My hidden mate

(Him)

I awakened lost. It takes me a few seconds to realize that I’m in my room in the packhouse. I’m shaken by my nightmare. Was that even a dream? It felt so real... Like it was a memory. Oh no! It’s Lana’s memory!

“How dares he! How did he dare touching what is mine!” I scream out loud. I send my bedside lamp on the wall.

I’m shaking out of rage and I can already feel my wolf taking over. We both are out of control and our rage feed us, making the situation worst. Suddenly my parents burst into my room.

“What’s happened Erza?” Mom asks, worried.

“Ezra calms down.” Dad orders but I don’t listen to him anymore. I’m already shifting, riping my pajama in the process. A forced shift is very painful but this time I accept the pain with desire. I need this! I need to feel that pain. It’s nothing in comparison to what I just felt in that dream. Before they both can stop me, I run out of my room to Lana’s room. With my werewolf strength, I broke her door easily. I’m surprised to find her awake but after such a nightmare it’s logical actually.

“Ezra! What are you doing here?” She asks me surprised.

I’ve lost my voice, so I’m crying. I jump on the bed and lay down on her side.

“What’s wrong?” She asks me and I just huff.

She takes my head in her hands and looks at my eyes: ” You had a force shift, don’t you? I sigh.

“What’s happened?” She asks me.

I see images of the nightmare and I start to cry again.

“Hey, everything is okay. I’m here with you! ” She whispers before kissing my snout.

“Lana, is everything alright?” Asher asks at the door. We growl at him.

"Mate! My mate!" We say. Even if I had a forced shift and my wolf took over, we are one on this case. We are both on the same page so even if I’m not in control, I’m not a simple spectator as I usually am when I have a forced shift.

“Yes, Ash. Everything is fine. You can go back to sleep.” she replies.

“Erza broke your door and he’s growling at me.” He comments.

“I know, he had a forced shift.” She replies.

“Then maybe it’s better if you stay away!” Asher says making us growl again.

“You’re not helping!” Lana tells him.

“He could hurt you. Your safety comes first for me, you know that!” He replies to her.

She sighs, exasperated: ” For goddess sake! He is my mate! He will never hurt me!”

“But-” He starts but she cuts him.

“No but! Now go away!” She orders him.

Once he has left, she looks at me and says: “I had a nightmare too, you know.”

I cry again. ”Mate is hurt..."

She suddenly becomes rigid with a pure look of horror on her face: ” Oh my goddess! You saw my nightmare! I shared it with you.”

She tries to get up but I block her.

“How is it possible? How did I do this?” She mutters for herself. I don’t think it’s her. It’s the mate bond. It’s getting stronger.

She looks up at me, she is feeling ashamed but she shouldn’t. I cry again, so she tells me: “I’m so sorry. You should have never seen that.”

"It’s not only a nightmare, it’s a memory, isn’t it?" I ask.

She sighs and a tear falls on her right cheek.

“Now, you know why we can’t be together. I will never be the Luna you need.” My heart is breaking for the both of us.

"My mate! Mine!" We claim her. She is exactly what we need.

“I don’t want to speak about it. Not tonight.” She says and I nod.

“Can I hug you until I fall asleep again, please?” She begs.

To answer, I push her with my snout. She understands the message and lays down on my side hugging me.

“Thank you!” She whispers in my ear before kissing my head.

Lana is sleeping for an hour now and I can’t find a way to sleep. Every time, I close my eyes the only thing I see is images of her attacks. Mom enters the room.

"I bring you a change of clothes.” She mindlinks me.

"Thank you..." I reply.

“Are you ok?” She whispers caressing my fur.

I huff.

"We will need an explanation later and you will pay for this door." Dad says through the mindlink. He is at the door and he looks worried too.

"We shared a dream with Lana, or rather a memory. The one when she was marked by the alpha on her fifth birthday." I mindlink them both.

Mom gasps: ” Oh dear lord!”

"He tried to mate her too, that monster! But her room burned before he could!”

“Thanks, goddess!” Mom tells us.

“I’m sorry son. I wish things would have been simple for you with your mate.”

“Don’t! Lana is perfect.” I reply.

“I know it’s not what I meant.”

“The only good thing is now I know what that bastard looks like and his name too. It will be easy to find him and once it’s done, I’m going to kill him!”

“We will speak about that tomorrow.” Dad says.

“I’m serious, dad. I will not change my mind.”

“I know and you have my support. But we have an advantage that now we know who he’s. So we need to use it to learn more about him. And you need to train more before to challenge him.”

“You’re right.” I reply.

“Try to sleep a bit.” Mom tells me.

I huff: “ I don’t know if I can. Every time, I close my eyes, I see him marking her.”

I have finished falling asleep as I’m awakened by someone trying to move away from my arms. I tighten her stronger, not ready to let her leave my arms... Wait! Arms?! That means I shifted back.

I open my eyes. Lana is facing me. Her cheeks are flushed and this is so sexy!

“I want to wake up the rest of my life with you in my arms.” I tell her.

“What?” She whispers, taken aback.

“I want you to be the last thing I see before to fall asleep and the first thing I see when I wake up. I can’t wait to see your true self again but at the same time I’m not ready to share it with others. You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Men will fall on your feet and I’m not ready for that.”

She opens her mouth to say something but she’s voiceless.

“I want you, Lana. I always have! Since the first time I have seen you, I knew I wanted you as my mate. And I thank the goddess everyday for answering my prayers. You’re mine, Lana. I’m as possessive as my wolf is. You belong to us and only us.”

“What made you change your mind?” She asks quietly.

“I didn’t change my mind but the idea of losing you is what I fear the most right now. It's a bigger motivation than the fear to be rejected by you.”

“Okay...” she replies blushing.

“I will fight for you Lana because I love you. I can’t promise you that I will not be acting stupidly anymore because I’m quite sure I will stutter again in front of you and I will also react like a possessive asshole. But I will not give up on you. Not today, not tomorrow, never.”

“I...”

“Give me a chance, please?” I beg her.

She sighs: “You know one day, he will come for me.”

“And I will not let that happen. Nobody is taking you away from me.” I get out of bed before to add: “ Starting today, you’re moving in my room. We don’t have to share the same bed but I don’t want you to face your nightmares alone.”

While I’m speaking she’s blushing and looks away.

She exclaims: “ Ezra! What’s wrong with you?!”

“What are you talking about? I’m trying to do the right thing!” I reply not understanding why she is so uncomfortable.

“You’re naked! Can you at least cover yourself?!” She yells.

Shit! I forgot about that. I take the change my mother brought me and I run into her bathroom.

“Well done!” My wolf comments.

“Fuck off. We’re hers so she will see us in our birth suite sooner or later. And I have nothing to be ashamed of!” I defend myself.

He is so annoying sometimes... but I have an idea to prove to Lana how serious I’m. I just need Asher’s help.