Forbidden Mate: Awakening

“I wonder why Adrian didn’t tell me what he talked with Ethan about last night.” I grumbled to myself as I made my way into the mental home Don was staying in.

It had been a while since we last spoke, and I wouldn’t have been a good friend if I didn’t go visit him once in a while. I heard him and Jaxon had a fight some days prior, I wonder why, but visiting Jaxon wasn’t in my bucket list anytime soon. I wasn’t even sure if he would want to see me.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

Space.

What he needed was space and that’s what I’d give him.

I knew Don had been through a lot, especially with his recent mental health battles which made me wonder what exactly Leo did to him when he was captured and brought to that same cave. I thought Adrian and I faced hell but Don’s was just another level. And despite everything that had happened between us in the past, I couldn’t bring myself to completely turn my back on him.

Before I reached his room, a warden warned me, “Be careful with him please. He gets triggered easily and he’s on medication.”

Sheesh. Was it that bad?

As I reached his door, I took a deep breath and knocked softly. “Don? It’s Lily. Can we talk?” I called out.

The door creaked open, revealing Don’s sleep ridden face. He looked pale and tired, his eyes haunted by bad memories. “Lily,” he said softly and stepped aside to let me in.

He looked so bad and I felt so sorry for him. What had they been injecting him with or giving him to take?

“Don…” I said breathlessly.

He gestured for me to enter and I did. Taking in the surroundings, the place looked so bare.

One bed, one table, one chair, one TV.

Was that it? I wondered how much he’d have to suffer from being so alone here.

I felt so nervous and concerned as I took a seat. “I heard what happened with Jaxon,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “Are you okay?”

Don let out a bitter laugh. “Am I ever really okay, Lily?” he replied, bitterly. “But don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.”

I frowned, not entirely convinced by his words. “Don, you don’t have to put on a brave face for me,” I said gently. “I know Jaxon is your close friend, and I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you to face him now.”

Don looked away, his jaw clenched tightly. “A murderer and betrayer is not my friend,”

I thought I heard wrongly, “What?”

“I said a murderer and betrayer is not my friend.” He faced me and said it again with his full chest.

I was taken aback. Why would he refer to Jaxon as those terms?

“I don’t understand you, Don.”

“You don’t need to.” He looked away and fell quiet again.

“You can’t leave me hanging like that, Don. You just called Jaxon a murderer and betrayer. What do you mean by that?”

“I had to fight him…to know whether he’d kill me too like he did…” then he looked at me with teary eyes and said, “You.”

I was so confused. What was Don talking about?”

“Me? What are you saying, Don?”

I stood up from the chair and sat beside him on the bed, “Tell me.”

“I had a dream. I mean… I’ve been having dreams. Jaxon…he’s always there. You’re always there. Sarah’s always there. Even that your boyfriend’s always there. And your dad too.”

“What is the dream about?”

“We’re in a battle. Vampires are attacking us…you’re at the forefront. When you want to make a peace deal with the vampires, Jaxon kills the vampire leader…”

“Well, that’s kinda go-”

“Then he kills you too.”

He looked so eerily at me that it sent chills down my spine.

“He kills and kills and continues killing. He doesn’t look like the Jaxon we know but it’s him. He kills you, Lily. I’ve seen it so many times that I can’t even tell you if you’re a ghost or real some times…” He broke down crying, using his hands to rub his eyes.

I was utterly speechless. What kind of dream was that? What could it mean? And should I have believed Don when he said he had it multiple times? Jaxon, killing me? I couldn’t even think of it.

I held his back, “I think it’s just cus of lack of sleep that’s causing you to have dreams like that.”

“And I can’t sleep because I have dreams like that!”

“Don, it’s…hard to believe…”

“I have it almost everyday! It’s haunting me…I…that’s why I thought I…I wouldn’t lie about this, Lily. You have to believe me.”

I really wanted to but I couldn’t bring myself to it. “I can’t believe Jaxon would want to hurt me, Don. We may not be on speaking terms but that doesn’t mean he-”

“You also don’t believe me? Everyone thinks I’m crazy. If only you could see the dream yourself…”

“Don, please calm down.”

He continued crying and admitted. “Everything that’s been happening. The war, the division in the pack… It’s all too much.”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I understand,” I said softly. “It’s a lot to bear, but you don’t have to go through it alone. We’re here for you, Don. You shouldn’t lose your mind over it. What’s happened has happened, what is happening will continue happening and what will happen, will happen.”

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine for something I couldn’t quite tell. His moods were changing spirally and I tried to keep up. I was still thinking about the dream. “Lily, I… I’m sorry,” he said with a broken voice. “I know I messed up, and I know I hurt you. But please, just give me a chance to make things right.”

I took a deep breath, “Don, we’ve had this conversation before. It’s okay. I appreciate your concern,” I said. “But I can’t really forget what happened though I’ve forgiven you, and I can’t ignore the fact that you tried to hurt Jaxon.”

“But he-”

“Both of you could’ve gotten severely hurt.”

Don’s shoulders slumped, and he looked down at his hands. “I know I messed up, Lily,” he said quietly. “But I promise you, I will do what I can to make it right. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

I felt torn, torn between wanting to believe him and the fear that his degrading mental health would be dangerous to others in our pack. “Don, you need to focus on getting better,” I said firmly. “The war is coming, and we need everyone in top shape to fight. I don’t want you to put yourself at risk because of me.”

He shook his head and held a determined gaze. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Lily,” he said. “I’ll fight in the war, and I’ll protect you with everything I’ve got.”

I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t be able to change his mind. “Just promise me that you’ll take care of yourself,” I said. “You need to rest and heal. The pack needs you, Don, and I need you too, to be healthy.”

Don looked at me with gratitude and sadness in his eyes. “I promise,” he said softly. “I’ll do my best to take care of myself.”

I smiled at him and gave him a big hug. “I’ll come visit soon, okay?”

He nodded and I rose up. Before I left, he said, “I promise to be in my top form so during the war, I can protect you from Jaxon.”

I sighed and closed the door behind me.