Finding Happily Ever After

Chapter 23

Everything froze. Time stood still as he held me in his gaze. Everything was going to shit all around me, but the only thing that I could make myself care about in that moment was that my mate was in front of me. 

God, he was so gorgeous. Tall, dark, and handsome. Everything about him called to me: his strongly defined jawline, the dark stubble around his mouth, the deep pools of chocolate surrounding his pupils. And, even though my eyes refused to leave his face, I could tell that he was huge. Tall and muscled. He exuded strength and power. I was still a child in most ways, but my mate was all man.

And he took me in just like I did with him, his penetrating gaze raising goosebumps on my flesh. With any other man, I would have felt insecure, worrying that I didn't measure up to his expectations. With my mate's eyes on me, though, I felt nothing but right.

Our eyes were locked as we remained trapped in our moment for what could have been hours or days for all I knew, yet was not long enough.

For as perfect as our moment had felt, it didn't actually stop time. The world kept moving around us. I was still being dragged toward the alpha and his son. We were still being threatened with the prospect of execution. Ashton was still screaming his head off while being held back by guards. 

Poor Ashton. When I started having feelings for him, I had pretty much given up hope of ever finding my mate. I had no idea what any of this meant for us. Or if either of us would even survive this whole ordeal. I needed for him to be okay, though. Even with my mate standing in front of me, I knew that the love that I felt for Ashton was still there.

Then, after stumbling when I was yanked backwards again, I remembered why I was being dragged toward the alpha. His son. Permanent breeder. NO. That couldn't happen. Especially not now. I started writhing around in a hopeless effort to get free from my guards, but it only made them grip me tighter. The one on my left had his nails biting harshly into my arm, and with one hard tug on my arm, his nails broke skin and I yelped loudly. 

My cry seemed to brake my mate from his trance.

"What the hell is going on here?" he shouted, clenching his fists at his side. I was amazed that he had the courage to speak that way in front of the alpha. Ashton and I were in major shit, but my mate didn't have to be. I silently prayed that he didn't do anything else to piss off the alpha.

"Jackson, these are those runaways," the alpha said gesturing between me and Ashton. 

His son grabbed at my face. I was within his reach now, his grip firm as he tilted my face this way and that, examining me like a piece of cattle. "This one is quite pretty, isn't she?"

I grimaced in disgust, forced to stay still by all of the hands on me. How did these people not realize that we were mates? I felt like the whole world had just shifted, and yet they were still acting like they were going to make me the personal breeder of the alpha's son.

"Get your hands off of her. Don't fucking touch her!" Jackson's voice washed over me. Jackson. My mate, Jackson. That was going to take some getting used to. I was certain that something bad was going to happen to Ashton and I, but Jackson's proximity and voice managed to relax me and make me feel like everything was going to be okay.

The alpha was looking down on Jackson with confusion and a little bit of annoyance. That wasn't good.

"Jackson, I'm going to need you to step out of the room. Now. We'll discuss this later."

He ignored the alpha, though, and in a few long strides, he was by my side, brazenly shoving the guards off of me. 

"I said don't touch her," he growled, pulling me under his massive arm while baring his teeth at my captors. Everywhere Jackson's skin touched mine erupted in warm flutters, like a thousand tiny butterflies were batting their wings against my arm. It felt amazing. I couldn't make myself do anything but stand there and soak in every bit of this man. My mate. My mate.

"She's mine," Jackson bit out, turning to glare at everyone in the room. Then, he grabbed my chin and turned my head, forcing me to look into those delicious chocolate eyes that I wanted to eat up. "You are mine."

My mate lowered his head so that his nose nestled the crook of my neck. My breath caught as he inhaled deeply then growled in contentment. My knees felt weak, and I worried that I might fall. Before I could lose my balance, I felt Jackson's teeth graze the sensitive skin on the base of my neck just before they sunk deep in.

I couldn't help the whimper that escaped my lips. The searing pain in my neck exploded through my body, then gave way to a strong throbbing sensation, and then light headedness. My vision was overcome by black spots, and I could no longer hold myself up. The last thing that I saw before I hit the ground was Ashton, his mouth open mid scream, his face contorted in a look of sheer horror.

Sorry that it's been so long since I've updated! If you're still reading, thank you! :) Hope you like it <3