Time Will Tell (sequel to HMM)

Chapter 19- Together

As I said in the last chapter... This is also a repost. I posted chapters 18 and 19 sort of late last night so this is for those who didn't see it. Enjoy! :)

--Allison--

I was grateful when my parents left, and that they actually left instead of dragging me after them. I'd of course had to do some convincing on that part. Of course I missed them and I was glad to see them, but Alarik was my mate. I wanted- needed- to be with him. 

Alarik insisted on getting me around the place, he wouldn't let me stand at all. I was sure that I was perfectly fine. I'd been walking, and running, with that bullet in my leg. Now that it was out, it would be even easier. 

He didn't want to hear any of it however. He even carried me up the stairs and into his room. 

I'd heard him talking to his parents downstairs. There had been some strong words said betweeen him and his father. Apparently Alarik hadn't followed protocol. 

I'd almost fallen asleep when I heard the door creak open and I felt his body sink into the mattress next to me. 

My eyes opened slightly and I found myself staring into a darkness that held me captive in his stare. My breath caught in my chest at the way he was gazing at me. It made my insides burn. 

I'd missed him so much. 

His hand lightly stroked my cheek, everywhere his fingers brushed my skin a trail of sparks followed hot, searing against my flesh. I chewed on my bottom lip and my hand reached out to him, touching the side of his face. 

Alarik's eye caught site of the scar on my forearm. I saw the slight frown before he hid it under his mask. His hand moved to my arm, tracing the scar the silver blade had left behind. 

He brought his face to the line going the length of my forearm, his lips brushing against it lightly, leaving a small trail of kisses on the damaged skin. 

He grabbed both my hands in his, bringing my scarred wrists up to his mouth and kissing them. 

I knew he wanted to know what had happened, but he hadn't asked. I was glad he hadn't asked. I wasn't sure if I would be able to tell him everything that happened in that place. How every day was a struggle, not even knowing the days. How each time I woke up I never knew what waited for me next. The times where I'd thought it would just be easier to give in to the pain and the desparation, how I desparately wanted it to just end and I'd started to not care how it happened as long as it did. 

Alarik's arms wrapped around me and he pulled me into his body, careful not to disturb my leg. I relaxed into the strength of him. I breathed in the smell of him and it helped me to relax. 

I couldn't help the nagging feeling in my mind that he thought there was something wrong with me, he heard and saw how I reacted toward the doctor earlier. If he knew just what had happened, if he knew how deeply it had affected me would he still be this way? 

I was damaged. 

Alarik doesn't need a damaged mate, I can't do anything for him this way. The pessimistic voice was still there. I'd thought after I'd finally gotten out of there that it would disappear, but it seemed like it might be here to stay. 

"Stop it." The words were a growled command and I felt a slight shiver go through me. I knew he couldn't hear my exact thoughts, I wasn't letting him. I was making sure to take special care to keep my thoughts my own. I didn't want to let him inside my head, to see what I saw, to know what's going on in there. The way every time my eyes close I see exactly what happened to me, I relive every moment again. No, he can't hear my thoughts, but he can feel my emotions. He knows exactly how I feel about myself and he knows how I think he would view me.