Chapter 153


    Chapter 153 – Late Night Comfort


    E “Won’t youe to bed?” I inquire, leaning over Sinir’s back and wrapping my arms around his


    neck. ‘You need to rest.”


    My mate is sitting at hisputer drafting emails and marching orders, secret correspondences to his


    allies and spies across the continent. He’s been trying to figure out some way to get a message to the


    people of the united packs, to let them know we’re alive and will not forsake them. So far the best n


    we’vee up with are for willing rebels to post bulletins and spray paint messages throughout the


    various cities, as well as anti authoritarian propaganda. No one likes the idea of civilians endangering


    themselves in order to get the word out, but we don’t have much choice. This is a whole new world


    we’re living in.


    “In a while.” Sinir murmurs, rubbing his scruffy jaw against my cheek before turning to kiss me. My


    wolf is reaching out to his, trying to get a sense of his emotions, but she just keepsing up against a


    brick wall.” You go get some sleep, baby.” “But I want to sleep with you.” Iin, not even caring


    that I’m whining. I know I can’t help Sinir unless he lets me, and I’ll stoop to any low in order to


    convince him.


    “I know, trouble. I’ll be there soon.” He replies, kissing me again. “I just want to finish a few things up


    first.”


    I begrudgingly agree, and slink off towards the sumptuous bed – my new nest – and climb inside. It


    doesn’t feel right without my mate, and I realize that I associate Sinir with safety the same way he


    does with me. Our wolves don’t feel content unless they’re together. I decide to try to call him to me in a


    dream, wondering if this will make him fall asleep. Instead I fall into a fitful spell of dreams searching for


    my mate, only to be let down when I cannot find him time after time.


    Eventually I wake again, and as I blink my eyes open and reach for Sinir, I realize I’m still alone in


    bed. I nce at the clock, seeing that it’s almost three in the morning – four hours since I went to bed. I


    climb out of my nest and groggily stumble towards the door. As soon as it opens I hear the distant buzz


    of a video, though I’m not sure what’s happening in the feed. It sounds like scenes from a war zone,


    and I follow the sound with growing worry.


    Sinir is sitting on the couch with hisptop on the table before him, his attention focused entirely on


    the screen. I follow his gaze and see a very grainy video ying, of the Royal Army pouring through


    the streets of Moon Valley, forcing people out of their homes for interrogations and tests of allegiance to


    the former Prince… now Emperor. It doesn’t look like high quality news footage, and I slowly


    understand that this video has been taken in secret.


    “What’s going on?” I murmur, rubbing my eyes.


    “He’s shut down all the media outlets.” Sinir responds, reaching out for me. I happily go to him,


    pouring myself into hisp and snuggling in. “He’s setting up his own state run news agency to spread


    his propaganda, and the people are risking their lives to get the word out.” As we watch, the shifter


    taking the video gets the attention of one of the soldiers, who storms over demanding to see what


    they’re filming. The soldier raises his fist and then the video turns to ck and white static.


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    My stomach pitches and rolls as I realize the implications of this development. My wolf howls with the


    knowledge that these are members of our own pack, suffering terrible abuses and without anyone to


    protect them. I can only imagine how much worse this feels for my mate, even though he’s shielding


    me from actually feeling it.


    “Please don’t shut me out, Dominic.” I beg, peering up at his stony face. “I know you’re hurting and I


    want to help. Don’t push me away.”


    Sinir purrs, dragging his lips over my brow. “I know you want to help, sweetheart. The problem is


    that there isn’t anything to be done. This isn’t going to get better until I find a way to make things right,


    and I’m afraid that won’t happen for some time.” “You can still talk to me, let me support you.” I


    encourage. “I’m your mate, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.”


    Sinir shakes his head with a low groan.”You’ve got enough to deal with, without me dumping my


    problems onto you as well.” “But your problems are my problems.” I argue. “We’re in this together.”


    ‘Trust me, E, I’m well aware of that.” I’m surprised by how harsh his tone bes, even though it


    isn’t directed at me.


    “What do you mean?” I inquire anxiously, not liking the dark note in his voice.


    “I mean the only reason that you’re in this situation in the first ce is my fault.” Sinir growls. “If


    you’d never met me you could have had a normal life. A safe life.” “Dominic, if I’d never met you I would


    be back there.” I inform him sternly, pointing at theputer screen. “I would be bankrupt, heartbroken,


    thinking I was barren, with a trapped wolf and nothing but an abusive employer and deadbeat ex-


    boyfriend – and that would have been before all this chaos happened. There’s no telling what might


    have happened if you hadn’t gotten me out.”


    Sinir winces, “you also wouldn’t have been kidnapped, ckmailed, attacked by rogues, or been


    forced to flee the only home you’ve ever known.” He counters severely, his jaw clenched with self-fury.


    “You wouldn’t have been in the position of having to choose between your life and our baby’s.”


    I can’t stand the way he’s ming himself for the Prince’s crimes. “Listen to me.” I demand sitting up


    and refusing to continue until he looks me in the eye. Because of you I am safe and loved, I’m about to


    fulfill my lifelong dream of bing a mother. You freed my wolf – opened my eyes to my true nature,


    gave me insights into my own past which I never knew existed before.” I insist. “And I’ll tell you


    something else. You didn’t trick me into walking away from my old life. Your wolf, as irresistible as he is,


    didn’t lure me away with promises of sunshine and rainbows. I convinced you to take me on, do you


    remember that? I started all this.” “And you had no idea what you were getting into.” Sinir replies


    coolly, echoing a sentiment he’s made a few times before. “But I did. I was so determined to win the


    election that I took advantage of a desperate, innocent woman.”


    These words make me so angry that I wrench myself out of hisp and stand in front of him with my


    hands on my hips. “Shut up.” I hiss angrily, surprising my mate with the force of the words.


    He arches an ominous brow at me, “You might not like hearing it but “I said: Shut. Up.” I repeat fiercely,


    ignoring the sh of his wolf in his eyes.” I am not going to let you twist our past because you’re feeling


    guilty about the coup. You weren’t some ne’erdowell who saw a damsel in distress and pounced at the


    opportunity to take advantage. I am not your victim, and do you know how I know that? Because I have


    been a victim before, I know what that feels like and it isn’t this.” I state, my voice strong and sharp.


    “I went into this with my eyes wide open and maybe I didn’t know all the implications, but you protected


    me every step of the way.” I remind him.” You loved me and cared for me from day one, and if I’d


    known then what I do now, I would dly do it all over again. I don’t want Damon in power any more


    than you do and I would dly sacrifice myself if it means protecting the millions he’ll abuse in his


    reign.”


    Sinir’s eyes glow as he looks up at me, an unreadable emotion in his eyes. “Are you finished?”


    I cross my arms over my chest, ‘That depends, are you going to keep being an unreasonable, block-


    headed, patronizing Before I can finish my list of choice words, Sinir leans forward and presses his


    shoulder into my hips, gently tossing my over his shoulder. I squeak as he carts me off to the bedroom,


    mming theptop shut along the way.


    The next thing I know I’m on my back in my nest, with my powerful mate looming above me. “You will


    not be sacrificing yourself for anyone.” Sinir rumbles, his voice gruff and gravelly. “Not for me, not


    your guards, not the whole kingdom.” ‘That doesn’t make sense, Dominic.” I roll my eyes, “I’m not more


    important than all our peoplebined.” “When you were kidnapped and you gave yourself up for your


    guards, I told you that I was going to make sure you never did anything so reckless again,” He pauses,


    letting the memory sink in. “but I let you off the hook because of everything we went through


    afterwards… but maybe that was a mistake.” He muses, hunger zing to life in his eyes, the


    vibrations of his Alpha power sending shivers through my prone body. “From the sounds of it, you


    haven’t learned your lesson yet, mate.”