My Long Lost Mate

She lowered her gaze, the melancholy palpable. Silence followed both of us as she reminisced about the memories of her past, though they were not entirely worth remembering. I could feel my blood boil every time she told me about the horrible things she had to go through in that house. 

If the devil were a person, her father would be one—so as her stepmother. Hell would be a far more fitting place for them to live in than that manor of theirs. 

I'd offered to teach them a lesson for hurting her, but she rejected the offer saying that she'd rather stay as far away as possible from them. She didn't want to meet them, nor did she want them to know about her whereabouts. She said it'd be better if they thought of her as dead. 

"It wasn't the case back then," she forced a smile, and I resented the fact that she had to do that for me. "I didn't own my life. My life was nothing more than a toy for them to play with, and I had to suffer each day only to suffer again the next." 

I hid my curled fist behind her back, enraged by what she had to go through. If only I'd met her sooner, she wouldn't have had to go through so much pain. I knew there was nothing that I could do to help her forget the pain she'd endured her entire life, but I couldn't stop wishing as such.

I wished I could take all of her pain and make it mine, just so that she wouldn't have to carry it with her for the rest of her life. She deserved so much better. 

The day I met her surely was the best day of my life, but when I looked back at that day—at the state she was in—my heart ached. The ragged and bloody dress, the wounds, the scars, the bȧrė feet, the tear-stained cheeks, the fear. It was something I hoped I wouldn't have to see again in her for the rest of her life. 

If I could have two wishes granted, the first would be for me to turn back time. I'd turn back the time just so that I could get her out of that house as soon as possible or save her mother from being killed by those rogues, should that be the major turning point in her life. Perhaps that way, her father wouldn't go berserk, and they would live as a normal, happy family.

And then, my second wish would be for her to be happy for the rest of her life. There was nothing else that I could ever wish for if not for her happiness. No matter where she is, I'll always, forever, wish for her happiness. That's for sure. 

"But that's all in the past," I said, cupping her cheeks and meeting her eyes, "I know I can't do anything to change your past, but I can surely do everything in my power to make your future much, much better than your past."

Her tears welled up in her purple eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Her tears were far too precious to be wasted on those people. The only tears that should fall from her eyes were tears of joy, not sadness. 

"That's why, Violet," I leaned my forehead against hers, smiling as I said, "You can do whatever you want and say whatever you want to say because now, your life is yours. You can leave all of your burdens with me and live your life the way you see fit. Live your life so when you reach the end of your time, you can look back on it with a smile on your face and say, 'That was a good life.' I want you to do that, not for me—but for yourself."

A chuckle soon came from her, and the sound of it instantly relieved the pain in my heart after seeing the sadness in her eyes a moment ago. 

"I'll do that," she said softly, her voice no longer tinged with melancholy. "I'll certainly do that by the end of my life that I'll spend with you. So Luke, can you please promise me one thing?" 

"And what could that be?"

"Promise me that you'll stay with me until the end of my time." 

I opened my eyes, immediately meeting her purple eyes that were staring at me. People say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and they are right. In those eyes, I saw so many emotions, one of which was love. I could see her affection for me, her trust in me, her hope for me. I could see them so clearly and deeply, as if her eyes could speak more truth than her mouth could ever do. 

In those eyes, I found my forever home. 

When I said that her eyes were beautiful, they were never a lie. For it was never about the color but more about the emotions, the gentleness, and the loveliness that are so clearly there. I could drown in those eyes and not even complain. My wolf can't swim, but I sure can. 

"Isn't that a given?" I chuckled, then nodded my head. "I promise to stay with you until the end of your time. I promise you a hundred—no, a thousand times." 

The smile on our faces complemented each other's, our feelings and hearts in sync. I took her hand in mine, kissing the back of her hand with my lips. "Promise sealed." 

...

"So... is there anything that you want to say to me?" I asked, smiling as I tilted my head. "Something that you've kept in your heart and didn't have the courage to say it until now?" 

She narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her ċhėst as she ponders my question. Her mouth pursed, her finger tapping rhythmically on her hand. 

"I can really tell you anything?" She frowned, seemingly to be unsure about what she had in mind. "Anything?" She confirmed once more. 

"Anything," I nodded. "I can take anything that you want to say to me." 

She fiddled with her fingers, still unsure despite my ȧssurance that I could take anything she had to say to me. She hesitated for a few good minutes, then looked up at me, her eyes going back and forth between me and her fingers. 

"Well, it's not something that I've kept in my heart for a long time, but it's something that I've kept since before," she bit her lower lip, lowering her gaze. She opened her mouth a few times, still hesitating before telling me what was bothering her. 

"It's fine. Tell me what's bothering you," I patted her shoulders, nodding and smiling at her. 

After my continuous ȧssurance, she set her heart and decided to tell me what she had in mind. Needless to say, I didn't expect her to say something like this. 

"You smell awful," she admitted. "I've been meaning to tell you this since you keep on hugging me, but the timing doesn't seem to be right. I can't even push you away in case you think I'm avoiding your hugs, but it's getting increasingly difficult for me to keep a straight face when you smell like... like this."

Immediately after saying it, she pinched her nose, waving the air in front of her. The smile on her face had vanished into a grimace, and I must say that she looked utterly disgusted. I never expected to receive such a disgusted look from someone else, much more my mate.

"I... I see," I got off the bed, walking a few steps away from her. I was aware of my smell, but I must have forgotten about it while talking with her earlier. I expected her to confess her hidden feelings for me—which was why I encouraged her to say anything on her mind—but to think that I'd receive such an attack instead... "I suppose my bath is long overdue. I'm sorry for being so close to you while I smell this terrible. You must have had a hard time."

She smiled wryly, as if she felt a little guilty for attacking me like that, but at the same time, very relieved. She didn't even try to hide her relief when I stepped away from her. 

"Well then, your smelly mate will go ahead and take his bath now," I bid my farewell but decided to tease her again by going back to her. She backed away as soon as she noticed me stepping closer, but unfortunately for her, she was a step too slow as I'd first caught her back and planted a little kiss on her forehead. "Good night, my little rabbit." 

She faked a gag and shooed me away, not wanting her to reek as well. In this case, however, another bath would be inevitable for her after the amount of time I spent hugging her. I must say that she did quite a great job taking in the smell. 

I turned around, laughing, but not after three steps away did she stopped me by pulling my hand, jerking me down towards her—towards her lips, which then landed on my cheek. 

"Good night, my wolf."