Bayley POV
I have a splitting headache, what hit me? I move my hands to cover my face and rub my eyes slowly as I begin to sit up. "Bayley?" Is that Roman? That's definitely his voice. Well I was on guard duty with him, but why did I fall asleep? I remove my hands from my face and place them at my sides, feeling something soft beneath me. I open my eyes slowly and start to realize that I'm in my room. I look around and find Roman sitting in a chair next to me. He looks… concerned? Happy? Some weird combination of the two?
"Roman, do you need a hug?" To my surprise he nods his head slowly. Roman never usually admits that he wants a hug. I turn to him and take him in my arms. He wraps his arms around my mid section tightly and leans his head on my chest. He's never hugged me like this before! I can feel my heart racing a mile a minute, like it can explode at any point. Suddenly I feel something wet on my chest. Is… is Roman… crying? "Roman?" I can hear his light heaving now. He's definitely crying? This is super weird! I've never seen Roman cry before! Not even at his father's funeral! Although I guess I'm not actually seeing him cry because I can't see his face. "What's wrong?!"
"I lost you," he cried into my chest. "I thought I lost you forever." Lost me? What does he mean- oh my God. Memories of yesterday begin flooding back to me like a waterfall. Those sirens Rosa and Alicia, they held Roman down, and… I remember looking at him one second and then the next all I saw was… light, a bright light that guided me to the other side. I was dead. Oh my God, I was dead! And… Roman's… crying about it? "Bayley, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry for the things I said to you and calling you a child. I was so stupid! I'm sorry!"
"Don't cry," I'm not used to seeing Roman cry. He's always been the strong one. Someone who I could depend on emotionally. "I'm here now, so don't be sad." I pat his head and run my fingers through his hair. I've gotten say I've always hoped I'd be able to run my fingers through his hair. I just wish it was under better circumstances. He nods into my chest before lifting his head and letting me go. He sits back in the chair and takes a deep breath before putting his head down. "Where is everyone else?"
"On guard duty. Well, what they're calling guard duty anyway. It's more like vampire hunting."
"Are they upset?"
"They think you're dead, Bayley. Of course they're upset."
"They don't know I'm alive? We've got to tell them!" I get out of the bed, but Roman grabs me by the hand and prevents me from exiting the room. I look back at him dumbfounded. "Roman, come on!"
"Bayley, I didn't tell them you were alive on purpose." WHAT?!
"Why?!"
"I really needed some time alone with you. There's no way I would have gotten that had I told them."
"That's unbelievably selfish, and I'm supposed to be the puppy?!" He stands up, never letting me go. He takes a step toward me and the from here, the height difference between the two of us is even more obvious. He gazes at me intensely, and, suddenly, I feel hot all over. Has he ever looked at me like this before?
"I know it's selfish, and I'll admit I'm acting like a puppy right now, but I don't care. I need to tell you this, Bayley, and I need to do it now because I don't know if I'll get another opportunity to say this." I gulp down the lump in my throat before nodding silently. "I don't know if you remember what you told me before the sirens came." I shake my head. That conversation is more like a blur to me than anything. "You wanted me to admit that I need you to need me." Did I really say that? That sentence could use some work. "You were right." Huh? "Bayley, I've kept you dependent on me for a very long time. It feels good to be needed, and no one in this pack needs me, not like the way you need – needed – me." Needed? Does he think I don't need him anymore, and how can he think that no one else in this pack needs him? Where is this coming from? "I know you don't need me anymore Bayley because you're not a puppy anymore, but I need you in my life. I don't want to, nor can I be without you."
"What are you saying?" He can't be saying what I think he's saying. He takes both my hands in his and lifts them to his heart. I can feel his heart beating as rapidly as mine.
"Bayley, I love you, and I want to be with you." I dreamed of this day, and now that it's happening it just seems so unreal, but this just doesn't seem right. How do I know he's not just doing this out of guilt? Why did it take me dying for him to come to this realization?
"How do I know this is real?" He looks at me in surprised, and lets go of my hands.
"What do you mean?"
"How do I know you're not just saying this out of guilt?"
"Guilt? Bayley-"
"Why did I have to die for you to say this? How do you know that what you're feeling is actually love and not guilt?"
"I'm not saying this just saying this Bayley. You know what it's like to lose someone you care about. It puts things into perspective. You begin to realize what that person really meant to you, and you regret ever taking them for granted." He takes a short pause before continuing. "I'm so sorry that I ever took you for granted, and I'm sorry that I wasn't smart enough to figure all this out until after you died." I let out a small chuckle. I never thought I would hear Roman call himself dumb. It's kind of funny.
"So then what now?" I'm nervous as hell. My lifetime crush is actually admitting his feelings for me, and this is actually happening! This isn't some dream, or some cruel prank. He isn't just telling me what I want to hear. All of this is real, but now what?
"Well," he clears his throat and takes his gaze off of me. Is he nervous? That's another first. I never thought I would see the day that Roman was nervous. "If you'll have me, I'd like to be your mate." Mate? Oh. My. God! This isn't real. There's no way! I can't feel my body at all. I can barely breathe. Oh my God!
"R-re-really?!" I can't say anything else?! I've dreamed of this day since as far back as I can remember and all I can do is ask 'really'?
"Yes. I would love nothing more than for us to be mates, but only if you want it too." I want to jump and scream and pass out all at the same time.
"What if I don't want to?" Wait, what did I just say? No, that's not what I meant at all! To my surprise he smiles and put his hands on my shoulders. He bends slightly so that he is eye-level with me.
"Then I will dedicate every day of my life to winning you over. If that's what it'll take, I do it. I'm done taking you for granted, Bayley." I can feel myself crying. This is way too good to be true! "Why are you crying," he asks me, his voice full of concern.
"I'm just so happy!" I jump on him and hug him tightly, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. I feel his arms wrapping around my waist, returning the hug.
"Does this mean you want to be my mate?"
"Yes! Yes, of course," I exclaim nodding my head furiously. I feel him move my hair to the side, and I hear his fangs grow. This is it. Oh God, this is it! I feel a sharp pain as his canines bite into my neck, but it dissipates quickly. I'm suddenly filled with a warm, loving sensation. I don't what I can compare it to. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before. It starts at my neck, but it moves quickly throughout my body, like it's literally running through my veins. I'm overcome by the warmth and I feel my fangs begin to grow. I guess it's my turn to mark him. I don't let him go, but free one hand from his neck to move his hair out of my way. I feel him retracting his fangs from my neck as my sink my fangs into his neck. I wonder if he's feeling the same warmth I felt when he marked me? It feels like an eternity passes before I retract my fangs and finally jump off of him.
"It's just you and me now," he tells me while cupping my face with both hands and lifting my head up to him. I can only nod at him. I can't believe what just happened! We marked each other. We're mates! He leans in closer to bring our lips together in a searing kiss that leaves me completely breathless. Our first kiss! My first kiss! It's just… perfect. When we finally part, I can't help but smile like a total geek. Ugh, I'm so embarrassed! He chuckles softly and drops his hands from my face. "Let's go to sleep. You're going to have a big day tomorrow when everyone finds out your alive."
I nod stupidly and reply, "Okay." We get in my small twin bed and holds me close, spooning me from behind. I feel bad that he has to share this tiny bed with me, but he doesn't seem to mind. This night is just perfect. I can't wait to tell everyone that we're mates tomorrow! Hopefully Ms. Layla and Ms. Eve won't be mad.
Roman POV
This is hands down the best night's sleep that I've had since this whole siren fiasco started. Lying down with Bayley, holding her as I sleep… it just feels right. I suddenly hear a stirring downstairs and open my eyes. It's day break already? Bayley's still sleeping, but I know that everyone's come back from vampire hunting, and Bayley being alive is news that they should know before going to bed. I get out of Bayley's bed and stretch a little before going to wake her up, but before I can, the door opens to reveal none other than Paige.
"What are you doing in this room," she asks me, still very much angry.
"I couldn't leave her."
"You think you have more of a right to her than me? Keep in mind I'm the one who lost my sister! What was she to you?!"
"You don't know what you're talking about, Paige."
"Don't I?!" She's losing her temper again. She's had a really bad temper since she was a pup.
"Paige, would you keep your voice down?"
"Don't tell me what to do after you failed to protect my sister!"
"What's with all the yelling?" Bayley sits up slowly, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Paige stares at Bayley in complete shock.
"B-Bayley," Paige stutters. "Is it really you? A-are you really alive." Paige goes over to Bayley and touches her face, trying to make sure that it's actually Bayley that she's talking to.
"Yeah, it's me. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm alive now." Paige cries and brings Bayley close to her, crushing her in a powerful hug.
"I thought you were gone! I thought I lost my sister forever!" Bayley returns the hug and pats Paige on the back in a comforting manner.
"It's okay, Paige. I'm here now. You haven't lost me at all." Paige breaks the hug and smiles, wiping the tears from her eyes. Suddenly I see her smile disappear… what happened?
"What's that thing on your neck?" Oh crap, she found the mating mark. This isn't exactly how I wanted to tell her.
"Oh, well, I um" Bayley tries to answer.
"Show me your neck, Roman," Paige demands, turning to me and standing up.
"Paige, I think you should calm down-"
"I said show me you fucking neck," she yells at me, interrupting me. I take in a deep breath and exhale loudly before removing hair from my neck and revealing my mating mark to her. "She's murdered on your watch and you mark her when she comes back from the dead?!"
"Paige please, just listen," I plead with her.
"You failed her! You don't deserve her! You marking her is going to make up for what you did?!"
"Paige that's not it the reason why-" I didn't get a chance to finish my thought. In an instant Paige transforms and lunges at me, pushing me out of Bayley's room and crashing through the banister surrounding the edge of the second floor. I land on my back the living room floor, but Paige doesn't give me time to recover. Before I know it, she's transformed back into a human and is on top of me, throwing punches and clawing at me like she's trying to kill me. I can't fight back. I'll hurt her if I do. Not to mention that Bayley wouldn't be too happy if I indulged her twin by fighting back.
"Paige," I hear Sami yell from somewhere. "You didn't get enough of this last night?!" He pulls Paige off of me and Dean and Seth are at my side a second later, helping me up. "We discussed this Paige, it's not his fault!"
"It's all his fault," she screams at the top of her lungs. "It's all his fault! Let me go, Sami! Let me go, I'll kill him! I'll kill him!"
"Paige," Charlotte stands in front of Paige, both to help Sami hold her back and to talk to her. "Roman is just as sorry that Bayley's gone as much as any of us are. You can't blame him for her death!"
"You don't understand," Paige screams. "He marked her! He marked her!" She couldn't say that Bayley was alive first, couldn't she? Now I'm getting weird looks from everybody.
"Dude," Punk addresses me. "You marked a dead wolf?"
"I'm not dead!" Everyone looks at the stairs to see Bayley running down them at full speed. "I'm alive, and, yes, we marked each other." The room is in stunned silence. It's hard to get a read on everyone's reaction. I can't tell if people are happy that Bayley's alive, or that we're mates, or some kind of combination of the two. People seem to be generally confused, though. This wasn't the way I wanted everyone to find out that Bayley's alive. This moment shouldn't have been overshadowed by a huge fight and then the knowledge that Bayley and I are now mates. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. They should have found Bayley alive first, and then we could have told them that we were mates, but Paige couldn't control her temper. She had to ruin everything!
Sasha walks up to Bayley slowly and stands still in front of her. Sasha stares at Bayley for what feels like forever, as though she's in disbelief. Suddenly, Sasha begins to cry and hugs Bayley tightly to her. "You're really here!" Sasha and Bayley are then joined by Kaitlyn, AJ and Charlotte, who left Paige when she decided to calm down. The only women who didn't join them were Layla and Eve. Layla looks like she's in deep thought, like she's trying to make sense of the news she just got. Eve, however, I've only ever seen her this mad once, when she found out I was cheating on her. I didn't even think about Eve's and Layla's feelings when I marked Bayley. I know Layla will eventually come to accept it, but Eve… she's unpredictable. I have no idea what's going through her head right now. I just hope it's nothing malicious.
Uh oh, looks like Eve and Layla might be a problem :/
A huge thank you to Jeri252, Zombie-Beards, DaAngelShadow, shiki94, flowersNfreaks and the guest reviewer for leaving reviews for the last chapter! And a huge thank you for everyone who have reviewed the the other 15 chapters lol. I love you all!
Leave reviews because I adore them!
-J.