The Mate Inside Me

Chapter 18

Unedited.

I wrote this chapter because a reader had asked for a double update plus I see you guys have grown to like this story a bit. I didn't want to keep you all waiting for a week so I worked on my free evening to write this chapter quickly. It'll have mistakes. It's written by a very tired author. I hope you all will like it

And if you guys can, do more in line comments (comments in front of paragraphs). I love seeing your comments and reactions on different paragraphs. I wish to see how you read and perceive different moments throughout the story. Your comments keep me motivated.

Thank you for everything 🌺

"Mm..."

It felt like I was lying on top of a cloud. My body was overcome by a sensation of weightlessness. It was relaxed, something I hadn't experienced in a long time. Bit by bit my senses were returning to me. My mind was still in a haze but I could feel myself trying to untangle my legs from the duvet. My hand was patting the empty space beside my head as if it was trying to look for someone.

'Erebus!'

My cloudy mind finally caught on, making me part my eyelids immediately as I shot up in the bed while frantically looking around the room, stopping only after a familiar voice made its way to me.

"Be careful."

I whipped my head in the voice's direction only to find Erebus' bare back facing me. He was sitting at the edge of the bed.

Even though the drapes were drawn on the windows, little rays of light could be seen escaping out of slits formed at the junction of the curtain and the wall. The sun was out already.

Erebus, on the other hand, was sitting motionlessly on the side, his legs stretched before him on the floor while his hands were placed besides his thighs. Although I had seen him shirtless before, I never had the chance to stare at his unclothed back. The outlines on his back were so defined I could trace them with my finger.

"You didn't leave."

I could see the muscles of his back getting tensed on hearing my question.

"I... didn't want you to be lonely."

The reply had come after a few seconds of contemplation.

He was trying, just as he had said last night. He didn't love me yet he was trying to provide me with the respect and care that an Alpha's Luna deserved.

"Thank you."

Hearing my reply, he turned his head to the side with his back still facing me. He wasn't looking at me directly as he asked,

"Is the pain alright now?"

"It is."

"I'm glad. I've never had to relieve this pain for anyone before. I was afraid of doing a bad job at it."

This reminded me of what he had said last night when he thought I was sleeping.

"I'm afraid that I may never be able to return this affection. I wasn't raised with love. I may never be able to give you that. Will that be alright? Will you still stay with me despite this?"

I didn't know the answer to that either. I didn't know whether it was possible for me to live a loveless life or not. I only knew that he had come to accept me before he lost his memories and I was counting on that. I was hoping for him to regain his memories and in case that never happened, I was thinking of giving him some time.

He was continuously opposing the idea of us being together throughout the time his soul resided inside me, it took him months and a steamy night to accept this idea. Maybe repeating those events could lead to a similar outcome again.