Chapter 5 - Shame

Eric POV

                  As I thrust one last time into Louisa, I roar my release.  The roar was not for an amazing experience but for the pain I felt at losing my fated mate.  “That was incredible,” Louisa says as I slip out of her body.  I quickly move to the side of my bed and move towards the washroom.

                  I jump into the shower to wash off Louisa’s scent.  It sickens me, after scenting my fated.  I lean my head against the shower stall and consider all that has happened this evening.  All that should have been.  It should have been Julia in my bed tonight.  That beauty would consume me for years to come, regardless of who I take as a chosen mate.

                  Before I can process anything else, I hear a frantic call through my mind-link from Elizabeth.  “What is it?” I reply.  “Please come to the Pack hospital at once.  We have a situation and I do not know what to do,” she says urgently.  For Elizabeth to call out to me at this point in the evening, I knew things were serious. 

                  I quickly exited the shower just as Louisa was entering.  She pouts, “I was hoping you would wash my back,” she says as I walk past her.  “I have to go; you know the way out,” I say curtly.  She gasps at my rudeness.  “Excuse me?” she demands in her nasally voice.  “I have an urgent matter to attend to,” I reply as I grab a pair of jeans and shirt putting them on and quickly exiting my suite.

                  I race down the stairs and through the back entrance towards the Pack hospital.  As I enter the hospital the quietness surprises me.  I had expected chaos when I entered the hospital, but the silence was deafening.  I entered through the main doors and see Elizabeth and Carter speaking with the lead doctor.

                  “What happened?” I asked as I arrived beside them.  “We have a situation,” Elizabeth states quietly.  “Okay?” I ask confused at the mystery.  “In consulting with the doctor, it seems one of our server’s met her fated mate this evening,” Elizabeth continues.  I feel a moment of nausea as I stand up a little straighter listening to what was to come next.

                  “Why do we think that?” I asked not wanting to hear the answer.  “A young woman was found outside on the ground writhing in pain very similar to that of a rejected fated mate,” she says angrily.  “Are we certain she was rejected and is not simply sick?” I ask not wanting the answer.

                  “No, the doctor examined her.  The marks on her belly are that of a betrayal,” Elizabeth replies with emotion.  “Are we sure we know what we are talking about?  The servers were all human.  How could they have experienced what we experience through a rejection?” I ask confident there was a simple explanation for this. 

                  “She is currently sleeping off the remaining pain that she experienced.  Her human friend is with her, distraught at seeing her friend in that kind of pain,” Elizabeth replies as Carter moves closer to take Elizabeth closer into his body.  “I am not clear what you want me to do?” I asked as she looked to me.

                  “What do we do?  How do I find out who rejected her and did not ensure the rejection was complete?” Elizabeth demands of me.  “Leave it with me.  I will go and speak with the friend and will make arrangements to get them home safely.  I will see if I can gather who might be the culprit and report back to you tomorrow,” I replied calmly wanting to see if this was in fact my fated mate.

                  “I cannot imagine the pain she went through.  I went through that with my chosen mate.  As a wolf it was painful, I cannot imagine a human who is not as experienced as us and who does not have a wolf to protect them,” she says as tears of concern fill her eyes.  “I am sure she will be fine, and we will get to the bottom of everything,” I assured Elizabeth as Carter turns her towards the doors.

                  Elizabeth stops, “You had no luck this evening finding your fated mate?” she asked quietly.  I looked at her and before I can stop the words from leaving my lips, the lie comes out of them.  “No luck; I think it is time to look for a chosen mate,” I say to her.  She frowns at this.  “No; you must wait.  I had a chosen mate, and it was horrible.  I know your fated mate is not far, you just need to be patient,” she says with a soft smile as she turns in her mate’s arms and walks out of the hospital.

                  I hear someone clear their voice behind me, and I turn to see a pixie of a woman standing in front of me.  “Yes?” I ask as I look to her.  “I heard you talking about my firend.  What does a rejection mean?” she asks.  “And you would be?” I ask her.  “Cami,” she replies quickly.  “You did not answer my question,” she adds.

                  “It is nothing for you to worry about.  I am sure your friend will be fine, and you have nothing to worry about,” I murmur as I move slowly towards the door of her friend’s room.  “She has dark bruises on her stomach, as if someone beat her,” she says.  I look to her, “What?” I ask.  “And the claw marks from where she scratched at herself,” she adds.

                  I moved towards the door and pushed it open.  The sight before me catches me off guard and my step falters as I try to move into the room.  Lying there is Julia, my fated mate.  I move slowly towards her side and see the lines of pain in her face.  I move to pull the blanket back when her friend grabs at my hand.

                  “What the hell do you think you are doing?” she demands protecting her friend.  “I need to see the damage,” I say to her wanting to see for myself what had happened to her.  She paused for a moment before nodding and I respectfully pull the blanket back and lifted her shirt up showing only her stomach.

                  Guilt overwhelms me as I see the damage to her stomach.  The damage I had caused by my carelessness.  How had I not known this could happen to a human mate as easily as it would happen with a fated wolf?  I quickly tug her shirt back down and cover her with the blanket.

                  I touch her hand and feel the sparks between our skin once again.  “I am sorry,” I whisper to her as her friend moves closer.  “What are you sorry for?” she demands.  I give my head a shake, “That she was put into this position.  We will correct it, and she will be free to go home to live her life,” I reply as I sit down and watch my fated mate sleep for the rest of the night.