Mine

~|| Chapter 17 ||~

I woke up in bed to find Valentino cuddled around me with his head on my stomach.

I think being apart from him yesterday helped me realize that I love him.

Wait. Hold up. Love?

I'm actually not surprised I love him. It's normal to love your mate almost directly after you meet them.

But I've known Val for a month now. And I know I don't just love him because the mate bond says to. I love him because he's him. Curse and all.

Curse. Funny how if you just trade two letters it makes cures. I keep meaning to ask him about his brothers that he locked in the cells.

And the missing brother. The eldest. There has to be something in some random old book that can make the curse a cure.

I realized I had started running my hands through Val's black messy quiff which made his start stirring awake.

He groaned when I stopped. "No, that feels nice."

I followed his instructions and continued.

Minutes later, he groaned again and shifted upwards so that my head was on his chest instead of the other way around. But due to the new position, I could no longer massage his head.

He gripped me to his chest in silence. Then all of a sudden, "Good morning bellissima."

I looked up at him and smiled. He then leaned down and gave my lips a small peck that kind of left me wanting more yet also surprised me at the same time.

I looked down, away from him and towards our newly intertwined hands, while my cheeks got warm.

I don't think we've ever really kissed so him doing it now kind of made me shy.

He chuckled and pulled away to grab his phone from the bedside table. He checked it quickly and looked at me and said, "Riley and Hillion are here," looking at his phone time which said exactly 9:02, "Actually they've been here for about two hours."

"Oh my goddess! Two? Two hours. Ugh I feel bad. They're probably downstairs feeling awkward while we're up here cuddling," I ranted getting out of bed and walking around the room.

I turn and look back at Val and start walking to him. "And you," he raised his hands as if to question me. I lightly push his chest and finish my sentence, "Go put on a shirt and give our guests breakfast. Don't be rude."

He starts laughing until I look back at him sharply. "I'm not kidding. Get a shirt and leave before I make you sleep outside," I snapped gathering some clothes for myself.

His carefree grin fell off his face in an instant as he growled at me. "Don't you dare order me around."

I was surprised by his sudden change of attitude but I didn't appreciate it.

"Excuse me? Don't you dare talk to me like that," I growled back at him.

He snarled like he was in wolf form and started stalking towards me.

"What is wrong with you? We were perfectly fine until you got all bipolar," I screamed at him.

He growled louder and I could see a fire in his eyes that I never wanted to see.

I backed up against the wall with no where else to go. I could hear frantic steps running up the stairs towards the bedroom.

I'm pretty sure Valentino could hear them to because he growled the loudest I have ever heard and looked ready to pounce when Riley and Hillion kicked down the door and distracted him.

They looked ready to save me yet cautious because the very person about to attack me was their Alpha.

"Get him, get him," I screamed.

Riley tackled my mate and tried to hold him off while Hillion ran over to me. I could see the obvious question in his eyes but I quickly told him to mindlink Jake and Cassidy.

•••

Cassidy had my mate restrained onto a hospital bed. I felt bad watching him struggle from the corner but I couldn't take being so close to him when he looked like he wants to kill me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped. I turned to see it was Jake. He had a pity smile on his face that I've never wanted to see.

"What happened," I questioned out loud not really wanting an answer.

I could feel him shake his head.

Valentino seems to struggle more starting to roar. I feel my wolf tense up from her mates pain which reflects onto me.

He keeps thrashing around and breaks one restraint on his arm throwing one of Cassidy's helpers into the wall.

I start panicking as Cassidy starts screaming orders and one of her helpers run up to Val and stab a syringe into his leg.

My panic way of breathing turns into heaving then sobbing when he then goes slack.

I turn into Jake's arms feeling awkward seeing as it isn't my mate's arms and sob.

Minutes that felt like hours later, I pull away from Jakes wet shirt.

I apologize and walk away from the pack hospital and walk towards the pack house. I have to talk to the three people who actually might know what's going on.

Thorn, Henry, and Odis.