Yes, yes, I know I should be working on my other stories but what can I say. I'm kinda stuck but whilst sitting out on the deck by the pool eating a bowl of strawberry ice cream in the middle of the night I came up with this, so yeah.

"Mercy? Are you here?" Adam called out for his mate but he received no answer. His brow furrowed, where could she possible be? Adam climbed the main stairs of the house, looking for Mercy. He had to apologize.

Normally he would assume that she had gone on a run with someone but the rest of the pack wasn't at the house and he couldn't catch any of their scents. He himself had been away the past few days on a business trip. Every second of being away from her and knowing that he had left her when she had needed him so badly was torture. He had to make it up to her.

"Mercy? Where are you?" Adam was beginning to get a little unsettled. Mercy frequently left the house when he was gone but if she did then she always left a note or something to tell him where she'd gone and when to expect her back. She'd gotten pretty good at it actually

There was only one place where she could be. Quickly, Adam raced up the staircase and headed directly for his and Mercy's room at the end of the second floor. It took him less than two minutes to get there where at a leisurely walk it would take him three.

He reached out for the knob but before he could fully open the door Adam hesitated.

"Do you really love me?" Mercy asked, tracing an invisible pattern on the smooth expanse of his stomach.

"Of course I do baby." Adam answered.

Mercy loved it when he called her baby, though she would never admit it to him. It was just the way he said it, the word soft and smooth on his tongue, like a spoonful of ice cream.

Adam was now giving her a tender, concerned look, "Why would you ask something like that?"

She shrugged, but there was doubt in her eyes.

He nudged her gently, "You can talk to me, Mercy. It's okay to tell me. I won't tell anyone else."

She averted her eyes and squirmed slightly under his gaze. "I know. I just don't know how to say it."

Adam waited patiently while Mercy struggled to put her feelings into words.

"It's just…" she began, "Everyone that I've ever loved left me." She took a deep breath. "Mom, Bran, Samuel, my foster parents, they all just let me go. Even my dad."

Adam protectively pulled her a little closer to his side.

"I-I don't," Mercy voice faltered a moment, "I don't want that to happen again. I don't want to lose you like I did them"

He kissed her gently. "I'm not going anywhere."

Mercy snuggled closer into his bare chest, "Good."

Adam knew that wouldn't be the last of it but with his lover wrapped soundly in his arms it was hard to think of anything else.

"Mercy," Adam murmured quietly, cracking the door open. In the middle of their bed slept his striking mate, the maroon silk sheets disheveled and wrapped haphazardly around her lithe and otherwise unclothed body. Adam sighed in relief, she was safe. All was well in the world. Mercy stirred at the sound of Adam's sigh, making the blanket covering her body shift ever so slightly. It wasn't a whole lot but it was enough for Adam to see the large cloth bandage wrapped around her left shoulder. In a mere second his wolf had nearly taken control of him, filling his body with a seething kind of rage.

Adam growled. Who dared harm his mate? He left the doorway and in a few strides was at the side of the bed. Cautiously, he reached out a hand to trace the edges of the pristine white bandage. Mercy sleepily opened one dark eye and looked up at him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, confusion colored her voice.

"Who did this to you?" Adam returned. His voice was strained, as if he were trying really hard not to shift.

Mercy looked confused, "What?"

Adam's forefinger began to once again trace the outline of the bandage. Mercy's eyes followed it.

"You mean that?" she asked. Adam nodded, his eyes livid. Mercy gave him a small smile and gently placed her hand on his cheek. "No one has harmed me Adam."

Adam glanced pointedly at her shoulder, then back at her. Mercy rose from her position on the bed and Adam found himself facing her back… her very sexy, naked back.

"Take it off." Mercy told him.

Adam could smell her unease, but he knew not what of. With the care and delicacy of a practiced doctor the bandage was removed. However, instead of there being a gaping wound, as he had expected, Adam was met with a most unexpected sight. The lines were black and crisp, the details subtle, yet elegant. It was an abstract tattoo of a wolf. (A/N If you wanna see what it actually looks like check out my profile, it's set as my new pic id. I couldn't get it on here any other way, sorry.)

"Do you like it?" Mercy's voice was quiet, almost fearful. She was frightened of his reaction and the thought sent a pang of guilt through his gut. Adam knew that overreacting about the bandage had put her on edge, not that he blamed her.

Adam planted a kiss on the nape of her neck. "I love it."

She twisted around to see him, "Really?"

He nodded and caught Mercy's full lips in a passionate kiss, when they broke apart Adam rested his forehead against hers, "Looks like you've realized I'm never going to leave you." Adam's voice was light and teasing.

Mercy kissed him again and mewled in pleasure when Adam began to massage large, lazy circles on her stomach. "Damn right you're not."

Review time! I might make a chapter story outa this one but that really depends on the feedback YOU give me. No reviews = no continuation.