My Mate Next-Door

9: Do or Die and a Phone Call

I woke up in a fever and bleeding more than I was before. I looked around meekly for Quinton and barked softly for him to wake up. He startled awake and looked at me and gasped in horror. Blood soak out of the diaper and the bedsheets. He grabbed his phone in a hurry and dialed for Bruce over and over and over again. After a few minutes of not getting any answers, he stormed downstairs. "FUCK!" He yelled from downstairs as he grabbed something out of the cabinets. Running back upstairs, I saw him holding helping herb in his hand. I had wondered where he got it from as it wasn't widely available, and as he shoved it towards my snout, I smelled my mates scent on it. Confused but not willing to waste time, I gobbled the herb down. He moved me off the bed and ripped the diaper off. He changed his sheets and cleaned me up in the tub. He waited to see if the bleeding stopped anxious as I'd ever seen him. It felt like Quinton actually cared about me even if I was just a job for him initially. He cried on the floor, "I'm sorry, Cocoa! I should've listened to him! I just was so worried about his intentions that I never wanted to make things worse. I'm so stupid, and I wasn't being rational. I hope you live to forgive me, my precious girl." I reached out and licked his tears as best as I could. Salty little droplets that stained his face. He smiled half-heartedly, trying to tough it out for me.

"Only you could make me feel better while you're the one on the brink of death." He chuckled and hugged my head. Kissing me right between my eyes he looks down to see the water running clear now. "Oh thank God! It worked! The plant worked! Gosh I really better go to that barbecue now that he saved your life." He laughed and shut off the water. Drying me off, I started to feel a lot better. Full of energy and vigor! It was amazing! I felt truly alive for once! He laughed again as I licked his face over and over again. Thanking him for saving me with the helping herb!

He pushed me down as he stood up and smiled. "Ok! OK! I accept your gratitude! I'm just glad I gave it to you at all! I was so skeptical of it! But seeing you practically dying on my bed.... I know I had to do something. Even if that something didn't work I had to risk it for you to live." Quinton teared up again thinking about it but shook his head clear of negative thoughts and wiped his eyes clear of tears.

Damien sighed in relief as he felt the pain finally subsiding from him. He waited for a moment and the pain of death did not follow. He smiled happy to know she didn't die. Damien was angry that it took Quinton so long to actually listen to him but all things considered it was a weird situation between him and Quinton.

Quinton and I ran around the backyard together and played fetch. Which wasn't too terrible as long as I didn't let the ball fall into mud. I felt more sure of myself and less like a wolf ever since I thought of my past so indepth like that. Which was a good sign to me that maybe I'm not too far gone to help break free of this wolfbound state I was in.

Occasionally while he tossed the ball I kept catching faint whiffs of my mates scent. I thought maybe that it was just confirmation that I was falling in love with Quinton but I did catch glimpses of someone watching us from the woods.

It was an eerie feeling knowing I couldn't stop playing for fear I'd anger whomever was out there. Surely, they meant no harm? It wasn't as if I could go and ask whoever it was, their intentions.

Quintons phone started to ring and I waited for him to throw the ball again patiently. He answered it and threw the ball. Without thinking I chased it into the woods a little ways and layed down squeaking it in my jaws.

"Don't you run off now Cocoa! I'll be right back! Stay!" Quinton called out as he went into the house to answer his phone.

I chewed on the squeaky ball just enjoying the sound and texture of it in my mouth. It was definitely too small for my wolf form as if I wanted to, I could most definitely swallow it whole. That didn't matter to me though and I didn't want to have to shit out a squeaky ball. It'd probably hurt on the way out or get me sick or something.

I heard twig snap and I looked up. I didn't spot anything but I smelled him. My mate. It was faint as if he was either far away or our bond wasn't strong. I looked back to see if Quinton was back outside but he wasn't. My heart raced as I slowly turned my head back to where the noise had come from. A thick tree blocked my view and I knew that if I could see behind it. My mate would be there.

I contemplated leaving back to the house or moving forward to investigate. Although my body didn't respond to either idea as I felt frozen in place. I wanted to disappear and never have to think of this feeling again. This nerve-racking heart pounding anxiety inducing time where it felt like my heart and mind couldn't pick between meeting my mate or staying with the man I have come to know and adore. It was simply too much. I prayed to the Goddess to make fate decide whom I should love. Let them pick for me and show me the answer somehow someway.

Then he stepped out from behind the tree in all his glory. He was tall and his dark eyes pierced into mine. His black hair blew softly in the breeze and his scent was undoubtedly my mates scent. I remembered him from in the beginning of living here. Damien, Quinton had called him.