<b>Chapter </b><b>293 </b>
(Jessa’s POV)
This is not at all how I anticipated finding my mate. All young wolves hear the beautiful stories of how their parents met. I am no exception. Before they died protecting the alpha they always told me of how dad used training in different packs as a warrior to find my mom. Mom always spoke dreamily about the first time she saw dad. How he was taking a break after a sparring session, it was hot that day and he had taken his shirt off. He was toned with a six pack of abs. His sweat made him all the more attractive to her.
When I was little I found the story disgusting but as I’ve grown older I’vee to look forward to the same thing. The instant attraction to a young, buff male who’s ready to sweep me off my feet. Never once did I believe I would meet him at his absolute weakest.
I knew walking up to him that his emotions were high strung. I could feel his mind swimming before I ever touched him but his reaction to our eyes meeting seems almost painful for him to add to an already extremely distraught mind.
Both our wolves are weak, but mine is weaker. Although I can feel the instant bond of the mate’s pull it’s not overwhelming for me. It’s actually just the opposite, it’s barely there. The only way I know it’s the mate’s bond is I can feel her, my wolf, for the first time since I’ve arrived here. She’s very interested in this new he–wolf. She whines softly as she feels his overwhelming physical and emotional pain. He’s been treated far worse than us and for a far longer period of time.
“Cole.”
I speak softly as I try to get his attention back on me. I can feel him trying to grab his hair. I know wolves will often resort to creating their own pain as a means of dealing with immense pain and I can only imagine what he must be feeling to have the desire yet have enough control to not hurt me.
“Cole, I need you to look at me as we have an unexpected element that we need to work with.”
He’s breathing hard and he has a shutter that tells me that he’s been silently crying.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I need you to lower hands and lift your head. We need to decide how we are going to move forward with our unexpected situation.”
He rxes his hands enough to allow me to move them from his head. Alpha is watching the interaction intensely as I have never had an adult patient react this way towards me nor have I ever reacted this way towards a patient.
Even though I’m able to keep my emotions very even I have no idea how things are going to go once I start my read on him. I know before I get into his head that he’s an emotional mess and in physical pain. How I’m going to be able to deal with feeling thate from my own mate, I have never had to
think about.
He finally lifts his head and looks at me again, his navy blue eyes are filled with fear and pain.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what, Cole? My main concern right now is your intent.”
He shakes his head with a whine. I’ve never heard or seen a wolf experience physical pain when encountering their fated mate but it most certainly seems to be the case with him.
“This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be. I’m weak. I can’t do this.”
His voice is hushed as tears continue to fall. I get down to his level, taking his cheeks in my hands he looks into mine again.
“Do you intend to reject?”
I speak the words quietly but very seriously as his answer will determine how I take care of him. The question itself seems to have knocked the wind out of him as he pants quickly, struggling to tear his eyes away from mine.
“You don’t deserve…..”
“No Cole,” I cut him off. “I need to know your intent. Not what you think I want or you think I deserve. I know what you’re feeling right now, I feel it too, What’s important right now is do you intend to reject?”
I say it a bit more forcefully this time and I know it’s caught alpha’s attention but I have to know.
“No. No ma’am. I’ve been looking. I just, I just….”
Chapter Comments
Tanya Gordon
Awh Poor Cole feels so Low.