His Savior

Heartbreak

~Zahara~

               I don't know how long we've been running. When Cory started talking about rejecting him and needing someone better, Aria couldn't take it. She took over and took off into the woods. The pain in my heart felt ten times stronger, and we ripped through the woods. I thought we had come to an understanding. I thought Cory realized how I felt about him and how important to me it is to have him by my side. I could never let him go, never live without him. If he rejects me, I'm not sure I will survive it.

Aria, please! Aria........ Aria has blocked me out this entire time. I've been trying to push past her block, but it has barely moved an inch. I've been pleading with her to head back to the packhouse, but she is in so much pain. She doesn't have Cory's wolf to bond with, so his talk of rejection pains her in the same way. She feels that he doesn't want her, and it is killing her inside.

                We finally come to a stop in an open space. Aria collapses on the forest floor and starts to howl and whimper. This is one of those times where I wish we were not of one body. If we were separate, I could hold her in my arms and try to ease her pain. It's hard to do that when we only exist in each other's minds. I try to push through the barrier again, and this time it crumbles under the force.

Aria?

Mate......mate doesn't.....mate doesn't want us...... Aria's whimpering is heartbreaking, but I know how she feels. The pain of your mate not wanting forever with you is too much to put into words.

I don't think that's it, Aria. I think he is scared. Aria doesn't respond to this. Instead, she whimpers again and shifts us back into my form. Aria retreats into my mind, and I'm left curled up on the forest floor. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I stand on my feet and start to head back. I walk slowly, trying to figure out what to do next. I need to find a way to get Cory to realize that I want him no matter what condition he is in, no matter what other people may say. It's more than just the mate bond. I remember always being drawn to him before I even knew we were mates. There was something about him that pulled me in. I enjoyed getting to know him for that brief amount of time. He is really smart, and he can be funny when he can clear his mind from all that ails him. Cory is such a beautiful man with a beautiful soul. Learning about the hardships he has been through made him even more appealing and special in my eyes. I just don't know how to get him to see how amazing he is and how much I value him.

               A breeze swings past me, bringing a scent to my face. I look up, and in front of me is my dad, holding a t-shirt. I run to his open arms, and he engulfs me in a huge hug. His scent and the warmth coming from him cause my resolve to break, and I start to sob. I feel like everything is just out of my reach, and I don't know how to change that. My dad says nothing but allows me to cry while stroking my hair. My sobs start to lessen, and he pushes me back a bit to place the shirt over my head. My dad takes my hand and puts it into the crook of his arm. "Tell me what's wrong, Bean." I take a deep breath and fill him in on what happened between myself and Cory. Before I know it, the packhouse has come into view, and my dad guides us to sit on a bench that overlooks a child's playground.

               "I never would have thought that Cory has gone through so much. That is a tough life to have lived." I nod and lay my head on my dad's shoulder. "Bean, I think you need to understand that Cory hasn't been loved his whole life like you have. He has been broken down and treated as if he is less than. He has been made to feel as if his only value is as a punching bag. An upbringing like that would make it extremely hard for him to see the value that he holds. He didn't even have the benefit of a wolf to help him see what a great person he is." I feel my dad's body turn towards me. His hand caresses my cheek, and I look up into his eyes. "You have to be patient with him. You have to show him that he is better than he thinks and he is worthy of love. You have to give him time to see himself in a different light."

               "How do I do that dad? I don't know what to do other than tell him how I feel and I've already done that." My dad drops his hand and kisses me on the top of my head.

               "That I don't know Bean. Maybe your mom can help you with that one. I just know that this is going to take some time and if you want him as badly as you say, you will need to be able to spend the time that is needed, no matter how long it is." My dad is right, as always. I guess I always believed that you find your mate and it is an instantaneous thing to accept each other and live happily ever after. I'm sure for many, it does happen like that. In my case, with Cory, I have to figure out a different way to get him to see the value in himself and our bond. I have to be willing to go to the ends of the Earth for us and then some. I have to be willing to sacrifice everything for this man, or I need to let him go.