Deprived

Chapter 41 - Understanding

The heartbeat that thrummed against his ear was strong and steady, if not a bit too fast. Jesse wasn't surprised though, he too could feel his own heart pulse in his temples, could feel it rush in his ears with audible thumps.

After their encounter with the Leshens, after barely getting dressed before the male Leshen breathed down his neck, anyone would be stressed out.

Yet it hadn't been him that was pinned against the wall, awaiting a certain death. Barbed branches poised, waiting for a sign, the judgement that would've pierced Xavier's heart.

Would've destroyed his newfound mate.

The mere idea made his throat swell with barely suppressed emotions. Tears threatening to cloud his vision as his heart galloped away in his chest.

"Shhhh, it's okay sweetheart. I'm okay, you are okay and we're both safe." Xavier murmured soothingly, fingers carding gently through Jesse's hair.

Yes, he was safe. Now at least. But for that one, heartbreaking moment, for a split second, Jesse had stood beside the Leshens, unable to find his voice and tugging at the Leshens to halt their actions.

All the while, his brain had been a continuous plea of "Please no. Not again, please, I can't, no, not again, I can't lose another one. Please. Please. Please."

The relief when the Leshens were gentle and even though they pushed him aside and snarled in Xavier's face, they let him live.

Jesse knew as soon as he had spotted the Leshen in his bathroom, just why the magical beast was there. After all, it had gently tilted his head back, sniffing at his neck and bared throat before proceeding to sniff down to where Xavier had fed from his blood.

By then, he knew what they were looking for and had hurriedly followed the Leshen. But never had he imagined their response, their eagerness to protect what they claimed as their charges.

Without a doubt in his mind, Jesse knew that if anyone, anyone, laid a hand on the Deprived against their will...

There wouldn't even be bones left to identify the remains.

The Leshens had already provided plenty of warnings strewn through the woods of what they would do to anyone who sought out the Deprived.

Now as Jesse was pressed against Xavier, listening to his steady heartbeat to assure himself his Chosen mate was still alive, he was slowly calming down.

To be completely honest with himself, Jesse didn't want anyone to come over like Fabian had previously asked. He just wanted to call it a day and lie down in bed, forget the world even existed.

But he knew he couldn't do that... shouldn't do that. His therapy sessions so far had been...

Brutal. That was the proper way to describe them.

Because to process what has happened to him, it meant Jesse had to open up and reveal what happened. To come to terms with everything from the kidnapping, the murder of his mate, the following abuse, the rape-

Almost every session had started and ended the same; Jesse clamming up, unable to produce any sound as he just listened to Serena speak in her soothing, soft voice.

But with every appointment, Serena had always gently nudged him to stop avoiding social interactions. Slowly, step by step, surround himself with more people.

To accept that he can be loved.

In the back of his mind, deep within his subconsciousness, a part of Jesse blamed himself.