Disclaimer: Don't own Mercy Thompson Series a lot of the dialogue is straight from the book so I don't own that either

Forever Love

As Ben spoke I found myself feeling more and more like a complete jackass. How had I misread the guilt in her movements for fear? How had I been so blind? She needed me now more than ever and I was willing to walk away from her and let someone else handle it. To be honest the truth was like taking a kick below the belt and as much as I didn't want to believe it the evidence was right there ready to slap me in the face as soon as I looked at it.

My heart began to shatter as he told me that Mercy wouldn't even stand in his presence for her guilt even though to them since she's my mate, she would rank far higher than Ben. It didn't help to watch her skitter back and hide between the mattress and the wall, Ben had to stop me from fishing her out right then. Apparently there was more that I needed to hear before I could pull Mercy from her hiding place and take care of her the way I should have been from the moment I found out what had happened to her. It wasn't her fault, it was never her fault and I'd do everything in my power to make her see that... make her see that I still loved her no matter what Tim or anyone else did to her.

By the time Ben and I finished our conversation Mercy was under the bed so I dropped to my knees, fished her out by the scruff of the neck and pulled her into my lap. I continued to hold her there by the scruff with one hand and caressed her face with the other.

"My father always told me that when I heard good advice, I needed to listen to it," I told her as I held onto her, continuing to caress her face in hopes of imparting some comfort to her.

"We're going to wait for a talk until that stuff has worn off completely." I stopped caressing her "Don't misunderstand me, Mercedes Thompson. I am mad at you"

I treated her to the sort of discipline I would give any transformed wolf in the pack, I firm bite to the end of her nose but after that I rested my head against hers.

"Not your fault" I told her "but I'm still mad as…" I nearly swore but caught myself, I always thought it was crude and impolite to swear at or in front of women, it was just how I was raised I clarified that I was only mad because she had scared me. Then I confessed that I wouldn't have given I second thought to her going to the human's house because none of us would have believe a human capable of doing half the crap that had been done the past few days. I could smell my aftershave on her and couldn't hold back my laughter or keep myself from pointing that fact out.

I told her that by coming to me for a second time I read it as her declaring herself mine and I wasn't about to let her go. I knew what Ben had said might be true and I wasn't going to let her off that easy. I wouldn't force her into a relationship but I wasn't about to let her isolate herself. I reminded her that she fought that fairy drink, whatever it was, and that likely she could fight my influence if she wanted to and to me she was mine.

She felt relaxed in my arms and I wasn't sure what part of that was still the shit her attacker poured down her throat and what part was her actually feeling comfortable and safe in my arms. I hoped that most of it was because of me, because she felt safe in my arms. I knew what Tim had said hurt her because of what she was. She was a coyote; wolves don't usually tolerate coyotes very well and she probably often felt like she didn't belong with the pack growing up… I would have to make her feel like she did belong here in my arms if nowhere else. I continued to hold her hoping against all hope that something I said got through to her, made her see that I wanted her.

Somehow we ended up back in my bed, I curled my body around her protectively, much as I would if I were in my wolf form and soon fell asleep. The last thought that crossed my mind as the darkness of sleep overtook me was that I hoped Mercy I had made her see what I felt for her.

The End