His Broken Mate

Chapter 18

I actually decided that Taylor Lautner and Barbara Palvin don't really fit the characters I've pictured in my head, so they will now be played by your imagination~ okay enjoy the chapter :)

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Elaina's POV

As the car slowly gets farther away from the Half Moon pack, Xavier reaches over to hold my trembling hand. I glance over to meet his gaze before he returns his attention to the road. He clears his throat. "Since we're so far from our pack and traveling by car, we'll have to stop at a hotel a couple times to spend the night."

I shakily nod my head, not taking my eyes off the trees that rush past the window. I barely register what he says amongst the hazy fog of panic befuddling my brain. Leaving Xavier was really painful, but I'm still terrified of being with him. I know if I told anyone they would probably think I'm being stupid but they don't understand how deeply I've suffered at the hands of the very people I'm suppose to love and be loved by. A pack should protect the Alpha's daughter, not endlessly torture her. I could probably write a list a hundred pages long of all the ways they tormented me, so no fucking wonder I'm scared of someone I'm supposed to love. I'm still secretly scared of Cat and Kaeden. I've only known them a few days. Sure, I like them, but my mind is constantly screaming at me to avoid them, along with pretty much everyone on the planet.

Hours of driving go by, only interrupted with a detour at a fast food restaurant. Finally after an hour or two of driving in the darkness, Xavier decides it's time to stop and find a hotel for the night. We take an exit off the highway and find a hotel almost immediately. Since we're only staying one night, I just unpack one outfit and some pajamas along with my phone, charger, and earbuds into a smallish drawstring bag and sling it over my shoulder. Xavier hovers close by, probably stopping himself from latching onto me again, but he does grab my hand as soon as we get inside and near the male at the entrance. I zone out while Xavier sets up a room for us, leaving everyone else to figure out who's staying with who before renting a room themselves.

Xavier leads me to an elevator and just as the doors close, I see Cat and Kaeden enter the hotel, looking tired. Guilt washes over me as I imagine them back at their own pack, comfortable and happily in bed. It's all my fault that they came with when they didn't need to. I'm being so selfish. The elevator dings, signaling that we're on the third floor. I try to put my thoughts aside and focus on the carpets design as I follow Xavier to the room that he insists we share. I know we're mates and he wants to be around me, I just feel like I need some alone time to sort out my thoughts. I sigh. I'll probably never have privacy again, considering Xavier just got me back.

As soon as Xavier swipes the key card, I step into the hotel room, examining it and grimacing at the single queen sized bed. Bye, personal space. It was nice knowing you. I'll be surprised if he lets me go to the bathroom without him in there with me. I mean, I understand, he really missed me, I'm his mate, and all that. I'm just still really scared of and uncomfortable with being close to someone, both physically and emotionally. I shake my head a little; I need to stop thinking so much. I put my bag down and take out my pajamas and head to the bathroom, but Xavier stops me.

I look at him quizzically as he pulls off his black tee shirt, averting my eyes from his naked torso as he holds it out to me. "Can you put this on instead?"

I glance up at him, feeling uncomfortable and a little blushy. "It's okay, I brought my own."

Next thing I know, my pajamas are yanked out of my hands and replaced with his shirt. My wide, scared eyes dart up to look into his. "You are mine. My scent must be on you." His eyes get a little darker, showing his wolf is getting more possessive and angry.

"O-Okay. Sorry," I shakily say. I timidly walk into the bathroom, closing the door.

"Don't be long or I'll come in." I shudder at his words and quickly shed all my clothes but my panties, then slip his shirt onto my frail body. It hangs down to nearly my knees and I'm practically swimming in it, it's so big.

I take a couple deep breaths before picking up my dirty clothes and stepping out, immediately being crushed into Xavier's bare chest. He deeply inhales, burying his face in my hair, lifting me off of the floor instead of stooping down. My feet dangle about a foot above the floor as Xavier keeps breathing in and growling the air back out. "I hate that I can still smell that boy on you."

"K-Kaeden? We're j-just friends. W-We just hugged." I don't want Xavier to think I was cheating on him on top of running away, I'd like to think I'm not that bad of a person. Rather than cheer up, Xavier just growls louder.

"Don't say his name. I don't want to hear another man's name pass through your perfect lips." He's just my friend, I think this is a bit excessive.

"B-But-"

"No. You are my mate. Mine. If he didn't mean anything to you, I'd have him killed for simply touching you. You should be glad I let him come with us. But you are MINE." I shrink away from him, terrified of the thought of him hurting Kaeden for just touching me. I start squirming and gently stretching my legs down, trying to reach the floor, which only seems to anger him more, but he reluctantly puts me down.

I quickly scurry away and take my time putting my clothes in my bag, seeing that Xavier put my pajamas away for me. I fiddle with tightening the strings as Xavier slips off his jeans a few feet away from me. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to calm my racing heart. "Come to bed. Now."

My eyes snap open and my body tenses again. "Okay," I mumble, barely above a whisper. With one last tug on the bags drawstrings, I turn around and slowly make my way to the bed, pulling back the covers and timidly getting under the sheets and comforter, still sitting up. I watch as Xavier flips off the overhead lights, leaving a small lamp on the bedside table on Xavier's side as the only source of light. He strides back over, staring at me with an animalistic property in both his step and gaze; I can't help but feel like he's a predator stalking its prey, aka me. I shrink down a bit and stare at my hands in my lap.

As he joins me under the covers, the lamp's light is extinguished with a soft click, and darkness is all I see, my eyes quickly adjusting. I fully lay down and pull up the blanket, staring at the ceiling and feeling Xavier's burning stare. Within a second, his arm is wrapping around me and pulling me closer to his heat-emanating body, turning me towards him in the process so my forehead is pressed to his chest. I press my chin to my chest, avoiding eye contact. Xavier growls at seeing only the top of my head so I look up and his glare softens at seeing my fear. "Sorry. It's just my wolf and I haven't seen you in weeks and you had another males scent on you. We haven't even marked you yet, and we're going crazy with possessive thoughts but I'll wait until you're ready to mark you."

Wow. It actually means a lot that he'll wait instead of just marking me now, considering it's a common practice for mates to mark each other as soon as they meet. "Thanks," I say, genuinely grateful. I wrap my arm around his firm torso in return and give a little squeeze in thanks. He seems shocked but responds with a little smile and a kiss to my forehead, which makes heat rise in my cheeks, although I still flinch instinctually by the sudden gesture.

My eyes wander to a digital clock reading 11:04. "We um . . . we should p-probably go t-to sleep now," I say quietly.

"Okay," he smiles, pulling me impossibly closer. "Night, angel."

The nickname throws me off but I close my eyes and ignore it. "Goodnight."

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You guys I updated without waiting two months!

Vote goal: 20 Please and thank you in advance :)

Thank you guys so much for reading, it means a lot! Also 'His Abused Mate' is 76 in Werewolf!!! That is so awesome you guys! Okay haha it's 2:30 am so I should probably go to bed oops. Bye, I'll try to update soon :)

~MysticWillows