A Queen Among Snakes: Chapter Four - Mei

Instead of being pulled into darkness from the tiredness, I feel myself being pulled in another direction. I hear someone calling my name in a gentle whisper. I feel pulled towards it, and I follow the pull happily.

Slowly the surroundings of the Albus Mons Pack fade away as my eyes flutter open. All the pain, the panic, the fear, they all start to leave my body as my eyes fully open and look into the concerned hazel-green eyes of my animai. My Chris.

I reach up to touch his face, tracing his features with my fingertips to ensure he’s real. I do this when I wake up from bad dreams. It helps me remember where I am and that the dreams aren’t real – at least not anymore.

“How bad was this one?” He gently asks me as he lets me continue to outline his face with my fingers.

“It wasn’t too bad. It was on the bearable side.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asks.

I can feel his worry through our bond, but I also feel his love for me. Everything he says and does is filled with love. How did I ever get this lucky?

I turn on my side and snuggle into him breathing in his candy scent as he wraps his arms securely around me tucking me under his chin.

“They’re always so vivid. It feels like I’m reliving those moments instead of dreaming about them,” I sigh. “But I dreamt of the day you saved me,” I tell him and hear his intake of breath.

“The best and worst day of my life,” he says, and I feel and hear his sadness.

“How can it be both?” I ask curiously.

“It was the best because it was the day I found you, of course,” he says as he places a soft kiss atop my head that makes my cheeks heat up. “And it was the worst because I learned all the pain and suffering you have had to go through. I know there’s nothing I could have done, but it doesn’t mean I don’t wish there was. I would give anything to be able to go back in time and spare you all that hurt,” he says in a solemn voice as he tightens his hold.

“I hated every day I was there, but I can’t bring myself to be angry or resentful. If I was, it means I’m angry with the events that brought me to you, and I can never be angry at anything that brought us together. My life is better because of you,” I say as I pull back to look up at him. “I love you, Chris. You were the bright moon that shone in my darkness and guided me home.”

The smile on my face is effortless. There was a time in my life I was sure I’d never smile again, but finding my soulmate changed everything. Now every day I find a reason to smile.

Chris beams at me, his teeth shining bright in the darkness of our bedroom, though we both can see perfectly fine. His beautiful eyes are glassy, and his emotions crash over me, and I welcome each and every one.

“I love you more than forever, xingan baobei. No matter what, I will always protect you and if you ever get lost, I promise I will always find you. We will always find each other,” he vows as he holds his large warm hand against my cool cheek.

He leans in and places his soft lips on mine, and I surrender to the caresses of his lips that send tingles through me and make my head feel light. His kisses are warm and gentle and make me feel treasured by this man. This man who is mine: mind, body, and soul. He is the other half of me, a half I could never be without. All my nightmares are forgotten as he once again mends the broken pieces of me with his kisses and for the trillionth time, I silently thank the Gods for answering my prayers.