Falling Rain

4

 Mason 

    I sit down beside her on the bench, she is so busy looking at all the flowers she doesn’t even notice how close I am to her. I know I’m testing my luck with her but I can't help it.

“Which flowers are your favorite?” I ask her

“I don’t know.. They are all so beautiful” She sighs

She is the beautiful one Striker says,

 I know

“Do you want to get closer?”    

“Yes” She lifts her arms and wraps them around my neck as I carry her over to the flowers, I sit down and let her rest in my lap. She leans against my chest and watches the flowers for over an hour before she falls asleep in my lap. 

Mark her now! 

I can’t I won’t force anything onto her.. We must wait until she is ready

Mhmm

I carry her back inside, but I don’t go to the hospital wing, I take her to my own room. I lay her down gently on the bed and grab a blanket. I grab her feet to tuck them under the blanket but they are freezing cold. I hadn't thought about shoes or even socks and now her feet are ice cold. I hold them in my hands and gently rub them, trying to warm them up. 

She moves slightly, “Shh.. it’s just me” 

“What are you doing?” She asks looking down at her feet in my hands.

“You're freezing, why didn’t you tell me you were cold?” I blow my breath on her feet. 

“I-I didn’t feel it” She whispers

My heart sinks at that, she can’t feel her legs? Those bastards hurt her! I wish they were still alive so I can make them pay with their lives once more.. Most painfully this time. 

Calm down Striker.. I know how you feel but we mustn't scare her. 

“Do you feel anything in your legs?” 

She is silent, I don’t want to push her but I also need to know how bad it is, if she is in any pain. 

“Does it hurt?” 

“Everything hurts” My heart feels like it may just break into a thousand tiny pieces, she breaks eye contact with me and looks out the window. 

“Let me help you, please” I begged her. She looks back at me once more with pain and sorrow in her soft eyes. 

“How?” 

“I.. I could mark you… It might help with the pain..” I whisper 

Yes! Yes… do it now! I want to have my Mate at least!

She just stares at me, “You… you actually want to mark me?” She seems shocked by the suggestion. 

“Of course I do.. Rain, you may not believe me but I care so much for you already. You are my other half, I’ve waited a long time to finally meet you. I understand if it’s too soon for you, I will wait a lifetime if that's what it takes. I want you to feel safe with me, I will never ever hurt you” 

“I..I do.. Feel safe” She whispers, her face flushing slightly. He looks up at me with her dark blue eyes and gives me a pained smile. 

“Good, that makes me very happy” I tuck her feet under the blanket and sit down beside her. 

“This is my room.. I was hoping you’d stay with me. But if you don’t want to I can have another room made up for you to stay in”  

“No...I want to stay with you” My heart feels like it may explode from happiness at those words. I try to keep a calm face as I nod.

“Are you hungry?” 

“A little bit” 

“I’ll have some food brought up” 

We eat and I clean up the dishes, placing them outside the door in the hallway. I made clear orders that we are not to be disturbed. 

“Will you be okay if I have a quick shower?” I ask her, I can tell I smell, I don’t want her to be put off by my smell. She nods and rolls onto her side on the bed, closing her eyes. 

I grab a change of clothes and head into my bathroom. The shower is hot and it feels great to wash away the sweat that's clinging to my body. 

I think back to three weeks ago when I found her in the hidden cell, how weak and broken she was. Her body is now healing, slowly but it’s better than nothing. She is still so thin and feral looking. Her hair is long and wild. Her eyes have a wildness of their own to them as well. I wish there was something I could do right now to help her. I won’t force her into completing the mating bond. I will wait until she is ready, but in the meantime, how do I help her?

I turn the shower off and step out. I can hear her crying, I quickly get dressed and go to the bedroom. She is asleep on the bed, but it seems she is having a nightmare, she is tossing around and thrashing. I quickly go to her side, 

“Rain… wake up.. Rain” I whisper to her. Her eyes snap open and I’m too close to her she thrashes at me, scratching my neck. I don’t make any sudden movements, staying perfectly still. 

“It’s just me… I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you” I tell her, there is a faint burning on my neck. I know she broke the skin but I don’t care. It was my own fault. 

Tears spring to her eyes as she looks at my neck, then into my eyes. The tears start to roll down her face, 

“I’m sorry” She sobs hysterically. 

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault” I stand up slowly. 

“Please don’t leave me” She cries, her hand reaching out and grabbing my arm. 

“I’m not going anywhere” I say as I sit on the bed beside her. Her small body half curls beside me. I want to hold her, to touch her and make her feel better but I’m scared of scaring her again. 

“I’m right here” I whisper. She reaches out and clings to my arm like a lifeline. After a little while she falls back asleep. Her hair has fallen into her face, I gently brush it back. She stirs slightly, curling into me more. I adjust slowly until she is resting on my chest, her hand trailing down my stomach. Her fingers lightly trace my muscles in her sleep, my hand comes up to her hair and I gently stroke it. She murmurs in her dreams, a small smile on her lips. 

I close my eyes and fall asleep, happy I can finally hold my Mate. 

“Mason?” I hear her whisper to me, pulling me from my sleep. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask as I rub my eyes, yawning. 

”I have to pee” She mumbles softly. 

“Oh, okay…” I lift her from the bed and carry her to the bathroom, setting her down on the toilet. I leave her to do her business, I hear the toilet flush and wait a minute before going back in. I carry her over to the sink and let her wash her hands before she nods thanks to me. I carry her back to the bedroom, placing her gently on the couch. 

“Want to watch a movie?” I ask her as I grab the remote for the TV. 

“A movie..?” She repeats 

“Yeah, or do you not want to? It’s fine either way”  

“...no.. it’s just… I don’t remember the last time…” She trails off lost in deep thought. 

“Do you mind if I ask you some questions?” I ask as she brings her attention back to me. She nods, avoiding my eyes now. 

“How old are you?” The question comes out before I can even think about it. I’ve been curious since I first saw her, she is obviously over sixteen, but her malnutrition and injuries make it hard to tell exactly. 

“Nineteen… I think” 

“How old were you… when you were..” I can’t even finish my sentence. 

“Twelve… I was in my cell for seven years.. I think” 

Imagining her down there for seven years just breaks my heart. It feels heavy as I look over at her.  She’s staring at her hands, playing with her nails. 

“Do you remember which pack you were from before?” 

“Riverrun.. My parents were Alpha and Luna...I had an older brother too.. Jamie..” 

“Martian and Jessie are your parents?” I ask, their names coming to my mind immediately. 

    They are close friends of my mother and father. Their pack is only about an hour from here. I vaguely remember when a little girl went missing and was never found, I was eighteen when it happened. I was focused on my training and didn’t really pay much attention to any of the gossip, but her disappearance was different. The entire werewolf community was searching for her. I never thought that she hadn’t been found. I just assume she was a lost little girl who ended up finding her way home.  

She snaps her head up to look me in the eyes, “Did you know them?” 

“I do know they, yes.. They are alive Rain” I say as chills run up and down my arms. Tears spring to her eyes as I speak. She shakes her head in shock. 

“That’s impossible.. He told me… he said..” She starts to ramble, her words getting mixed up. 

“He told you he killed them?” I ask, trying to help her finish her thoughts. She nods, her tears falling down her face now. 

“Would you like to go see them?” I ask, hoping she will stay with me once she is reunited with her family. 

She thinks for a few minutes before responding, “Not yet” 

I nod in understanding, “Are you scared?” 

“Yes...What if they don’t remember me?”  She sniffles. 

“They remember you, I visited the pack three months ago and your parents and brother have not stopped looking for you. They hold a candlelight vigil every full moon for you, hoping you will find your way home. They pray for your safe return every single day” 

She breaks out into a new series of tears, these ones seem to be happy at least. 

“Maybe once you're feeling better we can make a trip to see them?” I suggest

“Could we really?” Her face lights up, the first real genuine smile I’ve seen from her. My heart feels lighter when I see the tiny spark in her eyes. 

“Of course, they are your family.. You can see them anytime you want to Rain”  

“Thank you…” She whispers. 

“Rain, I will do anything for you.. All you have to do is ask” 

We settle in on the couch and I let her pick a movie for us to watch, to my surprise she picks Titanic. 

“I had a hamster named Rose” She explains 

I have tea and snacks brought up for Rain as we watch the movie, we munch on our food and she sips her tea and quietly watches. 

Once the movie is over she says she wants to have a bath, I offer to get my mother to help her but she shakes her head. 

“I can do it, if you can help me in” 

“If your sure” She nods and I help her to the bathtub, filling it up and helping her out of her clothing. I try not to look as her sweater slides up over her head. Her soft skin is hot as I pick her up and gently place her inside the bath. 

“Call me if you need anything, or when you're ready to get out okay?”  

A few minutes later I hear her call out. I crack the door open slightly and stick my head in. I see her back, she's got her arms wrapped around herself, she looks so small. 

“Are you alright?” 

“Will… will you sit with me?” Her voice comes out as a soft whisper. 

I step inside and close the door behind me, I slowly walk over to sit beside the tub. She doesn’t look up but she reaches her hand over and clasps it around my own. We sit for a while, the water getting cool, I empty some of it before adding more warm water. 

“Do you think… you could wash my hair?” Her voice rings out in the silence. 

“I would love to,” I tell her as I grab a glass off the counter to rinse her hair. I slowly spill the water down her hair, soaking it all before I pour a small amount of shampoo into the palm of my hand. I work it into her scalp massaging as the soap lathers, working it’s way down her long hair. I saturate it fully before starting to rinse it out again.