9 The Surprise

Tails POV

"Gemma would you mind fetching my supplies please?" Gemma nods at me and leaves the room. After Gemma leaves, I turn to Bryson. "It was you. Wasn't it? Those eyes I could never forget them. But how? Why?" I didn't notice that I was allowing a tear to slip down my cheek until I felt Bryson takin his thumb and gently whip it away. The smile on his face melts my heart and make me want to cry even more. "Why did you show yourself to me in your beast form? I know that shifters normally do not do that. Why did you choose to show me? I know it was a dream, but it felt so real." Stunned is an understatement of the look on his face right now, I guess he wasn't expecting me to know about shifters.

"I… um… I was on patrol; umm, you know about shifters?" he asks me. I decide not to hide the truth, for some reason I trust him. I have this need to be near him. I don't know why, but I just have this feeling about him. So I decide to tell him.

"Well somewhat. My best friend in college is a shifter and she got severely hurt one time and I was able to help her with her injuries. So after that she was very open with me. I had meeting with her Alpha, which was also her brother, so I reassured him that I was no treat to his pack. I learned a few things from her about packs and shifters in general."

He has this look of surprise on his face. "I was afraid I would scare you, but that was not a dream. It really happened. I was out on patrol when I came across your scent and my beast gave me no choice but to follow it." I start to panic. There is only reason why a male shifters beast follows a strong scent. It can't be. I feel like a panic attack is coming on, my breathing is crazy and my head is spinning. I am pregnant, I am damaged goods. No one in their right mind would want me and shifters mate for life from what Lynn told me in college.

I know I look like a crazy person right now but I can help it. My hand instinctively comes up to my mouth "No, it's not possible. I'm not! I can't be!" I feel tears start to well up in my eyes. He gets up and starts to slowly walk towards me and saying something. I have all these feeling running through my head and my heart. I am so worried and scared.

"Please, do be afraid of me. I promise I would never harm you." I see him just standing there watching me. I know he has the ability to smell how I feel. I shake my head knowing what he is saying is the truth, if he is trying to tell me what I think is happening. But I can't hold in the tears anymore, I start crying. The tears just start falling and I can't make them stop, I just watch him for a minute, not sure of what to do. He takes his time and kneels down and sits beside me. He doesn't try to touch me or move any closer like he knows I'm in a flight mode. I was not sure what I wanted to do.

I just sit quietly crying for a minute and he lets me. He doesn't touch me or move any closer to me, he just lets me be. As I start to calm down and realize that I really don't know what's going on for sure. So I take a deep breath and decide to try and figure this out. So I decide to just ask. "Am . . . . . Am I your mate?" I had to find out, mates are sacred to them. I seen his eyes grow wider, as if he had just seen a ghost. He looks so nervous, why is he nervous? "Please talk to me? I know I am damaged, but" As I start to talk to him he puts his hand on my knee and looks me in the eye.

"Shhssh, Don't talk like that. You're not damaged. Your perfect. And your past is your past, it does not define your future." With his words I tip my head into my knees and cry.

"But my past does define my future. Please answer my question. Am. I. Your. Mate?" I wanted my to give me a definite answer. I had a feeling I already knew the answer. I needed him to say it for it to be real, I guess. Oh God, How did I manage to walk right into this. The universe hates me.

"Are you scared of me?" He ask with the look of fear in his eyes. He looks as though I am breaking his heart and I haven't decided anything yet.

"No, I am not. I am just confused right now. I don't know much about how this stuff works honestly. Lynn's brother, he wouldn't go into detail about much, safety of his pack. Heck, I think the only reason he even talked to me was because I save Lynn's life. But you don't want me. I'm" He cuts me off with a gruff.

"You're pregnant. I know. But that does not change anything. Taila, you are my mate and yes, Taila, I do want you. If you will have me." Oh, those eyes. "Taila, please, please say something." I sit in shock, worried, and confused. How could he want me?

"Why?" That's the only thing I could get out of my mouth. I don't know why I asked the question. I am not sure what I am questioning. I let out a long sigh and try to continue. "Why would you want me? I am human and pregnant with another man's child that will be human. Won't that look bad for you?" I can't help but wonder how this will affect him. I see the concern in his eyes, but I also see something else. Not quite love, maybe longing, longing for his mate. I feel a tear start to roll down my cheek again, just thinking of the shame he will receive just by accepting me. I can't let him do that to himself. I won't. He deserves better and I will let him find better. Suddenly I feel him wipe the tear from my face as he does so he moves to face me and places his forehead against mine.

"Please Taila. Please give me a chance to show you what you mean to me. Give me a chance to love you how you deserve to be loved." His voice is so sweet and tender. I love to hear him say my name. His touch gives me goosebumps and the air around us is electrifying. "You are my one and only. I will do whatever it takes, give you all the time that you need. But please don't reject the bond. Don't reject me." I pull my head back to look at him, I mean really look at him. I want to see his eyes, my mom always told me you can see a person's soul through their eyes if you look closely. His eyes are the brightest green I think I have ever seen. They show me all the emotions he is feeling, everything he is saying he means.

"I know nothing about you Bryson. Literally nothing. How can I trust that you won't break my heart? Trust that you will accept this baby and love it. It's a part of me and I can't choose. I refuse too." With tears streaming down my face, wearing my heart on my sleeve, baring my soul to a man I know nothing about. Oddly, I feel at ease talking to him, it's like I have known him my whole life. I have never felt like this talking to anyone except my mother.

"I don't want you to choose. I want all of you no matter what. After this morning nothing else matters except you wanting me. You loving me. You giving the bond a chance. Us. Giving us a chance. Taila, you are already my world and I will give you anything you want. Please just say you will give me a chance to prove to you that I am the mate that you need and want. You gave my beast a chance, will you give me one to?"