Chapter 19

She gasped, choking on her scream as emotions stormed through her, fierce and unrelenting like a raging river rushing towards a great fall. She was hot, filled with a desire she had never felt before. A lightness and overwhelming joy was breaking through it. She didn’t know how to make sense of any of it, so she clung to Arthur as if they were going over another waterfall.

Her blood was rushing in her ears as her heart pounded against her ribcage.

Were they her feelings? She didn’t think so. With shock, she realized that they were all coming from Arthur and a little glimmer of hope was twinkling at the edge of her mind. She wanted to reach for it, but it was swept away in all the other emotions.

She was pulled into the darkness of unconciousness.

“Daphne!”

Daphne groaned awake, turning over in bed as she opened her eyes. There wasn’t a lot of light coming in through the window, so she guessed it was closer to dawn. Her stomach growled. She frowned. Arthur must have brought her back from the forest. Where was he? She stretched with a small sigh. She felt oddly light and relaxed, refreshed as if she’d had the best sleep of her life the night before.

Tentatively, she lifted her hand to touch the place where Arthur had sunk his teeth. She expected pain, but she almost didn’t feel anything. She crossed the room to look at it. It was a mark, but it wasn’t bleeding nor horrific. She almost liked it.

Something tugged on her mind. She turned her head, feeling it start to pulse as she reached for it, curious.

Daphne! She gasped at Arthur’s voice in her mind. Are you awake?

Daphne cast her gaze around, searching for him, but he wasn’t around. Her heart beat quickened in fear. Was she losing her mind? Was this some sort of weird werewolf thing?

“Where are you?” Daphne frowned. “Why don't I see you?”

It’s okay, Daphne. I'm talking to you through our bond. You don't need to speak aloud. Just think it in your mind--

“That means you'll know everything I’m thinking!” Daphne cried out in shock. “You didn't tell me I'd lose all my privacy if you bit me!”

No, it's not like that! The mate bond should be... Arthur huffed, fumbling for the words. How should I describe it, Lucas?

Daphne shook with anger. How could he just take her privacy like this without telling her? Before she could say more, a wave of warmth and protection washed over her mind, nearly taking her breath. It was strange but not unwelcome. She’d never felt so safe before.

Still, Arthur having access to her thoughts was troubling and left her uneasy. They were already sharing a home. She needed some measure of privacy! She dressed quickly and hurried out of the house to go talk to Mamie about it. She couldn’t wait for Arthur to return to get some peace about it.

Mamie answered the door with a bright smile.

“Good morning, Daphne!” Mamie’s gaze dropped to her neck and her smile got impossibly wider. “Arthur finally marked you! Congratulations on your bond.”

“Thanks… I think.” Daphne huffed, wringing her hands. “I didn't think I would lose my privacy after being bitten. I was just trying to ease his pain—”

Mamie took her hands and brought her inside, “Oh, Daphne, it’s not like that at all. You can use it to communicate with him, yes, but it isn’t an open channel. You send messages when you want. Everything else is still a secret until you tell him.”

Daphne nodded, relief filling her heart, “That’s… good to hear.”

Mamie nodded, “Of course. Now, you can communicate with Arthur at any time, which helps to ensure your safety.”

“What does Arthur get out of this?”

Mamie hummed, “Strength, stability, happiness: a werewolf thrives with a bonded mate.”

“Is this the same for you and Blade?”

Mamie's expression changed losing all the light and lightness. Daphne winced. She really had to get better at talking to people and avoiding sensitive topics!

“Sorry! I just thought you guys were a perfect couple, so you shared this mate bond with him and—“

Mamie shook her head with a little smile, “It’s not your fault. Don’t apologize… Me and Blade...”

She chuckled a little bit, “We've been through a lot to get to this point.”

Mamie sighed, “It’s not a pretty story, but I think it may help you understand what a gift you've been given.”

She and Blade had been good friends since childhood. Blade had always had a crush on her, but he’d stepped aside and urged her to find her mate when they got older. Mamie had wanted him to find his mate too. They searched, and she had found her mate, but Blade had never found his.

“I felt so guilty,” Mamie said with a wince. “I didn’t know how I could face him once I heard… but the choice wasn’t in my hands…”

She had tried to avoid him, but Blade had walked to her house and had been the first one to congratulate her despite all of her planning. He’d also been the first to console her when he died mere months after their bond had finally settled.

Mamie chuckled, looking thoughtful, “He was a lot like Blade: strong, capable, patient, and calm. He was an alpha though, but that’s never made much difference to me. David was… a great man. He was a part of the patrol forces and died in a rogue attack.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Daphne said, looking at the table at a loss for words. “I… I don’t know what else I can say.”

Mamie gave her a tight smile, “I was devastated, and I wasn’t in a good place for a long time after. Werewolves who lose their mates are more likely to commit suicide or turn into rogues.”

Daphne gasped. She had a hard time imagining the bloodthirsty rogues from the forest as werewolves who had once been like Mamie and Blade. Was there a way to turn them back, or were they all just better off being killed once they lost all reason?

Maybe death was mercy or just the easiest way to deal with them. She didn’t know and she didn’t think it would be appropriate to ask right now.

“Blade took care of me.” Mamie smiled fondly, looking back through memories. “He was great. He is great. With his help, I managed to put myself back together and start functioning as a member of the pack again. I even managed to find a bit of joy.”

Daphne nodded, “That’s good. I’m glad it worked out somehow.”

“It was hard, but the moon goddess blessed us. After a year or so, we became second chance mates and got married.” Mamie rubbed her stomach, “Now, there’s this little treasure on the way.”

Daphne’s eyes burned with tears. She couldn’t imagine how hard it had been for Mamie, let alone for Blade to watch Mamie find her mate. It was incredible that the two of them could come together and have such a wonderful relationship.

Mamie took her hand again and squeezed, “A mate is a treasure given to every werewolf by the moon goddess... You have to cherish it. Don't go through the pain of losing your mate like I did...”

Daphne felt Mamie's concern and hope that she would take her words to heart, and she nodded her head though she wasn’t sure if the pain she was speaking of really applied to her. She was human, but she certainly didn’t want Arthur to have to go through such a terrible thing.

If Mamie had barely been able to come back from the edge of going rogue or suicide with Blade’s help, there was no hope for Arthur. He had no one in the pack whom he trusted. She shuddered to think the havoc Arthur could wreak if he was a true rogue.

She thanked Mamie before leaving. She walked back towards the house she shared with Arthur turning Mamie’s words and her story over in her mind.

“Daphne!”

She looked up as Arthur hurried up the path leading towards the forest with a deer on his shoulder and two rabbits in his hand. He grinned at her and waved with the rabbits in his hand.

He looked much better than he had the day before, rested and happy. His smile was as bright as the sun and it made her smile back at him.

She wasn’t sure of what she felt for him yet or if she could accept being the mate of a werewolf, but she felt a sense of peace and joy seeing him like this. She wanted to cherish this peaceful moment and wished it would last forever.

Maybe, they could always be together like this in the Sharp Armor pack for the rest of their lives, living happily. It was much better than living alone in her little cabin in the middle of the forest or constantly being on the run.

She hurried up the slope to reach him grinning up at him.

“Hi, Arthur.”

He grinned, “I caught lunch! What do you think?”

She winced, “Please… skin it outside.”

He laughed and agreed before leading her towards the house. She fell into step beside him as if they had always walked home together.