"Love is giving someone the power to destroy you...but trusting them not to."
~Unknown

"N-no!"

War had never smelled such fear in a person he cared for. Doctor Falcon was now in their bedroom, with a type of saw to get Pom's casts off, but his mate was acting as if he had an ax, ready to chop her limbs off.

"It's okay," he consoled her as she clung to him for dear life. War hated this. He had the primal urge to knock the teeth out of Doctor Falcon as he chuckled and joked about Pomelia's irrational fear.

He held her one hand tightly as Doctor Falcon began to saw off the large cast on her leg. War noticed that she kept on inhaling his scent deeply and that seemed to be keeping her from losing it.

Which kind of made him...happy. He had never been the source for someone's comfort. It was odd, refreshing. He wondered if he would be able to comfort her more... He certainly knew exposing her to Butter, was going to score big points for him.

"Wonderful. Two more to go and you are free my dear!"

Pom refused to move. The only indication that he could tell that she was well and alive was her shaky breathing, other than that, his poor mate was a rock.

After all of the casts were removed he took a sharp pair of scissors and began to cut whatever was binding her limbs so tightly. Once all that was done, Doctor Falcon smiled widely. "And we are done! You can open your eyes now, sweetheart."

Pomelia did, and while she flexed her hand and moved her previously wrapped up leg, War's eyes soaked up her blemish free skin. He suddenly didn't feel terrible about everything. He actually felt...joy. He was the reason why she was fully healed and healthy again...but he felt overwhelming happiness. To the point where he was confused.

It wasn't his feelings. It was Pomelia's. He marked her and as a result, he could feel some of her emotions if they were strong enough. She was over the moon about being fully healed and he was happy for her...

"Thank you Doctor Falcon. Sorry for giving you a hard time," his mate apologized sheepishly as Falcon chuckled, thinking it was funny. War had the urge still to beat up the elderly man. He had acted as if he had a stick up his ass the entire time He worked with War but the moment Pomelia is awake, he's acting as sweet as sugar! The old man was unbelievable.

"It's fine dear! I wish you and War the best. I would love to chat but we have places to be." Now that they were leaving, he could call Wes and tell him everything that his mate was okay.

Pomelia said bye to the doctor and after that she began to occupy herself with running her tongue over her elongated teeth in the front. She seemed so hypnotized by the movement, making War forget what he was doing and watch his mate explore her improved body.

"I have hair!" She squealed out, bringing her forearm close. War noticed the dark brown hair thickening on her skin and chuckled. She really was acting as if she were a pup again.

"You do," he agreed as she immediately bunched up her long dress to look at her legs. He looked away, trying to focus on something more important.

"Can I shift? Can we go to the forest?" She questioned him as he could feel her body heat coming closer to him.

War wanted to get some information to Reese before he and Pomelia did anything else today. He would give her Butter so that she could get used to him, then maybe a little later he would help her try to do her first shift. He also wanted to point something out to her too.

"In a little while," he explained to her as he texted Nick, telling him to bring Butter to the door. "When we do practice," he told her, watching her listen intently, "wear a dress you don't mind ripping."

She gasped, as she kept sliding her hand over her hairy arm. Her fascination was just adorable. "I do mind ripping all of them..You got me all these beautiful colorful ones and the ones from the compound are really soft and comfy."

War gave her a regretful look. "Your body is shifting...your clothes will rip."

Pom seemed conflicted. "Oh. Well that's not fun."

"It's painful too. Do you want to do this...today?" He didn't want to rain on her parade but it was the truth. War had shifted so many times he lost count so the uncomfortable feeling was just second nature. Pomelia wasn't good with pain. At all.

She nodded her head enthusiastically, her hand going out to his. "Yes...I want to be closer to you, War. We're mates and I know sometimes we can't express everything we want to express with words, and I think our wolves will help bring us closer."

Pomelia was blushing now, a shy look to her as he gripped her hand tighter. Why was she like this? It would be so easy to tell her no if she wasn't staring at him like he was the best person in the world. Which he wasn't...

"Tomorrow morning I'll teach you," he caved, watching her face light up with joy. Why was it so fucking hard to tell her no? This was a problem
he had to fix soon. How was he going to do it? He had no idea...

Just as he was about to mention more things about shifting, he could smell Nick approaching the door and a soft knock. "Oh...who is that? I smell them," Pomelia gushed happily. He was so thankful that everything had turned out okay...he didn't really know what to do with himself. Who should he be thanking? He still wasn't convinced that the moon goddess was in fact real...

"Pomelia close your eyes," he told her as he opened the door slightly. Nick was their smiling gently smoothing over Butter's fur with his finger. "Are your eyes closed?"

War could hear her laugh, and glanced back to see her with her eyes closed and smiling. "What is it? You said I can open them?"

"No!" He warned her sternly, watching her jump and cover her eyes.

"I was joking, War!"

He growled, snatching the fluffy little thing from Nick and then shutting the door quickly. He turned around, with Butter in hand, watching his mate sit patiently. She was smiling and her nose lifted up in the air to sniff. It winkled and then she tried to smell again. "What is it, War?"

He placed Butter down in her lap, the small kitten rolling around in the hammock that her dress was making for it. "Open your eyes."

Pomelia's hands went to Butter before her eyes did. Letting loose a loud shrill, she gently picked up Butter who was pawing at his mate gently.

"It's a kitten!"

"It is."

"Y-you got me Butter!"

"I know," he chuckled as she brought the little kitten up to her cheek and cuddled it. Before things took a turn for the worse.

After cuddling the kitten for a few more seconds, she set the little thing down on the bed. Her lips trembled and he heard a sniffle, before all tears broke loose.

"You don't like him?" War asked worriedly, as Butter walked around the bed, taking interest in Pomelia's foot. The little animal rubbed his head against her foot, making her squeal in the middle of her tears.

War quickly took Butter and set him on the floor, away from Pomelia, taking her tears as sadness or anger. "I'm sorry...I thought...I'll get rid of him," he told her, anger rising up within him. Why did he think getting her one was a good idea? She said she didn't care but he took it upon him self assuming she was just being her shy self.

"No!" She sobbed, wiping her cheeks continuously with one hand while reaching her arm out to him before wiping her tears once again.

Did she want a hug? War was at a lost, as he sunk down to sit next to her. He instantly found her leaning into his body...then she was giving him a side hug, which couldn't be comfortable for her.

"Thank you," she cried as he wiggled his arm from being pressed back up against himself and wrapped it around Pomelia. So she was happy? "Thank you so much, War," she sniffles, moving closer to him so that she could press her face against his chest.

"You're welcome," he told her softly, as she hugged him even more tightly. "It's just a cat...you're my mate so-"

"-You didn't have to War. You don't have to treat me so nice. Yes we're mates," she told him as she sat up, staring at him with a serious look to her. "We're mates and we're supposed to be together but all of this," she choked up, waving her arm in the air..he was guessing to represent the room. "It's so...uncalled for and I love it. I-I don't know," she trailed off her eyes brightening as she still wiped at her tears.

War was happy that she appreciated him...that she was showing this much emotion over him. No one had ever cried over him. Cried over things so small. A cat, a phone, dresses... It was odd. "Like I said," he cleared his throat. "You're my mate...I want you to be happy."

"I would be happy without all of this, War. I really would. Growing up we were told that material items were nothing. I only ever had my dresses and maybe some books so a pet and a phone. It's so nice," she said, wrapping herself around his arm. He tried to ignore her breast pushing up against his arm, but his wolf nor his dick wanted him to forget.

He shrugged. His mate talked...a lot. Why did she talk this much? He didn't know. He enjoyed her voice though. "...And you've done so much. I just don't know how to repay you."

"You being my mate...is enough."

Pomelia whimpered, her eyes brightening even more, before she kissed his arm. "I love you, you're so sweet."

War stiffened. Pomelia gasped. She immediately let his arm go, and scrambled up to her feet. "Oh...I-I have to go to the bathroom!"

With saying that, she rushed into the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Shit. Love. She said she loved him. What was he supposed to do with that information?! They hadn't known each other long, but they were mates...

Sure War couldn't think about her ever leaving his side...but love?! He never loved anyone before. Yeah he loved when she smiled, or stared at him or freakin' breathed. But did he love her? Should he just tell to her the same to make her happy? He always wanted her happy...

Maybe he should call Khan. He dealt with women. A lot of them. Some, he was nice to and others he wasn't.

"Hey...I'm going to check on Nick!"

"Oh..ok!"

He noticed that Butter was in his own little world. Playing with one of his shirts he had discarded on the floor. "Stay," he growled at the little thing as he meowed loudly, the hair on his small back raising.

Once War was down stairs, he dialed Khan's number, watching Nick on his computer playing a game with a big fish hanging from a hook. It looked really juvenile but whatever made the kid happy...

He waited for Khan to answer and of course he didn't. War frowned, dialing Jess's number. She was a woman, she would help. "Daddy War bucks! What's up hot stuff? Have you called to tell me you and my little pomegranate have done the deed!"

War groaned, instantly regretting this call. "I need help."

"What's up? Do you need sex advice?! Remember always eat the box before putting the stick in-"

"-What box? Pom...told me she loves me." War in all honesty had no idea what the fuck she was talking about but he didn't care! He needed answers now.

A squeal sounded on the other end. "Aw shit! My little pommie! So what happened next? Why are you calling me? That's amazing. I would probably die if Khan's big ass said that to me!"

"I didn't say it back."

Their was a sigh on the other line. "Oh, I see your problem. Do you love her?"

"I don't know."

"Geez War! Tell her that shit. I bet you stared at her like a fish and then she got nervous and backtracked?!"

Well she didn't backtrack but instead she left. "She just ran."

Jess growled. "You idiot! War go tell my baby the truth. If you don't love her-"

"-I didn't say that!"

"-Well what is it?! Do you love her or not?"

War growled, walking the length of the hallway. "I know...I know can't live without her," he admitted to Jess.

"Tell her that! Good fucking gracious! Just like Khan says, learn how to use your words! War, if I could I would strangle you."

War didn't want to tell her that. He wanted to tell her that he loved her too...even if he wasn't sure. "I can't...I don't want to upset her."

"War don't lie to her. I'm going to call her tomorrow and if you lie to her and tell that sweet angel that you fucking love her I will hurt you. I have never laid a hand on you but that will be the day!" Jess yelled into the phone as he cringed, holding the phone away from him. "You're already lying to her enough as it is. Get your shit together."

She was right. Definitely right. He couldn't even tell her he loved her because how could he love someone he lies so easily to? Gods, he felt like smashing something. He had to tell her eventually.

"War I have to go. Tell her that shit, please and thank you!"

War sighed as he glanced at Nick who was staring at him. "What?!" Nick quickly looked away.

His phone buzzed.
Did she like Butter?

"Yeah she likes him." Nick smiled before giving him a thumbs up.

As soon as War was about to make his way back up the steps to talk to Pomelia, he heard a knock at the door. Growling loudly, he stormed over to it, angry that he had to prolong his talk with Pomelia for whoever was at the door.

Opening the door slightly, he internally cursed. A smile as warm as the sun and eyes as cold as ice. The woman's dark eyes slowly raked over him, a look of disgust flickering over face before she buried her utter disdain for him.

"Warren..you look the same," she smiled as he watched her nose twitch. Just a fraction.

"Hey, Mei Ling."

It was Reese's mate, the Luna of one of the nicest packs he ever had access to. "Reese tells me you have an injured mate but that I don't believe. The moon goddess would never let a man whose hands bare the weight of so many deaths on his hand, have peace."

Well, she was wrong. He had Pomelia. "She's better now," he told her as she gave him a look of suspicion. He knew she would want to meet Pomelia...

"Where is she? I would love to say hi, pick her brain a little."

"She's resting...Maybe tomorrow," he said gripping the door tight. He would have to speak to Pomelia and tell her not to trust her or anything she said...

Mei frowned. "Definitely tomorrow. Have you heard about Ben's disappearance or the LPA showing up here? Coincidence that you're here right now...almost ironic."

War shrugged. "I gotta go. Good to see you," he half smiled at her, his wolf peeking out just a hint, letting it be known that he didn't like this female at all.

"Great to see you too, Warren. Tomorrow I can't wait to meet your little mate."

He shut the door after that, glaring at the poor piece of wood as if it had personally offended him. Reese a wasn't so much of a problem, but Mei Ling was. He would have to txt Reese and tell her not to mention anything of his past in front of his mate.

That would be like gasoline to a fire... Someone else telling Pomelia what he should've told her. He would have to eventually have to tell her and sooner now rather then later. She loved him and he was sure she was going to switch that once she found out how much of a monster he was.

As soon as he was ready to confront Pomelia, his phone rang. He glanced to Nick and saw that he was waving his phone in the air.

"Look at this is if you aren't busy?"

War rolled his eyes. Yes he had all the time in the world apparently. Walking over to the kid he noticed that he still had his game up on the computer but on the couch where he was sitting were papers strewn everywhere from a notebook. "This is Ben's stuff?"

Nick nodded his head. War looked over the crazy scribbled pages, cringing at all of the odd drawings and weird shit on the ripped pages. As he looked at what Nick pointed to his phone rang again.

"I don't know what this means. It's Greek but not new Greek. I tried to translate but it's not clear."

War was no help with that at all. He didn't half understand English let alone any of the other languages. War flipped through a few pages and noticed that he had a done an illustration and some random scribbles.

"Did you look at this?" He questioned, holding up the book to Nick who shook his head. He watched the kid type furiously on his phone before it began to buzz.

"Haven't gotten that far. Had to take a break from notebook. His mind scares me."

War frowned. "I'll take this page and look into it," he frowned as he noticed that a number was scribbled out too. "What's that cabbie number again? Send it to me."

Nick gave him a thumbs up and continued flipping through the notebook. For some reason, War had a shit feeling about this page.

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Hey guys thoughts on this chapter?

31&32 should be up by the end of the week on Patreon!