Chapter 13
My heartbeat calms as I relax in my seat.
Marcus’ head rests on my lap as we watch television. The feel of his warmth on my thigh releases a content sigh of out me. He might have messed up but he has shown me that he deserves a second chance.
We played hide seek for a while and he found it funny to see me run through the trees zigzagging through them as if I knew the forest better than my room.
Marcus was sad when I manage to stay out of his grasp but he seemed happy that I was happy. For the moment I let myself forget that I was broken, just for a moment, I was a girl with the love of her life.
The movie plays as I stare down at Marcus watching the movie. The tips of my fingers running through his hair as he slowly rolls his eyes as my nails scrape his scalp.
“That feels so good,” he breathes in and I smile down at him as he rolls his head back to look at me.
I do it again earning a pleasurable growl from him. I push down a laugh as he pushes himself upward. His face rising up to meet mine as I stare at him in awe. Those hazel eyes smoldering me as I swallow down hard.
Even though we fight like enemies I know that he is mine and I am slowly showing him that I am his. The past few days have been magical. We walked through the forest, he collected wildflowers for me. Ran in the mountains like two love-struck teenagers. His wolf loves to rub his side against my wolf. She loves his scent and wallows in it as much as she can.
Marcus loves to cuddle as I stare at him in appreciation. He might not be perfect but the moon goddess thought we made the perfect match. She knows what she is doing.
From what I heard my parents were perfect for one another. She read him like a book and he would open up only to her. My father showed her all his sides the good, the bad, and the ugly. Arabella was the perfect luna. She knew that my father, being the alpha, would have some hard decisions ahead of him and she would not judge him.
Now if only Marcus is able to accept me as an alpha.
“You think it’s funny,” he smirks as I push myself over the armrest. I stare at him perplexed. He closes the space between us stealing a kiss and making me push out further. I need space to breathe his body heat is making it hard to inhale as he leans closer.
I shake my head as a smile pulls at my lips. His hands snake to my waist as he pulls me closer to him.
My hands collide with his chest, gripping the fabric for dear life.
He is pushing me to the brink, my wolf wants to complete the mating bond as much as his wolf. The only thing standing in our way is my mind. My stubborn mind that for some reason seems to think rationally when all my body wants is the opposite.
Marcus’ heated lips press lightly against my jaw. His feather-like kisses send a shiver up my spine as I grip his hair and pull him closer. His teeth skim my skin as he inhales deeply. His hazel eyes darken as his wolf surfaces. His aura turning from playful to dominant within a heartbeat.
As a werewolf, the males tend to be more dominant than the female. Same with an Alpha and Luna except his not an alpha and I am no luna.
His grip tightens as his kisses turn possessive. An overwhelming sense of power floods my mind and body as I grip his shoulders and turn our bodies over. The fall is nothing as bodies hit the living room floor. Marcus’ eyes flashback to their normal color as he stares up at me.
My body hovers over his as my hands grip his shoulders pinning him to the floor.
“Melany,” he hisses under me as I blink away the sudden anger that has filled me.
“Marcus,” I sigh out.
He wanted to show you that he is the dominant one.
My wolf snarls as she stays close to the surface.
Does he think that his mate is like any other female out there?
“What was that?” The pain in my mind is overbearing. The urge to caress my temples and comfort my wolf is unbearable.
“I can ask you the same thing,” he huffs as he sits up once I move off of him.
“You were trying to demonstrate your dominance over me,” I narrow my eyes at him as my wolf tries to calm us down.
“I am a man,” he licks his bottom lip. “It’s normal.”
Normal? Is he being serious right now!
“You think anything about this relationship is normal.” His arms cross as he stares up at me.
“It can be as long as you don’t go all alpha on me every second of every day.” Oh hell no. He did not just say that.
What did he say? My wolf wants to make sure that she heard what I heard.
“News flash,” the anger flashed across his eyes, “I am the fücking alpha.” Just as the words leave my mouth the front door opens and Andrew and two other guys walk in with him. “I am the alpha of this pack and it is best if you don’t forget it.”
“Well I think we should go to the theater instead,” Andrew ushers the boys back to the door. "I don't think we are allowed into this show."
“This pack needs a man as their alpha,” his words hit me like a freight train.
“Hold up,” Andrew stops in his tracks and slowly backtracks. The two other guys with him forgotten. He turns to Marcus, “Come again?” Marcus rolls his eyes.
“You heard me,” his voice is raw as if he and his wolf are cutting into something deeper. He truly believes that I cannot be the alpha of my pack.
“Well then,” Andrew gives me an apologetic glance as he walks up to Marcus. “You’re not worthy of having her as a mate.” Marcus ignores Andrew as he looks at me.
“Melan-” his word is cut short as Andrew swing connects with Marcus’ jaw.
A groan escapes Andrew as his fist lashes back into his chest and he cradles it.
“Motha-” Andrew hisses, “what are you? A boulder? Chin made of steel?”
Marcus’ head whips back and his eyes level with Andrew as he caresses his jaw. His nose flared as he shakes his head.
“You-”
“You,” Andrew challenges him. “You might be her mate. You might be stronger than me but,” he snarls, “You try in any way, shape, or form to belittle our alpha I will shove my foot up your ass so high you will be tasting leather for a week.”
“I got this Andrew,” he stands his ground as Marcus steps up to him. Chest to chest, Marcus stares down at Andrew.
There is something that goes between them making Marcus nod. Andrew relaxes and without a word to each other Andrew walks out with his friends behind him.
“Now you want to tell me what that was about?”
“I need some air,” my hand caresses his arm but he walks away, “I need to sort somethings out with my wolf.” He smiles, cheeks lifting, and teeth showing. He is trying really hard, trying hard to hide his feeling. His smile does not reach his eyes as he walks out of the room.
He needs time. Marcus is our mate, our bond is bind by the moon goddess. This is not an orthodox relationship.
With her words, my body slumps back into the couch. Her overpowering sense of exhaustion allows my mind to fall into oblivion. Lost in the darkness I will allow Marcus to have his space.
The clicking of the door closing pulls my wolf to my center as I push to the surface. The room is dark as I blink my sleepiness away. I must have been asleep for a few hours.
A figure walks across the room his eyes meet mine and my wolf falls to the back of my mind.
“Melany,” he whispers as I sit up.
“Marcus,” I whisper as my throat scratches. Without hesitating, I pull myself off the couch and stand before him.
“I need to talk to you,” his words are impassive as he stands away from me. His demeanor is cold and my body stays in place.
The room seems cold, but not in temperature.
“If it is because my wolf went into an alpha mode,” I start but he stops me.
“You belittle me,” he snarls. My body flinches back, “you don’t let me be the man I know I am.”
My eyes adjust to the darkness as I stare at him. His pupils are dilated with anger, “You want to be a man.”
His eyes narrow as he clenches his jaw. “My wolf and I are tired,” he exasperates, “We are not sure if this is what we are meant to be.”
I laugh. It is not a chuckle but a full-blown laugh. As in hug my ribs and tears running down my cheeks kind of laugh. “You. You’re tired. What do you think I am feeling? Refreshed?”
He growls annoyed with my reaction.
“You don’t have the weight of the entire pack on your shoulders. You have no idea. Andrew had a taste and he was ready to call it quits after a few days. This is not for the weak.”
“You’re calling me weak?” His anger sparks a wave of emotion through me. No, Marcus is not physically weak. He has proven that plenty of times. You need more than physical strength to acquire this job.
“You want the power that comes with being alpha but can you surpass that and see what is best for your pack?”
“They need a strong leader.” Is all he can grunt out.
I scoff as I fight the urge to roll my eyes at him. “Well, then where do we go from here? We will not see eye to eye, so what now?”
“Give up your title,” he suggests his eyes get big. He is hopeful.
My father and the elders have faith in me. I can do this. Why can't he just be happy for me?
“No,” I cross my arms. I might have not wanted this title but my father thought through every scenario and this is what he thought was what the pack needed.
I shake my head.
His body stiffens as he stares at me, “I will not challenge you.” His body moves towards the door his hand clasps the door handle.
“So?” There is so much I want to tell him but at the moment everything is evading my mind.
“Sorry,” he whispers as his body sags defeated. My wolf wants to hug him and let him know that it will be okay. My mind keeps me rooted to my spot.
“Sorry,” I question as his wolf surfaces pulling mine up as well.
“I refuse to be your mate,” my wolf explodes in my mind. Her nails claw at my mind and her howl rips open my chest.
“Marcus, don't."
"We can never truly be happy this way."
"You can’t do this!” The words come out as a loud sob. My wolf howls within me, her pain made me want to drop to the ground and curl up in the fetal position.
He is my mate, he is meant for me and no one else. My lip quivers as I fight back the sob trying to escape me once again.
I stand there indecisive on my feet I stare at him fighting back my tears but my emotions overpower me and nothing stops them as they well up and drop from the captivity of my eyes. My body yearns for him his warmth, his strength, and his love. I want him to drop his defensive stance and come to tell me he was joking? Why is he leaving me here as if I meant nothing to him?
“Melany, I can’t be with you! This is not for me,” his grip tightens on the door handle making my heart tighten. I swallow as my hand clutches at my chest trying to hold the shattered pieces of my heart together.
“Don’t,” I whisper. Was he really willing to reject me because of this? “Please,” the lump in my throat makes it nearly inaudible.
As mates, he knows he is hurting more than anyone else can. We are in sync he can perceive my pain as well I do his. On his end all he radiates is numbness. My body is wreaking havoc with my emotions and he is staring at me as if I were a stranger trying to talk to him. As if he never was my mate, never spend the nights curled up together, running through the forest, and never loved each other.
Sympathy is not a word that fits him well and not even now as his mate breaks before his eyes. My wolf releases another howl in my head as she realizes he wants nothing with me.
“Sorry, I’m leaving that way you can get over me,” his chin brushing against his shoulder as he takes one last glance at the broken girl before him. The tears cascading over my cheeks do not faze him as he yanks the door open and steps into the dark night.
He opens the door and the lump in my throat grows. The frosty breeze seeps into my veins and body making me endure the worse loneliness in the world. Without glancing back he walks out the door his one last crack to my shattered heart. He slams the door resembling the pain of a slap in the face. The door clicks shut behind him.
He could not even say goodbye, no last kiss, not even a hug.
A shaky breath makes its way through my lips as my hands go to my chest holding onto my heart in place. He is gone much the same as the love he once experienced for me.
This cannot end this way. I can’t let him go!
My feet pull me forward as I run to the door I pull it open nothing but darkness invades my vision, the darkness swallows me whole no trace of the man I love.
Andrew rushes back to the house as the cook rushes downstairs as I scream for Marcus to come back. Andrew holds me tight as I scream and he pulls me closer to him as my voice grows hoarse and he whispers nonsense into my ear.
The cook makes us tea as Andrew practically carries me to the couch. His arms are the reason I am standing.
My wolf wails in mind silencing my own screams. Numbness envelops me as my wolf devoid of both our emotions. Tears streak my face as I stare at nothing. Andrew stays by my side as day breaks through the window.
The elders visit. They talk, I hear nothing. Dr. Graham checks on me but I ignore her.
My heart aches. My body is cold. My mind is silent.
He took half of me, half of us.
My wolf stays silent.