Ven
Yes my eyes are closed due to exhaustion and pain but my ears are wide open. And yes I heard everything, even the pain that my father's words brought about to my mate, I hear it ringing in my head as well.
"I am her father and I know what's best for her! What do you think this mutt can offer her huh? What? Not even pups! They would never have children and would never have a family and an heir to her unique golden wolf! So what use would she be to my daughter?" That's it! That's the last straw! I can't let my father hurt my mate like this. I can't let him hurt us like this.
I want to speak up and defend our relationship but my body isn't cooperating with me. I can't speak, nor can I open my eyes. But my mate's pain is too much, I can't not do anything about it, even if I'm in this state.
"Don't listen to him. The Moon Goddess gave us her blessing." I spoke in her head, and then I felt her hand taking mine once again.
"I can't not listen Ven... He's your father." Geo's inner voice broke down as my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. It's one thing for my father to tell me that he doesn't approve of my relationship, and a completely different thing to hear him scream that out to my partner.
Suddenly, I felt my body convulsing and I started feeling the panic of everyone around me as well as my own.
"Mrs. Samson, something's wrong with Ven!" I heard Von calling out the pack doctor.
"Calm down baby, calm down. What's going on?" Geo said in my head, but I'm finding it hard to speak telepathically. I felt hands meddling with my body, probably Mrs. Samson and her apparatus but I don't think it's working.
"What's wrong with her?" Dad asked urgently.
"Alpha..." I can sense fear in the pack doctor's voice, it seems like she doesn't want to say anything but she knows she has to. "I'm afraid it's a heart attack... It's like she heard everything you said... Was hurt by it while also feeling the pain that her mate is feeling." She finally spelled out and I understood why she was hesitant to say that.
"W-what..." My dad stuttered.
"Maybe it's better for us to leave her to rest for now. You also need to rest as well alpha." Elena's voice echoed in the background. Oh... She's here? Does that mean, mom is here as well?
"She's right alpha. We know that the only thing that can relieve a werewolf's heart attack is her mate." Mrs. Samson seconded and I heard my father mumbling something before I heard footsteps fading away until I couldn't feel their presence anymore.
I felt sparks ignite in my hands as Geo took it and I gradually calmed down. "Geo?" I tested my inner voice after a few minutes and thankfully, she heard me.
"Yes baby? How are you feeling?" She responded, her hands cupping my cheeks. I still can't open my eyes but I can feel everything.
"Like I'm drained out of energy... I need you babe." I stated and I felt her laying down beside me, holding me close as we both drifted to sleep.
It's already twilight the moment I gained full consciousness and I slowly sat up from my lying position on the bed. I looked around but couldn't find Geo anywhere... I guess she woke up before me and has gone out somewhere. My whole body is aching, so I did not dare stand up.
"Finally, you're awake." I turned to my right and saw my mom rounding a corner, walking towards me with a soft smile on her face.
"Mom..." My voice sounded hoarse, so she poured a glass of water from the bedside table and handed it to me. "Did dad and Von..." I trailed off after I drank and she finished my statement for me.
"Yes. We met. It's quite an emotional reunion." She said, sitting down beside me.
"So... They know about you being a Council member now?" I asked.
"Yes." She looked at me and sighed. "I couldn't hide that truth from them anyway, although, they're not supposed to know." She continued. "Are you feeling better?"
"Yes... Have you seen my mate?" I just have to ask. I mean, where could Geo have gone?
"She went out to one of the borders, the one close to the river." The river... That's where we first saw each other. "Ven... I can't stay here for long. Now that you have your pack back, the only thing left to do is take Alpha Archer to trial, just for formalities. The Werewolf Council will be presiding, and after that, I'd have to go." I felt sad with what she said, I really want to have her around, but I know that she can't abandon her responsibility.
"Is that so? When's that trial?" I asked.
"First thing tomorrow morning."
"Mom... I meant to ask you something..." I started off, just to make due of the very limited time we'd be able to spend together.
"I know. What is it?" She gave me a knowing smile.
"Dad... H-he can't accept the fact that I'm mated to the same sex... He said our union would be useless because we'd never have children..." My chest tightened recalling the way that dad said those words. "W-why did the Moon Goddess allow this?"
Mom sighed. "She told you, mates aren't for reproduction alone. In fact she saw how a lot of werewolves only ever kept their mates to produce healthier offspring yet still disrespects the mate bond by taking mistresses. She can't bear to see her children suffer like that. You do know that betrayal from a mate is the most painful pain a werewolf would even feel, right? So... She allowed this pairings to happen, to remind everyone that mates are more than just reproductive partners, they're life partners." Her explanation made sense.
"But... Not everyone would understand that. They'd say it's a curse to be mated to the same sex. That it's... It's not normal and shouldn't be..." I countered, feeling tears roll down my cheeks.
"Do you feel that way with Geo? Do you feel that it's a curse?" She asked.
"No... It feels so right. She completes me and makes me better." I answered genuinely.
"Then? What are you worried about? The judgement from other people? They won't live your life for you, so don't let them dictate you." She smiled and I nodded. She explained it so well, I want to badly believe her. But it’s not about any other people… It’s about my dad… What am I supposed to do with it?
Mom left a few minutes after we talked to attend council matters and Geo came back just in time to accompany me. Her eyes lit up when she saw that I'm up already. She rushed to my bed and held me in her arms.
"Thank goodness you're awake." She whispered as she pulled away from the hug but still kept me close. I smiled and closed the distance between us with a kiss, to which she responded to, ever so passionately.
"I love you babe." I proclaimed when we pulled away and rested our foreheads against each other.
"I love you most baby." She responded.
"Where were you?" I asked.
"Visited my mother." She answered with a smile.
"I thought she..." I trailed off and she nodded.
"Yeah she did, we buried her by the river close to your territory." She provided and my mouth fell agape.
"Oh..." I didn't know that really. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, and it's only then that I realized that my hair turned blonde again, as if the die wore off. I ran my fingers through it and I realized that it has grown significantly longer too. Geo noticed this and her eyes widened. I looked at her hair, and sure enough, it went back to its original midnight color as well. "When did this happen?" I asked, referring to our appearances returning back to the way that it was before... Before we altered our appearances, that is.
"I don't know... I just noticed too." She replied. "But for the record, I like you better with that long hair." She added. Right, she always makes a fuss about the length of my hair.
"I guess it's brought about by us visiting the sacred mountain. It kind of purified us, or something." I stated and she agreed. I mean... Anne’s mark on her disappeared there too…
"Are you feeling better now? Perhaps we can go back to your room already..." She suggested but I shook my head.
"Not now. Aside from my body still hurting so much, I really don't feel like going back there after everything that happened." I said, recalling how Archer chained me on my own bed and how he threatened me with my people. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to get rid of those thoughts.
"I understand. Don't worry, Archer would be brought to court tomorrow and the Ruby Moon Pack would pay for what they've done." She reassured me.
So yes, we decided to spend the night in the infirmary. Cynthia, my favorite cook/servant delivered us dinner and I have to say, I miss her dishes and her very special lemonade. Yes, it's a very special drink indeed cause I always ask her to sprinkle a bit of strengthening powder on it, so that I can regain my health a little faster.
"So, that's why it feels a bit different." Geo suddenly muttered after sipping from her glass of lemonade.
"Excuse me what?" I asked and she chuckled.
"I can read your thoughts baby." She answered and I laughed lightly. Of course...
"Right. It's a little secret, but now you know it."
----------