Running From My Alpha Mate

She's home

                                                                                    Maverick's POV

As Arabella disappeared into the bathroom, I took the opportunity to really look around the guest suite and ensure every detail was perfect for her and Jasmine's comfort. Nancy had done an excellent job preparing it based on my instructions - the plush area rug, cozy reading nook, and classic storybook doll collection were all thoughtful touches to make the little one feel at home.

For Arabella, I made sure to have them stock the shelves with volumes ranging from beloved classics to modern bestsellers, hoping something would pique her interests. The ornate fainting couch positioned by the windows would allow her to lounge and read while soaking in the morning sunlight. And of course, the luxurious bed linens and downy pillows to provide the most restful night's sleep.

My wolf side purred in satisfaction at creating such a welcoming, comfortable den for our...mate? The concept was still so new, so incredibly dizzying despite how right it felt. Just hours ago, Arabella had been a mysterious, beautiful stranger. Then one locked gaze and a single shared breath was all it took to upend my entire world and awaken instincts I didn't even realize still slumbered within me.

The sudden rush of protective, possessive need I felt when she had broken down in my office...it both awed and terrified me. I had felt the physical impulse to hunt down whatever hurt her, to rip and tear and shred anything that dared harm what was mine. The snarl building in my chest had reverberated with the collective, primal fury of every alpha ancestor whose blood pounded through my veins.

And yet...she clearly wasn't ready to accept what we were to each other. Perhaps would never be ready, after whatever she had endured. She had been left scarred, and left scared to trust any other wolf. I could only hope that with time, patience, and care, I could slowly dismantle the walls around her and awaken the part of her that recognized me as her mate. Her protector, her supporter, her unwavering champion through every injustice this life could hurl our way.

A soft sniffle from the other side of the bathroom door pulled me from my thoughts. Even through the wood, my hearing could make out Arabella's barely perceptible sounds of muffled weeping. My wolf side ached to go to her, to pull her against me and promise her peace, her freedom from suffering forevermore in the shelter of my embrace.

But I knew such forwardness now would only spook her further. So instead, I busied myself ensuring the bedchamber was warm and inviting, stoking the fireplace and lighting the gently-flickering lanterns. By the time Arabella finally emerged, I hoped the soft, cocoon-like atmosphere would enfold and soothe her rawly battered soul.

As I turned towards the sound of the bathroom door creaking open, I was struck by just how ethereally beautiful she was in that moment. A stunning vision in my faded flannel sleep shirt that dwarfed her petite frame, her still-damp auburn tresses tousled around her delicate features. My chest clenched at the quiet vulnerability emanating from her, the sheen of unshed tears still sparkling in her crystalline blue eyes.

Before I could second-guess myself, I crossed the room in two strides and pulled her into my arms, holding her gently but firmly against me.

"You're safe now, I've got you," I murmured roughly against the crown of her head. "No one will ever hurt you again, I swear it."

She stiffened momentarily before melting against me, her softness igniting sparks of electricity wherever her body touched mine. The temptation to slant my lips over hers, to taste her once again and seal our mating bond, howled through my veins. But not yet...she wasn't ready for that epic a step, so instead I simply held her close, steadying my wolf's lustful craving by immersing myself in her comforting scent.

Tonight, that would be enough. She was here, in my home, in my protection. And tomorrow was a new day to begin further exploration of the grand journey that lay ahead of us, wherever it would lead.

================================================================================A.N.

What do you think? Will Arabella open up to Maverick? Is she safe here? More to come!