Forbidden

|10|

Laurent

She was shaking in my arms, reminding me of a frightened injured rabbit instead of the beautiful beast I knew she was. Guilt riddled, I tightened my hold on her, trying to pour comfort into her tattered mental through the bond we seemed to have once again, after being so close to one another.

I hadn't meant for her to see or even meet Val but the woman truly hadn't cross my mind when I met Eden. It was like no one else mattered then and they still didn't, all except the small frame of a woman now cradled in my arms like a nursing babe and I almost already lost her because of my own stupidity.

I moved her heavy curls underneath the side of her shoulder just a bit so I could caress the skin of her cheek, seeing the free falling tears on her face.

"What do you mean little one? How could you have killed your mom?" A soul crushing sob spilt from Edens lips and I had to close my eyes to keep the pain from wrecking me as well. I waited a beat for her to speak, then two, after the third I realized she was intent on being silent and would need coercing.

Placing just a friendly kiss on the juncture between her neck and shoulder, a small tremor floating through Eden's body. Smirking, I kissed her once more and a tiny moan was rewarded to me. My body hummed in harmony with hers as it felt like a bass was rocking through us, like tiny waves of desire rippling like a pebble being tossed in a lake. Tracing the pads of my fingers along her now heated skin, Eden squirmed and I could see her legs pressing closed.

"Eden.." I spoke her name with as much desire as I could, just above her ear and she shot forward, away from me. I couldn't help the smile from splitting my face at her accusing glare.

"What? Too far?" I questioned with a laugh and Eden's face bursted out into a flattering blush of deep red.

"Ugh! That was so wrong Laurent! Don't do that, I'm mad at you damnit!" She huffed and pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest like a annoyed child. Lost for words at how much I wanted to just give this woman everything, I settled for smiling at her full force. Reaching for her hand halfway, I waited until she met me the rest of the way before I pulled her back into my arms, her back resting against my chest.

"What happened with your mother?" I asked as I gently fondled the palm of her hand which was now outstretched on my leg with my fingers. Taking a deep breath, Eden spoke.

"I was young, hardly could be called a pup. My mom, she had been in the living room and I was playing around in the kitchen. Mom always left cinnamon apple scented candles around the house cause my dad liked the smell, said it reminded him of his grandma." Eden smiled at the memory, I could see the corners of her lips twitching from my downward view of her.

"I had wanted the smell of Nana in my room too, since it was the only one that mom wouldn't put candles in. So while she was preoccupied in the living room, I snuck a candle and some matches into my room. I had waited until that night when she was sleep, to light it, not paying attention to the fact that my curtains were brushing against it." Eden's voice trembled and cracked, her emotions getting the best of her.

"If you don't want to finish, it's oka-" I tried to say before Eden cut me off.

"No, I want to, I'm fine. Just give me a sec." Taking a deep, calming breath, Eden continued on, anguish in her aura.

"I went back to sleep and soon after, I was choking and opened my eyes to not seeing anything but grey smog and flames licking at everything they touched. I cried out for my mom and she rushed into my room, in her wolf form. Her eyes bugged out when she saw the fire and she yelled through the connection for me to phase and get out. But I couldn't! I was scared and was panicking! I started to break down and mom ran into the fire to get to me but it was to late, the burning walls were now overtaking everything and my mom and I were trapped." Heavy sobs fought their way out of Eden and I held her closer but she bucked against my hold, the pain in her voice now palpable as she dug her nails into my arms, drawing blood and screaming.

"I begged her to go, I begged her to leave me, that daddy needed mommy and she bit me, hard. Hard enough to cause me to black out from the pain but not before I could see her phase into human form and wrap me up underneath her as the flames singed and burnt her body. When I came to, it was to the blackened corpse of my mother, still holding me, protecting me. It took dad an hour to find us under all the debris of the house. An hour that I stared into the lifeless brown eyes of my mom." Her hysterical meltdown ended after that, cold stillness now overtook her tone.

"After that day, dad never called me by my name again, saying that the guilty had no name and so he sent me off to live with Mason and Marx's Nana. Where I was trained military style as punishment for the death of the Alpha female, my mother. Everyone, including myself, blamed me for her death. Only Mason ever truly treated me like a young girl, like a person. I will always owe Mason everything." She pushed my arms from around her, effectively severing our embrace. Laying back down on the quilts, silence took over, extremely uncomfortable silence. Not wanting to leave her alone, I went to lay beside her when the frantic shaking of her head stopped me.

"Leave me in peace please. I want...I want to be alone..."Eden whispered and I ached to ease the hurt tone. Using my hands to push myself up, I went to the door to leave.

"Eden, that wasn't your fault for your mother dying. She did what any mom would do, protect their child. Nobody could've convinced her to leave you there, no one. And none of them had the right to treat you that way, especially your father. Should I ever meet the man, I will rip his spine out through the back of his throat."

Going outside to the warm breeze, I saw a familiar head of brown locks advancing my way from the women's quarters and I braced myself for what was to come. A balled fist adorned by multiple rings slammed into my jaw, knocking my head back into the wall. Standing up while trying to realign the bone, a swift kick to my legs had me down on my knees. My twists were gripped in a powerful hold as I stared into the broken gaze and crying face of Val.

"So you just toss me to the side? How could you Laurent?! We were even trying for a baby!" I sucked in a harsh breath and grabbed Val's hand that had my hair in the grips, snapping her wrist as she fell down, howling in pain. Placing my guilt for how I created this situation, far away in the recesses of my mind.

"There's nothing I can do Val, she's my mate!" I said through gritted teeth, the burn in my chest agonizing. Val limped away from me, clutching her broken wrist in her left hand, hardened steel stared at me.

"Bullshit! I'm your mate by Artemis laws! I will not give you up to some, some damn outsider! I will show you that WE are true mates!" Val pledged as she disappeared from my sight into the darkening night.

Just when I thought my day was over, I turned my head to see forest green eyes pining me down, challenge in the depths.