Darkest Before Dawn

Chapter 16

"You're awake," he smiled broadly and stood up causing Ace to slump over and jolt up.

"Dawn!" The beta wolf smiled broadly at me and I smiled back causing Draven to snarl.

"Stop it," I snapped, "There is nothing to be jealous about you're the one who cheated on your mate."

I said the words firmly even though I wasn't exactly sure that's what happened, I had no idea how mates or any of this worked.

Draven froze midstep and gave me a hard stare, "Using the mate bond when its convenient for you?"

I coldly laughed in reply, "You stupid mutt you should leave Dax in charge permanently all you do is fuck everything up."

He snarled again but I continued.

"You know Dax and Trish's stupid plan was working. The matebond was working Draven. I was feeling better and constantly thinking about you. Then you had to go and fuck it up by not keeping it in your pants. And now my agony gets to start all over again. I get to push against this damn bond and mark, and start to rot again. There's nothing else to do now. You have no chosen so I'm assuming my only way out is gone, and it will be a cold day in hell before I accept a man like you."

He was rooted to where he stood, eyes squinting, scrutinizing my face along with my words.

"Everything you have done has been the exact opposite of what you should have done from the moment you met me. Dax at least tried, you felt I owed you something. Just because we are mates you think I owe you everything about myself, but that means nothing to me I am not like you Draven."

I took a deep breath to bring my nerves back in check before settling into the silence of the room.

Ace cleared his throat and mumbled something before taking his leave from the awkward hospital room.

Draven flopped back onto the couch causing it to groan in protest. He ran his hands through his dark hair and down his face in obvious frustration.

"Dawn I need you," he finally stated barely above a whisper.

I hung my head he sounded so broken and it made something inside me squirm.

"Obviously you don't. You told me once no one else could ever satisfy you now that you found your mate, yet you decided to give it a go. It hurt Draven, I was crying in a field in not just emotional but physical pain and you fucked some bitch instead of coming to me. You didn't even send anyone after me. I was alone in the woods doubled over crying for what felt like days in my head. I'm fairly sure at this point I have serious permanent organ damage."

"You were in pain?"

The question immediately pissed me off until my brain once again registered his anguished tone. I felt the urge to comfort him and the urge to take back everything I had said.

I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts, "Yes Draven. I sat in a clearing alone, screaming and sobbing all while my abdomen ached. It was a dull but burning pain and I was waiting to just combust."

Draven paled and then quickly crossed the room falling to his knees next to the bed, "Please Dawn please forgive me."

Gone was the aggressive, Alpha wolf who Draven always personified as he continued, "I will give you anything just name it. We can move all your friends here today, even Ryan. I will run from here to Montana to get your family. I can't lose you."

"You never had me Draven that's been my entire point."

He didn't even acknowledge my cold comment just reached for my hand. I wanted to move away from him but my body wouldn't cooperate. The second he grabbed my hand I pulled away, not because my body finally decided to respond but because of the static shock he gave me. He snatched my hand back and gently rubbed his thumb along my hand leaving a tiny trail of sparks. He seemed as surprised and entranced by them as I was.