What the fuck...just happened? One second I'm a smug, happy little bastard and the next I have Rura's wolf's claws running down my face. As if that weren't enough, when Rura partially shifted, I caught her wolf's scent. She's definitely, undoubtedly my mate. And I definitely, undoubtedly fucked up with her. Big time.
The sting of my scratches are nothing. The pain I experience when I think my mate will never accept me is damn near unbearable. Ace watches through my eyes as Ty carefully drags Rura away, thinking I'd most likely retaliate. He has no idea that she's my mate and I can feel his fear for her, like I'd do something to her. My wolf growls at the thought.
I force my attention away from Ty and watch Rura carefully. We watch her furious features, Ace and I, the look of betrayal and hurt on her face. The confidence and aggression in every move of her body. I have a feeling something big is about to happen, so we watch without moving, even though it goes against our nature to let another male touch our mate. We watch in fascination and pride and Rura shoves Ty off of her. Somewhere deep down inside of me, I relish in seeing her not accepting another man's touch.
Then she turns back to me, and the hatred I see in her gaze damn near floors me. "My mate hates me," I think. I fucked up so bad with her that she hates me.
Soon the hate in Rura's eyes is replaced with...knowledge? It's like a freight train slams in my chest, caving it in with the force of our mate bond, but I don't think she feels it the way I do. As I jerk back Rura stands completely still. Shit, she could be made out of rock the way she stands there looking in my eyes.
I watch as her eyes shift back and forth, connecting dots. But what dots are she connecting? What does she know? Those questions are answered when a lone tear escapes Rura's eyes and slides down her smooth cheek. When anguish and grief passes over her features and it looks like she decided she would give up on life.
Ace and I balk at the thought of it, heart racing, ready to drag her somewhere safe where no one could hurt her, not even herself. I start down the stairs when I hear it. It starts as a low whine and then breaks out into a lonely, anguished howl. With rapt attention, Ace and I watch our mate shift for the first time. Effortlessly.
Golden eyes stare back at me for a split second before Rura's beautiful wolf bounds away, towards the doors of the packhouse, and obliterates them. Holy shit.
Ace rushes to the forefront of my consciousness before I can even take notice and takes control of our own shifting, going after her as soon as he lands on his paws. We start to sniff around but soon realize that's not necessary. I know where she's going, she's going to her old home. She must realize that her family isn't her family, not by blood anyway. But if she runs to her house in her wolf form humans will see her, she'll terrify them, and for the safety of the pack I can't let that happen.
As I rush forward, through our forest I growl. She cant be stupid enough to jeopardize us all can she? She wouldn't dare do that. My eyes narrow, scanning my surroundings to try to hone in on Rura's wolf. I'm quick enough that I should've caught up to her by now but she's nowhere in sight. "Is she that much faster than us?" I think to myself. Ace answers anyway.
She's faster and smarter than you'll ever know, because even though she's our mate you insist on underestimating her.
I glower at him. I don't do that. Do I?
You know you do.
We reach the end of the forest and I shift back into my human form and grab some clothes that I had hidden in the tree's over here.
I thought you weren't speaking to me, I reply to him snarkily.
Mate is out here hurt and alone. Suffering. I am only here so we can bring her back.
What the hell is that supposed to mean? I ask, knowing the answer.
Silence meets my question. Ace is only speaking to me so he can help me find Rura and see for himself that she's as alright as she can be in this situation. He's not here as my companion, my other bodily half. He refuses to acknowledge my existence outside of benefitting our mate. After all, it's all my fault we're in this situation now. It's all my fault she looked at us, eyes striking our souls, and directed hate towards it.
I quickly walk through the human's town and head towards Rura's house. Of course I already know the way, I made sure I knew exactly where she lived the moment I got her address, just in case I had to come here and drag her back home with me kicking and screaming. Well, today might be that day.
When I reach her door, I can hear her inside talking to her father, trying to keep calm. I decide to stay out here and wait, giving her the illusion of privacy, even though I can hear everything. However, when her tone goes from barely restrained anger to full blown yelling I decide to make my appearance known. Even though she knows this man as her father, I can't have her accidentally harming a human.
New shifters usually don't have any control over their emotions or actions, even though Rura seems to be the exception. I still can't take that risk.