Irregular (mlm)

Chapter 12

Kai was exhausted as Amy did her check up. She was slipping the blood pressure cuff onto his arm when Paxton came over. "Owen, can I borrow you for a moment?"

Owen looked quickly at Kai. "I think I should—"

"It's okay." Kai let go of his hand, though he didn't want to. "You can go, I'll be okay."

Owen gave him a strange look but stood up and walked off with Paxton. Once they were out of earshot, Kai turned to Amy. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." She slipped the cuff back off his arm and took out a thermometer.

He swallowed. How could he ask this? "Do you think... how did you know Paxton was your mate?"

She swiped the thermometer over his forehead as she answered. "It's not what you might think. It's not an instant reaction where you just hear the word 'mate' in your head. It comes gradually."

"Then how did you know?"

She smiled slightly. "At first I just felt so comfortable and safe around him. We met when he got hurt on duty and came into my hospital. We had regular check ups after that and we got to know each other. I found myself wanting to be around him all the time and craving his presence. After a short period of time, we both just sort of... knew. It clicked that we were mates and we've been together ever since."

He looked over to Owen. Amy followed his line of sight, then asked after a moment, "You think it's him, don't you?"

Kai swallowed. "I don't know."

"Talk to me. What are you thinking?" She set down her thermometer and put her hands in her lap. "Maybe I can help you figure this out."

He sighed and looked away from Owen. "My father used to give me epinephrine. He'd do it to make me uncontrollably agitated and violent. He wanted to see how far he could push my physical abilities and rage seemed to make me stronger."

"What does that have to do with this?"

"He..." he swallowed thickly. "He did it once when I was alone in a room with Alice. I guess he thought I might react differently to it with someone I cared for rather than the guards I hated."

Amy's face grew concerned. "What happened, Kai?"

"I hurt her." He took a shaky breath. "I couldn't control myself. By the time I came down from the shot I was already sedated and my sister was gone. She healed, but I nearly strangled her."

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She shook her head sadly. "That's awful."

"She didn't hold it against me. He did the same type of experiments on her." He glanced back to Owen. "When I was injected today, all I wanted to do was protect Owen. I didn't want to hurt anyone for no reason. I had a reason." He played with his hands in his lap, nervous. "I've never done that. And I hardly know him."

Any bit her lip and took a moment to respond. "So you think it's because he's your mate?"

"It's the only thing I can think of." He looked back at her. "And my father always said that if I ever found my mate, everything would change."

"How so?"

"He could use my mate to manipulate me. Threaten to harm them to get me to corporate. No more escape attempts. No more maiming guards that hurt me." He felt tears well up in his eyes, and he tried to fight them down. "Everyone always prays they find their mate. I prayed that I never found mine. I prayed that I would never put someone so important through the hell that was my life."

Amy reached forward and touched his arm, and for once he didn't mind. He needed someone and she was the only one there. "Kai, I know this is scary. But it'll be okay."