His Blind Mate

Chapter 22 Maples And Strawberries (Part I)

[One Republic - Distance]

Kyhan

I stood on the sidelines as I watched my gammas train with my Head Gamma. We were starting a new regimen, one more difficult than the previous. It wouldn’t be enough. We were all idiots. We barely knew anything about our enemies that our only option was to get stronger and faster. There had to be a way to obtain information. There had to be someone we could talk to or pay or beat up. The captured rogue wasn’t much help since nobody wanted to torture a female. Even I couldn’t bring myself to do it – unless I let Kai take control.

Siel mercilessly took down the five gammas surrounding him in less than three minutes. He stood in the center of the ring, calling forth the next group in line. Meanwhile, Samuel had Peter on a chokehold, the gamma struggling to break free as his face began to turn blue.

The brothers didn’t waste their energy on unnecessary movements. The gammas were more like dummies for them to play with or in this case, to blow off some steam. When faced with enemies, they acted fast, bringing them down to their knees and killing them without remorse. Much like their mentor, the previous Alpha. They’d eliminate anyone who was a threat to the pack. Obedient and disciplined, they set the standard for every warrior in the pack - the only standard that the previous Alpha approved of. Warriors didn’t need to feel – they were tools in battle. All they had to do was train and obey every order. Emotions would only get in the way of duty.

I was fortunate that they didn’t turn out the way he wanted. It was no way to live.

Their ability to focus solely on their tasks made them valuable, feared even, but they’d been distracted lately. The recent mission Siel led confirmed that they were rattled, and I knew why. Neither had the chance to talk to her. She also avoided talking to them or anyone else from the pack since her stay. Neither had the right to protect her from whoever wanted her.

Kai growled. Someone out there wanted our mate.

“Let him go,” I ordered Samuel via the mind-link when he wasn’t letting the poor gamma go. Peter’s body went limp the next second. Goddess!

He called for a couple of gammas to take Peter to the clinic before jogging over to me.

“Happy now?” I asked, to which he frowned. “You could’ve killed him, Sam.”

“He deserved it. My sister always has a place in here, whichever pack she belongs to.” He sat on the grass, legs apart and knees folded. A crease formed on his forehead, momentarily pushing back the drops of sweat. “What would they want with her?”

“Let Annie join you for the meeting this evening.”

“What do you need her for?” he asked as he brushed his dark brown hair back with his fingers. Luan had the same shade. It kind of gave off a deeper shade when exposed under direct sunlight, and with those thick waves bouncing on her back, she looked like an angel with her hair glowing around her face.

“She grew outside and I have a few questions.”

“So long as it doesn’t stress her out, it should be fine.” He sighed. “I help out as much as I can, but she’s almost due and I don’t want her worrying.”

I grinned. Whenever he spoke fondly of his mate, it was hard to believe that he could do those things to his sister. Even Siel didn’t come off as the kind of person who’d commit those acts. The way he defended the rogue yesterday, his wolf ready to pounce on his Alpha if I dared lay a hand on her – they appeared to be different from two years ago. Before I left the pack for training, they were doting on her, spoiling her, and letting her have her silly ways. Not once did they mention blaming her when their parents died, so what wasn’t I seeing?

Kai howled as we caught a scent. Samuel’s head tilted towards the wind’s opposite direction with a longing look on his face. They couldn’t keep going like this. She’s my Luna but she’s also their sister. I patted his shoulder as I grabbed my shirt and jacket from the ground. “I’ll talk to her.”

“It’s better this way,” he replied without looking at me. “Don’t let us get between you two. You deserve each other, Kyhan. There’s no changing what we did. Now we’re paying for it, which is also well deserved. Don’t break her further – that’s all I ask, even if I don’t have the right to.” Samuel then left me to stand in a daze as he jogged back to the gammas.

With his words hanging over my head, I sprinted towards her. What am I missing?

To my surprise, she was headed to the training grounds. Clad in dark blue jeans that showed off her toned legs and a white crop top that had a cute teddy bear on the front, she was revealing too much skin on her midsection. She still wore the necklace I gave her, the ring always a sight to see now that it was worn by its rightful owner. That meant something, right?

“Kyhan?”

“Were you looking for me?” I teased.

My adorable mate raised a brow and crossed her arms across her chest. “We need to talk,” she said firmly. It was difficult to take her seriously when I was looking down on her – she literally stood right up to my chest.

“Or … we can make out instead. Actions speak louder than words, don’t they?”

“We really have to talk,” she repeated as she fought the creeping pink on her cheeks. I wish it was one of those of talks where the female tells her mate that they’re having a baby, but no, this was going to be about yesterday and … today.

I held her hand out and gave her the jacket. “Put this on.”

“Why?” she asked as she gave me a quizzical look. She smelled nicely of coconut – it suited her.

“Because – “ I said, taking it back and placing it on her shoulders, “- you aren’t wearing enough clothes.” She let me put the sleeves on her arms like I did with the sweater last night. I zipped it up on the front slowly, taking in her scent and every small change in her body. Knowing I affected her this much showed that she did care about me, even if she was playing hard to get.

Her brows furrowed. Luan stuffed her hands on the pockets and pouted. “What’s wrong with my clothes? I thought you’d like less than more.”

You - ! I was too taken aback that all words flew out of my brain.

My mate burst out laughing while I stared dumbfounded. “You’re cute,” she said, standing on her toes to pat my cheek and give the other a kiss. “Walk with me.”

I smiled in disbelief, my brain still catching up. My body moved on its own and hugged her from behind. “You are playing with fire, cupcake,” I whispered near her ear. I breathed in her calming scent of pretty wildflowers and rustic books; the tip of my nose too close to her neck. “Better stop now before you get burned.”

Her breathing hitched, a soft sigh leaving her lips as she relaxed into me. She turned in my arms then placed her hands on my chest. She looked up at me with a teasing grin; she was clearly enjoying this. “Alpha-” she said softly, trailing her hands down my arms before tugging my hands apart, “ - you’re not hot enough to burn me.”

I pulled her body flush to mine before she could escape. My chest vibrated from my growling, my wolf’s eyes gleaming at the challenge. I tipped her chin up so she was looking at me, her pouty pink lips distracting as usual. I leaned down until those lips were close to mine. “Say that again,” I whispered, and she sucked in a breath, her lower lip getting stuck between her teeth.

I tugged it down with my thumb. “Don’t do that, cupcake. Only I get to bite … any part of you.”

Her chest expanded as she breathed deeply like she was taking in my scent. “Any and every part of you, Luan. See if you don’t burn when I do.”

She tried to push me off, but I was faster, stronger. I cupped her cheeks and gave her a taste of my promise – I bit her lower lip. She froze, until I let it go and kissed her. Soft and plump, it wasn’t enough. Luan parted her lips and there was no turning back. I deepened the kiss, twirling around her tongue with mine as she tugged on my hair, responding to my desire with equal fervor. I bit her lip again, nibbling on it gently before freeing it with a pop. I’ll never get enough of you.

The scent of her arousal hit me again, my control slipping further. She’d be in heat soon – the bond demanded that we mate the soonest in order to ensure our bloodline continued. I’d need every inch of self-control and discipline in me to keep myself from pouncing on her. I could only hope the distance would help.

Luan giggled then pushed me away. “You’re sneaky.”

“Made you smile.” My heart almost jumped out of my chest when tingles shot up my arm. Luan voluntarily held my hand in hers and intertwined our fingers together.

“It’s unfair,” she said, leading me away from the training grounds. My jacket was too big for her. It reached down to her thighs and hung loosely on her shoulders. Even the sleeves went past her hands. She looked better in it though, perfectly hidden from any unmated males’ prying eyes and completely engulfed by my scent. This satisfied my wolf for now.

“Everything’s fair in love,” I said cheekily. “Come on. I want to take you somewhere.”

“Okay. But I should remind you that I’m good at self-defense. I can take down your ass if I want to.”

I laughed at how her mind wandered into impossible scenarios. “Trust me, cupcake. You’ll like this.”

“How would you know what I like?” She pouted.

“’Cause I’m creepy,” I replied, grinning.

She didn’t ask me any more questions as we walked in comfortable silence. The footpath was shaded by the trees. Our destination was in a way isolated for no one went there except me, her brothers, and Raphael. We came upon a greenhouse, which appeared to be out of place in the woods. The inside was warmer, so it was probably not a good idea to come here during the day. But the sound of a zipper getting pulled down, then the sight Luan’s skin glistening with the thin layer of sweat had me throwing that notion out of my head.

“Strawberries?” she asked.

In front of us were lines of strawberry crops ready for harvesting. Their sweetness hung thickly in the air, making my mouth water for a taste. The three helped me with this little project, something that they were more than eager to participate in for Luan.

She turned to me with her mouth open. “You took me to the greenhouse!” she exclaimed as she jumped onto me, hugging me tightly. “It’s still here! It’s still here!”

“It’s always been here, cupcake,” I replied. Before I could hug her back, she was already on her feet, bouncing excitedly on her toes.

“Are we strawberry picking?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘I pick the strawberries while you eat them’.”

“What – you don’t trust me to choose a strawberry?” she asked, amusement dancing on her lips.

I took a basket we had ready for harvesting and carefully plucked a nice red strawberry. “Unless you want to eat a bug or … dirt, be my guest. I won’t be kissing you for a long time though.”

Her face scrunched up, making me laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

I placed the strawberry on her hand. “Are you brave enough to try it?”

“This doesn’t feel like it’s got dirt on it.”

“Eat it, then.”

“What are the chances this strawberry has a worm inside it?”

“Don’t know. Eat it.”

Luan put it back on the basket before smoke rose from the top of her head. “One isn’t enough. You have to gather more for me to eat.”

“Ordering your Alpha now?” I asked, raising a brow.

“Hey, you volunteered,” she answered with a huff.

“You’re right. Let’s do this some other time. I’m beat from the training and I need a shower.”

She gasped. She grabbed my arm and furrowed her brows. “You are not leaving here until I get my strawberries.”

I leaned forward to whisper in her. “Make me stay.”

Maybe I expected her to blush and stammer as she came up with a comeback. Maybe I just wanted to tick her off. But what she did was so bold of her, it astounded me. She held my face between her hands and peppered my face with kisses. I was frozen, simply blinking as she kissed my cheeks, my forehead, my nose, and then my lips. The best part was that she had a beautiful smile and she was giggling as she did. Pink dusted her cheeks, but she was enjoying herself.

Kai wagged his tail out of pure joy, howling the loudest he’d ever did as he thanked the Goddess for blessing us with the most wonderful mate. It was a simple gesture – something she did out of fun, but it pacified him. He’d been getting restless since I broke the news to Reire that they had to leave. If I joined the practice this morning, a repeat of that incident might have happened.

I held her hips lightly and deepened the kiss when she pecked my lips for the third time. She didn’t resist nor was she surprised. She accepted it and reciprocated it willingly until she had to break away to breathe. “Now, will you pick my strawberries?” she asked as she licked her lips.

“Only the sweetest for my cupcake,” I replied, returning to my work and swiftly harvesting them, using two years’ worth of practice. It’s finally paying off. “One strawberry for every kiss?”

She shook her head and slapped my arm playfully. “Why do you call me cupcake?”

“That’s for you to remember.”

“No fair. Did we meet somewhere before you were the Alpha?” She pouted, her lips swollen and glistening. I held back a groan.

“You really forgot about me, huh?” I replied. While it left a bitter feeling, I was also relieved that she didn’t remember. It wasn’t exactly a memory that left a good impression of me.

“Can’t you just tell me? I have time right now.” She linked her arm with mine then puffed up her cheeks a bit as she raised her chin up. She still does it.

I couldn’t help but laugh, taken back to how she got me back then using the same technique. “You’re adorable. But no, it’s not worth remembering.”

“If it’s not worth remembering, then you can share.”

“Basket’s full,” I declared, redirecting the conversation before she asked more. I grabbed her hand and led her out of the greenhouse, taking another basket on the way. Sweat coated every inch of my torso that I had to take off my shirt. I washed some of the strawberries with water from the hose, then transferred those to the other basket.

I had to go back and get a couple of plastic containers with salt on them. I have to thank Raphael for thinking everything through. The washed strawberries bathed in salt water while Luan and I sat on a shaded dry log, letting the breeze cool us down.

“How did you know I like strawberries?” she asked, my jacket now tied around her waist.

“I took a chance.” It was half the truth. The other half was a bittersweet horror story for a ten-year-old me. I gently rested my head on her shoulder and closed my eyes, taking comfort in her scent. I let out a breath as I found myself relaxing.

I knew because I saw her. I had run away from the Cirle, taking the risk of getting beaten, starved, and locked up just so I could see her. For three years, the little girl comforted me in my dreams, and I’d wake in the middle of the night with her laughter ringing in my ears, only to come crashing back to reality when my eyes recognized the walls of my quarters. I was far away from that girl, who was kind enough to offer her cupcake to me.

Eventually, my wolf was getting harder to control. Kai wanted to see her again. After waking up from a nightmare I couldn’t remember now, I decided to give in. From twilight until morning, Kai and I ran, closing the distance between us and the girl who had taken residence in our head. We slipped past the borders and watched her house in the shadows, waiting for hours just to catch a glimpse of her. My heart yearned to see her green eyes that were as alive as the newborn leaves of spring, my hands trembled at the thought of touching her soft brown waves, and to confirm that I wasn’t going insane, I needed to hear her beautiful laughter.

The Goddess took mercy on me and granted my wish. She ran out of the house laughing, wearing a sundress with sunflower patterns and her hair unbrushed like she had just woken up. She was taller from when I last saw her and her hair was longer, but I doubted she paid attention to menial things. Her parents called out behind her, but she only stopped for a moment and waved back at them. The girl had a small box on her hand with a red ribbon. It looked like a gift.

I was rooted to the spot, my heart hammering in my chest and tears streaming down my face. I was too young understand what I felt and why I felt them. When she disappeared into the woods, I found myself following her, my legs mechanically walking on their own as I wiped the tears. An Alpha doesn’t cry. It makes him weak. Kai calmed down from her sweet summer scent.

She kept looking behind her, and I thought she felt my presence. But when she went deeper into the woods to where the wolfsbane grew, I understood that she was cautious of the patrols. It was a forbidden area. She bravely crossed the small patch that led to a young pine tree, wincing at the burning sensation. I almost came out of hiding.

“Happy Birthday,” she said with a sad smile as she put the box down on its protruding roots.

It was for me. Birthdays were of no importance to me. I’d never received a gift and I never celebrated it because the day I was born was insignificant compared to preparing for the title of Alpha.

Kai whimpered in my head while my fists shook from a whirlwind of emotions stronger than fury. I asked myself why she would leave me a gift, why she remembered my birthday when I hardly cared, why she would risk getting caught, and why she would hurt herself over a box.

Then she let her forehead touch the tree and whispered, “I’m waiting for you.”

My knees gave away and I slumped beside the tree I was hiding in. My right knee landed on a twig and the sound was crisp across the field.

The girl, startled, ran past the wolfsbane. I decided to take one more risk – I swiped the box from the ground and continued following her. Instead of going back, she went further. She kept running until she was out of breath, slowing down only when she neared the greenhouse. She looked back for a few seconds before going inside.

Although I watched from a distance, I saw that the door was unlatched.

What drove me to come out of hiding?

I had already seen her and yet my heart wasn’t satisfied.

What did I think was going to happen?

What was I hoping for?

Ten-year-old me just couldn’t comprehend. I understood anger, fear, and pain. Everything I felt for that girl were foreign, and I was more afraid of them than the whip. It was this strange curiosity that gave my shaking hand the courage to open the door for just a crack, enough for me to see her. I had to hold back a growl as I watched her pick strawberries. She bounced on her toes whenever she landed on the ground, then moved the stool over to the next crop. Her eyes shone from excitement and red colored cheeks from all the running. “When you return -,” she said to no one in particular, “- let’s pick strawberries together.”

I almost laughed. The stuttering i***t could finally pronounce “strawberries” right.

A warning howl suddenly came from the woods. The tiny hairs on my arms stood, and I ran back to my hiding place before she could see me. When I took a glance behind me, she was still picking strawberries. Why isn’t she running?

I decided to stay in case the warning was for a rogue and not because they sensed me. A few minutes later, her brothers emerged from the woods.

Their voices were loud enough for me to hear.

“Didn’t you hear the warning?” Samuel asked. He was going to be my Beta when I was handed the position.

“There’s an intruder amongst us. We have to get you back to the house,” said Siel, who was going to be my Head Gamma.

We trained together for a few years and we’d become friends during that short time. They continued to train under my dad while I trained under Helia.

They were taller than her. With the two flanking her, they looked more like her bodyguards than her brothers because she was pouting with her head down, her hands clutching a small basket.

Siel reached for a strawberry, but she swatted his hand.

“Mine,” she said with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t be selfish, Luan,” he replied. “Just one.”

She swung the basket out of reach. “No!”

“What! You ate all my chocolates last week!”

“No. This is mine …” She mumbled something under her breath that I couldn’t catch.

“Hey, where’s the box?” Siel asked.

“In the trash,” she lied confidently.

“You threw away the cupcake?” Samuel flicked her forehead. “Don’t waste food!”

The girl stomped forward a few steps before turning and sticking her out at them. “I ate the cupcake first, stupid. Daddy! Sammy and Siel are bullying me!”

Then she ran. The two looked at each other with horrified faces before running after her.

“Luan, wait!”

“I’ll give you more chocolates!”

Another howl came from the woods. The three were out of sight. I had to go before patrols swarmed the borders

I felt lighter as I ran as though all my worries and fears had fled. Kai had slipped to the back of my mind, satisfied from stalking her. I’d never been more at peace from simply seeing that smile on her face again. Elation bubbled inside me – she hadn’t forgotten about me and my promise. But just when I was close to getting across the borders, a huge black wolf tackled me to the ground. His eyes made me froze in fear, the anger in them bringing back painful memories.

I had disobeyed a direct order. There wasn’t anyone who could save me.

The wolf backed up a bit, letting me stand. My eyes found the box and I tried reaching for it, but a paw stepped on it just as I bent down.

The pink frosting burst out of the corners. The cupcake smelled sweet … like the strawberries she was picking.

Anger flooded my veins. It was for me! It was my first gift!

Kai was dangerously quiet as his form took a solid shape in my mind’s eye. I felt my teeth grow as my chest vibrated; a low growl cutting through the odd quiet. The last thing I remembered before I passed out was a blow in the back of my head.

For a week, I saw not a sliver of light. I was in the dungeons, starving and dehydrated, nursing my wounds. Dad hadn’t found out yet that I could shift. Nobody saw me cross the borders in wolf form. I was healing faster than usual, which made the stone-cold floor bearable.

I knew he’d send me back to the Circle soon. He still needed me to train.

But it was alright now. She was doing well. The girl had brothers to protect her and loving parents to take care of her. She’d only grow more beautiful and kinder. And even if it was only a silly childhood thing that she’d eventually forget, there was a time when she was waiting for me.

I felt someone poking my cheek and murmuring. It pulled me out of those images; I was a bit groggy.

“… naked. Kyhan? Kyhan? I’m naked.”

“Nake –”

The naked thing was a lie. I was leaning on her shoulder, and she was holding herself up by an arm stretched out to her side. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you, but you’re heavy.”

“So – Sorry.” I was asleep? It only felt like I was thinking about that incident.

“It’s okay.” Luan rolled her shoulders and stood to stretch her upper body. “You’re really tired, huh?”

“Why didn’t you just shove me off?”

She gasped. “You’d do that to me?”

“Of course not. Unlike you, I’ll carry to you an actual bed.”

Luan bit her lip at that, probably remembering yesterday’s events. “Touché,” she mumbled.

I stood to work on the strawberries. I drained them and rewashed them before placing them on the spare basket. I sprinkled water on my face to shake off the last remnants of sleep then wiped it off with my shirt before putting it back on. “I don’t have towels to dry them. Is this alright?”

Luan forced a smile. Don’t do that. She didn’t have to know. It wouldn’t change a thing. And it wouldn’t help her heal. They were just glorified memories on my part, something that’d make her avoid me like the plague if we weren’t mates.

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A/N:

The total word count for the chapter has exceeded the platform's limits so we had to divide it into two. ^^

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