Royal Mates

Chapter 33

Jesse's P.O.V

Search parties have been going for days. Searching through ours and neighbouring lands again and again and again, desperate to find Sami.

I was, of course, searching with them. I just had to find her, my one love, my beautiful mate.
I know she's still alive. I can feel it; I can sence it.

"Jesse?" My mother's voice echoed to my ears.

I turned around, facing her. She looked tired but refreshed at the same time. Her under eyes were only slightly purple but her voice sounded normal, no irritability or fatigue.

"Jesse?" She repeated, waving her hand in front of my face, awakening me from my trance.
"You need to sleep. You're not going to be able to think straight or find Sami if you don't sleep."

"Yes I Can, I'll be fine. I'll sleep when I find her." I turned around, wanting to continue looking for Sami.

"Jesse don't be a stubborn pup. Go home or I will take you home, holding you hand all the way!" She'd already turned a few heads so I decided not to object.

"Fine..." I mumbled, keeping my head down and marching back home.

Once I'd reached the steps I went straight upstairs to my en-suit-bathroom and stopped in front of the mirror to review my appearance. I looked worse than I thought. My eyes looked like I'd been punched twenty times and my skin had a faded grey look. The thick, silky hair on my head had gone ragged and drooped down.

I felt a sudden presence behind me. As I turned to see who it was they jumped on me, but they were a lot smaller than I thought. I picked them up and held them in my arms, staring into the joyful eyes of my little brother, Cody.

"Jesseeee." He squealed. "I could have taken you down!"

I laughed in response. "Of course you could have, buddy."

He began harshly prodding at my face, "Ewwww, you look like a body out of a river."

"Wow thanks, Cody."

"CODY?!"
We were interrupted by our mother's voice echoing through the house.

Swiftly, I bent down to place Cody on the floor so he could go.
He ran out of the room almost as silently as he entered.

With no more interruptions, I was able to wash my face and do various other things before getting ready for bed.
I changed into new boxers, not bothering to put a top on.
It felt weird not to have my torso prodded and poked by Sami, complementing my muscles before we snuggled under the covers.
It saddened me somehow...

I climbed into bed, pulling the covers just under my shoulders.

Despite the thoughts of Sami circling through my head, I fell asleep fairly quickly.

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It was dark. Too dark. A single dim lightbulb lit the room, almost like a weak spotlight. Suddenly, a chair appeared and a girl sat upon it, just under the light. She looked down with her hair surrounding her face, her hands tied behind her back.
She was thin, and dried blood stained her wrists and neck.
A tall man appeared through a door. He stalked up to the girl, circling her a few times. He was taunting her, yet I couldn't hear what he was saying. Tears dropped to the floor in front of the girl. She lifted her head and began screaming, crying out for someone, yet everything stayed silent. The man became angry, his face turning vile and evil.
He punched her. Again and again. Her head coming backwards and forwards, he didn't calm down and wouldn't stop. I yelled out to him, begging him to stop. It was as if he couldn't hear me.
I ran as fast as I could but I couldn't get anywhere, I was running and running and running yet I wasn't getting anywhere. I continued yelling but nothing happened.
The man wouldn't stop, it looked like the girl was close to death. I continued -

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Nothing. I shot up in bed, sweat dripping from my face and running down my body. My breathing was rapid and heavy, just like I'd been running.

I walked back to the bathroom, undressing and stepping into the shower. I turned it on, not caring that it was cold to begin with. It might help to calm me. I leaned on the wall, my legs ached and my throat hurt.

I remained in the shower for a while, the water running in streams down my back.

I have to find Sami...