Celestially Bound

Chapter 5

    Gripping my left arm firmly, the man who was growling just seconds ago was storming down the hallway.

     My head was spinning. Did I do something wrong? Who was this guy? 

    As we rounded the corner my breath hitched. Why were we headed towards the room Miriam told me was off limits? 

    Before I could gather my thoughts, the man was pressing some buttons on the keypad next to the door and pulling me inside. He pulled me towards the bathroom. Closing the door, he turned to face me. 

What I saw standing before me caused heat to spread across my cheeks.This man couldn't be put into enough words. 

    Towering above my slender 5'4 frame he stood at about 6'7. His eyes had returned to their rich golden brown color. He had a carved face with a strong jaw and a closely trimmed beard. Dark brown hair hung right above his shoulders framing his beautiful face. Muscles were evident under his clothing making it known that he was in incredible shape.I couldn't tell his age but if I had to guess he was probably around 29 or 30. 

    The man cleared his throat snapping me out of my daze. Kill me! Was I really just openly checking him out?! I had no idea what came over me. Immediately I looked down hiding my embarrassment. Wait...did he just chuckle? I didn't look up to find out. 

    We stood in awkward silence for a few moments before he started talking. 

    "Here, lets take care of your burns" his voice was low and gentle as he turned on the faucet. Opening one of the cabinets he pulled out a washcloth along with a first aid kit. I kept my head down until fingers were softly gripping my chin turning my face to look up at the handsome stranger. 

    Light sparks erupted under his touch. The feeling was incredible. It's like his hand should have always been there touching my skin. 'Lydia get a grip' I inwardly scolded myself. 

    "You don't have to be afraid I won't harm you" he assured me looking into my eyes. It felt like time was at a stand still. We stared into each others eyes for what felt like an eternity before the sound of his bedroom door opening and closing loudly shook us out of our trance. 

    "Daniel!" I heard a woman yell.

    Whoa wait.....Daniel?.... as in Alpha Daniel?! 'Alright he is definitely older than thirty' I confirmed. Daniel's eyes hardened.

     "Wait in here" he warned before swiftly exiting the bathroom. 

    I let out a breath gasping for air. How long was I holding that in? 

    Standing in the bathroom I felt completely out of place. Before I could begin to analyze what was happening I heard the woman yelling outside of the door. 

    "Is that human in there?!"

     "Watch your tone Julia" Daniel warned.     

    "Really Daniel! After THIRTY years you're just going to throw everything we had away just like that?" the woman spat. 

    "You know that's not what is happening" he sighed before continuing "You are acting like I chose for this to happen this way. I didn't know she would be my mate and I can't change the fact that she's here nor would I want to. I have been waiting for years thinking the Goddess would never bless me with her and now here she is." 

    Whoa wait.....WHAT?! Mate? We're mates?! 

    Before Julia could respond he kept going. I listened eagerly. 

    "We agreed before we got together that if either one of us found our mates we would move on. I would never purposefully hurt you Julia, you know this. We had an understanding." 

    "That was thirty years ago Daniel! You really think I'm just going to f*****g walk away?!" she exclaimed. 

    "You are free to do what you wish Julia but remember I am still your Alpha. You would do well to speak to me with respect" he answered slowly his voice getting deeper "If you want to me to transfer you to another pack I can but I will not give up what I have been waiting my whole life for." his response was cold and definite. I heard crying before the door slammed shut. 

    Uncomfortable silence filled the room while I tried to grasp what had just happened. Alpha Daniel and Julia had been together for years until I showed up. Guilt started to fill me. I had dreamt of the day I would finally meet my mate. I never expected this. 

    I didn't want to come in between years of a life they shared together. It's not like I haven't seen a relationship severed from finding one's mate. It just wasn't all that common. Relationships among the 'unmated' have always been discouraged in packs to prevent the problems that would ensue. However, a wolf finding their mate after waiting so many years is highly unlikely. For an Alpha it is unheard of.

     I couldn't help but feel pain for Julia. She was on the receiving end of this s**t show. I didn't want to give up my mate but I also had an advantage. Since I am human I wouldn't feel any pain if the mate bond were broken. Having just met, well sorta, I had no emotional ties other than the sparks I felt from his touch and the ungodly thoughts this man's body was stirring up inside me. This option rubbed me the wrong way but I had to present it to Alpha Daniel. 

    As soon as his name crossed my mind I felt a tinge of anger. How could he just end things with her without any emotion or anything more to say other than it's fate? Every wolf knows what a mate bond is but it doesn't change the fact that they had spent thirty years together. You cannot erase time. 

    Without thinking I opened the bathroom door, my arms still covered in sauce. Crossing the room, Alpha Daniel was standing there staring blankly across the room until his head snapped in my direction. 

    "What are you doing?!" I demanded. He showed no emotion but I saw something flash in his eyes as I continued "How could you do that to her? I'm only a human. You won't hurt me if you break the mate bond." Anger clouded his features as he stiffened. 

    "Do not speak about things you don't know and watch how you speak to me. You might be my mate but I am still your Alpha" his voice was dangerously low. 

    His response only pushed my anger further but seeing his stance told me it'd be best if I held my tongue. I could only stand there quietly and glare at him. 

    Before I could fully lose my temper, I headed to the door. I needed to get out of here. I opened the door only for it to be forced close from behind me. I twisted around to see the Alpha glaring down at me. We both stood there breathing heavily. After a few moments, Alpha Daniel closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh relaxing his muscles.

     "I don't want to argue. Let's go back into the bathroom and clean you up. We can talk about this later" he said opening his eyes. 

    Something in the way he spoke made me decide to let it go for now. Our emotions were too high and I honestly didn't feel like talking anymore. I nodded and followed him towards the bathroom. 

    Opening the door he said "I will have your things brought down while we have dinner." I froze. 

    Is he serious? "I'm not staying in a room you have shared with a woman for thirty years!" I bit out.

     "This is not up for debate. We can change the room later but you are not leaving me. You. Are. Mine." his words were final. 

    That's when it happened. 

    Every emotion and every memory from that last two days surfaced overtaking my body. The thread I was barely hanging onto broke. I dropped to my knees and let out the loudest scream that has ever escaped me. Aggressive sobs ripped through me as I let go. Bending over I held myself as I shook. I couldn't pretend anymore. Screw moving forward and screw being strong. At this moment I was done. The sound of my crying faded as everything slowly turned black.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The smell of fresh grass woke me from my slumber. I sat up to find myself in a meadow that opened up to an ocean shimmering in the moonlight. 

    Where am I? I looked around for a sign of life. Flowers of all different shades and smells circled the meadow. I stood up and walked towards the ocean, the waves calling to me. 

    Oh how I've missed this smell and the sand beneath my feet. I stood there taking in the feeling until I felt a hand on my shoulder making me jerk. Looking to my left I saw my mother smiling at me. 

    "MOM!" I cried jumping into her arms. Tears were rolling down my face as I held onto her not letting go.

     "It's ok baby girl, we're right here" my dad's soothing voice came from behind me as he took us both into his arms.

    "I missed you both so much!" I said through my sobs. 

    We stayed like this for what didn't seem like long enough when someone cleared their throat. The three of us looked up to see a woman standing there smiling. 

    She was breathtaking with long glowing white hair flowing down her back and frosty blue eyes. A long white dress covering her delicate figure. She gave me the sweetest smile and nodded towards us before walking away. I looked back at my parents who were smiling down at me. 

    "We have to go soon my darling" my mother said. 

    "But I just got you back!" I protested "What happened? Why did we have to leave? What's going on?" 

    Instead of answering my questions they embraced me one last time before kissing my forehead. They left walking hand in hand in the direction the woman had went. I

     tried to run after them but I couldn't move. I stood there calling out to them with tears stinging my cheeks as darkness consumed me.

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* The faint sound was growing louder as I struggled to open my eyes. It felt like someone hit me with a truck. I didn't know where I was or what had happened. 

    I remembered fighting with the Alpha, crying and waking up in a meadow........I saw my parents. 

    I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in a hospital room. 

    Looking down I noticed my arms had been wrapped, covering the burns. There was an IV in my arm and a clip on my finger that was connected by a wire to the machine that was beeping. 

    What happened? I glanced around the room my eyes falling on a man sitting in the chair by my bed. His head was leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed. Alpha Daniel appeared to be sleeping. 

    I moved to sit up. A tiny whimper escaped my mouth. The Alpha was by my side before I could blink.

     "Ssshhh it's ok lay back down. How are you feeling? Are you hurt? Do you need anything?" this man was a mess. I held back a smile. 

    I've never seen a big strong man acting like a worried mother hen before. It warmed my heart seeing someone care so much about me besides my family. 

    "What...happened?" my voice was hoarse. 

    He sighed running a hand through his hair before responding "You passed out from crying. I-I shouldn't have been so harsh. All I could think about was keeping you by me at all times. I took no consideration for what you have been through these last few days" he paused, guilt written all over his face "I'm sorry. All I want is for you to be happy. I will provide everything you need. Please forgive me, I need you in my life." 

    His apology was so sincere and his words tugged at my heart. I didn't know he worried so much. It could have been the mate bond but no one has ever looked at me the way he was right now. I didn't even know this man and he was already having an affect on me. The anger I had for him faded as I looked up at him. 

    "I forgive you Alpha-" I was cut off.

     "Daniel, please call me Daniel" he urged. 

    I smiled "I forgive you Daniel. I am sorry as well for telling you what to do when it comes to your personal life. I don't know you and I had no right to do that. I just hated hearing someone in so much pain knowing that I was the cause of it-" 

    He held up his hand stopping me. "First off, don't ever blame yourself for what happened. You had nothing to do with it. You and I were destined for each other long before she and I got together. My lack of judgement is the reason for these problems. I should have had faith in the Moon Goddess and waited for you. I regret entering a relationship knowing that there was still a possibility of finding you no matter how small it seemed to me at the time. I will be spending the rest of my life making it up to you." 

    My heart was fluttering. No one has said anything like that to me before. I could tell he meant every word. I don't know if the mate bond had anything to do with what happened next or if maybe I'm just crazy. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. My lips were met with those same sparks I felt earlier. 

    Daniel's eyes widened and his breath hitched. 'Looks like I'm not the only one affected' I smirked to myself. The biggest smile grew on his face as he stood to his feet. 

    "I'm going to let the pack doctor know you're awake. Once he's checked to make sure you're ok we will go home." he said before walking out of the room. 

    Lifting a finger to my lips, I sat there silently smiling to myself like an i***t. Well that was unexpected. 

    Julia was still in the back of my mind. I wanted her to be ok but I also knew one thing. I was definitely drawn to Daniel in a way I couldn't explain. It was different from the mate bond stories I had heard from my old pack. 

    Lost deep in thought I didn't notice Daniel and the doctor had entered the room until the doctor spoke, grabbing my full attention. He explained to Daniel and I that I was suffering from extreme stress which was to be expected considering the circumstances. Sadness pricked Daniel's eyes as he listened. I knew he felt bad for the situation I was in but what's done is done. 

    "She needs plenty of rest over the next few days and make sure she eats regularly to gain her strength back" the doctor ordered before handing him the discharge papers and exiting the room. 

    A nurse came in soon after and removed my IV while disconnecting me from the monitor. After she left, Daniel reluctantly left the room allowing me to change out of the hospital gown I was put in. I wonder how long I was out? 

    Once I was finished Daniel helped me out of the pack hospital. It shouldn't surprise me that a pack this size had it's own hospital but it did. 

    The hospital was on the opposite side of the village from the pack house. A black Escalade was waiting for us outside. What's with the fancy transportation lately? 

    Helping me into the front passenger seat, I noticed something behind Daniel that I didn't see before. This village was nestled in the woods overlooking a massive lake. I took in the view, a smile growing on my face. I may not live near the ocean anymore but this was a pleasant alternative. 

    Heading back to the pack house I looked at the time displayed on the dashboard. It read 9:00am. "Uhhh how long was I out?" I asked wondering if it had been just hours or days. 

    "About 13 hours but I think you could still use some more rest" he stated frankly.

    I nodded. I was still tired and could use a day to stay in bed. Then a thought occurred to me. 

    "What about Miriam and the girls?"

    "They have already been informed and they agreed that you need to take it easy for now. They can handle everything." he assured.

    "Oh ok....um thank you" was all I could say as the ride continued in silence. 

    I could feel Daniel keeping an eye on me while I chose to focus on the dirt path. It would take some time getting used to him. We got off to a rough start to say the least but things seemed to be better for now.

    When we entered the pack house no one bothered us or asked any questions. He must have given everyone a heads up before we came back. 

    Walking past the kitchen I sent Miriam, and the other girls who were cleaning up after breakfast, a smile which was returned. As we walked down the hallway we stopped at the elevator. I gave Daniel a puzzled look and he chuckled. 

    Upon entering the elevator, he pressed the button for the fifth floor and bent down to whisper in my ear sending shivers down my spine "I have a surprise for you."