The Pet🐾 (Completed)

Chapter 31

Ashley

Merida pulled up another chair for me while I waved goodbye to Javiar. She sat me down right next to Roman and took the seat on my right. She just looked at me for a long moment. "I can't believe it... you're so pretty. The mate bond must be strong between you two," she said softly.

I looked at her, then at Roman, feeling the tingles where our hands touched. "I guess... I still don't fully understand it, but it feels... right," I admitted.

Her hand rested on my shoulder. "The mate bond is never completely clear. You just have to trust each other and feel it along the way. To make it easier, just know this: to be someone's mate means they were made for you, just as you were made for them. You're perfect for each other, and I know my son will make you happy. He would do anything for you... just like my husband did for me."

She stood, giving me a warm smile. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll send some guards to walk you home when you're ready. And if you ever need anything, I'm here," she said, walking out of the room.

I sighed and looked back at Roman. So much of this had happened because of me. I moved to the other side of the bed where the unmarked bottle of liquid sat. Pouring another dose, I carefully gave it to him—I needed him to get better. We needed to talk. I needed to know who he truly was. Once he finished, I set the cup down and returned to his side. His back looked better than before—the medicine must be working—but how long would this take?

I glanced toward the door and saw two guards in suits waiting. I placed my hand over his and leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. "Please wake up soon," I whispered before stepping back and leaving the room.

The guards nodded and escorted me back to the pack house. The sun was setting, painting the sky in breathtaking colors: orange fading into pink, then a soft purple, finally melting into deepening blue. By the time we arrived, night was settling in.

Walking down the hall, I stopped outside Sophia's room. I knocked, waiting for a response. I could hear her giggles and Jasper's voice inside. Finally, a very happy Sophia opened the door. "Why, hello Ashley! How's Roman doing?" she asked, leaning on the doorframe. Her long brown hair was messy, like someone had played with it.

"He's doing better than before. Apparently, a witch is coming tomorrow, and I want you to go see her with me. I think it would be best if your... um—" I gestured toward the room.

Sophia understood immediately. "I get it. He won't come. It'll just be you and me," she said, nodding.

"Oh, and one of the warriors will be coming with us. Apparently, I can't be left alone at any point," I added, pointing and giggling at the two suited men standing near the door.

Sophia leaned out, giving them a mock glare. "Wow, jeez, that sucks. Hope they don't start peeping on you now!"

We both laughed as they raised their brows, clearly offended. "Well, I need to get some sleep. We can go after breakfast, okay?" I said.

"Got it," she replied, winking, and shut the door.

The guards followed me up the stairs and down the hall to my room. They stayed outside while I slipped inside, taking a deep breath. I needed to sit down and think. I made my way to the bed and checked my ribs, carefully removing the dress and bandages. To my surprise, there was no bruise. I pressed the spot where it had hurt before—no pain.

I put my dress back on and looked around the room. I moved to the right closet and stepped inside. All my clothes were there, along with a few of my things in boxes. Did they go to my apartment to bring all of this? How did they even get in?

I sifted through the boxes. One held picture frames and small keepsakes from my room. Another contained my stuffed animals from childhood. I looked up to see all my clothes neatly hung or in baskets. Next to a rack of shoes sat my jewelry box. I quickly opened it, and a soft chime played as I looked at necklaces, earrings, and bracelets carefully arranged inside. Everything I had wanted was here... they had brought everything. How did they know? I would have to thank whoever did this.

A small knock at the door made me jump. I quickly closed the box and peeked through one of the double doors. Jared stood there, smiling.

"Hello. May I come in?" he asked.

I laughed, opening the door for him. He stepped inside and looked around.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He turned to me and smiled. "I wanted to see if you noticed the things I brought from your apartment."

"You did this?!" I paused and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much! I can't believe it. How did you even know what I wanted?" I asked, moving to sit on the sofa.

He sat next to me, resting a hand over mine. "We, as werewolves, have an excellent sense of smell. We sniffed out what carried the strongest scent and brought it here..."