Page 18 of Hunted By the Cartel

Rowan, his eyes wide and fearful, huddled further into the corner, his shoulders shaking as he tried to muffle his sobs. This was taking a huge toll on him, and I wished I could do more. The problem was, I had so little experience with this. I didn't know exactly what to do. If only I could kill Marcus right now without the rest of the cartel killing me too, leaving Rowan alone... I couldn't let that happen. Just the mere thought of it made me question my next move several times.

I wanted to go to him, to offer him comfort, but something held me back. I didn't want to scare him, to make him feel trapped by my presence. I was aware that we weren't what I was aiming for us to be. We still had so much more time to spend together before he was fully comfortable in my presence. At the end of the day, he still feared me.

As the hours ticked by, the tension in the room thickened. Rowan remained in his corner, his body curled in on itself, his eyes downcast. I felt so sorry for him, still wishing I could do so much more.

I knew he was scared, and the thought of him suffering tore at my heart. I had never felt like that for another person before in my life. It really was making me suspicious about him being my fated mate. I had always thought I would know immediately after seeing the person for the first time, but maybe it happened differently.

With a heavy sigh, I crossed the room, my eyes never leaving his form. "Rowan," I said, my voice soft. "Come here. There is something I can do for you."

He flinched, his eyes widening as he took in my outstretched hand. We had made some progress before now, but these recent events left psychological scars in his mind. He needed me now more than ever before.

"I-I'm fine," he stammered, his voice shaking. He was trying to keep me away from him, but we both knew that wasn't the best for his mind. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine. Really, I am."

I took another step closer, my eyes softening as I held out my hand. "Come here, Rowan," I said, my voice gentle. "I just want to hold you. I know how much you want that."

He hesitated, his eyes flicking to Marcus, who smirked, clearly enjoying the tension between us. With a deep breath, Rowan rose, his eyes downcast as he took my hand, his fingers trembling in mine. This was difficult for him. He didn't know how to react.

I led him to the bed, pulling him into my arms, his body shaking against mine. I held him close, my nose buried in his hair, inhaling his scent. It was so much him. It was perfect and made me feel at peace, despite all the shit happening around us.

"It's okay to be scared," I whispered, my lips brushing his ear. He shivered slightly, at the same time enjoying the sensation, but knowing it was wrong. "I won't let anything happen to you. I'm here for you."

He nodded, his body relaxing slightly as he burrowed into my embrace. His body was warm and soft, allowing him to melt into me.

I wanted to protect him, to keep him safe from the dangers that loomed over us. But more than that, I wanted him, wanted to claim him fully as mine. If only I hadn't come here, that was what would be happening right at this moment. I just knew.

As we lay there, our bodies pressed together, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. I wasn't even thinking about Marcus and the other cartel members anymore. It was as though we were in our own bubble, safe from everything else.

Rowan's presence soothed the turmoil within me, and I knew, in that moment, that he was more than just an omega I was protecting. He was so much more. He should stay with me for the rest of his life.

I closed my eyes, my body relaxing into the mattress, and let sleep take me, my dreams filled with images of Rowan, his eyes shining with love and desire. It was a deep, meaningful dream, one that left me feeling more connected to him than ever before. I couldn't stop thinking about it.

How could I do that, anyway? The dream meant so much to me.

The next morning, I woke with a start, my heart pounding in my chest as I realized something significant. My body was soaked in sweat and I still couldn't stop thinking about that one thing.

I sat up, my eyes landing on Rowan, his eyes still closed as he slept peacefully. It was then that I knew, with absolute certainty, that Rowan was my fated mate.

That had to be it. That was what the dream meant. He was supposed to be with me. Fate brought us together. It also made me change my mind about him, protecting him from the moment his life was in danger.

I had suspected it before, felt the pull toward him, but in that moment, as the sun streamed through the window, illuminating his face, I knew without a doubt that he was mine, and I was his.

Part of me didn't want to think that was what was happening, but I couldn't ignore it anymore. There was no point in fooling myself, anyway.

Rowan stirred, his eyes fluttering open as he took in my intense gaze. His eyes were beautiful, looking at me differently. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. It had to be something good about me.

"Good morning," he said, his voice soft and groggy. "Did you sleep well?"

I found it slightly funny he asked me that. I didn't think he would, considering where we were and our circumstances. The cartel members were still here. Anything suspicious we did and they wouldn't hesitate to murder us.

Still, I nodded, my eyes never leaving his face. "I had a dream," I said, my voice rough. "About you. About us, to be exact. I want to talk about it."

He sat up, his eyes widening as he took in my serious expression. Given the way he was looking at me, it was obvious he understood what I was talking about. He may even have had the same dream.

"Me?" He echoed, his voice showing his surprise. "What was it about? Tell me everything."

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I gathered my courage. I knew why I was nervous, but I also knew I shouldn't be feeling that way. I just didn't like it.

"It was... strange," I said, my voice soft. "But it felt... right."

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