My Bully My Mate!!

Chapter 20

The bright light is what wakes me up from my sleep. My mind is foggy for a moment, and then I remember the trip to the snow, skiing, us getting lost, and...nothing. I look around the room and recognize it as Ethan's room back home. We're home.

I stretch and roll over to face the center of the bed and my mate's peaceful expression. A smile unconsciously tugs at my lips when I realize Ethan's arm is around me.

"Don't go." He mumbles. "Please..."

The conflicted expression that now stresses his features worry me. When Ethan's hold on me tightens and the mumbling doesn't stop, I attempt to wake him.

"Ethan?" I whisper gently and try to shake him. "Ethan wake up."

"No, please, I'm sorry." He mumbles urgently and pulls me closer. He continue to mumble that last two words over and over.

My heart races in a slight panic when I can't shake him awake. So, I try to kiss him awake.

I don't think it works after a few seconds so I begin to pull away. Just as I do, a strong hand holds the back of my head gently to kiss me back.

My eyes are still closed when I pull back. "Leya? Please promise me something." Ethan requests.

I open my eyes in response.

"Promise you'll never leave me." He asks with a very calculating expression.

I don't know where that came from, but my heart rate picks up in suspicion.

"Ethan..." I test.

"Leya..." My mate says pleadingly, making my throat close up in shock.

"I promise." I whisper. Just as I do that, I sit up in bed and head for the bathroom, but I pause when I look down.

As if reading my mind, Ethan immediately answers my thoughts, "I didn't change you."

I nod my head and continue my previous task. My hygienic supplies are all in the bathroom, surprisingly, but my mind could care less to question him about this too at this moment.

I quickly finish up my routine and go back into the bed. I'm immediately pulled onto his chest. "Ethan?"

"Yes, Leya." He mumbles half awake.

"Why don't you ever talk to me about your family." I ask. Honestly I don't know if I should expect a response.

"Because, in all honesty, I don't really have one." He says now sounding completely awake.

I don't really know what to say to that. I'm curious and want to ask more, but should I?

Thankfully I don't need to and my mate continues. He sighs, "Leya, what a lot of people don't know, is that my mother was human." He begins to hold me tighter and rub up and down my arms.

Human? His father was paired with a human?

"I never really got to know her, but older pack members say she was the feistiest woman they'd ever met. They'd say when it came down to it though, in her own way, she was also the sweetest." He smiles. "I don't have much traits or characteristics from her unfortunately, but I do have her eyes and determination. At least that's what I'm told." His previous small smile turns into a thin line. "She, uh, she died during child birth."

I can't help the breath that gets caught in my throat.

"In some incidents you'd expect the child to be blamed but, umm-" his voice gets thick and he cuts himself off. "My dad said it was because she wasn't strong enough. That it was because she was so weak. That... if she was strong enough, that she wouldn't have left us." He clears his throat and leans his head back a bit. "I didn't know her, so I can't say I miss her, but, I really do wish I did. Maybe that would make me feel a little less of a monster. I know that in some way that's selfish, but I can't help it."