Pathways

Darren dragged me down the hallway with his fingers tighter on my arm than Max had. I struggled to keep up with him ad every step I took I sort of stumbled.  It was scary to see Darren this way. He was so angry and I don't know if it was because he trusted Max or simply because I was his mate and I was temporally in danger. 

We reached our bedroom and he just about threw me inside. I tumbled into the room and scrambled away from him before he could slam me in the door. After the door was slammed close he stomped over to me, pulling me close to him and than checking the forming bruises on my arms. He snarled at the sight of the bruises then shoved me back a little bit. I backed into the couch and then tripped over it, landing against the pillows and hiding in them. 

Darren paced around the room, holding his head in his hands and mumbling to himself. He was honestly scaring me, I've never seen someone so upset and I have certainly never been shoved around like this. If it were someone other than my mate I don't think I would've cared very much, but he was supposed to love me and care for me. I don't understand what to do?

He started going the door again and I kind of freaked, what was he going to do? "D-Darren?" I whimpered, I didn't want him to do something he would regret. He told me he loved everyone in this house, if he want and hurt Max because of me I know that he would hate me for it later. 

He whipped around and looked at me. I noticed the worry in  his eyes and anger as well. His fingers were still sporting his claws, that made me wonder. I looked down in my arm where he held me, there were scratches from his nails. 

"He hurt you." He growled deeply, walking back over to me and grabbing my wrist, shaking it in front of my face. The movements jerked me around and actually hurt me. It felt like he was trying to pull of out of the chair and toss me again. 

"Stop." I demanded, trying to yank my writer back. "You are the one hurting me." I think that was the think that knocked some sense back into him. When I told him that he was hurting me he seemed to snap out of his anger and let go of me, backing up a little bit and looking down at me.

"Oh ...I-...I'm sorry. I was...I just lost it..." He sat down on the other couch and lowered his head to his hands and sighed deeply. "All I could see was him hold you and hurt you and I-...I lost it....did I hurt you?" 

My heart broke at the sight of him looking like this. Instantly I was up and running to him, sitting down with his and allowing myself to hug him close. "Not bad, thank you for protecting me." 

He turned slightly then hugged me, I still felt like he was angry at Max but he was still my loving mate and even if he went over the top about protecting me then I will learn to protect it. No matter what I will end up loving him. 

"Why did he attack me?" I whimpered a little. 

He tightened his arms around me and pressed his lips to my shoulder. "Because you are my mate and to them you are a mutt. They are scared because if something happens to me then their pack will be left in your hands. They think that if they can get rid of you before something happens to me then they will be able to choose someone to run the pack that they trust. I don't think they realize that you only have one mate for your entire life."

"So they will kill me just because they are scared?" He nodded against my shoulder and that terrified me.