Chasing A Runaway Mate

Chapter 20

Rose

Rose stood by the window of her office, absentmindedly running a hand over the bump forming beneath her shirt. She still couldn't believe how quickly the pregnancy was progressing. It felt like every morning she woke up, her belly was bigger. As it grew, so also grew her longing for her mate.

No matter how busy she kept herself during the day, at night the bed felt cold and empty. Sleep came with difficulty. Some nights, Rose's eyes stayed open until the dark skies outside gave way to dawn. Then she would slip into a fitful sleep filled with strange and vivid dreams. It seemed to Rose that when she dreamed, all her fears played out behind her closed lids. She would wake up an hour or two later, eyes scratchy and heart restless.

A soft knock came from the door and Rose turned to see who it was. To her surprise, Pat walked into her office carrying a tray. It was unusual to see the woman outside of her kitchen and the dining room. She hurried forward and placed the tray, laden with tea and food, on Rose's desk.

"Thank you, Pat. That wasn't necessary," Rose said with a forced smile.

"Of course it was necessary. I don't fancy explaining to our Alpha why his mate was withering away."

"I'm not withering away, Pat. I'm just busy."

"Busy or not, Luna, you have to take care of yourself. You've a lot on your shoulders, sweet girl. If you are to brave it all, you must fuel your body. Here, have something to eat." Pat poured Rose some tea and placed a plate with simple sandwiches closer to Rose's seat.

"I'll make you something more substantial if your stomach is okay with these," Pat said, indicating to the sandwiches. Rose smiled her thanks, amazed at the woman's affinity to know exactly what her charges needed. She didn't simply feed them. She gave them nourishment which went straight to their souls.

"You really are exactly where you are meant to be, Pat. I've never known someone who is so attuned to people's needs. Every meal you give us is always filled with love."

"Gosh, dearie, you'll make this old woman blush. Thank you, Luna. I've always known that food can be more than just nourishment for the body. It's easy for me to give to our people because it does not come from me. It comes from the food I cook. You, on the other hand, you give pieces of yourself. It's a dangerous thing to do if you're not taking care of yourself."

Pat gave Rose a look which spoke volumes. Somehow, Rose knew that the old woman knew exactly how restless her nights were and how empty she felt inside.

"It feels impossible, Pat. If I'm not busy, my thoughts are comsumed by him and how much I miss him. And I worry for our child. I know I need to rest so our child can grow, but it all feels too much sometimes."

Rose sat behind her desk and indicated for Pat to also take a seat. For a moment the cook looked like she would decline, but she gave Rose one long look and decided to accept the invitation.

"Sometimes I wonder if it's not more cruel than gift. This whole fated mate business. You see, all things in life must have balance. To have such great love, means that when that love is taken from you or when that person is not near you, life simply seems too difficult to contend with. The greatest challenge you will face in this world of ours, is to keep hold of yourself and not get lost in your mate. Now, I'm not saying you will find the same happiness, but you can find purpose outside of your relationship."

"I know, Pat. And I do. I love working with our people and helping where I can. It's the moments inbetween that are too much for me. I can't seem to sleep without him here. And it's more than me missing him. I worry about him, and the rest. That's one aspect of this existence that I don't think I'll ever get used to. Never in a million years did I think I would have to worry about my mate and our people going to war. Such inevitable violence and danger still seems unnatural to me. It's wrong. They should be here where it is safe and where we can build our community together."

Before Pat could respond, Rose's phone vibrated where it lay on the desk. The caller ID made her heart skip a beat. Quick as a flash, Rose grabbed it off the table and answered it. Pat gave her a warm smile and quietly left the office, closing the door behind her.

"Black? Tell me you're okay," Rose's voice came out, sounding panicked.

"I'm more than okay, my love. It's all over. We're on our way home."

Rose's relief came out in a sob, the tears she'd been holding back rushing out.

"Rose? What's wrong? Are you okay, is the baby okay?" Black sounded panicked, his voice taking on an edge of urgency.

"Of course I'm not okay! You left me to go fight in a war. Again! I can't take it, Black. Please promise me this was the last one," Rose pleaded.

"You know I can't promise you that. But I can promise you that Ivan will no longer be a looming threat. He's gone now. I'm sorry, my love." Black's voice came out gentler as he tried to console his mate. "Are you and the baby all right?" Black sounded stressed. Realization washed over Rose, drying up her tears. He was just as worried about her as she was about him.

"We are both doing just fine, love. Doctor says he or she is growing right on schedule and everything looks good." Rose said with a smile.

"Good. That's good." Rose could hear the relief in Black's voice.

"The baby is growing so fast. At this rate, I'm going to be the size of a house when the baby comes."

"Well, it is the child of an Alpha. The baby will be big and strong."

"Where are you now? When will you be home?" Rose asked, her hand resting on her belly. She couldn't wait for Black to put his hands on her, to feel where their child was growing.

"Oh, not much longer now."

"What do you -" Rose's question was cut off as she heard a commotion coming from the front of the house. She got up and went to her door. The moment she opened it, his scent hit her nose like a breath of fresh air. Realizing what he'd done, she threw the phone on the nearest surface and rushed to the front door.

Black stood there with a coy smile, but Rose could see the toll this war had taken on him. The lines around his eyes seemed deeper and dark circles under his eyes made him look older. Rose froze, unable to move. She took in the sight of her mate, but a part of her refused to believe he was really there.

"Rose?" Black asked gently. He gave her one look and could tell how much this separation had taxed her. Keeping eye contact, he moved towards her, slowly. When he reached her, he cupped her face gently, eyes searching her face.

"My love, say something, please."

"I ... you're here?" she asked, her voice sounding small.

"I'm here."

When it finally sank in that Black was really okay and home, Rose threw herself into his arms. Careful of her growing bump, Rose held onto him tightly, her face buried in his neck. Finally, his scent calmed her enough and her tears dried up. She pulled back enough so she could see his face. Finally, they could keep their longing at bay no longer, and their mouths molded together in a kiss filled with all the emotion they had been holding back.

An unknown amount of time later, when they finally drew back a little, they realized the room around them was empty. Rose smiled, feeling a flutter in her belly. Taking Black's hand, she guided it to her belly. Unbridled joy and awe were plastered on his face. Rose took careful stock of it, making sure she would remember that look for the rest of her life.

"Welcome home, Daddy," Rose whispered with great joy. Black beamed at Rose before scooping her up into his arms. With zero protest from Rose, he carried her up the stairs and to their bedroom. He placed her gently on the bed, pushing her onto her back. Black spread her legs wide before settling between them on his stomach, his shoulders under her legs. With one hand, he reached up and twined his fingers with Rose's. The other, he rested on the soft swell of her belly before resting his head on it. In the quiet of the room, he used all his supernatural hearing to listen to the soft beating of their child's heart.