Tug-of-war

5- I swear I'm not an evil kidnapper!

I looked at my mate, fast asleep in my arms, feeling a whole array of conflicting emotions. A part of me felt deeply satisfied, like a void in my heart had finally been filled. There was also a touch of excitement. This was the beginning of a relationship I had been waiting for my whole life. I had so much to learn about her... Actually, I had everything to learn about her. She wouldn't even tell me her name... but who could blame her, in those circumstances. That brings us to the part of me that also felt sad and guilty. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen at all.

See, I don't normally go around kidnapping pretty girls. I was looking for my mate. Now that I was in my early twenties, I was gaining more and more power and responsibilities as the Alpha of my clan, and I needed someone to share them with. My clan believed a team of two leaders is always more balanced and level-headed. Besides, Alpha or not, finding their mates was always an exciting event in a werewolf's life. We all grew up wondering who the universe would pair up with - what they would look like, be like, sound like... I had fantasized about the moment I would finally meet my other half for years. Picking up on a scent unlike anything I've smelled before. Feeling my heart suddenly beat faster, looking all around until our eyes locked and I would think "There you are!"

Well, that part went pretty much as expected. Then when I finally found her, all my senses were on alert, and my whole body ached to have her close to me. I almost ran to her, overcome with joy.

What I didn't expect was the confused look on her face. Then, when she ripped her hand away from mine, I knew something was wrong. She acted like she didn't recognize me as my mate, like she didn't even know what a mate was. Was she... human? Regardless, I knew we were soulmates. The feeling of finding her was so strong, that I knew I couldn't be mistaken. As she walked away, I felt a painful tug at my heart that intensified with every step she took. I couldn't let her get away.

See, when they find each other, mates are usually glued to one another's side. That's because the feeling of finally being together is addictive, and being separated is painful. Literally. Even being a few feet apart can hurt in the beginning. I've heard horrifying stories of newly mated pairs who were forcibly separated for a prolonged period of time. It usually left psychological scars that lasted a lifetime. I wouldn't let that happen to us.

Unfortunately, I couldn't really begin to explain all of that while chasing her to her class. So, I did the first thing that went through my impulsive Alpha brain. I picked her up and ran away with her.

Looking back, there were probably better ways this situation could have been handled.

I sighed, trying to think about how I would explain all of that to her tomorrow. I hated having to let her test the limit of our bond a few hours ago. I could still remember the violent stabbing feeling in my heart as she ran far away from me, and knowing she felt it too made it even worse. At least I hoped this would help her believe in the unbreakable bond that now united us, and that I wasn't some evil creep keeping her hostage for fun. I hoped we would never have to feel that kind of pain again.

I had held her close to soothe the pain of our separation as quickly as possible, but now that we had recovered and she was asleep, I figured I should probably put her down on the bed and step away. I laid her down reluctantly. I wished I could have held her all night long, but I didn't want her to be unnecessarily frightened when she would wake up tomorrow. She had already gone through enough.

I grabbed a comforter off the foot of the bed, laid it down on the floor, and settled down for the night.