Nathan's POV

I listened in awe as my quiet, shy, beautiful, strong, perfect mate talked about space like she was an expert. Which I guess she is... She really does know about space and the life of stars. It just amazed me that she knew so much about it. She just kept going and going and I loved it.

I will never get tired of her voice. As she finished telling me about black holes she yawned.

"That's a lot of what I learned about space." She sighed, snuggling closer into me, if that was possible, making my wolf howl in joy that our mate was wanting to be closer.

"You're amazing... have I told you that?" I whispered in her ear and I saw her shiver slightly at the feeling of my breath on her neck.

"I-I'm just one star in an infinite universe..." I got lost in her beautiful green eyes and watched them twinkle like the stars above.

"Some stars shine brighter than others." I saw a very genuine smile light up her face and she quickly hid her face in my chest but I saw it before she hid it. Her face was bright red, and it was so adorable. She then yawned again.

"Do you have the energy to go back? Or do you just want to stay here for the night Angel?" I whispered in her ear again.

"Is is safe enough to stay here?" She asked.

"Definitely. I have never encountered anyone here before and it is a very steep hill, we would be able to hear if anything was trying to climb." I assured her.

"Could we stay? I've never been outside this long before and I don't want to leave the stars." She asked in such a sweet adorable voice, I melted on the spot.

"Of course Angel." She smiled and snuggled impossibly closer to me while watching the stars with sleepy eyes. "Sleep," I whispered. "I'll be by your side the whole night." I raised my other hand slowly and tucked a stray strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Her eyes slowly drifted close, a small blush on her smiling face.

I just watched the stars a little longer as my perfect mates breathing slowed and steadied. After a while of being lost in my own thoughts, I felt Bailey move. I watched as her lips twitched into a smile and she sighed while snuggling her face more into my chest, causing my heart to flutter.

"How can you be so perfect?" I whispered to her. "How can you not see how beautiful you are?" I sighed quietly, examining her face. "You are so strong and you have no idea! Goddess, you are a princess! And I'm just an Alpha. You survived the roughest childhood I've ever seen, I've barely had any pain compared to that. Why would the Moon Goddess pair me with someone so amazing? What have I done to deserve you Bailey? But that's the thing, I've done nothing, I haven't done anything worthy of being your mate, or a king."

I, once again, got lost in my thoughts as I watched her sleep. My wolf sighed in contentment. Slowly, I drifted off as well, holding my mate in my arms.

"Nathan." I heard a very melodic woman's voice. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see I was in a forest in the day time. It was beautiful, the leaves and grass were so green and beautiful full flowers covered the ground. I was looking for the voice and saw a tall woman dressed in an ivory colored dress that blew in the wind. Around her neck was a silver necklace with a shimmering crescent moon dangling in the middle. Her eyes sparkled green like the grass around us and her hair was as black as night and it seemed to shimmer like the stars in the night sky. "Nathan." She repeated.

"Who are you?" I asked. She smiled and showed me her perfect white teeth.

"You already know who I am Nathan."

"Moon Goddess?" She smiled and nodded her head. Awe washed over me. "Why am I here?"

"It's about the princess."

"Bailey? What about her?"

"As you know, she has had a really rough past." The Moon Goddess began. "And things are going to get harder before they get easier."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Your mate's past is going to keep coming back up, and you need to be her rock. You need to be there for her. You can't push her away or break her trust even just a little." I sighed.

"Why did you choose me?" I asked, I just needed to know the answer.

"Because you are strong. I know you can do it. There is no better werewolf than you to be the princess's mate."

"But I don't know how mates are supposed to love each other!" She just smiled down at me.

"Follow your heart Nathan. Trust your wolf. Trust your instinct. Trust your mate. But be careful who you trust, for someone isn't who they seem."

"What?"

"You've got to go now Nathan. Bailey needs you."

"Hold on! What did you mean?"

"Good bye for now Nathan." Then the world started to fade away.

"WAIT! Moon Goddess! Come back!" But she was gone. I shot awake to the sound of screaming.

Bailey's POV

I sighed and snuggled closer to Nathan, letting his scent, his touch, and his love start to break down my ancient walls that have been up for so long. I let myself relax and trust for once. I faintly heard Nathan whispering as I drifted off to deep sleep.

"Girl!" I heard an all too familiar call. I opened my eyes to see I was in a forest with my back to a tree. I looked up and saw Aaron there, a sinister smile on his face. "You ran away." He snickered. "You know what that means?" I was shaking with fear.

"Please, don't hurt me master. I'm sorry." I whimpered.

"Shut up! I never said you could say anything!" He spat. I whimpered and shook in fear against the tree. "As I was saying, now it's time for your punishment." He punched me square in the face, my head snapping back and hitting the tree hard. The familiar metallic flavor filled my mouth. My head throbbed as he threw punch after punch, kick after kick, spatting hateful words at me.

"Hold on!" I heard another familiar voice. Aaron paused and I saw through blurry eyes the form of Daniel come hobbling towards me. I felt myself smile just a little. But I was surprised when he kicked me! Aaron laughed and joined in with Daniel as they both started to beat me and say mean things. Yet another person showed up, it was one of Nathan's friends at the table. All 6 of them, including Kyle, showed up one by one and joined the beating. My whole body was on fire from the pain. I cried in agony.

"Stop!" I heard a new voice yell. Instantly everyone stopped and moved to let in the girl that Nathan called Wendy. She was the one that left the pack to be with her mate. She leaned down to my level and sneered. "You were right, I did take your mate. He doesn't want you. He chose me over you." My heart sank, she just laughed. "What? You thought that you could have a chance with Nathan? Wow, you must've had your mind beaten out of you to be that stupid. Nathan will never want someone like you." Tears burned my eyes and face.

"P-Please don't." I whimpered. Everyone went back to beating me as more people from my life showed up. They were all there except Nathan. All of them were there, my mother, my friend JayCee, all of them. I cried in agony both mentally and physically as I curled up into a ball and spat out blood.

"Enough!" I heard Nathan's voice. My heart soared so high I could have been flying.

"Nathan!" I yelped in joy. He walked up in all his glory, but something was wrong. He wasn't smiling at me... he was glaring. He wrapped his arm around Wendy's waist and pulled her close to him while sneering at me. Jealousy and pain tore through me. "W-What are you doing?" I whimpered.

"What? You thought you were worthy to be my mate?" He laughed and everyone else joined in. "That's rich." He laughed, but then became serious while lowering his mouth to my ear. "You will never be worthy enough." I full on screamed in anguish. Nathan slapped me across the face with his werewolf strength. Tears blurred my vision so much I couldn't see. My cheek stung not only from the slap, but the tingles of rejection from his touch. Nathan shifted into his wolf and pounced on me, claws and fangs first.

"BAILEY!" I heard Nathan yell, but the Nathan in front of me was tearing up my skin with wolf claws and teeth along with everyone beating me. I felt so broken and worthless. I didn't even feel the pain of getting beaten anymore, only the pain of rejection.

'So this is what it feels like to love with your heart, then only to have it ripped out of your chest, thrown on the ground, and stomped on...' I thought warily.

"Bailey wake up!" I shot awake to see I was still on the top of the hill with Nathan. Nathan! I whimpered and backed away from him, squeezing my eyes shut in pain. "Hey, hey, Bailey. You're ok, it was just a nightmare. You're awake now, you're safe." He soothed, slowly scooting closer. I whimpered and backed away from him more. He froze and confusion covered his face. I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs.

"Bailey?" He whispered. "It's me, Nathan." He said, slowly holding his hand out towards me to take. I just stared at it as a tear trickled down my face. That same hand was just beating me. That same voice just cursed me. This same man just ripped out my heart.

I knew it. I knew he was like Aaron. He just wanted to see my heart broken as well. No, not broken, shattered, he wanted to see it shattered on the ground in front of him. I knew it. I should have seen it coming. I should have been more guarded. Look where it got me now.

"Please Bailey, look at me." I slowly looked up to see Nathan's concerned and pained face. "See? It's just me. I won't hurt you." He scooted a little closer. "You're safe now. It's ok." He soothed, coming closer. I was too scared to move. "I would never hurt you Angel. You're safe, he isn't coming back." With that, Nathan slowly rested his hand on the back of mine. I flinched very visibly at the tingles that covered my hand, reminding me of what Nathan said in my nightmare. I whimpered and pulled my hand away.

"S-Stay away." I moved further away, almost to the edge of the clearing. Nathan noticed this.

"Stop Bailey! The edge!" He said, fear evident in his voice. I froze and looked down, seeing a very steep hill down as far as I could see. I whimpered and looked back at Nathan. I had nowhere to go. "I'm sorry Bailey, for whatever I did. I'm sorry." He said sincerely to me. "Please come away from the edge." I shook my head. Nathan looked very hurt and it pained me, but I couldn't get his voice out of my head.

"You will never be worthy enough."

It echoed in my head. An image of Nathan glaring at me with Wendy in his arms flashed across my eyes. I cried out in pain that was in my chest. The pain of what it would have felt like to be rejected. The pain it caused me to see him with someone else in his arms. The pain of having my heart shattered. Nathan whimpered.

"Please Bailey, let me help you!" He whimpered louder. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head.

"St-stay away from m-me."

"Please don't push me away Bailey. I just want to help." He said super softly. "I won't hurt you. It's ok now. You're safe." Nathan kept repeating that over and over, letting his calming aura and scent surround me. "I would never hurt you." Slowly, he approached me. Since I had nowhere to go, I stayed very still, barely even breathing.

Once Nathan was right next to me, he slowly wrapped his arms around me and I flinched and stiffened under his embrace.

"Shhhh. It's ok Baby. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for whatever I did. I'm here now though. I'm here for you. Always. It's ok, you're safe now." Hearing him apologize for something he doesn't even know about, mixed with his scent and touch, I just broke down. I turned and sobbed into his chest. I gripped his shirt like my life depended on it and sobbed loudly, shaking violently. Nathan just held me close, rubbed my back, and whispered soft things in my ear, rocking me back and forth.

I let out all of my pained emotions, crying them all out. I cried out for the physical pain of the dream. I sobbed for the mental pain. And I shook in fear for the hidden truth in the dream. Some things in there were almost too real. Like Aaron, that felt so real. But so did something else. Someone else.

As the minutes ticked by with Nathan just holding me close, I slowly calmed down. I was still gripping his shirt with white knuckles so I slowly let go, and sighed.

"I'm sorry Bailey." Nathan whispered.

"F-For what?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep the nightmare away. I'm sorry for whatever I did, so so sorry." I shuddered as I remembered what he did.

"It doesn't matter. That wasn't you. I'm awake now. I'm safe." I repeated what he said, trying to make myself believe it. 

"That's right. You're safe." Nathan hugged me, I hugged him back. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked once we pulled apart. My eyes widened and I shook my head violently while whimpering. "Ok, ok, I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Don't apologize Nathan. You did nothing wrong. I-It's me. I can't get over my past. He has ruined me. I'm sorry."

"Oh Baby, it's alright. You aren't ruined, you are strong, beautiful, perfect." Nathan rested his head on top of mine while I rested mine on his chest.

Strong? Beautiful? Perfect? Yeah right... That nightmare wasn't just a fake thing to scare me. It was an eye opener. It was a gift. I was letting my guard down, I was breaking down my ancient strong walls. That nightmare was a reminder, a reminder to keep that wall high and mighty. No one can be let in, no one.

"Are you tired Bailey?" He asked me. I shrugged my shoulders. "You want to go on another run?" Again I shrugged my shoulders, deciding not to let him in anymore then I already have. "Why don't we look at the stars for a while? How does that sound Angel?" I gave him the silent treatment. Nathan sighed softly while mumbling something I couldn't understand. He laid back and laid me next to him, back to the position we were in before.

It was so hard not to relax and smile when I was next to him. The past week has brought me so much closer to Nathan, the mate bond hummed between us.

Don't relax. You will just get hurt. Don't do it Girl.

I repeated in my head over and over again. I felt Nathan take a big breath in. 

"Cause all of me, loves all of you." Nathan sang softly, "Love your curves and all your edges. All your perfect imperfections." I felt a crack in my new built wall. "Give your all to me, I'll give my all to you. You're my end and my beginning. Even when I lose I'm winning. Cause I give you all of me." He sang beautifully and perfectly. "And you give me all of you." My heart started to beat a little faster. "How many times do I have to tell you, even when you're crying you're beautiful too. The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood. You're my down fall your my muse my worst distraction my rhythm and blues. I can't stop singing, it's ringing in my head for you. Cause all of me, loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. Cause all of me, loves all of you." He sang, ending it differently than the song. 

The bond between us hummed more now, drawing me in. I couldn't though, I couldn't let him in again. I couldn't get hurt again. It would destroy what is left of me. 

"Thank you." I whispered. 

"What for Angel?" 

"Everything." I said so quietly I don't know if he even heard me. With that, I turned to the side so my back was to Nathan and tried to fall asleep. He also turned and held me in his arms. 

My nightmare just kept playing in my head over and over again, the look of disgust on Nathan's face, the laughing of everyone I knew, the hateful words. But what hurt worse than their words and fists, was my feelings. Since I let everyone in, for the first time, I feel betrayal. I feel so betrayed it hurts. 

I can't be betrayed anymore. I just can't...

As thoughts floated around, I noticed Nathan's breathing and heart rate slowed and steadied. 

He's asleep, maybe I should make a run for it. I would get a big enough head start I think that he won't be able to catch up. But if I'm going to do that, I need to do it now.

I waited another minute or two until I was positive he was asleep. I very slowly started to move out of his grip. It took me a while, but I was finally able to slip out of his arms and stand up. My werewolf vision and the light of the moon helping me see where I was going. 

I walked around the edge of the clearing to find the safest, easiest path down. Once I found it, I looked back one more time at my sleeping mate. 

"I'm sorry Nathan. But I can't be hurt again. The only way for me to do that, is to be alone. I'm truly sorry." I whispered to him before quietly sliding down the hill.

"Love yourself first, because that's who you'll be spending the rest of your life with. " – T ♡

"When it rains, look for rainbows. When it's dark, look for stars." – Oscar Wilde

Hey guys! How are you all doing? Sorry I haven't been updating a lot. I have a lot of virtual required homework that is taking up most of my time, but I am trying! I hope I am doing ok with this story. Everyone seems to be reading it sooooo maybe? Or maybe you are all so bored out of your minds you will read anything, even this story. ;) Have a good rest of your day!