Chapter 4: “You cannot mate with her!”

*Asa Trine*

“Asa. Wake up, please.”

A voice as soothing as I had remembered called out to me as the familiar feeling of a hand raking through my hair pleasantly tickled my otherwise numb body. I don’t know for how long I had been unconscious but listening to her voice and feeling her near me made me feel safe enough to try and open my eyes.

“Leia, I think she might need a little more time, her body had gone through two big shocking revelations one after the other,” another familiar and comforting voice despaired making me want to open my eyes and stop the sadness from reflecting in his voice.

“What should I do Michael? Did I fail as an elder sister? You remember what happened to her when Mom and Dad passed away, right? I can’t go through the pain of seeing her lifeless like that again.” This time her soft voice had hints of panic visible in it and I could picture her holding onto her mate’s hand tightly to find strength.

Mate…

I wonder where my mate was? Shouldn’t he have been here with me.

These feelings of longing and abandonment toggled a memory that I had deeply buried in as I remembered secretly watching my parents steal kisses in the kitchen while cooking for my sister and me. They had caught me soon enough peeking through the hallway of our small house and calling me to them, my mom had gently picked me up and sat me on the counter.

“What happened my sweet Asa?” she had asked and my curious five-year-old mind had seen no shame in demanding, as it said, “Mommy I want my mate too.”

“So soon?” Dad immediately responded, a hint of humor in his voice as he came up behind my mother and hugging her waist he frowned down at me, “I am not ready to give away my daughter just yet. Why do you want to meet your mate? Daddy is here for you, no?”

His fake sadness that was hard for my innocent brain to register, had taken it as a horrendous thing to have caused her father to be sad because of her words, and immediately shaking my head I had stretched my hand out for him to carry me and he obliged instantly as he waited for me to speak.

Kissing his cheek and then hugging him tightly to rid him of his downcast lips I promised, “I don’t want mate, Daddy. I only want you. Asa loves Daddy and Mommy.”

It would have been simpler if I really didn’t find one. At least it would have saved me from all this trouble and heartache.

A pain suddenly erupted in my chest, making me internally constrict as the bittersweet memory faded from my mind and an increasing beeping sound could be heard in the room.   

“What is happening?” Leia shouted and a few shuffling of feet distracted my mind from the gnawing pain occurring in the center of my chest. The beeping which had been successively increasing to an annoying blare in my ears, dulled my sisters voice in comparison that had been shouting something out to me.

Was this my end?

“Asa!”

Another buzzed call of my name penetrated through the chaos that my mind was filled in with trying to handle the hammering pain in my chest and the ripples of transcending torment spreading to the tips of my fingers and toes.

Was my heart getting shattered in my chest?

“ASA!”

A thundering growl and a warm touch zapped me out of the drowning buzz all at once. All the pain that had been mangling my body vanished in a matter of a microsecond replacing itself with an electrifying calm feeling. It took my lulled body a second to realize that besides the harsh breathing of my savior no other voice could be heard in the room and familiar tingles caused by the arms clasping me up in a strong hold, worked like salve to abate the tiredness from my body consistently.

It was only after my body calmed did my glued eyes blinked to flutter open and stare at the orbs of molten gold.

“Oh, thank goddess you are safe,” he mumbled bringing me in to a tight hug and getting engulfed in the blissful essence of tangerines I let my craving wolf feel our mate to her heart’s content.

‘Mate came for us. He didn’t leave us. Mate loves us!’ Xara yipped happily in my head and I could feel the fog of uncertainty clearing from my mind as I acknowledged his wildly beating heart.

“Asa, you scared me,” Leia voiced her concern from the other side, gaining my attention but before she could say anything or even come to touch me a threatening low growl stopped her mid-way. Cain had been eyeing her hand like a torture device as he protectively pulled me closer to him and off the hospital bed.

“Cain! She is my sister! You know I won’t harm her,” she shouted defensively as a hint of anger flashed on her face. Her prideful wolf must have not liked a pack member mistrusting them, given that she had been the Beta female of the pack and not to forget she was my own blood.

“You did not care for her properly just now!” he barked glaring at my sister as he took another step back to keep me away from her outstretched arms as he added, “Do you know how I felt when I heard her painful screams all the way to the billing counter?”

Was I screaming?

I hadn’t even realized my own actions in that mindless state of pain that I had been thrown in.

Unable to understand the situation I was about to say something when the doctor that I had only noticed now, cleared his throat and said, “The reaction had been caused by her body because of turbulence in her bond with her second chance mate. This could also be because it has still not come to settle properly with the loss and gain of a mate in such a less amount of time.”

“What are you suggesting doctor? How can we help her to stop having such painful reactions?” Michael asked taking on the caring role of a father that he had picked up soon after he had mated with my sister. The two had now been my only family and my heart warmed at the stress lines evident on his face.

“Mating is the only way that can help her to avoid having such tremors in the future. So, my advice to you two is to mate and mark each other as soon as possible,” The doctor said in a clinical and unabashed tone as he stared at Cain and I while signifying us to have sex right in front of my sister and her mate.

The same type of calmness was absent in me as blushing furiously at his words I hid my face in my mate’s chest that rumbled out in laughter at my reaction.

How could they talk about such a sacred and private act so easily?

“Don’t worry doctor I will mark her as mine as soon as we get home-”

Before he could complete his sentence, another dramatic shout was heard as the door to my cabin room banged open.

“What?” Clay shouted and turning my head to look at the hateful and scum creature I was unable to hide the surprise from reflecting on my face.

What was this piece of shit doing here?

“You cannot mate with her!” he shouted again and the look that overtook his face and shadowed his features was borderline deadly as he glared at his twin.

“Clay, I know you might become the future alpha someday but get out of this room right now before I kick your ass for breaking off the mate bond with my sister and insulting her,” Leia suddenly sprang towards him with a dangerous glint etched in her eyes but before she could claw his face out Michael held onto her waist by his hands acting wisely in this situation. One could easily tell that he was the calmer one in this relationship.

“I am sorry Leia, I think you misunderstood Clay,” another traitorous voice entered the room as the blonde beauty sauntered in behind Clay and stood next to him. Working as an advocate for her crush, Sofia looked at him with a starstruck expression as she said, “We had just been talking to each other that maybe Asa should take some time off and gain some energy before getting into doing any vigorous activities.”

She then turned to smile angelically at her brother, Michael, and although the two had the same blood running through them, their personalities couldn’t have been further apart.

Pressing two fingers to the center of his forehead Michael sighed at his sister’s words and throwing me an apologetic glance he tiredly huffed, “Sof, didn’t I tell you to stay away from Clay and to avoid coming here? Why can’t you listen to me for once?”

“But we had only been looking out for Asa and I was really worried about-”

With every word she said and the constant leering gaze of Clay on me, my anger was rising significantly and I could tell that my mate shared a similar emotion as I saw the veins on his arms bulging and his pulse quicken in irritation. Taking note of this I sighed and finally voiced out my frustration in a dull mocking tone to save him the effort, “It’s alright Sofia.”

The smile plastered on my face was as fake as hers and stepping down from my mate’s arms I felt myself stumble but Cain quickly supported my weak frame snug against his body, giving off the appearance that I had been standing straight and strong on my own.

Titling my head to look at the girl who I had considered a ‘friend’ I said, “I know you mean well but you don’t have to worry about me. I am perfectly fine and in perfect condition to mate and mark my mate whenever I want to.”

“No, you aren’t!” Clay yelled shamelessly, bringing my attention back on him. His cold blue eyes were angry and dare I say controlling in a manner that it was demanding me to obey him.

Contrary to what he wanted me to do the expression only raged me more and letting the fire flame inside I glowered, “I am and I will mate with Cain today itself and no one will be able to stop me.”