You are My Mate

Tori wakes up with a jolt, her head pounding. Her body feels heavy, like though she has been running endlessly for miles. A faint voice calls out to her, waking her up from her unconscious state. With a sharp shake, she looks around blinking rapidly and finds herself in her bedroom. Her surroundings seems familiar, yet something feels somewhat disorienting about it.

"Tori?" Elena's voice calls out to her again.  She is standing by the window. "Someone’s outside. Whoever it is has been waiting for you for a while now. I just came up here to let you know." She informs Tori.

Tori frowns, her gaze still a bit blurry. 

"Who is it?" she asks. Her voice barely above a whisper. Her throat feels dry and itchy and her limbs feels weak, unable to grasp itself.

Elena shrugs, opening the window to let in the light from the morning sun.

 "I didn’t ask. Just thought you should know." She responds.

The rush of cold air makes Tori shiver. As it sweeps across her skin, some memories begin to resurface, fragmented and in pieces but there is a face that keeps showing each time.

A man.

Wayne? But she does not know any…

Then… pain.

She feels a tearing pain, just in her lower stomach. She groans in pain, grabbing her abdomen, and for s split second, it feels empty and I makes her want to cry.

Images flash in a rapid order before her eyes. Wayne’s horrified face, Elena’s cold smirk, and the silver blade, Wade’s betrayal. Tori shivers as the memories hit her, sending fear into her body.

"Elena?" she calls out, her voice trembling as she struggles to keep what she is feeling away from expressing itself on her face. "Water… please."

Elena's expression changes into concern. She turns on her heels and runs out of the room. Tori's vision blurs as the room begins to spin. She tries to get a hold of herself, but loses control as her body goes limp and darkness swallows her.

She opens her eyes to see herself standing in an unfamiliar place. Huge mountains surround her. She turns in a slow circle as her eyes take in the whole surrounding, her bare feet sinking into the soft grass beneath her.

A low growl catches her attention. She turns around to find a wolf standing a few paces away from her. It has a silvery white fur, which glows like the moonlight, and its golden eyes lock with hers.

The wolf is her wolf. She just feels it in her bones.

The wolf doesn’t move. It stares at her, its gaze commanding and pitiful.

"Come with me." It says, though its mouth doesn’t move, she hears it in her mind.

Tori hesitates but immediately finds her feet carrying her forward, following the creature. Her being trusts it. It leads her into the forest, to a riverbank. The water sparkles like liquid crystal. The sight is at first mesmerizing,  it makes Tori become thirsty. She kneels by the river, cups her hands, and scoops the cold water into her mouth. The moment the water touches her tongue, a voice, soft and clear, breaks the silence.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?" The strange voice asks.

Tori turns sharply, startled. She sees a woman stand nearby, her hand stroking the wolf’s fur. Her presence feels overwhelming. Her skin pale, and her dark hair falls over her shoulders. Her eyes, silvery and glistening, meet Tori’s, and a gentle smile fills her lips.

"Who are you?" Tori asks, her voice shaking. "Do I know you?"

The woman turns her head looking beyond Tori, her smile fading.  "Perhaps not. But I know of you.” She says.

Tori’s heart races as she starts to feel uneasy. She immediately tries to recall how she had ended up here, in the woods. She tries to put together the fragments of her memory, but they slip away. "How did I get here?" She asks, her voice laced with fear.

The woman doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looks up at the sky, towards the direction where the first stars are beginning to appear.

"The night sky here is beautiful, isn’t it?" she mutters, ignoring Tori's question. "It reminds me of a time I visited your world. I, too, faced trials not unlike yours."

Tori’s confusion deepens. "What trials? What are you talking about?"

The woman’s gaze returns to Tori, her expression serious. "You have questions, and they will be answered in time. For now, you must focus on making the right choices. Use your time well, Tori Garfield."

Before Tori can reply her mysterious words, the woman steps back. She shifts, transforming into a majestic white wolf. A chorus of howls erupts from the forest, sending shivers down Tori’s spine. The woman in her form, looks at Tori one more time before running off into the woods, disappearing among the trees. Leaving just Tori and her own wolf in the meadow.

Tori’s legs tremble, as she collapses to the ground. Her mind swirls with unanswered questions and fear. "What just happened?" she whispers to herself. Her surroundings becomes hazy, and a voice calls her name, calling her back to reality.

"Tori!" The voice yells.

She wakes up to the feeling of water splashing on her face. Elena’s bends over her, her face filled with annoyance and concern.

"What’s wrong with you?" Elena asks, placing the empty glass of water aside. "You fainted."

Tori manages to sit up, her body trembling. Once again, the memories hit her now, fast and harsh. "My baby… is my baby okay?" she asks, her voice cracking. Tears begin to form in her eyes as she clutches her abdomen protectively.

Elena’s expression hardens. "What are you talking about? Why are you acting so strange? What baby are you talking about?" She asks a barrage of questions, confused.

Tori’s eyes widen as the memories of both Wade’s betrayal and Elena’s cruelty come flooding back into her mind as clear as day.

"Why, Elena? Why did you… with Wade? Why would you do that to me?"

Elena’s face darkens. "What happened with Wade? What the hell are you rambling about?" She asks. Tori doesn’t answer, she sits there still trying to wrap her mind on what is happening. “Was it all a dream or what is this?” The ache in her belly feels all too real though.

Without waiting for a response, Elena storms out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Alone, Tori buries her face in her hands. She looks around, and notices the difference in the interior decoration. This wasn't hers and Wade's bedroom, no. It wasn't.

Her head hurts again. This time coming with sharp pain as memories of Wade's mockery, Elena having stabbed and betrayed her, comes flooding in and filling the cracks in her mind. Now she remembers every single bit of it.

Tori struggles to get up from the cold ground, determined to get answers later as everything seems to be okay now. She feels her worms echoing in her stomach, demanding for food. Tori decides to head downstairs, hoping to find something to eat, and eventually get answers to her questions.

On approaching the living room, Tori catches sight of Wade on his knees. He pushes over, and kneels down in front of her, as soon as she climbs down the stairs. “I'm sorry, Tori. I can’t deny it or wait till the ceremony to say it. The mate bond, our bond to come, it's real. I feel it and I need you.” Wade pleads with desperation on his face.

Tori freezes, her heart pounding. Her wolf stirs within her, responding to the pull of the bond. Confusion clouds her mind as she tries to make sense of his words. "What are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?" She demands.

"After our kiss last night, I realized it. You’re my mate. I can’t wait for the ceremony in a few days to announce it. My feeling for you has overwhelmed me so much." Wade says, his eyes lit up with hope.

Tori looks around her surroundings. Everything appeared to be identical to her father’s house.

That day.

The day Wade had first confessed his feelings. But how is this possible?

Before Tori can demand for answers, someone else steps in. His gaze locking with Tori's, in all familiarity and compulsion.

"Tori." He starts, his voice steady. "You’re my mate."

What?