Damon’s POV:
I was crying because I had been too strong by myself all this time.
I was crying because I had found a mate who was kind and willing to be in my embrace.
I was crying because I had endured so much without shedding tears for years.
Having her arms around me and hearing her comforting voice made me succumb to my weak side.
I held her tightly in my arms and rested my head against her shoulder.
There was no need to talk about the past in that moment, but we both knew that whatever we had gone through had been very hard for us.
When the door opened and Maggie walked in, I quickly pulled back, wiped away my tears, and turned to look at her.
She stood at the entrance with a tray in her hands. Her sad expression made me force a smile across my face.
“Is that her food?” I asked in a cracked voice while moving my hand back to touch my mate’s hand.
“Yes,” she answered in a low tone.
“Good, bring it here,” I said, then turned and faced my mate with a genuine smile.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to spend some time with you,” I whispered, then slowly moved my hands to her cheeks, wiping away her tears.
“I would like that as well,” she whispered back.
“Thank you,” I said, then moved with her and helped her sit next to me at the edge of the bed.
The moment I shed tears and my mate seemed to accept us despite being scarred, I instantly took back my vow. As afraid as I was, I wanted to love her and be loved by her. I needed her so much, even if she was a mere blind human. To me, she was a blessing given by the Moon Goddess.
I knew nothing about her, but my heart seemed to trust her completely the moment she wrapped her arms around me.
“Maggie, don’t mind my face,” I whispered softly once she had put the tray of food next to me.
She angrily looked at me, then shook her head.
“How could you say such harsh words when you know how I feel?. To me, you are like a son, and I know the pain you went through. Your face doesn’t matter to me because I know what you have in here…” She trailed off and took a step forward, touching my chest.
“Is gold. There is no heart like yours, Alpha. Your kindness towards us all is beyond anything, and you opening your heart to your second chance mate is the most courageous thing one could ever do after such a horrible past experience.” She finished her words through our mind link, then dropped her hand.
“Now then, if you will excuse me, I will come back after a few minutes. For now, do take your time.” She said loudly, then smiled sadly at me and walked out.
I turned and looked at my mate, who had a sad expression on her face as well.
“I’m sorry you had to hear all that,” I whispered, then shifted and grabbed a bowl of warm soup with the spoon next to it.
“Alpha Damon,” she called, and I almost dropped the bowl in shock.
I swallowed hard and quickly put the bowl back on the tray.
“Yes,” I answered in a cracked voice. I felt excited and nervous at the same time. It was the first time she was calling me both by title and name.
“Whenever you want to spend some time with me, feel free to do so, but please do it without your mask. Maggie was right with what she had said. It doesn’t matter how you look or how many scars you have because what matters the most is one’s heart and character,” she said softly, then moved her hand and rested it on my thigh.
“I won’t lie, I’m very scared of you, but at the same time, I want to get to know you better and spend some time with you, whether you are married or not,” she said.
I smiled then leaned in and rested my head against her shoulder.
If only she knew the impact of her words on me right now. My wolf was yelping in joy, and the pain we had been holding onto for years was slowly subsiding.
“I’m not married,” I murmured under my breath.
“What?” she asked softly.
“Is it really okay for me to be this vulnerable in front of you?” I asked in concern.
“Of course, remember I’m blind. Even if I wasn’t, I couldn’t hate you or call you a monster because of your face. Back at home, I used to help here and there, taking care of people who were sick and injured. Because of that, I got to realize that true beauty is found within, not outside. I admit there was a time when I forgot, but now being with you has reminded me of how I was way back before everything,” she answered seriously.
I slowly moved my hand, putting it on top of hers, then tilted my head and kissed her cheek gently.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much those words mean to me, and no, I’m not married or seeing anyone,” I whispered huskily as she sighed softly in what seemed like relief.
She moved her hand to her cheek, then smiled and lowered her head.
I couldn’t figure out if she was acting shy or just doing that for another reason.
“You need to eat before the food gets cold,” I said, then dropped my hand and grabbed the bowl and spoon again.
“First, you are going to have soup because I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything solid for days, then after that, you will eat some fruits. If you don’t have an upset stomach in the evening, then we will proceed into giving you a light meal,” I said.
She raised her head and looked at me with a serious expression.
“Alpha Damon,” she called, and I smirked. It was going to be hard to get used to hearing her voice calling my name.
“Damon is fine,” I responded.
“Okay… Damon,” she called.
“Yes,” I answered softly.
“Where will I sleep today? Will it be Maggie’s room?” she asked, her questions catching me off guard.
She was definitely going to sleep in my room because there was no way I was going to let her sleep in her own room. What if she woke up wanting to go to the bathroom or kitchen to get some water? Also, there was no way that I was going to let her sleep in Maggie’s room where most people came in and out as if it was their own. That would make her feel uncomfortable, My room was way better.
“You will be sleeping in my room,” I answered as her facial expression turned cold.