Midnight Mate

Safe

Falcon POV

As I sprinted out of the hospital, my wolf growled fiercely in my mind. The first rays of the rising sun painted the sky with a soft golden hue, casting an eerie glow over the scene. Panic coursed through my veins - this situation was far from ideal. Desperate, I pressed my body against the cold, concrete wall of the hospital and shifted back into my wolf form. I had no other choice but to conceal myself in the shadows nearby. The thought of humans catching sight of a wolf in this urban area was not safe.

"We cannot keep our true identity hidden from our mate forever," Ash reasoned with a sense of urgency in my mind.

I sighed, knowing he was right. "I understand, but her lack of knowledge about our kind will complicate things," I admitted.

"The witch warned us that she would fear us in this form, yet instead she willingly approached us, fed us, and spoke to us. She knows there is a connection," my wolf chimed in.

"I am aware of that, but she has been through so much pain and is afraid to love. We must earn her love first," I replied.

"But is that love genuine if she doesn't know who we truly are?" My wolf questioned, leaving me deep in thought. He was right - in order to truly win her heart, she would have to love every part of me. I have faced countless challenges in my life, from being a prince to being a skilled warrior. I have forged alliances and fought battles, but this, this may be the most difficult challenge I have ever faced. Failure is not an option. I cannot afford to lose her.

I am well-versed in the concept of a mate bond, having witnessed the unbreakable connection between my parents. Yet, feeling it firsthand is an entirely different experience. It is a powerful force that draws two souls together. I never expected to feel such love for her so quickly. I know that my sudden display of affection, kissing her forehead in the hospital, startled her. But I am struggling to restrain myself from fully embracing the bond, from allowing myself to feel that intense closeness with her.

I consider myself fortunate that I was able to deceive the hospital staff into allowing me to stay by her side, holding her hand. When she momentarily stopped breathing in my arms upon our arrival, it felt as though a sharp dagger pierced my heart. The doctors explained it away as the effect of a recreational drug, but I felt they dismissed her allergy with indifference, assuring me she would be fine. They banned Trevor from visiting her, but why was he not being held accountable? The laws in this place offered no protection if they allowed men like him to walk free.

If I were back in my world, I would have killed him by now. I stayed hidden, luckily, the entire day, although being closer to Katya kept me a little calmer as well. Luckily, I did not catch onto Trevor's scent, meaning he stayed away from her. I would need to find a way to ease her into the truth about me. The moment I could shift, I did and immediately made my way into the hospital.

I attempted to go directly to her room but was stopped by a lady at the entrance. "Sir, all visitors must sign in," she said to me. I walked over and did as asked, and then she handed me a weird badge that I did not get the last time. I walked towards the room I remembered she was in. In the hallway, I saw the girl that was at her work, and she instantly spotted me as well, walking over to me.

"Are you here to see Katya? I just came after closing up. I've never seen you around before, but thank you for helping her," the girl said.

"No problem. Is she doing okay?" I asked.

The girl sighed, "I'm not sure how close you are to her since, well, she does not talk much about her outside life with me. But no, I don't think so, but she will say she is. She always says she is okay," she admitted, looking at the door that led to Katya for a moment.

"I'm going to assume you're new in her life, and if that's true, then know she has been through hell and back more than once. Because you are here, that must mean you're worried about her. But if you intend to be her friend only, do so if you plan on sticking around and not hurting her. She has had enough of people hurting her or treating her like she is crap because she is an orphan. She thinks no one will respect her. She won't even talk to the cops and file charges against that asshat ex of hers," she explained.

"She won't report him," I confirmed.

"No, she won't. She is refusing the doctors to examine her for a report," she explained and shook her head. "Maybe you can talk sense into her, just don't force her,"

"Trevor's not the first to hurt her. She needs more people to look out for her. She is too nice, and that gets her in trouble. And not just that, she is beautiful, although she does not realize it. And living alone in the city, well, there are just too many creeps, you know?" the girl continued.

"Just don't be one of those creeps," she said, her voice tinged with caution. As she made a move to leave. "You helped her, so I'm giving you a chance with her."

"I won't hurt her," I assured her as she walked past me. I approached Katya's door and gently pushed it open. Inside, the sterile scent of the hospital greeted me. Katya was sitting in the hospital bed, her gaze fixed on the window. She turned to face me, her expression full of surprise.

"You really did come back," she whispered, her voice filled with a hint of relief.

"I always keep my word," I replied, trying to sound reassuring. Her small smile revealed her unease. Her eyes then scanned me, studying me intently for a moment.

"Can I ask you something, and can you be truthful?" she asked, her voice filled with vulnerability. I took a seat in the chair beside her bed, its cushioned surface providing a slight comfort.

"Yes, ask me whatever you want," I responded, willing to be as open as possible.

"Why is it that you've been wearing the same outfit every time I've seen you? I don't mean to pry or bring up anything bad, but are you homeless?" she inquired.

I hesitated briefly, wanting to be honest with her. "I'm not homeless, but I'm far from my home. I came here because someone important to me lives here. I didn't plan this trip, so I didn't pack, and I can't leave without the person I came for. I don't want to force them, so I'm waiting," I explained, hoping she would understand.

"Why are you always there when I need help?" she asked.

If I revealed that I could sense her danger, she wouldn't believe me. "Right place and time at first, but then when I saw you by the apartment, I kept an eye on you. I know people like your boyfriend, and I was concerned for your safety," I confessed, hoping she would trust my intentions.

"Why be concerned for a stranger?" she questioned, her voice filled with genuine confusion.

"I like you," I blurted out before I could stop myself. Silence enveloped the room for a moment.

"You don't have anywhere to stay, do you?" she asked.

"No," I admitted honestly.

"You can stay on my couch until you find who you came for. I want to do something to repay you for all you've done. I know I'm still a stranger, but I feel bad knowing you have nowhere to go," she explained, her kindness touching my heart. "I saved the food they gave me in hopes you would come back. I had a feeling you may need it," she said.

"You should eat it; you're healing," I suggested, grateful for her generosity.

"Be honest, when is the last time you ate?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

I hesitated for a moment before admitting, "Yesterday." I didn't want to lie to her.

"If you won't eat it all, then split it with me," she insisted, moving to retrieve the food. As she reached for it, the hospital gown rode up slightly, revealing more of her fragile body. I had to turn my head and suppress the anger within me. Her body was covered in a myriad of bruises, each a different shade, indicating that he had been hurting her for quite some time.

"Sorry," she muttered, her voice tinged with embarrassment. I could hear the weight of her pain.

"Report him," I urged, my voice firm as I looked at her.

"I can't. It's not that easy," she replied.

"Can you tell me why?" I asked.

"His family basically owns the police. If I press charges, I'm afraid I'll only make things worse. Nobody, even with evidence, will believe me over him," she explained, her voice filled with despair.

"How long has he been hurting you? Your body is covered in bruises," I said softly, my heart aching at the sight.

"A little under a year," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

My chest tightened with anger, but I forced myself to remain calm.

"I can't tell you why right now. You would simply have to trust me with my promise that one day I will tell you. But for now, I'm only able to stay with you after midnight for a few hours. As long as you want me, I will come to you at midnight," I promised.

As a nurse entered the room to check on her, Katya tensed, clearly uncomfortable with the presence of others. But with me, she seemed ok. "That's a good thing," my wolf chimed in my mind, as I remained silent during the nurse's visit.

When the nurse left, Katya spoke again. "I don't like being here, but you being here right now, it helps. Thanks," she admitted, her voice filled with gratitude.

She then insisted that I eat half of the turkey sandwich they had given her. I finally gave in, wanting to make her happy. I was hungry, but I had planned on hunting later in my wolf form.

Once I finished eating, she looked me over again. I didn't know what to say to her in that moment, and I could see the exhaustion weighing her down.

"You should sleep now," I suggested gently.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked, a glimmer of hope in her tired eyes.

"I'm afraid I have to leave in a few hours, but I will watch over you until then if that's what you want," I offered.

She shook her head, her expression filled with understanding. "I'm sure you're tired. My apartment key is in my purse. You can go there and sleep if you want."

"I'm okay watching you here. I can sleep in the chair. I don't want to leave you alone," I admitted.

"Thanks," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the dimly lit hospital room. As she reclined in bed, the silence enveloped us again, interrupted only by the soft hum of hospital machinery. Thankfully, she had been granted a private room. Thinking she had dozed off, I was surprised when she spoke again.

"Falcon, why did you kiss me?" she inquired, her words filled with curiosity.

"It just felt right in that moment. I'm sorry, I should have asked for permission," I replied.

"You didn't need to ask to kiss my forehead. It felt nice, you know," she murmured.

"You need to tell her," my wolf urged in my mind, but before I could respond, she spoke once more.

"Can I ask you for a favor? You can say no, but do you think you could... um," she hesitated, searching for the right words.

"I'll try to fulfill any request you have," I assured her.

"You're not like anyone from here, are you?" she questioned, sensing something different about me.

"Falcon, can you kiss me again? I want to experience a real kiss, one that I ask for, not one that is forced. I know you have someone special, so I understand if I'm asking too much," she began, her words trailing off. As she spoke, I stood up and leaned over, gently pulling her closer to me. Pressing my lips against hers, I felt the warmth and sparks from our bond ignite throughout my body. It was a struggle to pull away, but I didn't want to push her boundaries.

Her eyes locked with mine as I hovered over her. "Why is it that you feel so right? So good?" she whispered, her voice filled with wonder. She quickly shook her head, apologizing. "Sorry, thank you," she said, shying away slightly.

"Katya, it feels right for me too. I like you, but considering what you've been through, I don't want to frighten you," I confessed honestly.

"I think I like you too, but I'm really confused right now," she admitted

"And that's why I won't push anything on you. I simply want you to know that I like you, that I want to be with you. But I want you to be in charge. I won't make any moves without your consent. Let's take the time to get to know each other as friends, and if you want more now or in the future, I'll be there for you," I reassured her.

"But won't you leave once you find the person you're searching for?" she asked, her concern evident. It was difficult, but I couldn't bring myself to lie to her.

"I can find a way to be with you if that's what you want," I responded softly, slowly moving away from the bed. However, her delicate hand reached out and firmly grasped mine. The warmth of her touch sent a comforting shiver down my spine.

"I don't know why, but I feel safe with you. I want to be with you, but it may take me some time," she admitted, her voice filled with vulnerability.

"That's okay," I reassured her, a gentle smile playing on my lips. "I will come to you at midnight from now on. Rest, Katya. You need it to heal. I promise, even though I won't be here when you wake, I will return to you." Carefully, I pulled the soft hospital blanket over her, tucking her in.

"You're very mysterious, Falcon. But even with you only being free at odd hours, I trust you," she murmured, exhaustion lacing her words. Her eyelids fluttered closed, surrendering to the embrace of sleep.

"Sleep well, Katya. I'll do everything I can to keep you safe," I whispered, She was too pure-hearted to be hurt again. I had to protect her, and I would. As she drifted off, I stood up and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, gazing at her peaceful expression.

"You're the perfect mate," I whispered, my words barely audible in the quiet room. With a heavy heart, I turned to leave, knowing my time to depart was approaching.