Sour Souls The Morningstar Series Book 6
Sour Souls Chapter 13

I watched as the doctor looked over my mate. It's clear that he cares deeply about her. It's also clear that he's terrified of me.

Dr. Stevens took good care of Emilit, but is too afraid to touch her in front of me. Being wolves, we have a certain posessiveness over our mates. Dr. Stevens is just afraid to over step with me. It's in his DNA, he can't help it.

Being a Qui-brid (since that is what they are calling us now) I don't feel the exact same as any normal Werewolf. I am possessive. It does bother me to see another man touch my mate in any way. Although, it's not because of Rex. It's because of what happened to

our mate.

I didn't want to leave Emilia at all. I don't want to be more than a foot from her. It's not just a possessive thing, it's a protective thing. I will not let anyone hurt her again.

It's clear that Emilia's trauma runs deeper than just being locked up for the last five years. This entire pack has been torturing my mate almost her entire life. They bullied, and beat her before they even locked her up. And I know they did more than just the vague explaination she gave us.

They did more to her down there. I know it. I can see it in her eyes.

Emilia doesn't trust me. Or, anyone aside from these few people that begged us to save her. Emilia is also much more tired than she is letting on. I need to her her fed, and to sleep.

Dr. Stevens told me that she is extremely malnourished. That much is obvious just looking at her. Thankfully, we are Witches. Kee will get her to a normal weight soon. Then we can go from there. Maybe I can convince her to do some self defense at least. Right now I need to focus on feeding her though. That's the first step. And boy, is my mate putting food away.

Emilia tried to deny eating at first. My little firecracker thinks that she can bargin with me. She will learn quickly that I play dirty.

After finally getting Emilia to taste the first bite... she went insane over all the food that was brought in. Part of me is a bit worried that she's going to end up with a terrible stomach ache for over eating, but she's still going. I don't have the heart to stop her. Kee, get something ready for Emilia in case she gets sick from over eating. I said through the link.

Already did it. Kee replied. Good.

I've been watching Emilia as she eats. Now that she's showered I can see her better. With all that dirt gone it's easier to take in her features. And my Goddess, she is beautiful.

Emilia's skin is pale from the lack of sun for the last five years. Freckles are poking out of the neck hole of my shirt, on her shoulders. They dot her face too making her look innocent. Emilia has large hazel eyes with flecks of gold in them. I bet they look amazing in the setting sunlight.

My favorite thing about her physical appearence is her hair. Wild, long, thick, red curls are all around her. In the dungeon her hair was wild. It stuck out around her, untamed. Whatever Kee put in her hair has helped, but I can already seen the curls forming. I wonder if they will still be wild. I hope so.

Everything else about Emilia is just as appealing to me. She's too skinny right now though. Her cheeks are not as full as they should be. I fear for what her ribs look like under my shirt. Although, I can still make out her curves.

My girl might be scrawny right now, but she has curves. Ones that I'm sure will fill out more when she gains more weight. Even if they don't though, I will still think she is the most beautiful creature to ever exist.

We should have found her sooner. Rex growled in my head.

I ignored him. I already know that. I've been beating myself up over if since I found her.

I spent my whole life hoping I wouldn't find her. I didn't need a mate. Especially so young. Even when I got here I felt that way. I didn't want the same things my twin did. Not even with all my other siblings meeting their mates, and having kids. I still didn't want to find mine.

I was wrong.

The entire time that I had been praying I wouldn't find her, she had been here being abused. I could have stopped it all. I could have saved her before she even got locked in that dungeon. I could have been protecting her this entire time. I was an idiot.

"What are you thinking about?" Emilia's soft voice interrupted my thoughts.

I love her voice. Every time she speaks a sense of peace washes over me. It's something I've never felt before. Even when Emilia is yelling, or cussing at me, I love hearing it.

I cleared my throat.

"Do you need more water?" I asked.

Emilia grabbed her empty glass, and held it out to me.

"Yes please." She said excitedly.

I got up to grab the pitcher of water. So far, Emilia has eaten three trays full of food, and has drank a pitcher and a half of water. And she's still going.

"Thank you." Emilia said happily before she took a drink.

I almost smiled at her. She's just so beautiful, so innocent. And all mine.

I'm surprised that she didn't flip out when she found out who I am. It was clear in her shocked expression that she knows something about my family. Maybe she is just happy to be rescued.

"So, you really aren't going to tell me who my best friend is mated to?" Emilia asked.

"You don't want to be surprised?" I asked back.

My mate shrugged as she stared down at her fourth tray of food.

"I haven't seen them in so long." Emilia mumbled.

"I think it will be a shock for everyone when you get to see them. They've missed you a lot." I said.

Emilia looked up at me with a smile. It took my breath away. I kept my composure, but damn, she can't keep looking at me like that.

"Is Noah big now? He has to be so tall.." She trailed off.

It's clear that Emilia is trying to stay positive through all of this. I admire that about her. Emilia has been abused her whole life, only to be locked up for five years. The moment she gets out she still tries to look at the positive things.

But I see deeper than that. My mate is sad. She missed so much of her life. The people she knew before getting locked away are going to look so different to her now.

"He's tall for his age." I said. "He has a confidence in him that every Beta should have. Did you raise him before getting taken away?" I asked.

Emilia looked down at her tray of food, and nodded.

"That must have been hard." I said.

Again, she only nodded.

"How old were you?" I asked.

"I was ten when he was born. Our mother died during child birth. Dave couldn't handle life without his mate." Emilia said.

Finally, she speaks.

"You've been raising Noah since you were ten?" I asked a bit angrily.

Emilia's eyes snapped up to mine.

"It was better than letting that sorry excuse for a wolf raise him." She said with a glare.

"That doesn't make it right. You were a child yourself." I said.

Emilia's eyes hardened more.

"We did just fine for six years." She said.

"Again, that doesn't make it right Emilia." I said coldly.

Emilia rolled her eyes at me.

I just want to wrap my large hand around her little throat. Everytime she rolls her eyes at me, all I think about it punishing her. I want to so bad, but she isn't ready for that. I'm not sure she ever will be. After another moment my mate sighed.

"It was hard. I didn't have a life because of it. There were lots of nights that I didn't sleep at all. I had no idea how to care for a newborn at the age of ten." She told me. "But at least I had a friend. At least my little brother didn't hate me like the rest of this pack." Her voice is growing angry. "The only thing I regret, is that Noah had to grow up confused, and angry." She stated.

I just stared at her. My mate might be scrawny, and pshycially weak, but... I've never met a person with a stronger spirit.

"Do you not regret more because you always wanted to be a mother?" I asked.

Emilia snorted, and shook her head.

"No. I'm not sure I ever really thought about it. This pack has treated me like a parasite since I got here when I was six. When my mom got pregnant I used to go to some of her appointments with her. Dr. Stevens was one of the only nice people to me." She said. A small smile touched her lips.

"He showed me how to look at an ultrasound picture, and taught me how to look at the pictures." Emilia told me.

"After Mom died.. I wanted to do something with my life still, but I had to raise Noah as well. Doing that, along with how everyone treated the bastard child, I never thought about it. All I thought about was getting me and Noah out of here." She said. "Bastard child?" I asked confused.

Emilia's face turned a deep shade of red, and she looked away from me. My fingers twitched to reach out, and turn her face back to me. That deep red on her cheeks is igniting something in me.

Now is not the time though.

"That's what I am." Emilia mumbled.

I furrowed my brow. What the hell does that mean?

When I didn't say anything, Emilia turned her head to me. For the first time that firece look she always has for me is gone. Now she looks... embarrassed?

"Are... Are you going to reject me because of it? Because if you are, I just have one demand." She said.

I raised a brow at her as Rex growled in my head.

"I just want you to get me out of this pack first. I know that you killed all the high ranking wolves, but I do not want to stay here. You can drop me off right outside of the territory if you want. I just-" "I am not dropping you off anywhere." I interrupted.

Anger is starting to pour through me.

Emilia turned her face away from me. This time I did reach out to her. I grabbed her chin, harsher than I intended, and forced her eyes back to mine. That firece look is back, but she didn't push me away.

"I will not be rejecting you. We are leaving this f****d up pack tomorrow. I won't let you stay a minute longer than necessary here." I seethed.

Emilia's eyes softened as she blinked at me.

"You.. aren't going to reject me?" She asked confused.

I frowned at her.

"No. I am not. You belong with me." I stated.

The red in my mates cheeks deepened. Fuck, she looks so pretty all red like this. I bet the rest of her would look just as good this color.

"But.. I'm a bastard child." Emilia said confused.

A low growl erupted from me.

"I don't understand what you mean by that." I said.

"I.. I was born from someone who wasn't my mothers mate." Emilia said still sounding confused.

"I understand that much Emilia. What I don't understand is why it matters. Your mother's choices have nothing to do with you. And besides that, there are lots of other creatures born from unmated pairs. You shouldn't be paying for your parents mistakes, and this pack shouldn't be so stuck in the past." I said.

Emilia blinked at me.

"The past?" She asked.

"Emilia, this is the only pack, probably in the entire country, that holds those veiws still. We are all taught to wait for our mates, but not because of unexpected children. It's to protect our mates feelings. Jealousy, and posessiveness runs deep in most supernatural creatures." I told her.

Again, Emilia just blinked at me.

I trailed my fingers across her skin. Tingles shot across my hand, and up my arm. She's so soft.

"So, you're telling me that everyone has been treating me this terribly my whole life for no reason?" She asked angrily.

I looked deep into her hazel eyes.

"That is exactly what I'm telling you." I stated.

A low growl tumbled from my mates lips. My first instinct is to lean down to press my lips to her. I want to so bad, but I held back.

"I want to kill them all." She admitted through gritted teeth.

"You can't." I said.

"You should have let me help you kill the Alpha." She said.

My grip on her chin tightened.

"I wouldn't have." I stated.

"Because I'm weak." She stated back.

I nodded. "For now. One day that will change."

Emilia wrapped her small hand around my wrist that is holding her face. She pushed my hand from her, and I let her go. Then she turned her face from me. "Emilia-"

"I want to see my brother now. I ate your stupid food." She interrupted me.

"No." I stated.

Emilia snapped her head to me.

"Excuse me?" She asked angrily.

"I said no." I said.

"Why?" Emilia asked sounding absolutely pissed off.

"Because it is after 10 at night, and you need to sleep." I told her.

I got up to start removing trays from the bed.

"I don't need to sleep." Emilia said.

"Don't lie to me, you aren't good at it." I said as I continued to clean up.

Emilia huffed, and crossed her arms.

After taking care of everything, I flipped the light off. I walked back to the bed, and started to strip my clothes off. I had just pulled the shirt over my head when my mate spoke. "W-what are you doing?" She asked.

I looked at her as I started to undo my jeans.

"Getting ready for bed." I said flatly as I pushed down my jeans.

Emilia snapped her head away from me. Even in the darkness of the room I can see the blush on her cheeks. I smirked.

I moved the blankets back to get in the bed with her.

"Whoa, what are you doing now?" Emilia rushed out.

"I thought it was clear." I stated.

"You are not sleeping in the same bed as me. Especially with just your underwear on." She said.

"I can put some sweats on if you want." I said.

"Yes, do that, and then sleep in the couch." She stated.

I chuckled at her. Then I rummaged through my bag. When I found my sweat pants, I slide them up my body, and the crawled into the bed with my mate.

"I said the couch." Emilia seethed quietly.

"I don't care what you said." I told her.

Emilia scoffed. She sat up in the bed. I watched amused as my mate made a barracade of pillows between us. It's really just two pillows separating our bodies.

"These pillows will not hold me back from touching you mate." I said amused.

In the dark, I watched as Emilia's body stiffened. Rex growled in my head. I had to fight down the growl wanting to come out of me.

"I won't touch you if you don't want me to Emilia." I told her.

"Good, see that you don't." She gritted out, though her voice lacked the same conviction as before.

We lay there in silence for a while. I'm thinking about all the ways that I'll slaughter every wolf in this pack that dared touch my mate. Tomorrow, I will be finding out exactly what has happened to her, and anyone that is still alive, won't be for long. "Ares.." Emilia's voice is soft.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Can.. Can you.. Uhm.." She trailed off.

I sighed, and moved the pillows out of the way. I wrapped my arm around her waist, and pulled her against me. Emilia's body instantly relaxed against me.

"Just tell me if you aren't comfortable at any moment." I told her.

"Okay." She said softly.

"Sleep, I will not let anyone touch you." I told her.

I inhaled her beautiful cherry blossom scent until I heard her heart beat slow. Emilia's breathing evened as well. Finally she is asleep.

I untangled myself, and rolled over. It's not that I don't want to touch my mate, it's that I want to touch her a little too much. Having her body against me like that has my brain running in ways that it shouldn't.

Our mate is weak right now. Rex scolded me.

I know that. I gritted back.

Mark her, maybe that will speed things up for her body. Rex suggested.

I am not doing that to her. I said.

She is ours. Rex said.

She has had people bossing her around her entire life Rex. We are going to let this be her choice. She deserves that much. I said.

Rex grumbled in agreement.

I sighed, and ran a hand down my face.

Emilia started to twitch next to me.

"No.." She mumbled in her sleep as her body started to thrash.

I sat up worried.

"Please.. no.. don't.. stop.." Emilia mumbled over, and over again.

I reached out to touch her. As soon as my hands touched her body, it got worse. Much worse.

"No!" She screamed.

Emilia started to thrash around even more. She kneed me right in the gut making me let out an 'humph'. Emilia screamed again, and this time I was thrown off the bed completely.

What the hell? How the f**k did that happen? I had her arms pinned down.

I got to my feet quickly. The moment I got back on the bed, Emilia sat up gasping for air. Tears are streaming down her cheeks. Her eyes scanned the room in panic, until they landed on me.

Emilia's body slumped when our eyes connected. Her bottom lip trembled as a low whimper escaped her. I have no idea what to do. I'm just sitting in front of Emilia, staring at her.

Before I could come up with what to do, Emilia threw herself into my body. She clung to me like I am the only thing grounding her to this earth. Emilia tucked her small head in the crook of my neck as she sobbed. I wrapped my arms around her, and started to rub her back.

"It's alright Emilia. You are safe now." I whispered to her.

"Shut up." She gritted out as she held onto me tighter. "Just.. shut your stupid mouth."

I didn't say a word after that. I kissed the top of her head. Then I pulled us to the head of the bed. I leaned against the head rest as I held onto my mate. I continued to rub Emilia's back.

Eventually, my mate stopped sobbing. Shortly after that her breathing evened back out. She fell back asleep. I will not be letting her go this time.