WINTER'S BROKEN MATE

EPISODE 12

Daryl couldn’t let Damien anywhere near their mate, he could feel how broken she was. He had since they shoved their emotions down the mate bond, he had heard their vow! He gently unshackled Casey from the chains and carefully carried her to his room, not the room where Damien had assaulted her, his room. He laid her gently on the bed and watched as she breathed deeply. He went, picked up a first aid kit from his bathroom, and started tending to her wounds. He could see her wounds starting to heal. Cara was helping, but she was still weak. He sent energy down the mating bond and hoped it would be enough to help his mate. He took one of his t-shirts and put it on her, he could see her snuggle closer. He smiled at his young mate, covered her with the duvet, and slept on top of the bed. He didn’t want to alarm her when she woke up.

Daryl cursed himself, he had waited too long to help his mate. Over the past few months, he had tried to talk Damien into caring for their mate as much as he did, but it only angered him and drove him into the arms of other women. He’d sighed defeated. He had thought that as long as Damien didn’t hurt Casey, she would be okay, but her wounds went far deeper than he had realized. He should have helped her sooner. He’d do everything to help her now. He promised himself.

****

Casey felt so weak, she reached out to Cara,

“Cara, are you okay?” she asked. Casey could see a large red wolf with her mind’s eye trying to catch some sleep. She looked exhausted.

“I’ve healed most of the wounds, but I can’t get read of the silver poisoning in our blood. You’ll have to go to the pack healer.” Casey understood her completely.

“Rest Cara, thank you for healing us and protecting us.” Casey could feel her soft smile before she went to sleep. It seemed like she was coming out of a coma, but as her conscious mind woke, she felt the soft bed beneath her and the sweet scent of rain and pine woods. She woke up quickly. Casey immediately regretted her decision, as she felt her whole-body revolt against her, everything hurt. She also woke Damien up, and Casey wasn’t ready for another encounter with him. Cara wasn’t strong enough yet. Then she saw his eyes, dark eyes that told her Daryl was in charge. She wanted to take a breath of relief, but she couldn’t, just because he had never mistreated her didn’t mean he wasn’t just as bad as Damien.

“Come down, Red. I won’t hurt you. I promise.” Casey looked at him still vigilant, she didn’t have the luxury of being wrong again, she trusted Damien once and look what happened.

He went round the bed and picked up a first aid kit, then he walked towards Casey, and she instinctively moved away. She could see the pain in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as it came.

“Hey Red, come down. I just want to check your wounds.” He said with a dazzling smile.

“Daryl,” Casey whispered, as he looked at her with such love in his eyes. She couldn’t help but slide into his arms.

“Calm down Red, calm down. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner. I should have protected you, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Casey could feel herself crying in his arms. He kept whispering sweet nothings in her ear as he ran his hand through her hair soothingly, and for the first time in a long time, she felt safe.

“You didn’t hurt me, thank you for not hurting me.” Casey looked at him, she could tell that was not what he wanted to hear, but he smiled anyway.

“Cara says I need to see the pack doctor, I have silver poisoning.” He cursed lowly,

“I was afraid of that. I’ll get the pack doctor right away.”

Casey watched as his eyes glazed over and his mind was linked to someone, the pack doctor, she assumed. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and an old man with smiling eyes walked in. He looked like he had lived a happy life. The man smiled softly at Casey as he examined her bruises.

“Well, your bruises are already healing, but the silver poisoning is weakening your wolf. A few more days in contact with that silver and you wouldn’t be here, sweet child.” He spoke.

“No worries, this machine will clean your blood and get rid of all the silver in it, but I suggest you steer clear of silver for the next life time. This method of treatment is very aggressive, the body can’t withstand the process twice in one era, okay?”

“Yes doctor,” I said.

“Oh, sweet child, call me Charlie,”

“Thank you, Charlie, I’m Casey,” she offered.

The machine ran for a good thirty minutes before Charlie said she was good to go. He gave her a list of foods high in vitamin C that she should take to help her. Casey still felt weak, even though all the silver was out of her blood.

“I suggest you get some food into your system; you have no energy sweet child. Some orange juice will do your body some good, okay.”

“Yes Charlie.” Casey replied as Charlie packed his equipment.

“Call me if you need anything sweet child…., Alpha.” He said before he left.

“Thank you, Charlie,” Daryl told Charlie before he closed the door to the room.

“Hey Red, should I be jealous?”

“Of what?”

“Of Charlie?”

“Maybe,” Casey said, teasing him.

“Now, now. Don’t be a tease Red.” He said in an oh so wonderful tone Casey could swear she shivered.

“Maia is bringing you some food and orange juice, she’ll be here in a minute.” Right on cue, there was a knock on the door.

“Well, she’s timely.” He said and went to open the door.

Maia handed him a tray of food and left after he thanked her. He placed the food in front of Casey and her tummy rumbled. The food looked delicious, she hadn’t eaten anything for three days, anything would look delicious.

“We have chicken Alfredo and some pasta with some orange juice. Do you think this will be enough?”

“Is it for both of us?” Casey asked

“Well yes, I thought we’d have some dinner together.”

“Then you better call Maia back and tell her to bring more food. This is all mine.”

He chucked, “I hear you, Red. You haven’t eaten for three days, it’s understandable.” Casey could see the sadness in his eyes when he said that.

It baffled her how he understood her inexplicably, just like she understood him. He couldn’t forgive himself for not saving Casey. He felt like he failed to protect his mate and was beating himself up. She understood, because that’s how she’d feel if she failed to protect him.

“I forgive you.” Casey said.

His eyes met hers, Casey could see the vulnerability in them, his relief at her words. She smiled at him and took a bite out of her food, it was delicious. Casey later made a mental note to thank Maia, who she knew had cooked the food herself.

“Thank you Red, you don’t know how much that means to me,” Casey smiled at him softly and went on eating my dinner.

Casey ate in silence as he watched her. She thought it would be weird, but it was a comfortable silence, with only warmth. After she was done eating, he put me to bed and told me to go to sleep, and she did.

****

It had been three days of bliss, and for the first time since Casey met her mate, she was happy and safe. It baffled Casey how quick she came to think of Daryl and Damien as two different people. Her mind had separated them completely and refused to think of them as one and the same person, one was her mate, the other a monster.

Casey had been thinking a lot about Amy, she knew it was time to try and reach her family. She can ask Daryl if she can get in touch with them. It was against the rules, but those were Damien’s rules, Daryl would understand. Casey tried to reason.

She walked out of her room and towards his office. She breathed deeply, knocked and stepped into the office. He had his back to her, and for some reason she was thankful. Casey didn’t think she would be able to take it if he denied her request.

“Hey.” Casey said softly, but he didn’t respond.

She tensed for a second, but knew she had to ask. Casey gathered all the courage in her and spoke up.

“I wanted to ask if you could let me talk to my family. I’m sure they are worried about me, I would like them to know that I’m okay. Please, my sister must be worried. Let me talk to them.”

There was a long silence before he slowly turned and looked at her. Casey’s blood chilled in her veins. Stormy gray eyes screaming bloody murder met hers. Damien is back and he is pissed. Casey took a step back without realizing, and just as he was about to speak, she felt Cara take control of her body and shut her out.