*****Edited by krisgee*****

 2011 © All Rights Reserved

Chapter 22  (Steven)    

            Bam.  I slammed my fist into the locker.  The stinging pain that was left behind did little to take away from the tumultuous feelings running through me at the moment.  It’s been four days, four long ass days and my blue eyed princess has yet to come to school.  I thought I could do this.  I really thought that I could honor the wishes of her parents.

            “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I muttered to myself as I repetitively banged my head against the now closed locker.

            “Hey! Hey there partner, let’s take a chill pill bro,” Bobby said as he came up to me and placed his arm on my shoulder.

            I rounded on him and glared.  I had to give him some major props though; he was a brave soul daring to challenge me in my current state.   Fully agitated and so far off my game, I turned and was the first to look away.

            “I can’t do this shit,” I said to him while running a trembling hand through my hair.

            Bobby looked at me with sympathy in his eyes and squeezed the hand he held on my shoulder.

            “Bro, you don’t have a choice.  You know that.  You did what you had to do for Mama and your mate.  Yeah, it’s tough right now, but it’s only four months dude.  She will survive and Mama will survive.  Just…” Bobby turned looking at the throngs of students that passed by us in the halls.  He turned his attention back to me, “Look, just focus on the future, bro.  That‘s all that you can do.  You were left without a choice.”

            I growled in irritation and Bobby recoiled from me.  I knew that what he was telling me was all truthful words but it didn’t help this gaping hole in my chest that was left behind because of the separation from my mate.

            “It’s her first heat, Bobby.  Can you imagine what she is going through?” 

            As the thought of my dear blue eyed beauty suffering any amount of pain sank in I shuddered with resentment.  I directed that resentment at myself.  Knowing that I was the only one that could relieve her tore at my very soul.  Needing to inflict more pain on myself I flung my head back against the lockers as hard as I could and winced when the bitter sweet throbbing vibrated in my head.  I deserved so much more than a damn headache, I thought to myself as I closed my eyes and tried to desperately rid myself of images of my sweet mate in agony.

            “Bro, you have to stop this,” Bobby reprimanded me.

            I looked up and narrowed my gaze on him.  All of my tightly reigned control was gone.  Who was he to tell me what I should and shouldn’t be doing?  He doesn’t even have the guts to approach his own mate.

            “You’ve got some nerve boy,” I said in a dangerously low voice.  Straightening my stance I slowly advanced on him and shoved my finger abruptly in his chest.

            “Don’t. You. Ever, and I mean ever, try and tell me what I need to do when it comes to my mate.  She is my mate and my responsibility.  You just need to back the fuck off,” I ended with a sneer.

            Surprisingly the idiot is standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a cheeky smile painted on his face.  I stood there for a moment longer trying to figure out my brother’s angle, because with him there is always an angle.  But my only thoughts drifted back to my mate and her current predicament.

            “Fuck this,” I said and rudely shouldered my way past Bobby.  My mate would not suffer because of my cowardice.  I would find a way to protect my mother and take care of my mate, parents be damned.

            I heard his low chuckle but didn’t dare turn my head back to him.  I was on a mission and no one was going to waylay me any longer.  I pushed my way through the students in the hall not caring who I shoved or who toes were stepped on.  I was going to see my mate.

            Out of nowhere, a bruising grip surrounded my upper arm and pulled me into the nearest classroom.

            “What the hell?” I said as I was interrupted from reaching my destination.  Extremely pissed I looked up into familiar blue eyes.  Familiar only because they belonged to my mate's twin.

            “Fuck, this day just keeps getting worse and worse,” I muttered as Zach stood in front of me with his hands on his hips.

            “I don’t have time for this,” I stammered out as I crossed my hands over my chest.  I only wanted to hold my mate in my arms.  Every second that I was away from her was another second of physical pain for her.  That was unacceptable.   

            I tried to push past him but Zach grabbed me by the arms and pushed me roughly against the wall.  Breathing heavily Zach narrowed his eyes on me and slowly released my arms.  A battle of wills briefly exchanged between us as we stood in the class room all alone.  Relaxing his stance Zach let out a deep sigh.

            “Two minutes, that’s all I need.  Just two fucking minutes,” Zach said with a pleading look in his eyes.

            I returned his sigh and cautiously relaxed my stance.  Glancing at my watch and then looking back up at him, I nodded my head.

            “Two minutes,” I replied.  “That’s it.”

            “Amy, damn.  Well, how the hell am I supposed to say this?”  Zach shuffled his feet and dropped his hands to his side.

            I glanced back at my watch.  “One minute,” I warned him.

            Zach looked up at me with a rigid face and said, “Look, my sister needs you.  If my dad would get his head out of his ass he would see that too.  She hurts, and I can’t take it anymore.  You have to come with me and help her.”

            I was stunned.  Zach, the very one that has been against our mating in the first place wanted to take me to my mate.  I was at a loss for words.

            “Look, I know I have been an ass, but she’s my sister and I don’t want to see her in pain.  We both don’t want to see her hurt.  Please say that you will come with me," Zach finished and it actually looked like his eyes were filled with tears.

            Snapping myself back to the here and now I dumbly asked, “What about your parents?”

            I shouldn’t have cared because no more than five minutes ago, I was on my way to retrieve my mate anyway but curiosity got the best of me.

            “Tabby has helped me take Amy over to Aunt Layla’s.  Aunt Layla has had her own choice words for my dad and his stubborn ass streak.  Anyhow, she’s offered a room for the two of you.”

            I could not believe that I was sitting here talking with Zach about mating his sister.  The very Zach that just days earlier tried to drain me of my own life.  I shook my head just in case I was dreaming up this conversation, but when I stopped and looked up at Zach again those piercing blue eyes were focused solely on me.

            “I get your hesitancy, but I love my sister more than anything else in this world.  She is a good judge of character and I have my own jealousy issues to work out.  Please, just come with me.” 

            The sincerity in his gaze shone brighter than the blue in his eyes.  I didn’t want to wait a second longer to hold my mate in my arms.  I nodded in agreement and gruffly spoke.  “Let’s go.”

            He returned my nod and a silent agreement between the two of us was reached.  It was for the sake of Amy, my mate and his sister, a girl that had so easily won both of our hearts.  We would do anything to protect her, the light of our life.  Without another word we both slipped out of the school and headed for his truck.  We both rode in silence and my body was humming with excitement.  Just a few more minutes, I appeased my wolf.  Just a few more minutes and our mate would be nestled safely in our arms.

            Zach pulled up in front of Tabby’s house and before he put the truck in park I was out the door and bounding up the steps.  I raised my hand to knock at the door swung open.  An older lady that resembled Tabby gave me a tentative smile.

            “Steven, I presume,” she said.

            I nodded my head and answered.  “Yes ma'am.”

            She gave me an approving glance and indicated for me to follow her.  I did without pause and as soon as I was just steps in the house my mate's scent called out to me like the sweetest of flowers, like violets.  I inhaled a large breath of air and sighed in contentment.  Mate, my wolf whispered in my head. 

            We came to a stop and Tabby’s mother opened the door.  I slowly walked in the room and Tabby stood from where she had been sitting on the edge of the bed.  Tabby walked to me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder.  She gave me a small smile and whispered the words, “Thank you.”

            I wasn’t sure exactly what she was thanking me for and when I turned to look at the tiny bundle curled up in a fetal position on the bed, I didn’t care.  I quickly crossed the room and kneeled on the floor in front of my mate.  Her head was drenched in sweat and she had her hands wound tightly around her stomach.  Her eyes were closed and she was breathing in deep slow breaths. 

            A single tear escaped my eyes as I viewed the misery that I alone had inflicted on my mate.  I heard the door click closed and looked up to see that we were left alone, just me and my mate.  I lifted my shaking hand and carefully brushed the dampened tendrils of her hair that splayed loosely against her cheek.

            With my touch her eyes shot open and our eyes locked together.

            In a weakened voice she called out, “Stevie?”

            “Shh,” I said to her as I let my hand caress her face.  “It’s me baby.  I’m here now and I will never leave you again.”

            “Stevie,” she croaked out once again and tears started to slowly leak from her eyes.  That was the straw that broke the camel's back.  I couldn’t wait another second.  I stood and sat on the edge of the bed.  Reaching around I pulled her into my arms and lifted her into my lap.  Wiping her tears with the pad of my thumbs I struggled with my own despair. 

            “Shh, baby.  Please don’t cry,”  I whispered softly to her.  My struggles were all for naught because my own vision blurred with the tears welling in my own eyes.  I rocked her back and forth and held her close to my chest.   I don’t know how long we sat in the darkness as I clutched her closely to me.  She was my single life line to this godforsaken earth that we were both born to.  

            Sometime later her trembling body finally began to still and I relaxed enough to lean against the head board.  Finally, I thought to myself, my mate.  She is mine and no one will ever take her from me again.

            As I relaxed I felt her begin to move slightly in my arms.  Her head lifted and her sweet warm mouth found the crook of my neck.  Her scent flared and I knew that the heat was riding her hard.  I could now do exactly what I was expected to do as her mate.

            I carefully laid her on the bed beside me and stretched out beside her.  A small whine of protest escaped her lips and I had to endeavor to withhold my smile.  Leaning in I brushed a tender kiss against her lips letting her know that I knew exactly what she needed.  I let my hand roam gently across her mark, the mark that I gave her and grinned in satisfaction when she arched her back off the bed.  Unable to hold back and longer, I let out a hungry growl and crashed my lips against hers.