7. Xin
Xin
I don’t give a shit if they are following me or not. I storm out the side door and into the deathly cold. When I first arrived here it had been unbearable, but with my adrenaline picking up, I find the cool air welcoming.
Left and right, I glance, trying to figure out which way I want to go. My brothers bicker behind me as they trudge through the snow, making sure not to lose me as Santa commanded.
Trees separate us from the snowy mountains and the slopes above, but I know I need to get up there. I just need a sign as to where.
“Reveal yourself to me again, and I shall find you. You have my word,” I beg the winds.
Dan comes up beside me, and I relax a little. He’s been as much of a pain as the others, but not as annoying as the asshole Rudy. I ignore him and stare out at the trees.
“Do you hear anything else?” he asks.
I side eye him expecting to see some humour in his eyes, but the neutral face tells me that he is asking a genuine question.
“No. Nothing,” I sigh. “Why are you standing here with me and not with the others over there?” I nod my head in the direction of our brothers, who look irritated and bored.
He shrugs, “Santa said that you heard the call of your mate, so it must be true. When I first saw my woman, I know what craziness took over me. I can’t imagine hearing my Zelly, and not being able to find her right away. So I'm here to help if I can, brother.”
“Your woman -mate is called, Zelly?”
His nostrils flare but he makes himself take deep breaths.
“It’s Zelda to everyone but me. Got it?”
I nod as my eyebrows knit together, not understanding what I did wrong.
He called her Zelly and I repeated it. I debate on explaining just that when the hairs on my arms and back of my neck stand up.
Out of nowhere, another strangled cry pierces the air.
It’s not the same scream as before, but it’s from the same being; of that I am sure. I jerk to the left and Dan notices.
“You hear her?”
“It’s different this time. I think she’s wounded.”
I say before charging further into the trees.
“Mate! My Mate! I’m coming,” I scream, hoping she’ll hear me.
“Aww crap he’s going to scare her if he keeps shouting that he’s her mate. They’ve never even laid eyes on each other!” A brother says as he and the others try to keep up.
“I know but how the fuck are we going to stop him?” Another huffs.
Rage fills me at the thought of them trying to stop me. If any of these men try to stop me, brothers or not, I will end them without a second thought. No one will stop me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a figure in blue lying on the ground at the bottom of a cliff’s edge. Immediately, I know that I have found what I am looking for. It’s her.
“I’m coming!”
A scent unlike anything I have ever smelled before hits me when I get closer. All I want to do is pull her against me and rub that scent into my skin. Just the thought of that excites me. My breathing becomes erratic as my body overheats, and my watering tool begins to harden of its own volition.
That’s never happened before.
I drop to my knees as I take in the face of my mate for the first time. Her eyes are closed but I can see the tear stains on her cheeks from the pain she’s been in. Something deep within me starts screaming.
I lean over her, my hand reaching out to touch her but I hesitate.
“You need to mate with her,” Rudy says breathlessly.
“It’ll help her heal faster.”
“How do I do that?!”
“You… You mate with her?”
“That tells me nothing!” I snap, still fighting the urge to scoop her up.
“You take off her pants,” another brother says, coming over as if to do it for me.
“Touch her, and I will rip your head off.”
“Hey, easy now.”
“You have to. It’ll make her feel better.”
My jaw clenches. Every bone in my body wants to do as they say. I can feel the animal inside me clawing to the surface pleading to take her here and now, but something about it isn’t right. The idea of handling her in such a way scorches my soul.
“She’s not even awake.”
“So make it quick.” someone mutters
I turn on my brothers and growl like a beast. When I do, my mates eyes flutter open.
Before I can think, or even take a breath, the word, “Mine,” seeps from my mouth. With her eyes now open, my instincts take over. I lose the battle and lean in to touch my lips to hers.
Only she is two steps ahead of me, and jabs my eyes with her fingers before screaming bloody-murder.
"Heeeelp!!!!!!!"
I fly back, gripping my face as my eyes start to water and my nose burns.
“Oh shit, that’s a new one.” Rudy guffaws.