Burning bushes surrounding a fiery dwelling.

Running.
Falling.
Running.

Black wolves and rogues.

Running.
Falling.
Running.

Black wolf and rogues.

Running.
Running.
Running.

Black wolf and me.

Running.

I fill my lungs with air as my eyes snap open. My heart races at the unfamiliar setting, my eyes darting around for some sort of clue as to where I was. I frown at the needles planted into my arms and the pain in my chest.

The pain that was resurging slowly, coming to as I did. Small and fragile- it stung my chest, injecting my soul with misery and yearning for someone. Who?

Mate.

The memories come flooding in and the pain does alongside it, hitting me with twelvefold of what it previously was. I scream in desperation as my body cries for my mate, my soul being ripped apart at the obstacles that laid between us. It was like every nerve in my body was being burnt individually and I could feel them all.

"Levi!" My watering eyes catch sight of Aiden in the doorway as I writhed in the bed.

"It hurts." I cry as he rushes to my side. "Dad it hurts."

"What hurts? Levi, what hurts?!" He asks almost pleadingly, the desperation to help shining brightly in his eyes.

I open my mouth to reply but almost like a new wave, the agony bombards me causing more tears to pump out of my eyes. I scream at the top of my lungs, my body arching off the bed as I writhed around even more. He grabs hold of my hands, intertwining our fingers in a tight hold.

I wanted to get closer to my mate. But I was paralyzed- physically and spiritually paralyzed. I needed to go to him. But I couldn't, and that fact broke every piece of me.

"Dad. Please." I sob as I curl onto my side.

He opens his mouth but nothing comes out, his eyes glossed over as he looked down at me helplessly.

"Dad, make it stop." I cry, sobbing into myself as I clutch onto his fingers for strength. "M-Make it stop."

I want my mate...

------------

My eyes flutter open, my mind fully awake but my body taking its time in adjusting. I try wiggling my toes but they curl at a snail's place, as if receiving my order late.

"Your body is going to be lagging for a little while." A voice fills in and I shift my eyes in search of them, frowning a little when I see Aunt Katty.

"What are you doing here?" I say slower than I wanted to, stopping in between to swallow my saliva.

"Your parents called me." She says as if that alone was enough of an explanation.

I close my eyes as I try to piece together all the events that occurred since I last saw my mate. The pain I felt in yearning for him was somehow lesser than before. So small it was barely noticeable.

"I've never seen Aiden cry like that." She says after a moment. I open my eyes in surprise as I look to her for a reason. "And I never thought I would. Then he called me today, broken.
He didn't know what was wrong or how to help you."

I feel my heart tighten at her words, the thought of causing pain in any form to dad killing me from within.

"Where is he?" I croak out.

"Outside. Blaming himself." She says shaking her head aimlessly.

"Why?"

"Levi, we found you bleeding out with bruises all over your body. You didn't wake up for a full day and when you finally did, you were screaming in pain." She says looking me straight in my eyes. I feel my heart sinking at all the trouble I'd caused.

"I'm sorry." I whisper and she swats me off.

"I'm going to get your family, tell them you're okay." She says putting down the mixture she'd been grinding in a small bowl. She then looks me dead in the eyes. "Levi," she starts softly, "I'm telling them the pain was from something that entered your wound when you were out there. Not because of... your mate."

I freeze. Not daring to take another breath as I looked at her with an alerted heart.

"I had to look inside your mind to see why you were in pain." She explains guiltily. "But, I saw him. And I've lived here long enough to know, if the pack found out, they wouldn't be on board."

"I need to see him." I whisper and she nods with a knowing smile.

"Don't worry about that." She says running a gentle hand over my head. "I'll get you to him without them knowing."

I open my mouth to reply but she shushes me before handing me the bowl.

"Drink this and worry about your family for now." She says before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I bring the bowl to my lips before sipping it carefully, frightened of my own body and the pain it quietly harbored for my mate.

Mate.

I have a mate.
A mate I never gave myself the pleasure of believing even existed.

My mate was a he.
I smile at this fact. It'd always been a fear of mine to be mated to a girl; that was if I was even given the pleasure of having a mate.
Would I allow myself to complain or would I force myself to be grateful.

My mate did not speak, which was okay. No it was more than okay, he was perfect. I didn't care if he couldn't speak. I'm just happy he was mine.

My mate also didn't understand any words I'd said, or any words at all. Which was not okay but it'd be okay. He could learn, right?

And lastly, my mate was... the thing my pack hated more than anything in the world.

Fuck.

"Levi." I look up as my siblings come rushing into the room, led by Julian. All their eyes were low with bags but somehow wide open, studying me almost carefully as they surrounded the bed.

"How are you feeling?" Dad asks standing to my left.

"I'm fine." I say reassuringly as they all peer at me. "I uh- I... I'm sorry, about earlier."

"Levi, don't apologize for something you couldn't help." He says with a weak smile and I return it. "All that matters is that you're better now."

"Yeah." I say absentmindedly. "Where's Po?"

"He's... " He trails off before running a hand through his messy hair. "He'll be here soon."

I nod a little before allowing myself to look at my siblings in guilt. I'd never seen them so shaken up and I hated that I was the cause.

Josey and Hagen were leaning on the bar at the foot of the bed, not bickering as usual, just silently listening as they stared at my healing shoulder.

Damon was to my right, his expression solemn and his eyes barely meeting mine. I could see the way he was clenching and unclenching his fist, his teeth grinding as his mind conjured up possible strategies to kill my mate.

And Peter...
Peter was next to Julian, clenching tightly to his sweater sleeve as he hid behind him. Tears pooling in his eyes only to run down his face like cascading waters. He was biting his lip harshly to silence the small sniffs and sobs that broke through.

"I'm okay." I say looking at him but he just looks away. I swallow a sigh before looking around at everyone. "I promise, I'm fine."

"We're happy you're okay Levi." Josey says when no one responds.

"Yeah." Hagen fills in, sending me a troubled smile. "Just d-don't go out there again... please."

"I won't." I reply quickly but I knew deep down I would. There was no way I wouldn't see my mate again, and nobody would stop me from doing so.

The door suddenly opened and an odd wave of relief flooded over me when my eyes landed on Aiden. His face was soft yet hard at the same time, strong but weak, and I hated it.
He pushed pass Damon, leaning down to hold me in a tight hug. My arms immediately circle his neck as he cradles me in his hold. I could feel his heart pumping harshly against his chest, his breathing ragged and troubled. I relax into him as he breathes in my scent.

"Don't you ever do that again." He says firmly squeezing me even tighter. "I don't ever want to ever see you so hurt again."

I force myself to be quiet and just hold onto him, relishing in the way his hold warmed me to the core. After a long moment, he pulls back only slightly to look at me, kissing my head gently before looking me straight in my eyes.

"I swear to Goddess, I will never let anything happen to you again Levi. Never." He promises and from the look in his eyes, I knew he meant it and that he'd give his life to ensure it.

"Thanks dad." I say in a little shock as he pulls away. I knew he loved me and so did my entire family, but it was rarely expressed with words and I couldn't help but love it.

"What happened to you out there, Levi?" Julian asks holding Peter in a comforting hold.

I frown at this.

"What do you mean?" I question showing my confusion.

Did they not know?
How could they not have smelt him on me?
Did I imagine the entire thing?

"We could smell and see wolf marks but we had no way of knowing from what or who?"

"It was the fucking beast." Damon growls dropping his folded arms as he glares at me as if I was the cause. "I'm going to make it regret ever even looking at you." He promises and I feel my chest tighten slightly.

"We don't know if i-"

"Nothing else would leave prints that big." Damon continues cutting dad off. "I'll have my fun with that son of a bitch when I find it."

I bite my tongue to stop the chance of me exclaiming my protests knowing that would only take me down a long, narrow path. Instead, I reply with the quickest reason my mind could come up with.

"I got distracted and wandered off." I explain, forcing myself to calm my heart. "I went into its territory I guess, and disturbed its hunting. It was just defense but it didn't kill me; it could've if it wanted to."

"Doesn't change the fact that it hurt you." Aiden says coldly. His eyes didn't light up with a fiery gaze like they usually did when he was mad. In fact, they were just cold.

Desperate to change the subject, I return my attention to Peter, sad and warmed by the fact that he was breaking down so openly in response to my suffering.

"Peter." I say making him stiffen. I pat the side of the bed with a small smile. "I have something to show you."

When he doesn't move, Julian nudges him forth gently and he sits on the spot timidly. He rubs his eyes with the back of his hand while sniffing in attempt to silence himself.

I grab my phone which was laying at the side of my bed. Finding the best picture of the bunnies I'd taken, I place the phone in his hand and watch with delight as his face lights up.

His tears immediately stopped as his eyes filled with awe, a small scream escaping his lips. We all chuckled slightly as his hand hovered over his mouth shakily. Those blue orbs were shining with joy and pure excitement as they quickly grew larger.

"B-B-Bunnies." He says a couple octaves higher than his usually wispy voice. "T-There are more?" He asks, zooming in on the picture.

"So many." I confirm smiling broadly at him as he spared me a glance. The tears return but I smile knowing it was because he was happy.

He looks at me and then back to the phone, alternating between the two for a few moments before jumping straight into my arms.

"I love y-you Levi." He whispers while squeezing the air out my lungs. "T-Thank you."

"No problem. I took more pictures for you too." I inform him and I swear his head was about to explode from how he shook in my hold. He pulls back before looking to the phone again.

He opens his mouth but only a small squeak mixed with what sounded like a whimper came out. I smiled at his happiness before comforting my other siblings the best ways I knew how.
I may have been hurt but I was still the eldest. I wouldn't let them mope around in guilt, sadness or any other negative emotion that I could deal with.

I'd talked to them enough that Hagen and Josey were back to laughing like themselves. Damon was no longer spouting threats every other second and Peter had, thankfully, stopped crying.

"Okay, let's give him some space so he can rest." Dad says when my responses became slower and my yawns more frequent. They all break off into a new chain of opposition at this. "You'll talk to him later." He promises while shoving them out until it was only my parents and I.

They both turn to me simultaneously, expressions mirrored causing me to hold my breath in fear.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my mind convinced they knew all about my mate.

"Levi, are you really okay?" Julian asks showing the distress he was hiding previously.

"I promise I am." I reply and I meant it. I was fine and I would be even better once I saw my mate again.

"I thought we'd lost you when you didn't come back." He confesses, his eyes glossing over as Aiden pulls him to his chest.

"Dad," I start but no words follow as he looks to me with a shaky smile.

"But you're okay. You're here and you're okay." He says more to himself than to me.

"You do know that this means you can't go back out there again. Not by yourself at least, and not for a long time." Aiden informs me with a tone that I knew better than to challenge.

"I know." I reply, letting myself sink further into the bed.

"Just get some rest." Julian says gently, his hand now in my hair. He strokes through my hair like he used to do when I'd wake up screaming as a kid. He kept doing it until my eyelids got heavy, raising the comforter a little higher up my chest before kissing my temple. "We love you Levi. So so much."

"I love you too dad." I whisper sleepily. My eyes close just after and I succumb to the exhaustion-driven slumber that awaited me.

-------

I'd been home for two days now and I was on the verge of going crazy. I loved my family- I really really did, but I hadn't had a moment to breathe since the healing centre.

I knew they just were worried and wanted to make sure I was absolutely okay. But I wanted to see my mate and that was impossible with the way they followed me moreso than my very own shadow.

"Levi, are you okay?"
I stop twirling the food around my fork to look at the owner of the voice. I shouldn't be that surprised by now at all the eyes I found peering at me.

"Yea-" I stop myself short before a light bulb dings in my head. "No actually. I'm not feeling too good."

The alarm that spreads across there faces makes me almost feel guilty, but Goddess damnit I needed to see him.

"I'm going to go see aunt Katty." I announce before they could reply. Dad begins to get up to follow me but I quickly shove him back down. "You know how she hates people in her house."

"Be right back when you're done and if you need anything at all, just call us." Dad says firmly and I smile while nodding.

I don't even bother hanging around, I'm out the door in under five seconds and I run.
My wounds had healed completely by now, the small gathering of lines on my shoulder being the only remaining evidence of the deep claw mark that laid there before.

My legs take me straight to Aunt Katty's house and I almost break the door with the force I bombard it with.

"It's too fucking early for this." Uncle Apollos groans as he stands before the door.

"Sorry." I say quickly.

"I'll deal with him." Aunt Katty says appearing next to him looking equally as tired, but I wasn't too surprised. The family was known for their unusual sleeping tendencies. It was a though they hibernated all the time.

I follow her into the house as she leads me to the kitchen, kindly setting a glass of water in front of me before gulping down one of her own.

"I need to see him." I announce firmly. Her eyes soften from their harsh stance to look to me.

"I know." She says resting her glass down. "But Levi, are you sure you can trust him not to hurt you again?"

"He won't." I say defensively. "He wouldn't hurt me."

"Levi... he already did." She says gently and I feel my eyes glow with the intent to cause some damage.

"But he didn't know that I was his mate." I explain when she sends me a doubtful look. "He was sorry after."

"He didn't say sorry." She jokes.

"He can't talk and you know that." I say almost poutingly.

"He must've been a feral child." She whispers to herself and I raise a curious eyebrow but she brushes me off. "I'm going to send you directly to your mate- a few steps away if anything. I'll be sure to tell your parents some bullshit, but you got two hours maximum."

"How will you find him?"

"The pain you were feeling without him, it's almost like an antenna or cable line for me. I can see the two points it's radiating from and the pain you're both signally." She explains and I feel my chest tighten slightly.

"He's in pain too?"

"Your parents never told you about this?" She questions in confusion. I shake my head no and she mutters something about incompetence. "It's called Mate Awareness. It only happens between every pair of mates in about one million. It's very rare and isn't common knowledge to many people."

"How do you know about it?"

"Well when your parents found out they were mates, as you know, it wasn't all smiles and rainbows." She muses and I nod. "The minute a barrier was between them, they'd suffer the same pain you do. It only goes away when you're in your mates company.
It forced Aiden and Julian to be together in the beginning, and your dad happens to think that if they didn't have that ,they would've never made it this far."

"So why do I have it?" I ask after a moment.

"My theory is that your little Goddess gives it to mates who she knows will be separated due to outside forces or even themselves. I think she puts the pain to force them together." She says with a small smile.

"So like a way to keep us together when the world won't let us?" I ask and she nods slowly. I play with the idea for a minute or two before smiling up to her. She smiles back to me, ruffling my hair like a kid before clapping her hands together.

"Now, how about we get you to that mate of yours."

-------------------
School is fucking satanic.
Lol, I'm surprised I got this done.

Sorry this chapter doesn't include his mate, next one will be all about him.

Hope you enjoyed nevertheless,
I literally wrote this as quickly as I could. I've been bombarded with work since I came back and I'm dying.

Anyways, vote and all that.

Until next time,
Byeeeeeee humansssss