Layla lowered her eyes slowly, feeling uncomfortable with the intense look Riven gave her. Not that she didn't like it. The look gave her butterflies and made her body tingle deliciously. She was new to these alien feelings she felt and didn't know how to react to it. She watched from under her eyes as Riven walked closer and the bed dipped when he sat beside her.
"The potions are right there Riven",Henrietta said and pointed towards the table beside the large mirror.
"Thank you Henrietta. I will tend to her wounds myself",Riven said and nodded at her.
"Of course. If you need anything else, let me know. The potions will be enough to heal the wound though".
After instructing Riven on how to apply each of them, Henrietta exited the room, leaving Riven and his mate to themselves.
Layla suddenly wished Henrietta never left. The silence that followed after the door shut behind her was a bit awkward. She wasn't scared of Riven. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. She was just nervous. Apart from her Uncle Parker, she had never been in the presence of a man and it made her self-conscious.
"Don't be frightened my love. I promise I'll be gentle",Riven told her softly and gently took her injured hand in his. He felt her wince at the pain of moving it and she started to pull back.
"Don't move my love. Allow me tend to you. I promise it won't hurt",Riven whispered. He looked up at her, his heart melting at the fear and pain in her eyes. "Just look at me. Look at me and take your mind off it".
Layla who didn't have the boldness to look him in the eyes a moment ago looked up at him. His honey brown eyes stared back at her, telling her without words that he would never hurt her.
And he didn't. While holding her gaze all through, he cleaned up her hand and applied the potion Henrietta prepared. With his warm hands, he massaged the swollen place, working the potion into her skin. He was so gentle that Layla didn't feel much of the pain.
With her eyes still staring at him, she didn't know when he finished and wrapped a clean white piece of cloth around her hand to make the potion do its work.
"All better?",he asked when he was done. Layla looked down at her hand, surprised to notice that it didn't hurt as much as it did before. She nodded at him and slowly took her hand away from his.
Riven didn't want the distance between them. He knew she was still warming up to him but he wanted to be able to touch her without her feeling uncomfortable with it. He wanted to pull her close and lost himself in her enchanting eyes. He wanted to trace her soft lips with his fingers. He needed to feel her smooth skin on his. He just had to be patient until she was ready.
Suddenly his eyes fell on her legs that were exposed to his view. He frowned. There were faded red scars marring her smooth skin. The scars dotted her legs and he could also see them on her hands. He looked back at her. Those were whip marks. And whoever did it had taken pleasure in marring her perfect skin with whippings. What hell had she gone through?
"What's your name my love?",Riven asked her softly, not wanting to startle her.
Layla sighed. How would she do this? How would she tell him she was mute? She looked up at him and shook her head, pointing to her throat.
Riven watched her demonstrate and understanding slowly dawned on him. She couldn't speak. His eyes widened with shock.
"You can't speak?",he asked gently.
Layla shook her head and looked down sadly. She didn't want to see the disgust in his eyes. She knew he would loath her now. Who wanted a mute girl? The fear of what Riven would think of her made tears pool beneath her eyes and run down her cheeks.
Riven who had been startled by her inability to speak suddenly felt his heart constrict when she began to cry. Did she think he would hate her because she couldn't talk? That would never happen. It only made him fall helplessly for her the more. He moved closer and touched her chin, raising it up until she was staring at him.
But damn, she was beautiful. And not just because she was his mate. She was perfect in every way. Her gray eyes wet with tears, the furrow between her brows, her wild dark hair, her rosy cheeks and her lips that trembled slightly. They were all perfect in his eyes. Even with the scars marring her skin, she was perfect. He had to resist the strong urge to kiss her.
"Oh my love",Riven whispered. "Did you think the feelings I have for you would change because you can't speak?".
Layla closed her eyes, unable to keep looking at him. She nodded and more tears spilled down her eyes.
"Look at me",he said gently. Layla's eyes slowly opened and focused on him. She was trembling under the intensity of his gaze.
"Nothing can ever change the way I feel about you",he said to her. He made sure she was looking into his eyes so she would see how earnest he was. "I loved you the moment I saw you, and nothing can ever change that. You belong to me my love. You're my mate".
Layla frowned. Mate? What did he mean mate? Did he mean girlfriend? She knew a little about relationships from the discarded books she spent her time reading in the basement. That was how she was able to learn a little about reading and writing. And in all the books she read, she never came across the word 'mate'.
Riven noticed her confusion and smiled at her. He knew she would be confused. She was a human, with no idea about the supernatural realm. He took her hand and led her to the couch in the corner of his room. Settling down on it, he pulled her close to sit beside him and wrapped an arm over her shoulder. It made him feel good to see his shirt on her body.
Layla sat stiff against Riven. She was so close to him that she could feel his breathe fanning the side of her neck. She took a deep breathe and tried to relax her body. Riven wouldn't hurt her so there was no need to feel wary of him. Soon she relaxed and leaned into his embrace.
"Good girl",Riven whispered, relieved to see she was gradually getting comfortable with him touching her. He adjusted his position so she would be comfortable and he began to play with her hair, twirling the soft strand around his fingers.
"I know you're confused about you being my mate",he said gently. Layla nodded. She didn't understand what he meant and she wanted to know if he meant girlfriend. The thought of being his girlfriend brought a blush to her cheeks and it didn't go unnoticed by Riven.
Riven decided not to comment on it but it gladdened his heart to know whatever made her blush was connected to him.
"I'm going to tell you a story my love",he said to her and then reached towards the table beside the couch. He picked up a piece of parchment and a pen and handed it to her. Layla looked up at him questioningly.
"So you can communicate with me if you have any questions",Riven answered her unasked question. "I know you have a lot, and so do I. And until we figure out a way to bring your voice back, we will talk this way".
Layla liked the fact that he used the word 'we'. It proved to her that he didn't loath her or see her as nothing. And he was ready to find a way to bring her voice back. She quickly wrote on the parchment.
'Thank you'
Riven read the two words and it made his wolf purr with excitement. He smiled at her and tucked the strand of hair he had been playing with behind her ears. Then he asked the question that had been burning a hole through him since he saw her.
"Will you tell me your name now?"