His Slave Luna

Slave 9: Fragile Bond

Slave 9: Fragile Bond

Alpha Malachi Earl Vandenberg

When we reached her room, I gently placed her on the bed, handling her fragile body with the utmost care. Her frail body, light as a feather, was barely discernible beneath the blanket Mariam draped over her.

As I settled her, my gaze fell upon a vibrant blue rose clutched tightly in her freezing hand. A realization dawned on me: she had likely been drawn to the sight of my mother’s garden and had ventured outside, despite her weakened state.

“She must have seen Mom’s garden through the window and got curious,” Mariam murmured, her gaze drawn to the window overlooking the garden. “I should have taken her outside tomorrow, let her bask in the warmth of the sun and the beauty of nature.”

Mariam’s words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the depth of her affection for my mate. As I gazed upon her peaceful slumber, her small form curled up beneath the blanket, I couldn’t help but smile. She looked so innocent, so vulnerable, a far cry from the chaos she had inadvertently unleashed upon the pack, and particularly, upon my system.

Indeed, she is an innocent troublemaker, a tiny tempest in a delicate form.

A soft whistle pierced the silence, coming from my beta. “Someone’s falling…” he whispered, his voice barely a murmur. Werewolves have high senses and what he said reached my ear.

Mariam, ever vigilant, hushed us, “Shhh! Keep quiet! The baby’s sleeping!” With a gentle nudge, she ushered us out of the room, leaving my mate to her peaceful slumber.

Indeed, she was a baby, a tiny bundle of chaos and innocence.

Outside my mate’s room, Mariam’s stern gaze met mine, her voice laced with a serious undertone. “Brother, I know you’ve never wanted a mate, but I won’t forgive you if you reject her,” she warned, her voice laced with a quiet threat. “She didn’t choose this. She didn’t choose you to be her mate, and she doesn’t deserve to be punished for it. She’s too innocent, too adorable, too precious and fragile. Don’t you dare hurt her! She’s been through enough.” Her voice, a hushed shout, carried a raw intensity.

I couldn’t suppress a raised eyebrow at her unexpected intensity. “Seems like she’s quite important to you, enough to threaten the Alpha,” I teased, a hint of amusement in my voice.

She met my gaze, her expression unyielding. “Whoever you are, I’d go to any lengths to protect her. I won’t allow anyone, especially someone like you, to hurt her. She’s too innocent and precious to endure more pain. She’s already endured too much.” Her voice was a low growl, a warning that carried a serious undertone.

Raising my hand in surrender, I acknowledged my sister’s fierce protectiveness. It was clear that she had formed a deep bond with my mate, a bond that I couldn’t quite fathom. I wondered if this was a good sign or a harbinger of future complications.

“Alright. I understand. Now go to your room and rest,” I said to my sister, dismissing her. Mariam hesitated, her gaze lingering on my mate’s room first before finally turning away. Once she was gone, my expression turned serious. I turned to my beta, “Any progress on the investigation?” I asked, my voice carrying the weight of my authority.

He shook his head, a sign of frustration. “Still nothing. Our scouts are still searching for answers, Alpha. As of now, your mate remains shrouded in mystery.”

Frustration gnawed at me as I struggled to maintain my composure. I sighed, the urge to lash out at someone growing stronger. “Alright. Leave and continue your investigation,” I ordered, turning to enter my mate’s room.

“Are you going to accept her? You won’t avoid her after this, are you, Malachi?” Blake’s voice halted me. His question, though simple, carried a weight of expectation.

I had spent days avoiding her, wrestling with the implications of our bond. But now, as I stood on the precipice of a new reality, I felt a shift within me. A sense of responsibility, a flicker of protectiveness, and perhaps even something more complex, was beginning to emerge.

“I will, and I won’t,” I replied, my voice barely a whisper.

I entered the room and approached her, my gaze drawn to the peaceful figure on the bed. Her delicate features were softened by sleep, and her face had a serene expression. A blue rose, its thorns still clinging to her hand, caught my attention.

Carefully, I removed the flower, my fingers brushing against her skin. Small cuts badly marred her palm, a reminder of her reckless exploration, and it looked swollen. An impulse surged through me, a primal urge to soothe her every wound.

With a gentle touch, I brought her hand to my lips, kissing the wound. As I did, a surge of energy flowed from me, healing the cuts. Malik, ever the romantic, purred in satisfaction. “We should heal all her wounds, Malachi,” he suggested, his voice filled with a possessive undertone.

I shook my head, suppressing the instinctive desire. “We shouldn’t, Malik. Even though she’s our mate, we must respect her boundaries. Her body is sacred, and we can’t just heal her or touch her without her consent. We can’t go beyond touching her hands. Besides, we’re still strangers to her and must earn her trust first.”

Malik huffed in disappointment, but he understood. He knew that rushing things would only scare her away. Patience, he realized, was key. I knew that while our bond was undeniable, it was also fragile. Rushing into things, no matter how well-intentioned, could damage the bond we were yet to build.

“Fine. Then we must work hard to make her feel safe and protected towards us, especially to make her trust us,” Malik conceded, his voice filled with understanding. I nodded in agreement, my gaze fixed on our mate’s innocent sleeping face.

A long road lay ahead, but I was ready to embark on it.

***