Midnight Mate

Shield

Katya POV

I've spent most of my life alone, or at least feeling that way. I mean, I had the headmistress and others at the orphanage, but I never really had anyone I could depend on. That's why I fear being alone again. I guess I fear not having anyone, and that fear is what also led me to an abusive relationship.

Now, Falcon was gone. I did not want to seem too clingy. I used to watch those types of girls come into my work, and I always felt bad for the guy. So, I could not become like that. But with Falcon not here, even though it has not been long, I honestly felt empty.

I sat on the couch, trying my best to stay calm and not make it look like I needed Falcon all the time. Maeve sat next to me and gave me a cup filled with a warm liquid. I could smell the comforting aroma of tea as she handed it to me. "It's tea, I promise. It helps calm your nerves," Maeve said to me.

"Is it that noticeable?" I sighed.

"No, but you're still in the beginning stages of your relationship with Falcon, and his mark is fresh on you. It's common, especially right after being marked, to want to stay together all the time. So, him leaving like this can't be easy on you," she explained.

Hearing her say that honestly made me feel a little better. I took a sip of the tea, feeling the warmth spread through my body, soothing my frayed nerves. "Where is Tom?" I asked since he was not in the room.

"Sleeping. He has been patrolling a lot," she admitted.

"I'm happy he is finally getting the rest he needs now, then," I said to her.

"I agree. And it also means we get a little girl time," she said with a grin.

"Girl time sounds good," I responded to her. Although I was not the best of friends since I did not hang out with many people outside of my job, so I honestly did not know where to start.

"I, for one, love my mate, but I need a few hours break," Maeve said to me, her voice filled with exhaustion. "Falcon may seem clingy, but Nate is 100 times more."

"I admit, I may be acting too clingy with Falcon," I confessed, feeling guilty.

Maeve chuckled, her laughter filling the room. "Our Alpha prince is crazy for you, Katya. You should have seen him earlier when you went off to the bathroom. He was pacing the room, torn between giving you space and being with you."

A pang of guilt surged through me. "I feel bad for making him stress like that," I said.

"Don't worry," Maeve reassured me with a mischievous grin. "Always take the alone time you need. Falcon will deal."

Shifting the topic, I asked Maeve about her job back in the kingdom.

"I teach at the academy," Maeve explained. "I train the she wolves."

"That sounds like fun," I replied, genuinely intrigued.

"It is, for the most part," Maeve said. "She wolves aren't required to do much beyond basic training in the kingdom, since we have many strong warriors. So I get a mix of students. Some are truly dedicated to learning, while others are there to watch Falcon train and impress him. It can be annoying at times, but also entertaining since Falcon has no interest in them. He's friendly, of course, but they were dreaming if they thought he'd get romantically involved."

A sigh escaped my lips. "So he was really popular."

"Haha, I guess so," Maeve chuckled. "But it doesn't matter. He's yours, and he's lucky because you're way better than any of them."

Feeling a surge of worry, I asked Maeve about Falcon's well-being. I knew she would answer honestly, even if it wasn't what I wanted to hear. "Do you think Falcon will be okay?"

"I don't know," Maeve admitted, her concern mirroring my own. I appreciated her honesty. "It's not normal for our kind to get sick, and I don't know much about the disease or what it does. Falcon is strong, possibly the strongest out of everyone I know, and he's a fighter. So I doubt anything will take him down easily. But with so much unknown, I'm afraid for him. But we'll stay positive, Katya, and fight for him. We'll all work together to help cure him and keep you safe.”

"I can't lose him, I can't lose any of you," I admitted to her, my voice filled with desperation.

"I know, so let's all take care of each other," Maeve said softly, her voice carrying a sense of comfort. As we switched to a lighter topic, the room filled with laughter and the warmth of camaraderie. Hours passed as we shared old embarrassing stories, Maeve cautiously revealing some to Falcon after I pinky promised not to tell him.

Finally, Tom joined us. "Rest well," I asked, my voice tinged with concern. "Very thank you for asking, Luna," Tom replied gratefully, as he heated up some food and settled down beside us.

"You can call me Katya," I said, a slight smile playing on my lips. Tom nodded. I needed to get used to being called Luna, but it would take time.

As the conversation continued, I couldn't help but fidget with my fingers, a nervous habit I had developed. Maeve noticed and asked if everything was okay. I hesitated for a moment before confessing, "I have not heard from Falcon at all. And when I try to speak with him the way he taught me, I don't think my voice is heard by him."

Maeve tried to reassure me, explaining that it might take time to get the hang of it or that the potions they took to mask their scents could be interfering with their ability to link. I nodded, finding solace in her words.

The room remained devoid of windows, leaving us unaware of the passage of time. The only indication was the ticking of clocks, growing louder as the night wore on. Reluctantly, I made my way to the bedroom, hoping that Falcon would return soon.

I lay in bed for what felt like hours, my body restless and unable to find sleep. As time passed, I noticed a subtle change in the air, a strange scent that lingered. Was it just my imagination? I couldn't be sure. Determined to investigate, I slowly got out of bed, careful not to make any noise that would disturb anyone else. I cautiously cracked open the bedroom door and peered into the main room. There, I saw Tom on the floor, his hand covering his mouth. Panic surged through me as I rushed over to him. "Wolfsbane," he choked out, confirming my worst fears. Falcon had warned me about it - the poison that could harm them.

"They must be pumping it in somehow. If we leave, they'll get you," Tom gasped for breath. I couldn't let them suffer, not if staying meant putting their lives at risk.

"We have to go outside. I'm not letting you die," I declared firmly.

"No," Maeve's voice interjected as she struggled to walk into the room. "We hold out." I looked at both her and Tom.

Maybe my shielding would work against the poison. Gathering my strength, I helped Maeve to Tom so that we were all together. Closing my eyes for a moment, I desperately sought to tap into the power. "Come on, work," I muttered under my breath, my mind filled with the fear of their suffering. But nothing seemed to happen.

Frustrated, I pushed myself further, delving into painful memories that I didn't want to think about. Memories of times when I was hurt, moments that filled me with fear. And then, I felt it - a strange warmth surging through me, akin to an adrenaline rush. Opening my eyes, I saw my hands glowing.

"Katya," Maeve breathed out, astounded by what she was witnessing. I still had little understanding of what I was doing, but I focused with all my might. This time, unlike before, I saw a shimmering material flowing from my hands, enveloping us in its protective embrace. As the material surrounded us, Tom's coughing subsided, and the strange scent vanished. It had worked - I was successfully blocking the poison from harming them.

But I knew I had to maintain my focus. There was a sensation within me, a warning that everything I had achieved would crumble if I let my guard down. "You blocked us," Maeve voiced out, her voice filled with both awe and concern. Tom's eyes closed, and worry crept into my heart. "No," I replied, my voice filled with worry.

Maeve looked at Tom with a worried expression, her eyes filled with concern. "We breathed in a lot, the vents are in the main room, meaning Tom got the most," Maeve said. I kept concentrating on keeping them shielded. If I heal, maybe I can heal them of the potion soon. Suddenly, Maeve fell unconscious, her body going limp.

"You two won't die protecting me," I cried, my voice filled with desperation. I struggled to keep the shield up, my muscles trembling with the effort. "Let me be the one to take on this burden. They are hurt because of me. Let me save them and be of use." Tears streamed down my face, my hands glowing brightly as I placed one hand on Tom and the other on Maeve.

Clueless but determined, I had to do anything I could think of. "Please wake up. I'll take this poison on for you," I pleaded. As I spoke, a surge of warmth enveloped me, and a bright light burst from within me. A strange smoke seemed to flow from Maeve and Tom towards me.

My whole body ached, as if a fire were burning inside me. But I knew this poison, from the intensity of the pain, would not be deadly to me. Maeve's eyes fluttered open, her gaze filled with shock. But I couldn't stop now. Tom still remained unconscious.

"You healed me," Maeve stammered, her voice filled with disbelief. The pain in my body intensified, causing a small yelp to escape my lips. "Katya, you have to stop. We can handle this," Maeve warned, concern etched on her face.

"No," I said through gritted teeth. Tom's eyes finally opened, and I removed my hand from his, though I kept the shield around us intact. It was even harder now, but if I dropped it, they would be in danger again. I had to help in any way I could.

"Is she..." Tom began, but Maeve interrupted him.

"Yes, she is," she responded, her voice filled with gratitude. The pain in my body grew worse, my muscles screaming in protest. "Katya, you're hurting yourself," Maeve said, her voice filled with worry.

"I won't stop until you're safe," I breathed out.

Suddenly, Falcon's voice echoed in my mind, breaking through my focus. "Katya, I'm coming," he said, his tone urgent. I couldn't respond to him, my concentration locked on maintaining the shield.

"Your in pain," he growled in my mind. He must feel my struggle.

"Falcon's coming," I breathed out, alerting Maeve.

"Nate said they are fighting vampires outside the hideout," Maeve explained. Despite the pain and the blood trickling from my nose, I refused to drop the shield.

"I can do this," I responded.

Maeve moved closer to me, her presence felt as she gently touched my arm. "Tom, grab hold of one of Katya's hands. Let's try to help her with our energy," Maeve insisted, her grip firm. I could feel Tom's hand clasping onto mine, his strength adding to the bond of unity formed by our friendship.

"Katya, please, I need to know you're okay. All I feel is pain," Falcon's voice boomed in my head, his concern palpable. But responding would mean losing control, and the shield protecting would crumble.

"Falcon, worried. I can't speak to him," I tried to convey to Maeve.

"I'm working on linking him, I promise," she reassured me.

A loud sound echoed in my ear, a piercing noise only I could hear. I teetered on the brink of passing out, but I couldn't give in. "No, I can do this," I muttered to myself, pushing myself beyond my limits. But with each release, the overwhelming sense of losing control intensified.

"Katya, look at me. I need you to take deep breaths, focus on me," Maeve's voice reached me, cutting through the chaos. "The danger is gone. You can stop now," Tom's distant voice added.

Then, a loud bang shattered the air. "Falcon is here, Katya. You did well, but you need to drop the shield for him to reach you," Maeve informed me. The world became hazy, everything blurred together.

"Falcon," I whispered, feeling the shield dissolve.

"You did it," Maeve praised, and instantly, I felt a familiar warmth enveloping me. Falcon's presence was comforting, but the overwhelming power inside me still threatened to consume me. It felt like I was on the verge of exploding, and everyone noticed.

"She is losing control, Falcon," a voice spoke, concern lacing their words.

"I can handle it," Falcon responded confidently.

"Katya, it's okay now. You're safe. Relax against me, focus on me," Falcon's voice was low and soothing. The power surged, causing me pain, as if it wanted to tear through my very being. I whimpered in agony.

"Falcon, she can't stop herself. It might be too much. She's just learning," Maeve's worried voice interjected.

"Katya, this is going to hurt, but only for a moment. I'm sorry," Falcon's words confused me. And then, a sharp pain shot through my neck as he bit me. Darkness swallowed me whole.