Broken Mate

Chapter 16

A/N - Hey guys. I felt the need to explain myself with the current situation. I wrote this book when I was in high school. I never believed that I would get as many hits as it did. I stopped writing for a bit and then I completely forgot about it. Life happens, but I am sorry I didn't unpublish my book. When I last saw, I only had a couple people reading it. To be completely honest I forgot what this book was about and had to re-read it myself. It's funny to see all of my mistakes and I think I am going to keep them for now just to see my personal growth. I don't know if my writing abilities are up to standards anymore and I am a little nervous about how this chapter is going to go. I am a biologist now for crying out loud. Anyway I sincerely apologize for my lack of due diligence and I hope you guys won't crucify me anymore lol. Luckily when I started this book I only thought of it as a short story so there is not much left! I am going to pick up where I left off all of those years ago. 

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~Jenny~

Exhaustion coursed through me as I pried my eyes open to see my handsome mate before me. 

'I missed him so much.' My wolf whines. 

'I did too.' I reply. 

"Zeke?" I croaked. Before I knew it he was at my side with his hands pressed against my cheeks. I looked up into his piercing gaze and noticed all of the lines of worry across his face. The bags under his eyes told signalled that he wasn't sleeping much, and his clothes hung a little looser. 

"Jenny I am so happy you're awake. I am so sorry I let this happen to you. I was never going to actually let you go back to your father unprotected. I went home to pack a couple things and I was going to stay with you. I was too late... under my protection, I let him hurt you. I am so sorry Jenny." Zeke was now in my hospital bed with me holding me tightly as if I would just float away were he to let go. 

"Zeke don't blame yourself. I told you that I was going to go home. That was my decision, not yours." My heart broke over Zeke blaming himself. My father always told me that the beatings were because I deserved them, and Zeke thinking that this was all his fault didn't sit right with me. 

"You're the best mate that I could have ever asked for and I never want you to think that I got hurt because of you. If it's anyones fault it would be my father's... Speaking of, how did you get into my house and where is my father now?" I tensed. 

"When I got there I could sense that you were hurt. I didn't care if your father was there, and I went right in. I found you on the floor and you looked so helpless. It scared me to death, the thought of losing you....." He shook his head and took a breath. "I called the pack doctor and searched you house, but your dad was gone. I'm sorry, but I had to tell Council. Your dad should have never done the things he did. It took five days for them to find him in the mountains. He wasn't even man enough to deal with the consequences once he thought he killed you with that spell." 

"My dad hired a witch to kill me." I sat in shock. I knew he hated me after mom died, but I didn't think he would go that far. 

"Well, he actually did it himself. He's not fully a werewolf." Zeke looked at me with concerned eyes, studying how I was going to react. 

A memory of darkness and a voice flashed across my mind. I tried to think about what it meant, but the harder I tried the more fuzzy the memory became. 

"Is he dead?" I questioned. 

"No. But the Council's cage will be his home for the rest of his miserable life." Zeke's answer seemed to make me realize the situation. My father was gone. He wasn't going to hurt me anymore. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders, but a small part of me was sad for the father that he used to be. Before mom died, we were normal, we were happy. However, when he lost her he lost himself and both my parents died the moment my mom drew her last breath.