The Unicorn And Her Mysterious Mate

Crystal

Skye POV

I woke up to the sound of leaves crunching. As I stirred, Chaos, with his comforting warmth, remained by my side. Unlike others, his presence didn't overwhelm me. As I attempted to sit up, he gently stopped me, his hand suspended in the air, hovering near my mouth. His touch was absent, yet his intention was clear - he wanted me to remain silent. I appreciated his caution and respect, especially considering that my powers were still unpredictable. Not being able to touch all the time could be challenging for mates, particularly when the bond was first sensed.

After a few moments, he nodded, signaling that it was safe to move. Even with his lycan senses suppressed, his awareness remained acute. He withdrew his hand and brushed it against his neck, revealing the still-red marks that indicated his pain. "I can try to heal you," I offered, genuinely concerned.

"Don't," he replied, declining my offer. "I'll be fine. I don't want you to hurt yourself. If we are to continue on this journey, we should both strive to stay at full strength."

I wanted to insist that I was also fine, but I didn't want to push him. He gazed at me once more, and his words came forth. "I'm sure it looks worse than it feels. Honestly, I feel better than I have since I was imprisoned. You've given me a break from it, and for that, I thank you."

"You keep speaking as if you'll go back to that existence. Is that what you want? To continue being punished for something you didn't do?" I asked, trying to tread carefully, aware of the toll it must have taken on his mental state.

"No, I don't want to return," he admitted. "But I also don't want to deceive myself with false hope. It's heartening that you believe me, but that alone isn't enough to earn my freedom here."

"We'll fight for it then," I assured him, meeting his gaze. Yet, as I did, his unspoken thoughts flooded my mind. "I should reject her, so she has a chance. I can't be her happiness.”

I turned my head fast, my heart pounding in my chest, my emotions swirling within me. After last night, I had believed that he wanted to be by my side. But now, I needed to see if he would fight for himself, I did not want him to feel forced to be with me. He was free now.

I grasped my backpack tightly, the weight of it pressing against my shoulders. Stepping away from Chaos, I positioned myself with my back to him to hide the tears in my eyes. "You don't have to come with me, Chaos," I spoke, my voice shaky. "I know I released you from Rook's control and asked for your assistance, but I'd rather travel alone if you don't truly want to be with me. If you wish to reject me, do it now. Let's not prolong this any further."

Silence filled the air as I left the area, my footsteps echoing softly against the ground. I strained my ears, hoping to hear Chaos following behind me. But there was no sound. The pain in my heart intensified, even though I hadn't immediately acknowledged him as my mate.

Suddenly, I felt a warm hand gently touch my side, breaking through my thoughts. His touch penetrated through my shirt, causing a tingling sensation. He had caught up to me. "I will make an effort to stop such thoughts, especially if they aren't what I truly desire, I just don't want to hurt you." Chaos confessed, his voice sincere.

A mixture of relief and hope flooded through me. "You won't hurt me as long as you start fighting for yourself," I assured him. "Just don't give up on yourself. I know you've faced hardships, but fight for your future. I'll fight to stay with you because you're my mate, but only if you're willing to fight for your freedom as well."

"I will fight," he declared, his voice steady. He gently took my backpack from me, draping it over his arm

"I memorized the map, I'm sure Rook and his team will still be following it. But they need me to find anything in order to uncover the kingdom. We need the keys they will be looking for as well, so we are going to have to tread carefully.

I can probably take on two of them if we must fight, but I don't know how strong their Fae magic is, nor any special skills or powers they may possess," I admitted, my heart pounding in my chest.

"I can still fight fine," he reassured me, his voice steady and resolute. "I trained for years to fight in both forms."

"So you were not raised in this realm," I observed. "I know others exist other than here in the human realm, but we don't have much knowledge on them."

"I'm from a realm where there are no humans, just lycans, werewolves, vampires, and witches," he explained, his voice tinged with a hint of longing. "I had no clue there was even such a thing as Fae until I was sentenced and a witch sent me here."

"Do you wish to return to your home?" I asked, curiosity lacing my words.

"No, it is no longer a home for me," he replied, his voice heavy with grief. "My parents died when I was a pup, and the kingdom took me and my brother in. I started training to be a warrior from just a few years old, and so did he. My best friend was the king's daughter. She is the one I'm accused of killing."

"My brother believed I was romantically involved with her after he marked her. I should have known something was wrong. We were close. I am only a year older than him, but he was acting different. Although I simply believed it was just because he had just sensed his mate, it was this fear that his mate loved me and I loved her when we were never more than friends. Nor did either of us harbor those feelings towards each other. He killed her and then framed me."

A shiver ran down my spine as I listened to his tragic tale. "I would like to believe it is only due to him losing his mind or perhaps a spell led him that way. But in the end, I not only lost my friend, I lost my brother and only family. I have nothing to return to there, even if my innocence is proven. That life is now and forever will be in my past," he admitted, his voice filled with resignation.

As he looked around, his eyes scanning the surroundings, he added, "For now, no one is near. I can still sense if we are not alone. You were right, hiding closer versus further away was a good idea, as they likely assume we tried to make a good distance from them. It is best we travel slower. If you are the only one who can locate these items, we will have to sneak up on where they camp and take advantage of the nights to find the keys."

"Are you sure you don't want me to trigger the spell on me for King Jade?" he asked me.

"Yes, if he were to send help, that may give way to our location," I replied. "Now I know well, with the help of his warriors, Rook would be outnumbered. But Rook seemed confident, he is smart and realized what I was prior to me coming. I am sure he has some more blackmail or a backup plan. I can't let him do anything to destroy the progress Jade has made in this realm, and my parents fought for. I can't allow someone like the past great Fae King to take power again. He was the cause of my kind's demise," I explained, my words tinged with a mix of anger and sorrow.

"I respect that," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "You think not just of yourself, but others and the well-being of this realm. One that still seems to want you for your horn," he added.

"Only some want me. There are many good, innocent Fae here. I can't let them use the powers my horn gives me to cause any sort of destruction again. Maybe it was not a good idea for me to come, but I was desperate to gain control. But even if I believe my risk may have caused more danger, in the end, it was fate's path for me as we found each other," I admitted to him, a sense of relief in my voice as we continued walking.

"From what I've studied about this forest, we won't face much more of the poisonous plants or creatures until deeper in, and that's about a day's walk. Since we are trailing behind, we should stop afternoon today to keep a good distance." I suggested.

"I can make us another shelter if needed. It's just afterward that we will need to rest. Until I get more control, I get exhausted easily when tapping into that power," I confessed, my voice tinged with exhaustion.

"So, creating vines and moving rocks, that's earth magic, correct?" he asked me, curiosity evident in his voice.

"Yes. Rook does not know about me having that power since it is power unicorns don't possess. Have you ever heard of the dragon crystals?" I asked.

"I heard a few things from the guards, but not much," he admitted.

“There are three crystals: earth, fire, and ice. Long ago, they were bestowed upon the dragons, destined to be the guardians of this realm. When a Crystal Dragon perished, a new one would emerge, born with the power of the crystal. However, the great fae King, in his relentless pursuit of power, learned how to extract the crystals. He obtained the earth crystal, but his reign was cut short by his untimely demise. Rather than disappearing, the earth crystal chose to conceal itself within this realm. And when I was but a child, it chose me. We still don't know why, as the crystals were meant for dragons alone. Yet, it fused with me, transforming me into the the earth crystal. I possess the ability to tap into its powers, but I must use it cautiously, for losing control could bring about great harm. I am well aware of my limits, so there is no need to worry. If Rook were to discover that I hold the crystal, my worth to him would skyrocket. I am telling you because you are my mate, and even though we just met, I want to be open with you, so you may truly know who I am,” I confessed to him.

His eyes gleamed with gratitude as he responded, “Thank you for entrusting me with your secrets, Skye. Rest assured, they will remain safe with me. Though I cannot shift like the others, I vow to do everything in my power to protect you. And even though I cannot leave my mark on you, it does not diminish my desire to be by your side. Even if you were not my mate, I would have wanted you. Despite my initial resistance, your kindness and the way you handled Rook and everyone else won me over. You fearlessly express your emotions and act upon them, and that is something I deeply admire. Please understand that my thoughts were never meant to hurt you. When I first sensed your presence, I was angry, for it seemed as though life was taunting me by revealing my destined mate when I could not be with you. I had surrendered to the notion of not fighting for myself anymore. But you, Skye, you ignited a flame within me. You have given me a reason to reclaim my fighting spirit once more,” he explained.

I smiled, feeling a surge of happiness as he opened up to me. “ I'm aware that our thoughts aren't always true to us. It's not your fault that I invaded your mind, and I apologize for that. I try my best to control it by avoiding eye contact, as I don't want to intrude on others' thoughts," I explained to him.

He paused for a moment. "Is it okay for me to touch you?" he asked, his voice soft. I nodded, and he gently placed his hand against my chin, guiding me to look into his eyes. His touch was rough yet comforting, sending a wave of sensation through my skin.

"Beautiful," his thought echoed in my mind, causing my cheeks to flush with color. His words made my heart skip a beat, and I couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. "Don't shy away from making eye contact with me. I give you permission to always hear my thoughts. I won't hide anything from you. Just promise me that if you ever get upset by one, you'll talk to me," he said, his words bringing tears to my eyes. He gently wiped away a tear with his finger, and we continued on our journey.

In that moment, his acceptance meant the world to me. My heart fluttered uncontrollably with happiness, and I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.