Lucien

•5•

Bambi knew. Her wolf wouldn't allow her not to know.
Yet how... did her mate find her all the way out here...?
So far from the ball.
From the place she so desperately begged to stay away from.
Terrified of the day her mate might find her, and see her, and reject her.

Who would want someone so small and fragile?

Worst of all.

Who would want a mute?

Maia was full of life. Like a small ball of sunshine and love overflowing from every pore of her body.

Bambi wasn't like that. A shadow, a small moon who preferred the company of stars at night and the silence of nature around her. The comfort of the dark always seemed to be there when no one else was.

Yet now she wasn't alone at night.

Someone was right behind her, and she felt her tears falling before she could stop them.

"Crybaby! So fucking annoying!" Her older brother was ruthless in his scolding. Disgusted with such a child from a warrior family.

"Weak" was the only affirmation from her father that he even acknowledged her existence anymore.

"Speak! Why won't you just do it!" The pack hated her. She couldn't speak. Couldn't allow that. Couldn't force the sounds of words past her lips in fear that it would all occur again.

Would she lose again tonight? She always lost.
She couldn't pull herself out of the void which sucked her in like Maia. Distract herself, close herself in a gilded cage of her own creation like she so desperately begged for. Craved.
She would die from the rejection. Too frail.

Too weak.

Like her father always said. Blamed her for.
For being weak.

"Turn around baby" she jumped.
Not prepared for the baritone voice that seemed to be laced in velvet and honey. So smooth and gentle, like he was trying not to frighten a small animal-

Her.

Bambi swallowed thickly, and while she begged her feet to turn her, to at least let her see heaven before hell, she couldn't do it. She couldn't move.

Hot tears trickled down her face, and a small sob broke the silence which followed his voice, because she was too scared to even take a breath.

Then sparks erupted, like she was being brought to life on an operating table.
Being brought to life.
Warmth spread throughout her achingly cold body, and for once, she felt endlessly safe. Her wolf content in her mind, purring at the contact of her mate.
She twisted the pad in her hands tighter. Willing it to swallow her alive.

"Look at me baby" the pet name had her swooning already, and she hadn't even looked at him.
Her heart pounded painfully.

A whimper escaped her lips, as his hands forcefully began to turn her.
Then she was crushed into a hard chest, and arms encircled her.
She felt like a child, being held by her father again.
She didn't struggle like she imagined she would. She thought she would've fought to escape this cruel fate. Escaped the rejection before it could even happen.

He didn't know her name yet. She was safe for now, but for how long after?
Her senses were on overdrive, and the smell of him had her loosing her sanity. Wanting to just melt in his arms as the Goddess made her to do. Snuggle close and take comfort in her mate holding her.

So for just a moment, she did. She dropped the note pad, and allowed the giant holding her, her mate, to pull her off her feet in the arm, crushed against him. His head buried itself in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent. Calming his wolf until he could handle stepping back for a moment.