Adam paced the room stressed out of his mind. She had completely blacked out from the pain. He had never seen the mate bond be used against someone before. It was horrid. The bond was supposed to allow their species to experience love instead of mating ferally. It was to allow their hearts to beat for something worthwhile. To give their extended lifespans a purpose.

It was not supposed to hurt them or make them suffer like it was doing to his mate.

Sure he struggled to understand her but was it really her fault? They were from completely different walks of life. Women were usually illiterate in his world. They did not read. They had pups and did whatever females did.

She on the other hand wanted to run wild in clothes that showed most of her skin. It confused him and threw him completely off balance.

He heard soft whines of pain and immediately was back at her side holding her hand.

He didn't want to keep being shoved away each and every time they made progress. His eyes eyed the sweet spot on her neck. He just needed to sink his teeth into it but he could not betray her like that. He had done many things to her but he was not about to force something that unique and personal onto her. It was just about as important to him as physically mating her.

Making her fulfill her destiny of being his queen was one thing but being so intimate would be pushing it too far. It would break any trust she had left in him. But did she even have any left— still no he couldn't.

Her hands were grabbing at him. Her body clung to him in desperation. It was absolutely terrible to watch her suffering.

He could see her eyes opening, brimmed with tears. She needed him but he was not prepared nor ready for the backlash he would be getting. He had done many things to her that were regrettable but nothing could be more regrettable than marking her. It would strengthen their bond even more so but if she was not ready it could ruin it as well.

At that moment she was clinging to him. She trusted him. Her actions were making it clear that despite how much they fought and argued, she trusted him. It was a fragile trust though.

He was so terrified of making his worst mistake.

"Please... make it stop," she whispered holding him even tighter.

He wouldn't make it stop. He refused to. He had never planned to mark her until after they were married even. He wanted her to be ready, to want him. He wanted her to want him not need him. He wanted it to be her choice.

He sighed. "Do you want me to help?"

"Please!" She cried.

His heart fluttered but he forced himself to ignore it. She did not want him because of love. She wanted him to save herself. It was not selfish, it was self preservation.

He was still hesitant. He had planned to mark her as a show of his love towards her when she was ready. It was a sign of her trust and his love. It was meant to be beautiful, not used to save her and out her out of her misery.

He was doubtful of whether she could even handle what he was about to do to her. She was human, the bite could be fatal if he wasn't careful. That was the part where trust came in.

"Please stop—"

"Sara... I'll help you... but if I do you may not be angry at what I do. I know you're not thinking straight right now and you're going to be angry at me. I'm doing this because I love you."

His eyes were tearing up. He never wanted it to be like that. He had pictured it all in his head before. He had wanted to look into her eyes and confess his love for her before he marked her. He had wanted it to be a cherished and intimate moment between them not her agreeing out of desperation.

"I'll do anything," she sobbed.

Her cries were breaking at his heart. He couldn't bear it much longer.

"Promise?" He asked, he himself being vulnerable.

"Yes," she cried.

"Be still. I know it hurts right now and what I am about to do may hurt even more but I only want to help you. If you move around I may kill you instead of help you," he told her as he laid her down on the bed.

"I'm scared," she whispered to him.

He smiled at her, she was still there even through the pain. She still felt other things like fear and she had every right to feel afraid. One small slip and she could be dead. If he bit too deep she could maybe even bleed out to death if severe enough.

"Its okay to be afraid. All I need is your trust. Can you trust me?"

"Yes— it hurts! Please hold me!" She screamed.

"I'll hold you soon," he promised, putting pillows around her to create a nice safe space that was soft and cozy to make her comfortable.

He got on his mate and ran his hand over her skin and gave her another gentle smile when she leaned into his hand that stroked her cheek.

He wished she could have always wanted him like she did right then. He loved it when she wanted him. He wanted to be there for her instead of fighting.

He leaned down and kissed her neck sweetly before he bit down.

Pain flooded him as he heard her agony induced shrill screech of pain.

His hands held on her arms to keep them still.

He knew what he was making it more painful than it could have been by moving his canines into her skin so slowly. He was terrified though. At his mercy was a young fragile human, she was so breakable and it made him afraid.

He stopped when he knew he was deep enough in and he held her. He waited a few seconds and then he let his canines retract.

"I'm so sorry Sara. I didnt mean to hurt you," he pleaded upon looking at her face, twisted in pain.

He felt utterly horrible. How could he have put her through such a thing. She was only a human.

"I know that. You haven't done anything to hurt me in a while. I know you've been trying. I'm just difficult and different. I cant handle your lifestyle yet."

"Shhhhh now you need to rest. I think I went a little too deep. I am so sorry," he apologized whilst he wrapped a bandage over her wound to make sure she didnt bleed to death.

"I'm not as fragile as you like to think Adam."

"Well then at least let me treat you like you are. I like taking care of you my little mate," he told her.

Sara blushed softly.

"Can you please come lie with me. It feels nice in your arms," she told him.