BLACK

(1) Mates

EDITED

Feeling his raw worry and concern, I blink awake in the dead of night.

His body shadows in the doorway, steps as silent as the nights air. I shuffle my arm beside me to hold myself up and watch him. My tangled hair swoops over my shoulder, annoying with it's heavy mass. I've had the longest hair since a young age, and it only got worse the longer he didn't let me cut it.

A floor board creaks on purpose as the shadow of his nose becomes visible in the doorway. The upbeat pace of my heart must have alarmed him I'd woken up.

"Aris," I call lightly as I didn't need to yell. "Come to bed," I pat the sheets beside me.

Aris stands in the doorway for a second, considering. I was rather surprised when his steps continued into the room. Silently, he climbs past the small passage I made for him, circling my waist with his bulky arms to face him. His legs are long and arms heavy with muscle as he pulls the sheets around us. I don't say anything more either, closing my eyes and trying to fall asleep again.

It made no difference either way, Aris never slept at night. He was a predator, and the shadows much like his dark hair and eyes comforted him. I got used to it after a while, letting him guard the doors and go outside in the dead of night because he heard something. He slept during the day, which was a better alternative for me because I didn't have to feel intimidated by his everlasting stares.

I can feel his gaze burning my eyelids just now, but I just remain calm. I'd gotten used to waking up occasionally in the night because of Aris's emotions. After living with him for nine years, I gave up on coaxing his anxiety to sleep.

We have a deep connection where our souls are intertwined, allowing me to feel his emotions. We're called mates. They're the significant other half of a person, the one to love and cherish forever. It's a special bonus of Aris's species. We're of super natural breed, and Aris is one of the leaders. We hide from humans in the most dense of forests, our only enemies each other. It should be easy for me, being a leaders mate. Unless you have several mates, like me. And in this harmony, I made a pretty bad name for myself.