The Lost Mate

Max

Nash squared his shoulders and swivelled back towards the vampire. He glared like he was about to attack him.

For his part, the vampire looked like he was entirely done with the argument. It was getting later in the morning, and he was probably ready to rest.

“Listen, I don’t know anything about your wolf mate situation. All I know is that—”

Nathaniel cut in between the vampire and Nash as smoothly as he cut into the conversation. “Is that you should let him talk to his mate. Werewolves are touchy about these things. Must be mindful of sensitivities. And it may just comfort the poor human. They’re not responding well to vampire assistance.” He turned to me. “I’ve got this.”

I nodded, relieved. I’d done everything I could do and was more than ready to get Lillian home. Nathaniel had come through big time and I could trust him.

—————

Lillian and I swung by my campsite and grabbed my phone and supplies. We found Seneca and Humphrey guarding all the little hostages there, along with their vampire protector who had regained consciousness, and a lot of the parents.

Lillian and I thanked them profusely before leaving. We ran until we reached a proper-sized nearby town. We cleaned ourselves up in a river, and then I bought her something less conspicuous to wear than my clothing, as much as I loved seeing her wrapped in my things after all this time.

Seeing her at all, even in such a mundane setting, was a dream come true that I would never tire of.

Afterwards, we hopped on the first bus that would take us closer to Glenshadow. We sat together, her head leaning into my shoulder as the vehicle started moving.

I finally checked my phone. Nathaniel sent me a message that Lillian’s father had still been clinging to life when the vampires had reached him, and was currently in surgery. I told her, and she cried. I just wrapped my arm around her. Eventually her silent tears faded, and she fell asleep. In spite of the uncomfortable seats of the bus, with the comfort of my mate in my arms at long last, I did the same.

When we woke up again, for once it was to a reality that was every bit as satisfying as my memories. We just cuddled and talked through our mind link, telling each other everything that had happened while we were separated. I told her about how desperately I had searched for her, and she described discovering she was pregnant and the misery she had endured. It hurt to hear, but we both needed it the catharsis of it. Burdens were lighter when shared.

She cried more than once, and I had to fight back tears along with her. I wished I could take away her pain, but I couldn’t change what had been, I could only influence what was yet to come. I would dedicate the rest of my life to ensuring Glenshadow’s security going forward.

I watched her as she looked out the window, exactly as beautiful as she had been in my memories. I pulled her hand into mine and she turned her attention to me with a smile.

“You know, Max, this doesn’t even feel real.”

“I know. But it is. I’ve waited so long for this. This is what I missed most. Just being beside you.”

She smiled, a bit sadly. “I’m sorry it was so hard for you to find me, Max.”

“How can you be sorry? You were taking care of our kid.”

“What did you think of him?”

“I love him already. I think you did a great job. He seemed brave and calm for his age.I wish I hadn’t missed so much, but you did everything you could. I just wish I’d gotten there sooner.”

“You did everything you could, Max. I’d never blame you for what they did. It’s amazing that you found me at all.”

“It was a group effort.”

She just smiled at my response.

I wanted to kiss her, but it felt like the first all over again, and I didn’t want an audience of oblivious humans when we did it. And even if they weren’t there, I wasn’t sure what she was ready for now that I knew everything she had gone through. I’d have to tread carefully.

Finally, we got to our stop, and we hurried off, not needing to stop for luggage because we only had my small bag as a carryon. We took an uber to a random house on the edge of the town, and once we got into the wilds we shifted and ran the rest of the way. Lillian was desperate to see Jonas, and I was feeling the same. I needed to make up for lost time.

Lillian felt as uneasy as I was as we ran into pack territory, although I couldn’t be sure if it was her feeding off of my nervousness, or vice versa. There was really nothing to fear, I’d been in contact with Jason, so we were well aware that Will had gotten Jonas there safely.

“Where is Jonas?” I asked my alpha through the mind link.

“Krystal has him.”

I led Lillian forward through the territory. Krystal and Michael were still resolutely refusing to live in the pack house, but apparently they’d reluctantly agreed to move into the alpha’s former home once he and the luna were moved out, and that was where I ran. Lillian picked up speed, clearly catching Jonas’s scent. We stopped outside the trailer and threw on our clothes. I abandoned my bag in the dirt to be collected at some later time.

Pushing open the door, my breath caught in my throat as I let Lillian precede me inside.