Among The Darkness

Eighteen

*Just because the last chapter was over 3,000 words I made this chapter around 1,500 words. Remember to comment and vote it is much appreciated!*

-LunaMoon

"I am so sorry, Bowyn," Tabari whimpers, hiccuping as he wipes his nose with the sleeve of his shirt. He felt ashamed, showing Bowyn his memory. "I am impure! Dirty! I am a terrible mate!"

"There is nothing to apologize for. You were a child... And you are far from dirty. Far from impure. You are the kindest and sweetest boy that I know. You did not deserve what happened to you. Where are they now? I will kill them-,"

"Dead," Tabari whispers, opening his eyes. "Lord Alaric caught an extremely bad illness in prison and died soon after he was arrested. Miss Agatha escaped before the guards had a chance to arrest her. She was traveling when a group of rogues attacked her. They assaulted and killed her. The patrol guards found her body a little way west of the pack boundaries. They could smell the rotting of her body. It was a particularly hot summer that year."

"A fitting punishment for the wretched lady," Bowyn growls.

"No one deserves to be raped. No matter how cruel they are. I would not ever wish that fate upon anyone. Ever. It is a terrible thing to endure and it makes you feel worthless. I knew how it made me feel. How it still makes me feel. I would never wish for anyone to go through what I had to go through."

Bowyn purses his lips together. Tabari was too kind for this world. Too forgiving. He held so much empathy for others even when they had wronged him. It was a miracle that Tabari had forgiven him because of how cruel he was when they first met.

He reaches up to wipe away Tabari's tears but stops when the boy flinches. Small flashes of Tabari's memories in his mind, make Bowyn drop his hands to his sides.

Lord Alaric and Agatha were so incredibly lucky that they were dead. Bowyn would have found them and made them suffer in the most torturous way. They would have been begging for death after Bowyn got done with them. He would have drawn out their lives for as long as he could while he tortured them.

When Bowyn thought about what could have happened to Tabari, he never once considered that he was raped. It made Bowyn's heart ache with an unfamiliar pain. Oh, how he wished that he could go back in time and kill Lord Alaric and Agatha before they hurt his little mate.

For the next hour, he let Tabari hold onto him, crying into his chest. Tabari had desperately needed to let out his emotions that he had kept bottled up for years. Bowyn did not speak the whole time, rubbing the boy's back as he hiccuped and sobbed.

Once Tabari's tears have calmed significantly, Bowyn speaks to him.

"How many times did he... visit you? Was it only the one time, or... more?"

"Nearly every day. At first, it was once a week. I had protested greatly. I did not want him anywhere near me. But Miss Agatha was making so much money from it that she encouraged him to come daily. Eventually, he began to come more frequently. Sometimes he would visit more than once a day. I learned not to struggle as much after a few months though. It hurt less when I stopped fighting it. The more he visited, the more Miss Agatha fed me. I gave most of the food to Akio though. I did not want him to starve. He was so thin... I would rather die than him. Akio was the only one that made me want to live for a while."

"Tabari... If I knew what happened before, I would have never tried to bed you so soon. I promise that I will not initiate anything, even a kiss, without your permission. I want you to want to be with me completely before we do anything."

"I do want you completely. I am just afraid of being that intimate with you. I know that you would never hurt me like that but the fear is still there. I feel as if whenever I decide to mate with you that even the slightest of pain in my backside will cause me to panic. I think that small bit of fear will always be there until I experience what real lovemaking is. For now, I would like us to hold off on mating for a little while. But you do not need to ask if you want to kiss me. I enjoy your kisses. Despite your cold outward appearance, you are so gentle with me. Please do not stop kissing me."

Bowyn leans close, pressing a tender kiss to the boy's tear-stained cheek. Tabari wraps his arms around Bowyn's neck, turning his face so his lips press against his mate's. Tabari's tears fall faster as Bowyn's lips move against his own.

"We can hold off mating for as long as you need. Besides, we do not have any need to rush for children either. We have Ambrose. The little beast will keep us occupied for the time being."

Tabari giggles, wiping at his tears.

"Thank you."

Tabari leans back in for another kiss, savoring the taste and feel of his mate. Tabari loved Bowyn's kisses. They made him feel calm and happy.

Tabari pulls away, exposing his neck in a submissive pose. His eyes open and he peeks up at Bowyn.

"Mark me, please. I am ready."

Tabari understood Bowyn's need to mark him. He did not know if this war would end with him walking out alive. He wanted to be bonded with Tabari completely. Tabari knew that he could not give Bowyn what he wanted, but the least he could do was allow Bowyn to mark him. For now, Bowyn would have to settle for a half-completed bond. But it would make Bowyn more relaxed, knowing that he could feel where Tabari was at all times.

"Are you positive that you want this?"

"Yes. I may not be able to give my body to you, but I can give you my heart. Please, make me yours."

Bowyn descends on Tabari's neck. Licking tentatively at the area where his mark would be placed. His canines drop as he sucks on Tabari's sensitive skin. Bowyn sheathes his fangs into Tabari's soft flesh, his mate yelping at the feeling.

Tabari's fangs drop as well. He hurries his face into Bowyn's neck, biting down. The feeling of their souls intertwining made Tabari momentarily lose his vision. Tabari holds onto Bowyn tightly, a soft moan slipping from his mouth as he bites down harder.

Eventually, Bowyn releases Tabari's neck. Licking away the blood that bubbled up from the wound. They both seal the puncture wounds, permanently marking the other.

"Thank you," Bowyn murmurs against Tabari's ear. "It means the world to me that you allowed me to mark you. I love you, Tabari."

"You... you said you loved me," Tabari whispers in shock. "You have not said that to me before."

"It is true. I love you. Much more than I ever thought I would. More than what I thought I was capable of. You have me wrapped around your little finger. Even the little beast managed to worm his way into my cold heart."

"I love you, Bowyn," Tabari murmurs. Bowyn gazes into Tabari's eyes. They were glazed over, shimmering with all the love in the world. And it was directed at him!

"I love you, Tabari," Bowyn says again, the three words sounding right on his tongue.

He smiles as Tabari's head rolls back into the spot on his neck. Omegas often became tired and sluggish after the marking process. It was a way to ensure that their mate would hold them and care for them after.

Bowyn tugs Tabari's body along with his own, laying them down under the sheets. With the last of his strength, the little omega curls himself around the larger male. Promptly falling asleep as his head comes to rest on Bowyn's chest.

"I promise that no one will ever touch you again, Tabari. I will protect you. Even if it costs me my life..."