All That Is You

Chapter 9

He eyed my shaking hands with concern painted across his face. His eyebrows furrowed as he tried to come up with a reason why I was so torn up by his question. He reached out to me before pulling his hand back after I cowered away from his touch.

"Please, Rain. I need to know. I need to know who did this to you. I need to know why you're so afraid of me when I would never do anything to hurt you."

He bit his lip harshly. He pushed his chair back and began pacing around the foot of my bed, his fingers tugging at his hair. His eyes were flickering again and I knew he was frustrated. It would only be a matter of time before he took his irritation out on me.

"Why?" I croaked.

His head snapped up and his coal-black eyes locked with mine, "Why? What do you mean why?"

"Why do you care?" I whispered, my voice cracking.

The moment those words fell from my lips, his eyes widened in shock before he rushed over to his seat. He reached out and grabbed my trembling hands before I could pull away. I didn't realize how much I had missed his warmth until his skin brushed against mine. He pulled me closer until I had nowhere else to look but him. His hands were soft and gentle but applied enough pressure for me to be unable to pull away.

"You're my mate. You are everything I could have wished for and more."

His eyes were pleading with me. The darkness had faded again leaving nothing but tenderness and adoration. I felt wetness on my cheek before it was swept away by his thumb. I hadn't realized I was crying. He reached up and cradled my face between his hands. I could feel his warm breath against my cheeks as his nose brushed mine before he leaned up and pressed his lips to my forehead.

"It pains me knowing that you were being hurt and I wasn't there to stop it. I know you're in pain, little moon. Please just let me help you."

He slowly crawled onto the hospital bed and adjusted me until my head was leaning against his chest, careful of all the wires taped to my skin and the injuries scattered across my body. I couldn't help but cuddle closer, shivering at how hot his body felt compared to the bitter iciness of my skin. His arms were wrapped around me, caging me in except this time, I didn't want to escape. I let silence fall over the room and allowed myself to think, just for one moment, that I was wanted.

"My father," I mumbled.

"What?" he asked, puzzled. "What about your father?"

I said nothing in reply, but by the way his arms tightened around me and how his chest rumbled as his growls filled the air, I knew he had understood what I said. I couldn't bring myself to pull away even though I knew his eyes had darkened by now. I didn't want to believe that someone so radiant and gentle could be a monster.