Savior Mate (Wolves of Night Shade Pack)

1

Marion

I never thought it was possible to fall in love at first sight until I laid my eyes on him. The war between the hounds and werewolves was over, and I wasn’t so lucky. I had sustained an injury from defending some of the wolf bloods against the hounds and ensuring I held the barrier with other witches, which protected the elder woods from infiltration. Wolf claws ripped my shirt, its mark running down to my lower body. A little healing spell was supposed to end this and help me heal, but I wasn't able to because I had exhausted myself. I needed to keep my strength just in case I had another episode.

I sat in the hospital bed outside the hallway as I waited for some healers to come aid me. There were other witches and wolf shifters waiting as well. Patients filled the hospital rooms to the brim, and some stayed in the hallway. I sat across the hall, bleeding and awaiting anyone to come to my aid. My injuries weren't that severe, but it was aching. I groaned in pain and adjusted on the patient’s bed. I was about to leave the bed when a man built like a rugby player walked up to me. He had a first aid box, and he put it on my bed. As I raised my gaze to see his face, I was in awe of who I had met. It was him. The man I had saved from a hound. I never thought I'd see him again. My heart thumped lightly under my chest as I took in the color of his perfect sea-green eyes, lips, and messy hair. I swallowed hard just when I saw his fingers snapping in front of me. His thick voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I snapped my gaze to him. “I’m sorry. It must be the werewolf bite.”

“Don’t worry. It won’t affect you. Now take off your shirt.” He said with a smile. His voice. Goddess, his voice exuded a kind of resonance I'd never encountered.

“Yes, sure.” I tugged off my shirt. He wore his gloves and examined the wounds.

“It’s not that deep.”

“Oh, ok. I don't see you around here very much. Are you new?” I asked, hoping to make conversation.

“No. The pack is in turmoil, and I know a few things about medicine, so they need every help they can get. Now stay still. This is going to hurt.” He muttered and beamed at me.

“Ah.” I winced as he slowly treated me with his first aid equipment. He stopped the bleeding, then bandaged it. He was done with me and was supposed to move to another patient, but I didn't want him to leave. I wanted to feel his hands on me. I just wished he'd stay a little longer, but I couldn't put other people's life on the line.

This would probably be the last time I'd see him again, so goodbye to my first in a long time crush.

A smile crept up my lips as I recalled what had happened between the both of us about four weeks ago at the hospital. I hadn't seen him since then, not at training or even at the hospital. I wanted to go to the pack house, but they had restrictions for certain witches. It was better for me to just let the little flutter of feelings in my chest disappear.

As a witch who'd spent his entire life running and hiding, I wouldn't expect a chance at love. Werewolves descended from the moon goddess and witches had nothing to do with the so-called mating bond. The only thing that made us seem alike was the supernatural bloodline we shared. Don't get me wrong, I was glad we'd finally found a home in Logan’s pack, and I've gotten the opportunity to live my best life and all. But now I had parts of the things I wished for, I didn't know what to do with it except watch every day as nothing new happened in my life.

Tonight was the next full moon since Frey used her chaos magic to lift the hound’s curse. Surprisingly, the pack was doing way better than expected. I was all for peace because one more violent moment would exhaust me forever. Speaking from experience. You know when you run all your life you're always on guard and sometimes there's a feeling even when you've found something worthwhile that one day it will shatter into pieces.

Enough about the cataclysmic thoughts. This was my favorite time of the month, not because I would get any surprises, but because of the full moon. First, the goddess and her freaking mate bond. I wondered why she wouldn't let these shifters choose who they want to love, especially considering that some of them go through the excruciating pain of rejection and cannot even survive it. Anyway, it warmed my heart when the wolf bloods who accepted their mates swooned into the arms of each other. Sometimes it made me wonder if someone would actually love me the way these wolves loved their mates. And it gave me hope that true love was not dead in the world. Besides, my antagonism was for the idea of rejecting the mate bond and going free without consequence.

The coming full moon was a perfect opportunity for me to see the man at the hospital because he wasn’t a part of the coven which only meant one thing—he was a wolf blood. I was marching to the clearing where the pack held the run. I arrived at the center of the clearing and leaned against a tree, raising my gaze to the moon and pondering the thoughts of true love and the mate bond. Something that had occupied my headspace recently. It wasn't too long and the wolf bloods stormed back in their beastly forms, pulling me out of my thoughts. They shifted into their human forms, letting the power of the moon take course and allow them to scent their mates. My heart swooned as many of these shifters accepted their significant other and led them away to complete the bond.

Everything was going great, just me standing by the tree and admiring the feeling of love from a distance until… I tracked a scent in the air. I inhaled a lungful, shutting my eyes and reveling in the new presence. A presence my heart was now yearning for. I leaned off the tree and dropped my folded arms, searching through the crowd. But I wasn't able to find him.

That was until I saw the man watching me from the edge of the woods, and once our eyes met, he fled. I knew him. It was the man at the hospital. I wanted to walk away, but the new bond I sensed was more powerful than my will.

What a coincidence! Besides, since when did witches mate with wolves in exception to the Alpha and his mate? What is up with freaking Diana? Why does she keep pairing witches and werewolves together? Or is this part of the progress of the supernatural race? Damn it! Of all the witches in the pack, why the fuck did it have to be me?

I hurried down the path, winding through the cluster of rigid bodies until I found my way into the woods. The forest was dark, and I barely saw the starry night sky because of the canopy of woodlands. I used my magic to create a ball of light which led the way, and as I cleared the distance separating us; I sensed him. He was closer and the nearer I got, the stronger the feeling grew in my heart, like little flutters of butterflies that travelled from my stomach to my chest.

Goddess, how beautiful knowing what this feeling was.

It was of great perfection.

If I had known about all of this, maybe my revulsion towards the blessing of the goddess would have never existed. This novel sensation made me question why wolf bloods even reject their mates.

I gasped for breath when a large hand clasped around my wrist and shoved me into a tree. My hand found its way through his fine abdominal muscles. Now that I was up close, I saw the same sea green color of his eyes. His mere touch on my skin sent sparks of irresistible passion flying through me. “Go back to your coven, kid. You're not supposed to be out here.” He struggled with the words as he tried to lean off, but I held him back.

“I’m twenty-four, and I'm not a kid anymore.” I argued. My body physique led people to believe that I was younger than my age.

“Well, excuse the moon goddess for making this mistake.”

“It’s not like I wanted some stupid bond in the first place,” I said when I had a feeling of what was going to happen next. “I’m Marion, by the way.” I couldn't help but introduce myself because every fiber within me wanted him. I wanted him to be closer to me, closer than this. I desired his passionate touch. Damn, moon goddess, I didn't ask for any of these feelings you do-gooder! I mean, I wanted to fall in love, but not like this, not with a werewolf.

“I didn't ask for your name. This must be some sort of mistake, ok?” His eyes gained their golden color, heightening the intense passion that bubbled between us.

“Mistake? How is this a mistake?” I took his hands and placed it on my chest, letting him feel my breathing and heartbeat. He stared at me with intensity in his eyes and pulled me closer to his body, pressing me against his rigid frame. He leaned closer to my ears and whispered, “Even if I was to have a male mate...”

For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. “So you're rejecting me?” Was all I could muster as a new sense of aching gathered on my chest. I stepped away from his grasp.

“I’m not. I don't know. It's… I have never been with a man before, so this must be some...” He murmured and let me go.

“And the moon goddess is not so perfect with her bond, after all. Anyway, I’m not surprised. I'll take care of it before tomorrow.” I shrugged and sighed before I walked away.

“You’re not a wolf blood,” I heard behind me and halted. “Why do you come to the run?” He asked. Was it worth it? Telling him? Because at the end, his decision would remain the same.

“Nothing!” I turned toward him and shrugged.

“Come on, you don't have to be like that.”

“How could you possibly understand when the first thing that crosses your mind is to say this is a mistake? The mate bond never mattered to me at all until tonight, until I felt what it was like. I come to the full moon run because whenever I see these shifters find their mates; it gives me hope that one day I'd get to feel that ardent love. But I guess it's not happening because I'm not worth it.” I’ve never been this flustered my entire life, and I couldn’t even keep my voice bold as I said those words.

“I never said that.”

“Go home and sleep it off. By morning, you won't feel a thing. I'll make sure of that.” I gave him a forced smile and walked away.

I never thought it would be this heart wrenching. I never thought I would cry for someone, not even once in my entire life. But as I sauntered away, tears pooled from my eyes, and I fought so hard to keep them back. I didn't even know him at all, but why did it feel this painful. I thought maybe I'd have a good testimony about this thing, but I was wrong. The bond was just a manipulation used by the moon goddess against her people. Now, somehow, I had become entangled in her stupid game.

I stomped my way back to the clearing without looking back or stopping at all. The first thing I would do was go home and cast a spell that would block this stupid feeling. It would take a lot of magic because of the god-like power, but I was better off that way.

I made my way through the forest until I got to the witch’s side of the pack. Since I was of age, I was living alone and that gave me the privacy which I loved so much. I walked into my home, slamming the door and heading straight into the living room. I groaned in pain and screamed, causing the light bulbs in the parlor to explode. The candles on the sconces came to life, reigniting the lights in the room. Slumping to the floor, I felt the unbearable torture weigh down my chest. I hated this. I hated this! Why did it have to be me? Of all the witches in the pack. It was me. I had been through a lot and now this. Why should I have to suffer this way? Still on the floor, as my shoulders quivered and pain coursed through me, I swallowed hard. I thought I could handle this. I thought it would just slide. But it didn't, and it hurt so much.

The feeling of pain exacerbated as tears strung from my eyes, and I tried so hard to bury it deep down.

But I couldn't. My fear worsened when blood dripped from my nose. Now I had to deal with the intolerable pain of the mate bond and my greatest fear — my episodes.