Hope Springs

Without any other words being said, Max sunk his teeth into where my shoulder meets my neck and I sucked in a gasp. My eyes widened and I gripped Max’s shoulders. It hadn’t hurt like I had been expecting it to. The initial puncture of my skin had hurt, but it was actually quite pleasurable. Max released his mouth from my shoulder, and licked the blood from his lips. He ran his thumbs against my cheeks and I stared at him.

My mind was all hazy. Max gave me a small smile and pressed a kiss to my cheek. I hummed in content and tried to get closer to him. I was feeling the need to get as close to him as possible and I wasn’t completely in control but I had some control.

What...Why is my mind so hazy, I asked and I felt Max’s chest vibrate in a laugh.

It’ll only be hazy for a few more minutes, Trinity. It’s because....Actually, nevermind. Max answered and I frowned, but dropped the matter.

After a few more minutes, I was finally able to think clearly and I turned my attention to Finley. It seems that during the minutes where Max and I had been in our own little world, Finley and Rhea had started talking and now they joking like they were old friends. I cleared my throat and Rhea’s cheeks turned pink when she saw that we were waiting to talk to Finley.

“Sorry,” Rhea apologized, her eyes drifted to the mark. A smile flickered on her face for a brief moment or two and then quickly faded. She turned her eyes to Finley who was staring at Max and I, his eyes guarded.

“Why were you so close to the pack? How did you run into the hunter? Was it Loup Chasseur, and do you know what they are planning,” Max fired off in rapid succession and Finley stared at us for a minute before sighing.

“I was so close to the pack because I could sense my mate,” his eyes flickered to Rhea, “I knew that she was near and I wanted to get close to the pack in case she was a member of the Hope Springs pack. Which she is. How did I run into the hunter? The hunter ran into me. I had been minding my own business when I was shot at and somehow lured me right into the aconite trap. Was it Loup Chasseur?”

Finley shrugged then said, “Probably, but I can’t be sure. I cut ties with them a long time ago.”

Max narrowed his eyes and I stared up at him in concern as his eyes flashed gold. “What did you say?” Max’s voice had a slight growl in it as he spoke and I edged closer to him.

Finley sighed. Apparently he had just realized that what he had said, probably wasn’t the best thing to say and clearly had not helped him. But if he had kept it hidden the backlash would be much worse.

“I used to be associated with Loup Chasseur,” Finley finally admitted. “I was...What do you call it? Right, a spy. I was somewhat of a spy for them. Finally the murdering of our own people got to me and I left. Since then I suppose that I have been on their hit list. Anything else?”

“You didn’t answer my last question,” Max shot back. “What do they want?”

Finley’s eyes flickered towards me for a moment before he slowly answered Max, “Her. They want her.”

Max clenched his hands into fists and took three quick steps away from me. I felt a little hurt at that but I knew that he didn’t want me to be too close if he shifted and wasn’t able to control himself. Max clenched his jaw and I stared worriedly at him before turning my eyes to Finley.

“What do you mean they're after me,” I finally asked.

“Well you’re Trinity de Luna aren’t you,” Finley asked and I nodded my head. “They have made it their goal to wipe out the de Luna family, since the de Luna family has a history of white wolves being born. The white wolf thing is pure rubbish, but Loup Chasseur don’t seem to think that.”

“How long have they been after me?”

“I don’t know, six years or so.” Finley shrugged, “Why does it matter?”

“Finley!” Rhea finally spoke. “It should be clear why it does matter! Firstly she is my friend, and secondly she’s Max’s mate, which should be obvious since he marked her. Max is the future Alpha and she is clearly the future Luna. You can’t possibly be that dense!”

Finley stared at her and I glanced between the two of them awkwardly. Max came back to my side and took a hold of my hand. Finley dropped his eyes and sighed.

“I’m sorry Rhea, but I do not understand why it should matter to me. I don’t know her. She isn’t my future Luna.”

Rhea flinched and stared at him, eyes hurt. Did she think that he was rejecting the bond? From what I remembered, rejecting the bond was extremely rare. He couldn’t be rejecting the bond. He couldn’t.

“You...You’re rejecting me?” Rhea asked, her voice unnaturally quiet and Finley’s eyes shot up to meet hers but she avoided looking at him. “Are you?”

“No, but,” Finley sighed, “Now that I think about it, I realize that is the wrong thing to say. I am not rejecting the bond love, but I’m not made for pack life. Pack life is filled with too many rules and regulations, and they also have Alphas that are self-righteous. I can’t ask you to give up pack life.”

“Good, because even if you did ask I wouldn’t. My pack means everything to me. There are rules for a reason and the rules help to protect us and all Alphas aren’t self-righteous.” Rhea crossed her arms, “Then we are at an impasse.”

Max sighed, “You don’t have to be. He can reside here but he doesn’t have to be an official member of the pack.”

Rhea turned to Max, her eyes wide and filled with gratitude. “You would do that for me? You would allow a Rogue to live on your land?”

Max shrugged. I didn’t really think that the decision was up to him, it was probably up to Mr. Judge, but Rhea and Max were close and I was almost certain that Mr. Judge would allow it, especially if it made Rhea happy.

Rhea then turned to me and I widened my eyes. I shouldn’t have a say in this. Despite the fact that Rhea was my friend, I hadn’t known her for very long and didn’t really want to interfere in a decision that directly affects her personal life. But I probably didn’t have a choice.

“Trinity what do you think,” Rhea ventured to ask. “Would you be okay if Finley were to still be a Rogue but just have residence in the territory?”

“Um....” I hesitated, “I wouldn’t actually feel that safe. If he’s a member of the pack you’ll at least know where his loyalties lie, because isn’t it really hard to betray your pack?” Max nodded. “He doesn’t seem to value my life much and I wouldn’t feel safe because he wouldn’t feel obligated to protect me in any way shape or form. I do want you to be happy I really do Rhea, but...I’m sorry.”

Rhea shook her head, “No, no I understand Trinity. It’s fine really, honestly it would be better if he was part of the pack, but what if the only way for him to not reject the mate bond is if he is allowed to stay and not be part of the pack?”

“Then I don’t know,” I answered back. “Maybe it’s something that the two of you should talk about. Then after that maybe talk to Max and I.”

Rhea sighed, but nodded. I knew that she wanted her mate near, I understood that but I guess that I had to look out for myself first and foremost. I couldn’t sacrifice my safety for Rhea’s love life. Slowly Max and I left the infirmary, leaving Rhea and Finley to talk.

As we walked back to the house Max finally spoke, “Are you okay Trinity?”

I glanced at him, “Yes. I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well-” He started.

“Nevermind,” I interrupted, shaking my head. “Was it because I was marked in the heat of the moment?” He nodded. “Well I’m fine. I’m just glad that I’m back in control again, and honestly it’s fine. I wish that it would have been in a more private setting I suppose, but we can’t really change it.”

“Okay. So...” He trailed off and I nearly gave a sigh. Why were we acting so awkward with each other now? What had changed?

“Max why are we acting so awkward now,” I asked, “Nothing has really changed, other than the fact that I was marked. So why are we acting like everything's different?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it feels like everything has. We have Loup Chasseur, issues with Finley, and we have furthered our mate bond. Everything has changed.”

“Yeah, but not quickly. It’s been in the span of one year,” I argued but Max shook his head.

“The Loup Chasseur issue, maybe. But Finley and the marking just happened today,” He answered, “I think that we need to...”

“Think that we need to, what? Take a day off and act like normal humans,” I asked, smiling a little when I saw Max nod.

This was the perfect opportunity for the date that I had planned to take place. I bit my lip and then looked at Max.

“Tomorrow it’s just us. So, a date.” I said, staring at Max hopefully and he gave me a small smile.

“It’s a date.”