Page 54 of His Mate

I nodded, trying to imagine what that must feel like—the constant struggle to maintain control. “That must be hard,” I said quietly. “Always having to fight that part of yourself.”

Rowan shrugged, though I could see the tension in his shoulders. “It’s not easy. But it’s who I am now. I’ve learned to live with it.”

We reached the riverbank, and Rowan set down his pack, looking around the valley with a careful eye. The area was quiet, peaceful, and I felt a sense of calm settle over me as the sound of the water filled the air. He busied himself gathering some wood for a fire while I sat on a large rock by the river, dipping my fingers into the cool water.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, Rowan returned to our small camp with an armful of wood. I watched as he knelt down to arrange the logs, his movements efficient and calm.

I smiled to myself, feeling a lightness in my chest as the day’s tension finally began to melt away.

“So,” I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us, “what did you used to do for fun? You know, before… all this.”

Rowan glanced up at me, one eyebrow raised in amusement as he stoked the fire. “Fun?” he echoed, as if the word was foreign to him. “What do you mean?”

I laughed softly. “You know, like… hobbies? Things you’d do when you weren’t busy fighting off wolves or surviving the Collapse. Did you ever do anything just because it made you happy?”

He leaned back, propping himself up on his hands as he thought about it for a long moment before he grinned and met my gaze.

“I guess I did have hobbies once. I used to go hiking a lot. I liked being out in the woods—before the woods turned into a huntingground, of course.” He smiled, a faint glimmer of nostalgia in his eyes. “I was always drawn to nature. It was my way of getting away from everything.”

I nodded, imagining him wandering through the mountains, breathing in the fresh air, free from all the chaos of the world.

“That sounds peaceful,” I said softly. “I always loved being outside too, but I didn’t get the chance much. I was usually too busy sneaking around with Mariah and Lia, trying to find some trouble to get into.”

Rowan chuckled, his eyes lighting up at the thought. “Sneaking around, huh? What kind of trouble?”

I grinned, leaning forward a little. “Well, there was this old movie theater on the edge of our sector. It was technically off limits, but it still got electricity sometimes, and there were a few old films they kept on a projector reel. So, we’d sneak in late at night, and watch whatever movie was left behind.”

Rowan looked at me with genuine curiosity. “Movies?” he asked. “What kind of movies did you watch?”

“Anything they had,” I said, laughing at the memory. “Sometimes it was action films from before the Collapse. Other times it was old romances, the kind that were super cheesy but made us laugh. The projector would flicker, the sound was usually terrible, but it was the best part of our week.”

Rowan’s smile widened, a soft laugh escaping him. “That sounds… nice,” he admitted. “I never thought about sneaking into a movie theater. I guess I missed out.”

I nudged him playfully with my foot. “You totally did. There’s something about sitting in a dark, quiet room, just getting lost insomeone else’s story for a couple of hours, and for a little while, we could forget everything.”

He leaned closer, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I’m starting to think I would’ve liked hanging out with you and your friends.”

I grinned. “You definitely would’ve. We’d have dragged you along for every crazy adventure we had.”

Rowan shook his head, still smiling. “Well, you’ll have to teach me how to sneak into a theater if we ever find one.”

“I think I can manage that,” I teased, reaching out to poke him in the side. “And I’ll make sure that the movie that plays is the cheesiest romance of all.”

We both laughed, the sound echoing softly in the quiet valley, and for a moment, everything felt normal. It was strange how something as simple as talking about old memories, about sneaking into theaters and watching old movies, could make the world feel a little less broken.

As the fire crackled and stars began to appear overhead, Rowan stretched out beside me, his hand finding mine as we settled in for the night. The cool air brushed my skin, but with him beside me, I didn’t feel the cold.

“You know,” he said after a few moments, his voice soft but filled with warmth, “I didn’t do much sneaking around before the Collapse. I was pretty straitlaced. Always following the rules, sticking to my routines. But if I’d known you back then…” He paused, grinning. “I think you might’ve changed that.”

I laughed, the sound soft and genuine. “I’m pretty sure I would’ve. It would’ve been impossible to resist dragging you along for a little fun.”

He squeezed my hand gently, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I like this side of you. The part that finds joy in the little things.”

I looked over at him, our faces close in the fading light, and felt my heart warm at the sincerity in his voice. “I like this side of you too, Rowan.”

I yawned sleepily, and Rowan chuckled.

“Come here. It’s time to get some sleep,” he said softly. I curled up against him and he draped his arm over me as I closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep in mere moments, protected and safe in my mate’s arms.

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