Healing His Mate

Aaliyah POV

I lay on the bed quietly as I run my fingers through the wolf’s fur.

When Aaron first came into the room in wolf form, my heart nearly stopped. I didn’t know it was him at first and memories of past wolf packs ran around my head. His anger was palpable when he stalked closer to the bed.

Then he pushed his head into my palm. I felt the fire from his touch and knew exactly who he was. Then his wolf whimpered quietly and jumped onto the bed to curl around my body.

Even in wolf form, Aaron is gentle and patient with me. I can feel my heartbeat in sync with his as he purrs at my constant touch.

I’m not afraid of him.

I feel my body completely relax into his warmth as I realize my trust for him is absolute. I know he will never harm me and he will never allow another to either.

I know it has to do with the mate bond itself, but I grew up in the shifter world. A mate will never harm their other half. He is my other half.

It’s been about an hour and I can feel the tension leave his body. Although I love the feeling of Aaron cuddled close to me, I want him to tell me what made him angry enough to shift in the first place.

Pushing my body up and away from his fur, he lifts his heavy head off of my lap to gaze up at me. I bite my lip as I think of a way to ask him to shift back without using words.

Distractingly, I run my hand against his muzzle for a moment. He sighs at the feeling before moving his jaw to lick my palm. I giggle at the ticklish sensation and his eyes light up with joy.

I lift my hand to tap a finger against his forehead before pointing to myself and then tapping my fingers together with my thumb in a talking motion.

Seeming to understand my request, he nods his large head and moves to get off the bed. He bounds over to the connected bathroom and after a moment he returns in his human form.

He swiftly crosses the room and retakes his seat next to me on the comforter.

“I’m sorry, angel,” he says, lifting my hand in his to kiss the top of it, “I didn’t mean to scare you. My wolf and I were so angry and we needed to make sure you were alright.”

I give him a soft smile in understanding. Our animal spirit's emotions are as attuned to us as we are to them. When one is mad, the other is. But if both are, the anger can be exponential.

Whatever pissed both him and his wolf off must have been serious.

Knowing he probably still needs comfort, I shift closer to him. I lift his arm so I can rest my head against his chest and cuddle closer to his body. He chuckles at my movement but still tightens his hold around my shoulders.

“Thank you,” he kisses my temple. We sit for a few more minutes before he talks again, “You want to know why I was angry, don’t you?”

Lifting my eyes to meet his, I nod my head.

He sighs before shifting to move us where his back is against the headboard of the bed and I am leaning my back into his chest while sitting between his legs. He keeps his arms tight around me and I start to trace random patterns into his skin.

It feels like no matter how close we are, it’s still not enough.

“I had a meeting with my father and our betas about the device that was in your arm,” he starts, “The device was damaged slightly so we don’t think the hunters know your exact location.”

I feel some of my fear drain away when he says that.

“But there was more than just tracking data on the device. It also holds your medical records.”

I know where this is going.

Whenever I was taken to the lab, they would scan over the tattoo on my arm. Their machine would beep and they would begin the procedure.

Subconsciously, I run my fingers over the lettering. VX02.

If the hunters stored the medical records on the device, they must have transferred the data every time they did that scan like an airdrop download.

“I didn’t read the file, but one of my betas did. He said they surgically cut into you,” he chokes out. I twist in his arms to see the fear, anger, and sadness wash over him again, “The file said that you were awake during-”

He can’t get the words out and I don’t want him to say it. I just nod before burying my head into his throat and focus on his heartbeat.

“I’ll make this right, angel. They won’t get away with what they have done to you.”

I lean up to kiss his jaw before leaning back. I can see his determination to keep me safe written on his face and I want to lean into the feeling of being safe with him as my mate.

“This is the reason you are terrified of doctors, right?” he questions.

I tell him yes.

“You know I will protect you, right?” I kiss his jaw again as my answer. He smiles and kisses my forehead, “The doctors in our pack will never harm you and I never would allow them near you if I thought they would.”

Knowing he is right doesn’t lessen my fear of them. The hunters and doctors in that lab tortured me in ways that I will be reliving for the rest of my life. When I close my eyes at night, I still see those surgeons standing over me, cutting into me.

“I know your fears aren’t going to just disappear after one pretty speech by me,” Aaron says, “It’s going to take time for you to heal, and I’m going to be here to help you.”

The second his words leave his lips, my mouth is on his. I kiss him with every ounce of passion I can. He wraps his fingers in my hair and moves my head to deepen the kiss. I open my mouth to him and the fire from his touch sears deep in my soul.

I wiggle closer to him and straddle his lap as he pulls me closer to his body. I want more though. More fire, more touches. Just more.

Suddenly, he pulls back from me. I try to reconnect our lips but he stops me by moving his lips to my cheek. I pout at his rejection, but he just chuckles, “There is someone at the door.”

I blush as I hear a knock echo through the room again. I was so lost in his kiss that I had blocked out the entire world and my only focus was my mate.

Aaron laughs at my reaction, “No need to be embarrassed, angel. I was just as distracted as you.”

He swoops in to give me a quick kiss before pulling back and calling out to the person at the door to enter. Shifting closer, I rebury myself into my mate before turning to the person who enters.

Jacob is standing in the doorway with a worried expression. I shake quietly at the sight of someone else being in the room. Jacob may be Aaron's father, but my mind cannot allow me to trust him.

"The trackers we had on the hunters were attacked. The group led them into an ambush. I need you as lead to track them."

Aaron stiffens as a tremble runs through me. Looking back down at me for a moment, his face holds a hard look, "I understand."

Jacob leaves and I lift my eyes back to Aaron. He gives me an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry angel, but I have to go," he kisses my forehead and gets up off the bed. I keep my eyes close as I hold in his touch, "But I promise you I will come back."

I open my eyes and he is gone.