Her Brother, Her Mate

Hadley POV

My body feels heavy, like it is filled with lead, when I wake up the next morning in Mark’s arms. I’m still in his bed, where I passed out crying in pain last night. I don’t remember him joining me, but I’m so relieved he’s still here. I don’t think my body could handle another rejection right now, and I don’t want to lose another mate. It feels like a part of me died last night, and Mark’s arms wrapped around me right now are what’s still holding me together.

My eyes are heavy, swollen from crying. Not just crying. I was ugly crying. Sobbing. I was a freaking mess. My hair feels like it’s all knotted, stuck under my cheek, the one I’m currently lying on, and I feel disheveled, wearing the same outfit I was wearing last night.

“Are you awake, sugar?” Mark’s husky voice g****s sleepily next to my ear, his arms tightening around me.

“Yeah,” I croaked out, coughing to clear my throat, “What time is it?”

“Almost noon.”

I’ve been asleep for a long time. I can feel it in my bladder. I need to get up. When I try to slip out of Mark’s arms to get up, he pulls me tighter against him.

“Where are you going?”

I laughed softly, “Bathroom.”

“Oh,” he sighs, then lets me up. After I relieve myself, I wash my face, and use Mark’s toothbrush to brush my teeth. He had his tongue all over inside my mouth yesterday. I doubt he will mind me using his toothbrush.

My eyes are swollen and slightly b***d-shot, but don’t look nearly as bad as they feel. My purple irises look a little dull, not as vibrant purple as they usually are, and my hair is a giant knot on the side of my head. I dug around inside Mark’s vanity drawers and eventually found a brush. I work the knots out of my hair, swirl it into a knot then fasten it with a hair tie I had on my wrist.

I wish I had extra clothes. My current ones feel gross and wrinkly. Maybe Mark has some sweats I can borrow.

When I came back out of the bathroom to the bedroom, Mark was sitting up in bed on the phone. “Room 709. Yes. Okay, thanks.”

“Who’s that?” I asked, going around the bed to his side.

“Room service. They’re sending up some lunch and coffee. I only have beer and cheezits here,” he tells me, making me laugh. “How are you feeling?” he asks after looking me over. I know he is asking about the whole rejection thing with Mitchel, but I don’t want to go there right now. I can’t. I don’t want to cry again or feel the pain that I felt last night.

“Wrinkly and gross. Do you have any clothes I can borrow?”

“Yeah, uh, let me see,” he slides out of bed, opening his drawers until he finds some sweats and a fitted tank top. “Wear this for now and I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” I asked, taking the clothes from his hands.

“Mom’s. She will have something you can borrow for later.”

“What’s later?” I asked. I really just want to stay here all day and mope around in bed with him. I like the way it felt being in his arms.

He smirks, then k****s me, “It’s a surprise.”

***

The surprise turned out to be a trip to the beach. His mom loaned me a bikini which was far too revealing for a woman of her age, and a cover-up dress and sandals. The bottoms were practically a thong and were riding up my butt, making me feel self-conscious. Mark loved it, but also didn’t like the idea of anyone else seeing me in them. He stopped at a surf shop on the way to the beach and bought me some swim shorts to wear over the bottoms, making me feel much more comfortable.

He didn’t ask me again about Mitchel, and I didn’t bring him up. We were in a silent agreement to not mention what happened last night, which I was very thankful for. I don’t want to dwell on it. It hurts too much to even think about. Mitchel didn’t want me because of that Suzie girl.

I remembered who Suzie was now. She was the woman Mitch said he saved from getting in big trouble 7 years ago. He said that they were still friends, but I guess he meant they were more than friends. That’s who he was with last night while Mark and I were on our date. Mark went out with me and Mitchel was out with Suzie.

I guess he couldn’t give her up and decided to give me up instead. Good for him. I’m not going to hold him back. If he wants someone else, I don’t care what mystical bond we might have shared, he can have her. If I’m not worthy enough to him for him to leave her for me, then that’s his choice. He made his choice, and it wasn’t me.

Even if he didn’t choose me, I still hope that he finds his happiness. I still have enough of my feelings for him to want that for him, even if it’s not with me, I want him to be happy.

Mark pulls his car into a parking space, coming around to my side and opening my door, holding his hand out for me to grip and support myself as I climb out.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“Your surprise is a beach trip?” I asked him, adjusting my sunglasses to peak at him over the lenses.

He smirks, “Kind of. I thought I would take you flying today.”

“Flying?” I repeated, looking around the beach. That’s when I see a couple of jet skis on the beach, and I see a boat with a small blue platform a short distance out. “Parasailing?” I ask, a big smile spreading on my face.

He chuckles softly, “That depends on if you’re too scared to get on the boat to go out there. There may be sharks.”

“Good thing I got a big bad wolf to protect me,” I’m practically jumping on my feet, I’m so excited.

The ride out was a little scary, but Mark talked the guy who owned the company into letting him drive me out with him on one jet ski, and his partner could ride on the other with him, taking our jet ski back when we got to the boat. I hugged Mark tightly, as tight as I could while wearing the lifevest as we rode out. The parasail had a double seat, allowing us to sit side-by-side while it was up in the air.

It was as exhilarating as I thought it would be. I really felt like I was flying while up in the air, and I wasn’t scared at all with Mark there with me. We were up for almost an hour. I would have stayed all day in the air if I could, but I was getting wind-chapped and sunburned. Mark teasingly promised to lather me up with lotion when we got back to the resort. I just might let him.

“Did you have fun?” Mark asked, kissing my hand as he drove me to Amanda’s house to pick up my belongings. I nodded, smiling fondly back at him.

He asked me to move into the resort with him while we were walking along the beach after our parasailing adventure. When I hesitated, he quickly let me know that Mitchel was moving to their pack house for werewolves and I wouldn’t have to see him again until I was ready.

I want to be with Mark. I have come to trust him, and today, especially, he has really shown how much he cares for me. I feel loved, and I feel like I’m really starting to love him. Not just because of the mate bond, but because he feels like a part of me; a part of my soul.

When we got to Amanda’s, he helped me to pack all my things into my bags, carrying them out to the car for me while I thanked Amanda for letting me stay with her as long as she has.

My nerves are eating away at me on the drive back. I’ve been thinking about it since we left the resort after eating lunch, and now I’m more sure than ever. I don’t want to be without Mark. I couldn’t after what happened last night with Mitchel. I want him to claim me tonight. I want to be tied to him permanently.

Once we get back to the resort, I’m going to ask Mark to mark and mate me.