The Rogue Lycan's Mate

Chapter 18

Raz sat back in his chair watching Delilah sleep on the couch, and couldn't help but smile. She had told him everything that had happened to her, and it seemed like she really wanted to get it off her chest.

It felt amazing to him that she could trust him even a little bit, after everything that had happened. He was amazed she was still alive, and he wanted to be angry that Alpha had marked her, but it saved her life. If it wasn't for that mark she wouldn't be here now, and she wouldn't have survived the months of torture.

She had been whipped, beaten, abused, and sexually abused. She didn't want to tell many people what happened to her, because she felt it was her own fault for falling asleep in a strange place.

He guessed that had never happened in the Faerie Realm, but it often happens here. She wasn't the only one taken, and she told him about the few faeries she had met when they were dragged to the pack.

Delilah had told him a name, and he knew it already. Lock when he came here, his sister had gone missing in this realm, and he offered when he went to packs to ask around, and even took Lock with him.

They still hadn't found his sister, and now he knew Faye was dead. He wasn't sure how he was going to break that news to poor Lock.

Raz got up from his chair, and walked over to the kitchen. He was trying to be mindful of Delilah sleeping on the couch as he opened one of the cabinets in the kitchen, fishing out a bottle of wolven alcohol. He poured himself a tall glass, before going back to his chair.

He sat down, taking a sip from his glass as he stared at her. He couldn't help but stare at her, and admire how beautiful she was. He was so angry they had abused her so much, and he couldn't do anything about it right now. He needed a name, or something to go on, but that pack covered their tracks well.

He inhaled her scent deeply, and closed his eyes, calming himself down. He loved that she smelled like hickory, one of his favorite woods to burn.

Raz wondered if she was his mate, but he couldn't scent her out. She didn't know how long she had been gone for, or when things had happened to her.

She mentioned almost dying, but wouldn't tell him how it happened. All she would say was she was afraid of wolves. He set his glass down, and stood up, walking over to her, as he rubbed the arm that hurt him so many years ago.

He gently took her arm, looking at it, but didn't see any scars or marks putting her arm back. He grabbed the throw from the top of the couch, and draped it over her.

He walked over to the fire, put another log in to make sure it stayed warm in the room, and walked back over to his chair, grabbing his glass. He looked over at her, watching her sleep, taking a sip from his glass before walking to his room.

Raz walked over to his side of the bed, setting his glass down on the end table as he undressed, grabbing a pair of black silk pajama pants and throwing them on, along with a tank top. He sat down on the edge of his bed drinking the rest of his alcohol before lying down.

He looked toward his bedroom door, and debated shutting the door, but he wanted to hear Delilah in case she needed him. He normally would be drunk right now, but he wanted to be able to wake up if she needed him.

He lay staring at his ceiling until he fell into hopefully a dreamless sleep. He heard his name being called in panic, and his eyes snapped open to see Delilah standing over him. She looked so pale and scared as she looked toward his bedroom doorway.

He sat up, placing his hand on her arm. "Delilah? What is wrong?" She pointed to the door. "Someone is at the door." He slipped out of bed. "Stay here." He stepped around her, walking out of his room, and across to the apartment door. He opened the door, stepping out into the hall, looking around.

Raz tilted his head listening when the door down the hall opened, and he turned toward it, seeing Psych step out of it, and he shook his head with a raised eyebrow. He stopped when he saw him staring at him, and he had a pair of sweats in his hand. "Forgot training clothes."

He chuckled gently, running a hand down his face. "Mindlink me before you come next time you scared Delilah walking past the door." He shook his head, turning around. "Is she staying there with you?"

He looked back at Psych with a slight nod. "Too scared to stay by herself." He saw Psych leaning against the wall. "Can I have my room back then?" He shrugged. "At least until the packhouse is finished, hopefully, sometime this week."

Psych bit his lip, and he looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow, waving a hand at him. "What if she doesn't want me?" He chuckled softly. "Why don't you try getting to know her? Visit her pack, and get her used to you. I don't think Kai will be letting her hang out with Jj."

He watched Psych's face brunch up. "What kind of name is Jj?" He shook his head. "Short for Jayce Junior, and you should join me next time I head to the Red River pack. Maybe you could ask Kai to help with your training."

He watched his brother's face widen with excitement. "You're a genius." He chuckled again, walking back into his apartment, shutting the door. He made his way back to his room to see Delilah curled up in his spot on the bed asleep hugging his pillow.

He wondered if she had some sort of nightmare, and walked over to the bed, pulling the covers over her. If it made her more comfortable, he wasn't going to move her as he climbed onto the other side of the bed, staying on top of the covers.

Raz got himself comfortable looking at the ceiling as he inhaled deeply, loving Delilah's hickory scent, feeling himself relax almost instantly. He couldn't help but turn his head to look at her, and wondered if she could be his mate. Could he make her fall for him without the bond?

He didn't think she would because she wanted to wait for her mate, but he could at least try to make her like him. He thought about all the things he could show her, and his mind began to wander from his room to the packhouse. He would have to put a fireplace in the bedroom so she could sleep beside the fire every night.

He would have to text the architect in the morning. He had already had one placed in the living room, but he thought of one in the bedroom. They could curl up in bed together watching the fireplace as they fell asleep, and it could be romantic.