Page 58 of The Wolf Lord's Mate

Nathaniel stroked my hair, matching his breathing to mine; inhaling and exhaling with me, his gaze patient and steady. His grip on me was tight, holding me firming against him. The hard pressure was nice, his touch grounding me to him.

My mind was another problem altogether, a whirlwind of thoughts rushing through me all at once. The panic in my chest made me want to cry, but that wasn't the only feeling helping to drive the urge; it was his kindness too, his unabashed sweetness as he held me there against him.

"Good, my love," Nathaniel cooed, tucking my hair behind my ear and pressing a kiss to my forehead, "You're doing so well for me. I'm proud of you, little one."

"I've not done anything," I closed my eyes as another wave of panic washed over me, "I just sat here." Nathaniel's heartbeat was steady, and I matched my breathing to its even tempo, one slow breath at a time.

"You're doing everything you can," Nathaniel's hand came to rest on breastbone, his long fingers covering almost the whole expanse of my upper chest, "And you're staying, that's all that matters. Just to be here with you is a gift."

Nathaniel's sweet words struck their usual chord, spearing through all of the tender, hidden parts of me. They made me want to squirm, to wrestle myself away from him and hide under the blanket, but his tight grip stopped me from moving.

"Mira," Nathaniel's voice was firm, cutting off the whimper that slipped through my lips, "Open your eyes. Look at me, little female, there you are—good."

I forced myself to do as he said, peeking at him through narrowed eyes. Nathaniel smiled, and the sheer adoration in his eyes spurred a fluttering in my stomach. It was different to the nauseas sort of churning I had grown accustomed to, and this version was almost—pleasant.

Looking at him, I was breathless for an entirely different reason.

Nathaniel was just so beautiful when he smiled, when he looked at me with so much vulnerability that there was no question as to what he felt for me. Why he felt it and to what lengths he would go when following those feelings were still questions that I did not have the answers to, but I could not doubt that he felt them.

That in his strange, magical, Wolfish way, Nathaniel did love me, and he loved me fearlessly. In many ways, I envied how easily he could show his heart to me, never once afraid to continue on regardless of how many times I rebuffed his advances. It was a strange mix of arrogance and devotion to believe so thoroughly that I would fall for him, and he kept at it like a lovesick puppy.

And the truth was, if I really thought about it, that I'd already fallen for Nathaniel a long time ago.

Before I had known that we were mates, I had been trying to contend with my feelings for Nathaniel. I had been so sure that he could never be mine, and the thought had nearly driven me mad.

It was only after I knew that we were fated that all of the doubt swept in, the lack of a choice in the matter making my whole nervous system freeze up. All I had wanted to do was run from him, and I didn't want to be trapped in a mating bond that I didn't choose.

But I did care for Nathaniel, and I had cared for him before I had known the bond between us existed. He must have seen that care, noticed it—whether through the obvious way I always acted flustered around him or his Wolfish sense of smell catching my arousal.

In many ways, it wasn't that Nathaniel was forcing me to fall in love with him or even forcing me to stay, he was trying to make me recognize the feelings that I already had for him. Real, genuine affection that he was willing to wait for, regardless of what I put him through.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes, and Nathaniel's face fell just slightly before he steadied himself again. With a gentle smile, Nathaniel wiped away the tears just before they fell.

"Now, little one, what did I say? We'll have no more of that tonight. There is no need to be sad."

"I'm not sad, I promise," I swallowed, offering him a gentle smile of my own, "I am trying, but I'll try harder. I can't promise to fall in love with you, and I can't promise that I will ever be your perfect little mate, but I will try to stop pushing you away. And—"

I hesitated for a moment, gnawing on my bottom lip. Nathaniel did not rush me, the male only stroking my skin and patiently waiting for me to continue.

"—I promise," I began again, "Not to push down what I do feel for you."

"What you feel for me?" Nathaniel's expression softened, an excitement glowing in his eyes that he was quite obviously attempting to conceal so as not to put me off.

"What I feel for you." I repeated, trying not to lose my nerve, which was difficult given the childlike wonder shining in that Alpha male's eyes.

"And what feelings would those be, little one?" The beginnings of a grin started to pull at Nathaniel's lips, and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Now you're just getting greedy." I said.

"For you?" Nathaniel squeezed my hips, "Always."