Chapter 220: The First Bond

**Rameric's POV:**

"How did you, Rameric?" Alasia, my mate asked me as she was still lying there beneath me. "How did you manage to do that?!"

I smiled at her, knowing she was lying there completely bare and the only thing covering her was a thin cloth. Granted, I was hovering over the top of her frail body, knowing I was still only wrapped in that simple shawl. She gasped lightly as if she was out of breath. I focused on her breathing, making sure she didn't appear to be having any trouble breathing. However, I did know the shock about what just happened. It made me wonder if it was just the effects of the Mate Bond that caused these effects on her or not.

After watching her for a few more moments, I came to the conclusion that, other than her initial question about how I did what I did, she seemed to be fine. Well, other than her being speechless and unable to speak that is.

"That has everything to do with the Mate Bond," I told her, knowing it was *now* final and complete. "Is there anything else you are able to feel? Anything else at all?"

I wanted to know if she was feeling anything which came from me. I closed my eyes and started to focus on her. I focused on how she made me feel and what she meant to me. I thought about how I felt having her at my side and knowing that she was safe now. I didn't want her to know I was angry about how I found her, so I tried to stay focused on the positive.

The last thing I wanted was for her to resent or feel my remorse for placing her in the position in the first place. I knew I wished I had gotten to her sooner, but there would be time to think about that at a later time. This was her first experience with this Mate Bond and I wanted it to be special for her. You only get one first, especially when it comes to this.

When I opened my eyes back up, so I could look at her face and study her features, I noticed she had a questionable expression and was squinting her eyes. I jolted my head to the side a bit as I looked at her, waiting for her to speak. She remained silent a bit longer and didn't say anything, so I continued to watch her, waiting patiently for her to speak.

After another moment, she finally took in another breath, one deeper than just her normal breath, which told me she was about to speak. "Are you upset about something? Well, I mean, are you upset at yourself, possibly?"

I decided not to answer her as I looked away from her eyes this time. I kept my gaze looking down and away from her eyes, knowing my eyes would not be able to lie to my mate. I was not sure what to say at that moment, so I thought it was best to remain silent and keep my gaze looking away from her eyes. It's like, despite the fact that I didn't want her to know my thoughts about what I had not done in order to prevent this, she seemed to know what I wanted to hide anyway.

When I had yet to look up at her, she spoke again when she said, "You *are* really upset at yourself, aren't you."

At that moment, I decided to look up at her and respond, "You are right, my mate. Indeed, I am upset with myself for what I did not do. My lack of action caused you to be placed in this position once again. Once again, you were placed in danger, all on the account that I was not able to act in time and therefore save you from an enemy."

"Or from someone who certainly knew better," Raiven spoke up just then, all while still standing right beside me.

I didn't look at him but continued looking at Alasia. I again lowered my head to look down, closing my eyes for another moment and realizing she knew my thoughts, even if I didn't want her to.

"I know you got to me when you could," She said, which broke my concentration and made me look back at her.

"You are correct, Alasia," I said, resting my head in the center of her chest this time. It was not enough to just hover over her anymore, I had to touch her one way or another.

She finally reached up and touched the top of my head, causing me to jump at first. This is the first time she touched me in this manner. I didn't want to move in fear of scaring her, making her draw her hand away from me. Her touch was trembling, and yet she still managed to lightly stroke the top of my head and down to my shoulders, before lightly doing it again.

"I know now that you didn't know," she said.

When I looked back up at her, water had filled her eyes till it ran over along her cheeks. "I will not let another soul hurt you!"

"What if I am taken again?" She asked me with fear filling her eyes.

I changed my expression as I scoured at her, almost threatening someone to just try to do that and take her from me. "Do you not know the true meaning of the Mate Bond? I will know where you are at all times. I will know your thoughts and you will know mine. If we are ever separated, then I will come right to you and know what condition you are in. That solely lies with the skills of the one you may now call your bonded mate!" I said in my response to her. "Overall though, how are you feeling? Are you still in any pain?"

I watched her as she closed her eyes for a moment. I could tell she was trying to figure out exactly how to feel. Being bonded to your mate was a new sensation, but especially for the both of us. It would certainly take some getting used to. I at least knew what to expect out of the whole ordeal, but it was different to actually experience it first hand.

With her eyes still closed, I also took that opportunity to close mine as well. I wanted to put our Mate Bond to the test. I was trying to sense if she could feel pain in any other place in her body. If she did, then I wanted to alleviate her of it immediately.

She finally opened her eyes just after I did when she spoke up with even more confusion as she said, "I can't feel anything. Well, I mean any pain for that fact."

I lowered myself down to where I could rest on my elbows beside her as I placed both of my hands on either side of her face. I even started to move my hands in such a way that I was able to run my fingers gently through her hair. She inhaled slowly, closing her eyes when I did that. She seemed as if she was soaking in this moment. It was one for me too.

I can tell this was going to be a hard change for her, but it was a new experience she would come to accept by far. I knew she would need time to adjust to this new life from the previous one she left behind. Finding out you are *not* human and have other abilities is enough to take the breath out of someone for sure.