04 - My Mate

Malia

An omega sets a generous plate in front of me, and my stomach rumbles. I haven't eaten since last night before going to bed. I don't know how many hours have passed, but I didn't have breakfast before being pushed off the boat.

"Eat!" Jaden commands, sitting beside me. He picks up his fork and knife and fills his mouth, chewing. He swallows and stares at me. "Tell me, what happened for you to end up here. From the looks of it, you're far from home."

"Yes, I am!" I sigh. First, I take a bite of my food. I focus on how to start telling my story, but no point seems good enough. "I don't have, I mean, I didn't have a wolf. Until this morning, I was a girl without a wolf. I've always been the disgrace of my family, my father's shame... until I became Joshua Brown's mate, your brother," I pause, and he growls. "Well, it turns out we had only a year between finding each other and him leaving for war. We got married and only had time for our honeymoon, which was particularly terrible." I comment, remembering the facts. "Anyway, I was in love, I had found my mate destined by the moon goddess, what more could I want? But Joshua left, five years ago, for a completely unknown war. I've been living with his parents since then, until last week, when your brother returned and brought with him a blonde... pregnant." I pause, it is still painful to talk about it, even if much less. "He wanted me to act as the mistress, while he would marry the other, the intruder. I would never accept that, so I rejected him. Your brother was harsh with me and said things I can't forget, even in a thousand years," I stare at Jaden. "I couldn't go back home, I mean, to my parents' home. I have no home, and I knew I would be severely humiliated if I returned rejected. Your mother, who has always been loving to me, said you would take care of me. She called you in front of me, how... how did you not know about my arrival?"

He studies me, chews for a bit, and seems to think.

"Malia, I haven't spoken to my parents since I left," he says, after a while. "I don't talk to them and don't intend to have any contact. I killed all those they sent after me on their behalf, and now..." Jaden clenches his eyes shut. "They wanted me to dirty my hands and get rid of you, who, like it or not, is a problem for their reputation."

I cover my mouth, shocked, and stare at him.

"Impossible, your mother was very close to me," I say, furrowing my brow.

"Or were you very close to her?" He raises his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, Malia! But my mother loves Joshua above all and does everything he wants. And if you're telling the truth, they threw you out, hoping you would drown. If not, I would do the dirty work."

I blink, shocked by his words. It can't be. Those people were my family. They were everything I had. How could they have the courage to hurt me?

"A-and are you going to kill me?" I ask.

"All of this will depend on Lilith." He says, averting his eyes from me to the wall.

"H-how?" I furrow my brow.

"All of this will depend on Lilith and what she sees in you." Jaden shrugs.

"Are you married to her?" I ask, feeling the pain spread through my chest.

"No," he stares at me, frowning, and I sigh with relief. "She's a witch. She senses things, and she'll know if you're trying to betray me with some drug."

I furrow my brow and stare at him, opening and closing my mouth a few times.

"I'm not doing that," I say, offended. "In this way, I'm offended. I didn't want another mate now. I've just been rejected... if you want, reject me now, and let's end this once and for all."

He stares at me, giving a half-smile.

"Are you afraid of something?"

"No, but I can't stand being humiliated by the men the moon goddess imposes on me anymore." I stand up, moving away from him. Tears fill my eyes. "I'd rather spend the rest of my life as a lone wolf or a rogue than be humiliated the way Joshua did to me."

"And why would I humiliate you?" He asks, a crease forming on his forehead. His steps are slow toward me.

"I don't know, Jaden!" I sigh. "I just don't want to feel that again, and if we're going to start like this, then you might as well reject me now and leave me alone."

He stops in front of me, holds both sides of my face, and forces me to look him in the eyes. His breath hits my face, very close.

"One day, you will understand the reason for my distrust of everything that comes from those lands that were your home for so long." His hand descends to my waist, and he pulls me, pressing our bodies together. His other hand goes to my thigh, lifting it.

His mouth crashes against mine. A shiver runs through my body, along with a wave of pleasure, and I moan loudly as I feel my entire body burning. His tongue is hot and delicious.

His fingers run through me, making me want more and more. The wolf in my head jumps high, excited. I thread my fingers into his hair and pull him towards me. God, all these years without sex have left me much needier than I imagined.