The Unwanted Mate: The Bond

Chapter 28:

Hannah POV:
"What?" The confusion is clear in his expression.

"I'll stay here until the mate bond is broken. Luna told me that it would hurt you if I left before it's broken and if you can carry me home to keep me from hurting my feet, I can stay here to keep you from hurting" He has done more nice things for me in such sort time, than anyone else in my coven.

"Don't try to change the subject Hannah. You don't think you're worthy of respect. You don't think that you need to be treated right. That you don't deserve something as basic as fucking eye contact!"

I keep wiping away the tears but they don't seem to stop. Why won't he let it go?

"Are you afraid of me Hannah? Afraid that if you do something wrong I will hurt you in any way?"

I look away from his hard stare not knowing what to answer. Am I afraid? He has shown me great kindness but I just don't know where I have him.

"You are.. Otherwise you would have answered by now. Hannah I won't hurt you in any way. You are safe with me. I know you don't believe me, but I promise I will keep trying to convince you" there is a silence for a moment before he continues "please look at me Hannah"

Slowly I lift my gaze and meet his eyes that seems even deeper than before.

"You don't have to think about any rules or orders when you are here. The rules of your coven doesn't apply on wolf territory, and definitely not in my house. So while you are here you are going to view yourself as a high ranking member of this pack. That means you eat whenever you're hungry, you where whatever makes you feel comfortable, you tell off anyone you don't want to talk to including me and most important you are going to treat you yourself with respect! That means no more trash talking yourself, not putting yourself below anyone and not feeling bad about breaking the rules of your coven"

I stand in chock as I try to digest what he said. I can't do all that? It goes against everything I know and everything I've been taught. But I guess I can just pretend. I mean he doesn't know what I'm thinking, as long as I just act like it.

"So there is no rules, but I have to follow the rules you just said?" I think out loud.

He looks at me for a second before he laughs shortly "yea I guess"

"So do you still want to stay?" He looks at me with anticipation.

"Yes. You have been taking care of me, so I'll stay and make sure you don't feel the pain of the mate bond"

His eyes soften and he gives me a smile "so what you're saying is we look out for each other?"

"Uhm.. well.. I guess" I smile back at him and for the first time since we saw the dress, it's an actual smile and not something I have to pretend.

"I like that. Why did you want to go home anyway? If they treat you so poorly then why would you even want to go back at all? Why not join another coven?"

"I can't join another coven. There are no other covens in the area and if there was, they wouldn't want a witch with no magic. And besides not everyone in my coven are bad. There are nice people as well. Like Mr. and miss Parker, the delivery guy, my mom..." I suddenly remember that staying here means that I won't get to see her for the moment. I was really hoping to see and hug her. I miss talking with her, I miss doing our laundry together and talk about our day or signing songs.

"Do you miss her?" His voice is smooth and calm

"Yes, she is my best friend. We only have each other after my dad died" I feel a sadness wash over me at the thought of my dad. He was my hero and I was sure he would be around to protect me forever. But suddenly he wants there to protect me. To hold me when I was scared or to tell me everything was going to be okay.

"I'm so sorry to hear that Hannah"

"It's been 8 years but I still miss him a lot" I confess. Marc just smiles at me softly and something inside me finders comfort in his eyes.

"He used to tell me that the world is much bigger that I could even imagine and so far I can't argue with that. Once he told me that the stars is the soles of the dead looking down on us" I smile at the memory "so I guess he's here with me after all.. Do you think it's true?"

"It's a nice thought. Who knows maybe he's right. If witches and wolfs can exist then why not spirit in the sky. I think the only thing that matters is that you believe it"

He's right. I choose to believe that he is up there looking down at me. I wonder what he would say if he could talk to me. Would he be proud that I survived for this long amongst the wolfs? Would he think that I betrayed the witches by not going home?

"How about I make some food and you go put your feet up. You have been standing for quite a while now. Your feet must be hurting" he says and walk out into the kitchen.

"It's okay I can help" I say and walk towards the kitchen but he stops me "Hannah go put your feet up. Please"

I look over at the couch in the other site of the room "okay" I say in a low voice and take a step away from him.

"If you want you can sit in one of the chairs and put your feet up on one or the other chairs? That way you can stay in the kitchen. But only if you want to"

I feel another smile forming on my lips. Somehow being around Marc just.. puts me in a better mood. I can't quite put a finger on why, but for now I don't care.

I offer him to help out but he insists on doing it alone. He looks like he has done it a million times before yet I haven't seen him make dinner a single time since I arrived two weeks ago.

"Do you want some wine?" He ask and open a cabinet and pull out two wineglasses.

"Uhm.. sure" I have only tasted wine at Lunas birthday party. Normal I wouldn't be offered such things but if I have to follow Marc's rules then I can't decline because it's what the witches would want me to. I take a sip and feel the cold, fruity and sweet liquid in my mouth. It's nothing like the wine we had at the party.

"Do you like it?"

"Yea. It's actually pretty good" I sound a bit more surprised than I intended and clearly Marc find it amusing as he smiles brightly.

"I saw your face when you tasted the red wine at Lunas birthday. So I thought you might be more of a rosé kind of girl"

"I'm not sure what that means but if it means that I get this instead of the one from the party, then I agree"

He smiles brightly and without thinking about it I return his smile.