The Hunted { old version }

The Things That Bind Us

I floated around in the darkness for I don’t know how long but I could hear the sound of a steady heart beat that seemed to pull me towards consciousness. Soon I found my mind racing towards the source of the sound. My body jolted upright in the bed as I took in a huge gasp of air. My eyes searching quickly and finding who I was looking for. Mikhail came quickly to my side leaving Dante who he had been talking to. He bent forward as he looked me over with worried eyes, “Are you okay? Is something wrong?” he asks his voice having a desperate edge to it. I looked into his eyes for a moment needing to know he was back to his usual self. He stared back into my eyes and I let out a sigh of relief realizing that what I had done had worked. I quickly reach out and wrapped my arms around his neck  and pulled myself to him. He stiffened in surprise at first and then relax wrapping his arms around me. 

“Don’t ever leave me alone like that again you big dummy.” I say to him as I hold onto him tightly. I make eye contact with Dante and he gives me a knowing smile before he turns, “I’ll be waiting outside. When your done Mikhail…” and walks out of the room closing the door behind himself. I let go a bit and pull back so that I can look at him again. He looks at me with a sadness, “I was trying to protect you Elena. I didn’t want you getting hurt.”I  move my hand to his face cupping his cheek, “You don’t always have to protect me. I can take care of myself you know—“ I say shaking my head. He has a strained expression on his face, “You saw what I can be like—I was a monster—“ I move one of my hand to his mouth and cover his lips with my fingers to silence him, “I’ve seen worse things Mikhail—I know what monsters look like and thats not what you looked like to me.” He reaches up slowly and moves my hand away from his lips keeping his hold on my hand.

 “What did I look like then?” His voice is barely above a whisper and I can see how vulnerable he is right now. He needs me as his mate to be able to accept this part of him and thats when I realize something, I already had. “You looked—wounded.” I say, “You know you and I we’re not so different from each other. I think that maybe there is a good reason we were destined to be mates. We need each other.” His eyes soften a bit at this and he looks at me with curiosity, “I always knew I needed you since the first time I laid eyes on you Elena.” 

 “What? Don’t lie.You totally hated me!” I say to him. He shakes his head chuckling a little, “I was afraid of how much you made me feel, just by looking at me with those beautiful brown eyes. You have to understand I am new to this whole feeling—these—type of feelings. It was easier to be mean to you and push you away because you were a rogue but you just kept pushing me and I found I liked that part of you too. You are perfect Elena. You are strong, beautiful and just the right amount of trouble.” He winks at the last part and I frown up at him. He reaches out and tucks some of my hair behind my ear, “I don’t know how I got so lucky but I’m thankful that the moon goddess blessed me with you as my mate because I don’t think anyone else would do.”

 My cheeks flooded with heat at his words of love and I felt my heart swell with the feeling. My wolf was purring with contentment inside of me, Finally. I smiled at that thought, We worked hard enough and finally he sees us as his mate. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his and this kiss wasn’t full of fiery passion like the others had been. This kiss felt like a kiss of acceptance. Mikhail accepting me for who I was and me accepting him for he was. It had only been about two weeks or so since we had met but I think for mates it took us a little longer to come together.  Of course there was still a lot of things between us but now I felt like the wall was gone and we could actually talk about them. 

 I pulled back breaking the kiss and stared into his steely blue eyes, “You’re seriously one of the most complicated men I’ve ever met.” He smirks at my comment and then leans is forehead against mine, “Yeah well you’re the most infuriating woman that I’ve ever met. Do you ever do what you’re told?” He asks with a bit of laughter in his voice.