The Princess and Her Secret Mate

Chapter 5

Red’s POV.

“What was that about?” Crying doesn’t help my already traumatized lungs. My breathing is all out of control. I hadn't even realized I was on my knees until Skyer was on hers in front me with both her hands cupping my face trying to calm me down. “Red, take a deep breath,” she sucks in and holds it. She wants me to do the same but my breaths come out ragged from sobbing so hard.

“It’s okay to cry Red, you’ve been through so much. Just let it all out,” She has no idea. Skyler wraps me in her arms and softly strokes my head as I sob in her chest. This wasn’t my idea of a perfect night. I thought I’d have a loving mate at the end of the day instead of getting one that wants nothing to do with me.

Skyler lets me cry for as long as I needed to once I finally calmed down enough she lifts my head from her chest and moves the hair from my face. “Let’s get you in the bath,” She smiles at me and helps me to stand. I don’t know what I would do if she wasn’t here. The girl is absolutely the best friend anyone could ask for. Not only did she let me have my moment without questions but she helped me out of my dress and to the tub and let me soak for what felt like hours then she helped me into bed. I mean what am going to do without her?

“Will you be okay while I go change?” She must be so uncomfortable in that dress hers was tighter than mine and I felt so much relief once it was off. “I’ll be fine,” she gets up off my bed and heads for the door. “I’ll be back as soon as I finish,” I love her so much but she’s sacrificed enough for me for one night she just found her mate and instead of getting to know him she’s been helping me. I shake my head. “No. Go spend time with your new mate I’ll be fine there’s no need for you to watch me sleep,”

“You sure? I don’t mind,” I nod my head pulling the blanket closer to my face “I’m sure. Will you tell my dad to bring some aspirin when he comes back here?” My head is killing me and my chest still hurts with everyone that did chest compressions left bruises all over. “Of course I will,” I close my eyes before saying. “Thanks,” when the door closed and I knew she was out of the room I curled into a ball and held my head to apply pressure. I really hope daddy hurries up with those aspirin.

I must have fallen asleep at some point waiting for daddy to bring me the headache medicine. Now I was just laying in my room. It's pitch black my eyes are closed but my pounding head is making me nauseous. I felt the moment he softly stroked my cheek. I wanted to open my eyes and throw myself in his arms but then I remembered our last conversation and decided against doing that.

“Red, I brought something for your head,” he turns on my lamp by the bed and I groan from how much the light hurts but I sat up and took the pills from him and drank some water. “Where’s daddy?” Whenever I get migraines like this he sits with me until it subsides then he knows that I’m okay. Headaches always worry him. “He’s busy and asked me to bring the medicine,” oh daddy sent him. If it wasn’t for daddy he wouldn’t have come back here. I thought he wanted to apologize and tell me he was okay with us being mates but he’s never going to be okay with it because of my dad.

“You can go now,” I reach for the light and he grabs my wrist. “Watch that tone,” “And if I don’t?” His body stiffened and his jaw set but he released my wrist and stepped back. The moment he let me go the pain came back full force. “Lennox, I know you don’t want me as your mate and you hate the idea of touching me,” I paused waiting to see if he stopped walking and he did. “The answer is no,” “I’ll never ask you for anything else if you just touch my head to ease the pain until I fall asleep then you can go,” “I said no, Red,”

“Please,” I thought he would walk out the door but he didn't. He turned off the light and sat on the edge of my bed and placed his hand on my head. Rolling on my side facing him I looked into his bright blue eyes before closing mine. Lennox doesn’t speak to me nor do I speak to him; he just rubs my head and with every stroke the sparks from the bond eased the pain in my head. I knew it was a long shot and he might pull away but I grabbed his other hand and placed it over my chest that still ached from sucking in water. “Does your chest hurt?” “Yes,” He sighs. “Try to rest “

With Lennox touching me it was hard to rest while my brain played wild and crazy imagines and my heart squeezed at how he was actually staying here making me feel better. Yes I’m aware I begged him to but still it counts it worked he’s here with me when he could have just left and stuck to his guns when he said “no” but he didn’t and that has to mean something right?

“Lennox?” “I thought you were going to sleep?”

“How did you and my dad become friends?” It’s a story I’ve always wondered about but was afraid to ask my dad. When I was thirteen I let it slip to him that I liked Lennox at first he laughed but then when he saw that I was serious his whole body tensed and he told me I was too young to be liking boys and Lennox was way too old for me. I never mentioned Lennox's name again but when I turned sixteen my dad caught me staring at Lennox dancing with Skyler and he said “ You shouldn’t have that look in your eyes,” and when I asked him what look was he talking about he shook his head and said .”Do not play dumb with me Red we’ve talked about this before focus on boys your own age “

Since then I don’t look at Lennox around my dad and now that he’s my mate it’s going to be even harder.

“Hasn’t your dad ever told you?” “No.” Lennox scoots me over and he stretches his body out beside me and I curl up to him, placing my head on his chest and my right leg over his. “What do you think you're doing?” “You’re rejecting me soon enough just let me have this,” He never pushed me off but a low growl rattled his chest. “I met your father in grade school. We were both chasing after the same girl so we made a bet the winner got the girl.” “Who won?” Even though jealousy swirled in the pit of my stomach I asked the question. “You’re father of course. He cheated using dirty tricks but in a way I’m glad he did because when we became of age that girl turned out to be his mate," “You mean you were both fighting over my mom?”

“Yes,”

Okay note to self have dad to tell me the story about him and mama.

“I remember being so angry that everyone found their mates but me. So I took off for years to find her but was left empty handed but I was forced back home,” “By whom?” “Jasper it was your first birthday and he said if I missed it he would cut my balls off so I came back,”. “Is that when you knew I was your mate?”

“Yes. Jasper was holding you but you kept reaching for me so he placed you in my arms the minute I felt the sparks I handed you back to Jasper and left the party walking around town for hours,”

“You were disappointed then but are you now?”

“Get some sleep Red, before your father wonders where I am,”