. It was if her body was on its own.
Her eyes were that of her wolf as the glint of gold sparkled in her irises.
She would talk quietly and cry the next. She would be upset and furious to kill.
It was as if it was déja vu all over again.
I gently ran the back of my fingers up and down her arm as she snuggled unconsciously closer. Her skin was starting to turn back to normal and the dark bags under her eyes were clear.
If only she could open them for me to see those beautiful browns again, I'd die a happy man.
I got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to take my morning shower. As usual, I took a cold shower to cool myself off then after went downstairs to eat.
"Afternoon, Alpha. Hopefully you are well?" Sonya asked with her motherly smile.
I gave her a faltering one and nodded. "I'm alright. Thanks," I said as Sonya placed my plate down in front of me.
Half way through my food, a presence made me stop eating. I turned my attention to the kitchen doorway to find her standing there.
I swallowed hard as she looked around the crowded room. My heart skipped many beats as it raced at the same time. When her beautiful browns met mine, hers hesitated.
I straightened up a but and cleared my throat. "That's enough," I said as everyone turned their attention back to their own business.
Madeline's eyes fluttered as she still stood there, playing with the hem of my shirt that she was wearing. I lifted up my hand and extended it to her. She bit her lip like she had usually done and came over to me.
She moved flushed against my side as I placed my hand on her hips. "Are you hungry?" I asked quietly as I ate my food.
Madeline just shook her head and moved closer, placing her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes. "Just a little?" I urged.
She looked up at me as I stared back hoping she would agree to eat but she again shook her head. "I'm still tired," she whispered quietly. Just barely audible if she wasn't so close to me.
I gave her a lingering kiss to the head. "Lets put you back to sleep then," I said as I gave Sonya a nod and stood from my chair as Madeline headed back upstairs first. Sonya threw me a water bottle as I caught it and followed closely behind her.
When we made it back, she crawled onto the bed and under the blanket as I put the bottle down by the bedside table and took off my shirt. I got in bed as she waited patiently for me to get settled down before she moved into my side and buried herself into my embrace.
After the murderous silence, I finally spoke. "I'm sorry, little one. I didn't mean things to go this way at all," I apologized as I pulled her closer.
Madeline just hummed and finally relaxed her body that I hadn't seem to noticed that was tense. "I'm sorry too," she whispered as her breath became even and steady.
And I just laid there as she slept peacefully, just watching her like I was going to lose her.
The next day came by and Doctor Jared gave her an examination.
I was going to leave them alone when Madeline stopped me by grabbing my wrist and pleaded with her eyes. "I'll be back in a few, little one. Okay?"
She bit her lip and let me go as she looked away. I looked to Jared as he motioned his head to her and moved to go over to the far side counter.
I stood in front of her and caressed her face, lifting it up so she was looking at me. Madeline looked back with glazed eyes. I leaned in and kissed her forehead. "What's wrong?" I mumbled as she leaned in.
"I don't know," she replied back in her usual whisper. "My wolf is acting weird."
I pulled back and looked at her carefully as there was a fading color of gold in her irises. She stared back and then moved her head away from me.
I placed both hands on either side of her and bent down to her eye level as she looked back at me. I smirked. "Does miss wolfy miss me?" I playfully asked.
Madeline stared blankly at me as she then flicked my forehead. I hissed and rubbed it in pain. "Hey," I whined.
Doctor Jared came over and pushed me aside. "Alright, out. Madeline, lift."
I grumbled as I gave her a quick peck on the cheek and left to go to my study. After who know how long, Doctor Jared had linked me that Madeline had went back to our room. I had stayed in my study until I had finished all my paperwork before I had headed up.
I got up the stairs and had just stood in front of our bedroom door when voices inside made me stop. "You know you're mine Princess, give it up," a man's voice said.
"Sol!" Madeline yelled.
I bursted into the room having her voice be enough to fuel me. The man, that had escaped from the mate chase, had her close to him and had her wrists locked inside his hands but once I bursted in, he let her go and ran to the window and broke it while jumping out of it.
He jumped out and ran as I quickly notified all warriors of him. I looked to Madeline as she was on the ground and shaking. I rushed over to her as she flinched back to the wall. "Little one, it's me," I softly said.
Her eyes were glazed and hazy. Her lips trembled and eyes fluttered. "Sol," she whispered brokenly as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and held onto me tightly, stuffing her face in my neck.
I rubbed her back. "Sh, it's okay."
Beta bursted in with clear anger in his eyes. "Alpha," he greeted and reported to me at the same time.
My eyes jolted as I held onto Madeline and she the same, whimpering softly in my ear. An involuntary growl erupted from deep within my throat as I got up and brought her to an identical room as mine but with no windows and the doors are a lot harder to break down.
I closed the door with my foot and placed her down on the bed. "Little one, it's okay now," I said since she didn't let me go.
I was getting irritated also. If I hadn't came when I did, he could have taken her.
Her.
Mine.
My mate.
My little one.
I let loose another angry growl and wrapped her up in my embrace, holding her close and planting my lips all over her skin she was able to give me. And she let me continue claiming her. Allowing me to roam my hands on her delicate skin and tasting it and leaving my scent on her.
Allowing me to caress her as her body gradually stop shaking and start to relax.
My wolf was still on edge but was at bay. I pulled Madeline to sit up as I took off my shirt and then took hers off to replace it with mine. I cupped her face and eagerly placed my lips over hers, almost groaning loudly as she kissed me back.
I pulled myself back and pressed my forehead against hers and deeply breathed. "I promise I will be back. I need to get the warriors report and give them what I know. Then I'll have to make a call to inform the Elders. I promise I'll be back, okay?"
Madeline's eyes pleaded for me not to go until she bunched up my shirt in her hands and nodded. When I moved away from her, she stuffed her nose in my shirt and deeply breathed.
My heart felt heavy and my gut churned with unease to leave her alone. When I made it back to my room Beta had came back up the stairs. "Sol, I'm-"
I grabbed him and slammed him against the wall just as his mate came out of the room with a yell. "What were you doing that was more important than the scream of your Luna?" I snarled.
"There's no good excuse, Alpha. I'm sorry," Beta said as he didn't even bother to fight me off or to restrain me. "I'm sorry."
I heavily breathed as I tried to stay calm. "Alpha, look-"
I snapped my glare at his mate and menacingly growled. "You're lucky you're his mate or I'd rip you to shreds!" I boomed as I shoved Beta to the wall and went into my room to grab a shirt, tugging it on. "Make note of this, Beta and teach your mate or I. Will."
"Yes, Alpha," he said as he hung his head.
. . . . .
. .
. . . . .
I pulled the cold blanket over me as I again stuffed my nose back into his shirt for comfort. "I hate this," I mumbled. I held the bundled hem tighter. "What is wrong with me?"
I felt like crying.
When Jackson had brought me back to the territory, I was just barely hanging on and when I had woken up, I felt off. Not myself. Just like that time outside of Blood Rose territory.
But the only weird thing is, my wolf isn't acting up like she usually is. She's too quiet. Maybe...maybe it's my fault.
I stood before myself. It was a mirror. Or at least I had thought it was. But when I reached up to touch, it did not do the same back.
I jumped back startled as my other self smiled. She stayed quiet though and continued to smile and stare back.
I looked through the thick sheet of black around us but nothing was heard or seen. I looked back at her as I finally narrowed my eyes at her eyes.
There were a spec of gold in them.
"Yes," she answered as her voice echoed. Was I talking to myself? No. She was talking to me loud and clear. "I am your wolf. Your soul. You."
I was too shocked or surprised to be talking so she did the honors and did he talking. "I've been meaning to talk to you, you know. About the reason why you can't control me," she said mischievously and slyly. "We're still rogues, Madeline. Our prior Alpha didn't fully accept us into his pack. He only made it so we were able to be linked with him."
"I know, right?" She snickered. "Pathetic, Alpha."
"Don't disrespect him like that," I snapped. Her smile dropped immediately. "If not for him, we'd be dead."
My wolf looked away in anguish. "He may have not liked me...or us, but we owe him our life. This, vengeance or whatever this is that's going on has to stop. You've done more damage to me than a wolf should."
"You think I don't know that?!" She roared as I stood my ground. "I feel what you feel. See what you see. I still remember the taste of all the blood that I spilled for you and how you hated me for getting out of control. Yet, all of this time you put the blame on yourself for all the things I've done for you."
"You're weak and pathetic," she spat as she circled me. "Nana hated weaklings. Why did you think she banned her son from ever seeing us?"
I swirled around and glared at her as she smirked as if she caught me by the hook. I took a step forward and shoved her away to her surprise. "Nana also hated the fact I had to kill," I said in menace. Her smirk faltered. "Nana always went hunting for us. Never once did she allow us to follow or watch. She hated the fact that I had to have blood on my hands because I'm a wolf."
She stumbled back. "If Nana saw how you eagerly killed those rogues, you really think she's be happy with us?" I asked sadly. "Nana would have been disappointed."
I turned around and started to walk away then stopped. "Killing those two rogues won't bring her back. Killing even more that had to do anything with her death won't ease our pain. Nana's still dead."
I don't know how long it's been but Sol hadn't come back yet and I hated to be alone now. I don't want to think anymore. All I wanted was for Sol to hold me like he had done for the past weeks now.
To say I was getting attached to him was an understatement. I am attached to him, weirdly. It's as if he had already marked me.
The pressure of his hands roaming me came sizzling back and the smoothness of his lips was felt on my neck. I closed my eyes and steadied my breath, concentrating on his minor claim on me.
His scent was all over me by now and comforting me in more ways than one. The door opened as I snapped my eyes open and up. Sol entered the room aggravated and soon I was in his embrace. He had picked me up and set me down so his back was against the bed-board and I was straddling him.
He immediately buried himself into my neck as I did the same with him. He smelled of straight up pine trees and wood. "You're shaking," he mumbled as he brushed his nose against the lining of my neck then pressed his lips behind my ear.
"Thinking too much," I breathed out as I held onto him tighter.
I moved away from him after getting my fresh fill of his scent. "I'm sorry it took so long," he apologized in a raspy strained voice.
I shook my head and laid my head down on his shoulder as his hands snaked under his shirt that I was wearing and roamed ghostly upon my skin from my stomach, up and down my sides, and to my back.
Sol kept pressing his lips on my neck, "Go to sleep, little one. I'll be here when you wake up."
I hummed and closed my eyes, completely relaxing my body against his comfort and security. Sol brushed his nose against the lining of my ear making me whine and cover them.
He deeply chuckled and grabbed my hand and laced our hand together. "Cute," he mumbled as he kissed my knuckles.
I turned my head towards him with a scowl making him laugh, showing his long lost smile which had warmed me up in the very pit of my stomach. He looked at me with a grin, "You're Nana would have laughed at you, you know."
I slowly nodded with a small smile. "Yeah. She would be."
Suddenly, he grabbed my chin and lifted up and quickly placed his lips over mine eagerly. I blinked in surprise and nearly moaned when he pressed down harder, nibbling at my bottom lip for permission.
When I didn't give in to him, he pushed me down on my back as he stayed on top and deepened the kiss. I shivered when his hand roamed up under my shirt and caressed my skin under his smooth touch.
I kissed him back.
Or more like teased.
Sol groaned loudly and pulled himself away from the kiss. "Do you know how long I've been meaning to kiss you? I nearly groaned from the one before and I almost gave in to you for this one," He said huskily as I blushed.
My cheeks were burning up with every other part of my body. Sol leaned back in and pecked my lips a few times. "You're too cute, little one. Keep blushing," he whispered as he smirked.
I growled and slapped his shoulder as he laughed. I was about to squirm away when he held me down in place. "I'm not done with you yet," he said as he pulled me back down and pressed his body against mine.
"Permission to shift?" He asked quietly.
I looked at him confused.
"He's agitated and wants you closer," he explained.
I nodded as the gold in his eyes were more in contrast and distinct. Sol pushed himself off and started stripping. I blushed even more and looked away. He shifted into his diamond wolf.
I looked up at him and for once, smiled. I got off the bed and hugged him as he bent his head down and brushed it against me. "I miss you too, Wolfy," I said as I pulled away.
He circled me then laid down on his stomach, keeping me encircled around him. I laid myself down, using his leg as my pillow and moved closer like I had done when I was younger.
His wolf purred as he bent down and smoothed his snout against my arm. I reached up and kissed it as he pushed his nose on my forehead making my smile grow larger.
I snuggled further into his warmth as he laid his head down near mine and we slept like that for the rest of the night.