CHAPTER 23 – AFTERGLOW

CHAPTER 23 – AFTERGLOW
Sloane P.O.V

I woke up to the painful beat of my head throbbing, followed by a vague ache to my nether regions. Alarm bells sound muffled in my mind, but my brain is just too foggy to comprehend what my body is trying to tell him. 
I open my eyes groggily to a room completely lit up by the intrusive sunlight, which gauging by its rays, should be average midday daylight. That’s strange, I never wake up so late, I’ve training and other matters to handle before the sun is even up in the sky. I never sleep in, ever.
This thought makes my brain go into a panic, like he’s done something wrong and is afraid to be punished, and by reflex I shoot up to a sitting position which just makes my head blow up in pain. 
What the darn has happened to me? 
I try to focus on remembering what I did last night, but my mind is so numb because of the pain, that I don’t seem able to focus on anything.
Suddenly, a door bursts open and someone approaches me from the side, making my body automatically go into defense mode. My bedroom door is always locked when I sleep, no one could enter without me unlocking it, something is not right.
Before I can jump up and blindly aim a kick at the intruder, I hear an elder voice coax, 
“Oh, dear, you must be in pain. I’ll go get you something, you’ll feel better in no time.”
My eyes fly open, fast enough to get a glimpse of the elder woman who’s just left the room to get me something which will make me feel better. Probably a gun, it will definitely put a definitive end to my suffering.
I slide my legs out of bed, reading myself for her return, and that’s when my feet feel the carpeted floor, and I finally notice that I am not at home in my room, I’m in someone else’s house, in someone else’s bedroom.
Shock takes the fight out of me, and instead I drink in my surroundings, focusing on the homey feeling of this room, with its woody walls, the small windows with colorful flowers on its sills, and the photos and self-made paintings adorning it all around.
One of the photos in particular takes my full attention; the boy in it looks just like a younger version of…
The elder woman comes back with a tray loaded with a glass of water, a box of medication, a cup of tea and a yummy looking sandwich.
As soon as she enters the door, I can’t deny the similarities between her and probably her nephew, they have the same green eyes and curly hair, although the woman’s are light brown instead of blond.
Even though I'm still not sure of the circumstances, the knowledge that I’m in Nathan’s house sends a wave of calmness through me, enough that I manage to smile at his grandma, when she offers me the tray.
“Quick, take one pill with the water, and then eat the sandwich before that pill can carve a hole into your stomach. Those medicines are made to do worse than good; they cure one thing and at the same time cause another.”
I chuckle at her blathering, but quickly do as she says, not wanting to go down as disrespectful.
Between one bite of sandwich and the other I manage to ask, “Are you Nathan’s grandma?”
The elder woman seems to finally realize that I don’t know who she is, and after mumbling to herself about how forgetful she’s becoming, she extends her hand for me to shake.
“I am. My name is Sondra Reed, nice to meet you.”
I shake her hand warmly, while saying, “I’m Sloane Moore, nice to meet you, and thank you for the pill and breakfast, you’re incredibly kind.”  
“It’s my pleasure, dear; you’re Nathan’s mate, you’re like family, you can even call me gran Sondra, if you like.”
Her words nearly make me drop my sandwich from my hands. Nathan told her we are mates. I need to know what happened yesterday evening!
My confused expression might have tipped her off, because Nathan’s grandma immediately adds, “Your mind might still feel funny, it’s the effect of the drug, wait until the pill takes effect and you will be as new.” 
The mention of drugs sends new alarm bells blaring through my mind, and even though her tone is meant to be soothing, I can’t help panicking, especially hearing the rest of her speech,
“In the meantime, when you are done eating, you can take a shower, the bathroom is down the corridor on the left, there are fresh towels there. I’ll find some clothes for you to wear, maybe something from Nathan’s when he was younger should fit you. You will have to do without underwear, though, those seem to have taken the brunt of Nathan’s impatience.”
I shift my gaze to spot she’s staring at, and my heart skips a beat when I see my ripped red panties on the floor. No fucking way! The shame for gran Sondra seeing my panties in that state and knowing exactly how they turned out like that, is immediately replaced by fury directed at Nathan. Now, that explains the ache to my privates, he’s drugged me to take advantage of me! How can his grandma be ok with it? It’s a dishonorable behavior; the fact that I’m his mate doesn’t justify him using me like a sex doll. That’s not ok.
I’m ready to run out of this house and find my so-called mate, but when I pass through the bedroom’s door, a flash of me banging with my hand on this same door and pleading Nathan to fuck me comes to my mind. I stop in my tracks, while other memories follow, of me and Nathan doing spicy things, and of Nathan running in the forest with him in his arms, then Axel at the ball, dancing with Nathan.
Everything feels like a blur, making me dizzy, and washing my rage away, like dirt in the rain. In the end, I decided to take a shower after all, and give myself more time to remember what really happened yesterday, before I go out of here and make a fool of myself. Plus, I’m only wearing a plain white T-shirt which barely reaches midthigh, and with nothing underneath, I can’t go out like this, I need to find some clothes first.”
While I take the shower, as promised, gran Sondra places some clothes for me in Nathan’s room, and once I’m dressed, I’m ready to finally go downstairs and start asking questions, because although I can remember the majority of what happened, some memories are just too unfocused for me to understand the whole picture. 
Just when I take the last step down to the foyer, the entrance door opens and none other than Nathan comes through the door. He notices me immediately and smiles widely at me, like he’s happy to see me.
I, on the other hand, fresh of the memories of our nearly love making last night, become as red as a tomato, and try to flee to the room next door before I can die of embarrassment.
He catches me before I can take a step, and turns me around to face him, looking amused.
“I knew you’d try to run from me, little coward, but this time I got you before you could get far.”
He then pulls me in a tight hug, and whispers huskily to my ear, “Now that I’ve got you, I’ll never let you go.”
I push on his chest and crane my neck back wanting to see if he’s joking, or if he’s high on something, maybe I’m not the only one who’s been drugged.
He loosens his grip a little, making my job easier, and just smiles at me, like I’m the most precious thing to him.
What’s gotten into him? Is he behaving like this just because he wants to have sex with me, finish where he started?
His next words seem to confirm my thought and set me off.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Haven’t I pleasured you enough last night?”
I land a sound slap on his face, which makes his head turn the other way, and by reflex he releases his hold on me, to cradle his red cheek and turn pride in his palm.
“What the actual fuck! Why did you hit me for?” he asks bewildered, as soon he gathers his bearings back.
 But I’m not able to reply verbally, hot tears are running down my cheeks, leaving wet trails behind them, while my heart is aching feeling betrayed and violated.
Seeing my tears, Nathan’s anger disappears, replaced by surprise and concern; he makes a move to caress my cheek, but his hand is immediately swatted away by gran Sondra’s, who’s just materialized in the foyer, looking angry.
“What have you done?” she bellows at Nathan, while pulling me in her arms.