by A. M Martin
I feel his hard body relax on top of mine and his breathing becomes easier. This is so bizarre.
"Hey,” I said softly not wanting to send him over the edge any more than he already is.
He moves so slowly turning his head from my belly looking straight up at me. My breath catches in my chest. He still has those same odd copper eyes as before with thick white eyelashes, and white eyebrows shaped gracefully. He has a perfectly straight nose, not too big, not too small and smooth plump lips that would make any girl green with envy. A strong jawline. He looks to be the perfect photoshopped picture created for every girl’s single desire. He’s breathtaking. And he’s moving.
I squeal like a pig, biting my lip as my muscles lock up tight and he starts to climb slowly up my body, like a monkey, and I’m his own personal tree. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it’s going to pop right out of my chest. He never looks away from my eyes as he moves sensually up my body until his face is hovering an inch above mine. A warmth like no other burst through me causing my bare toes to curl for all to see.
I don’t dare move or even blink as he stares at me with a gleam in his bright eyes. My gut clamps as his startling gaze drop down to my lips than travel leisurely back to my flushed face. His head tilts to the left. To the right. Taking my whole face in.
"Umm." Cam’s voice has Dean snapping his head up looking in Cam’s direction. I draw in a much need breath of air with his intense gaze focused away from me. Those eyes took the air from my lungs.
A growl rips from Dean’s chest that has me flinching, clamping my eyes shut.
Don’t do anything stupid Cam. Not with him on top of me. I plead in my head.
I peek my eyes open seeing Dean looking back down at me. A possessive feeling flows from him into me. It's demanding and loving at the same time. Uh oh.
"Mine." It’s barely a hoarse whisper.
But I hear it. Oh, lord do I hear it. Mine? What does he mean by mine? Oh, my god. I’m breathing super-fast, I think I might be having a panic attack. Please don’t mean what I think it means. Please.
He looks back up at Cam, “Mine." It’s louder this time.
There’s a second of tension pause where you know something you aren’t going to like is going to happen. Then he leans over where my neck meets my shoulder. He inhales deeply. Goosebumps pimple my skin as a shiver rolls through my body bringing an intoxicating heat with it.
"No!" Cam’s scream comes too late.
Dean bites down with so much force a cracked scream leaps from my throat. It's over in a matter of seconds. He latched on, then let go. He freaking bit me. The naked Dean bit me.
Dean’s head comes back up from my now pulsing neck. Those copper eyes hard and with blood, my blood coating those plump lips of his he moans, “Mine." Licking my blood off his lips.
I raise a shaking hand and clamp it on the bite mark stopping the flow of blood. I watch him as his eyes roll in the back of his head. He falls the rest of the way down on top of me out cold and knocking my air away from my lungs.
I don’t know what exactly happened other than he bit me. I mean like really bit me. Put some type of claim on me. And I’m scared. I just want to get up and away from him.
"Cam!" It’s a shirking, breathless wail as it comes out of my mouth.
Avery
"Cam just don’t stand there. Get him off." I pant out, my breathing harder as Dean’s weight settles on my chest. Gosh, he’s got to weigh what, like 250. It’s crushing.
Hearing footsteps I tilt my head backward. Two pairs of shoes stand next to my head. A pair of black combat boots and a pair of Nike’s. Aden and Nick.
My eyes go up and see the astonishing look on both guys face. Just staring at Dean and me. Not helping. No, they just got to gawk at me, and the naked man covering my body, who bit my neck then passed out.
"Help." I gasp
“Wow. What happened here? Did you guys have a party without? And why would you want to get out from under that?” Cammie appears above me her eyebrows wiggle.
“Not now Cammie.” I snap out with little breath.
“Help me.” I screech.
They jerk back a little. Surprised maybe. I don’t know. I don’t care. They just need to get him off me. Right freaking now.
Aden comes over to my left side and grabs hold of Dean's right arm. He pulls making Dean roll off towards him, and I roll right. I scramble up to my feet, stomping, yes stomping like a mad two-year-old, towards Cam, and I slug him right in the face.
It didn’t even register on his shocked body, but it made me feel just a tiny bit better. Seeing his eyes still focused on the bite mark. My hand moves back up, folding over the wound.
It makes me self-conscious. Him staring at it and I don’t even know why.
“What did I miss?” Cammie chuckles.
“That’s Dean,” Nick says looking at my hand.
“Dean? The black wolf. My oh me. Isn’t he something to look at?” Cammie pops her gum looking in Dean’s direction.
"What was that?" Aden chuckles, looking at Cam’s reddening face.
I whirl around narrowing my eyes. He’s laughing. Laughing. Who would have thought that Aden had that ability?
"He bit me." I screech at him. "Did you bite Cam?"
"What? No." A frown forms on Aden’s face.
“He bit you?” Cammie gasps.
“Yes!”
"Why did he bite me then?" I snarl at Aden.
"How am I supposed to know?" Aden sneers. Ah, there he is. The normal Aden.
"You were in the Rage and Cam brought you back. Why shouldn’t you know?" I snap.
I’m confused and hurt. And Dean freaking bit me.
"I don’t...Umm. I’m calling Jeff." Cam stutters, disappearing into the house.
Aden and Nick start to follow, “Hey stop." I call out.
They both look at me, and it has me shifting from foot to foot.
"Um. You can’t just leave him there." I point a finger at Dean not daring to look in his direction. Cause you know, he’s still very naked.
“I don’t mind the view.” Cammie purrs.
My teeth grind together. I don’t like her looking at him.
A small smile comes on Nick’s face, “You're worried about him."
My eyes go wide. Am I? How can I be worried about him with blood still slipping between my fingers? Is Nick, right?
"Why do you care? He bit you." Aden sneers.
"I’m not worried. It's just." I wave my hands in Dean’s general direction.
Nick nods like he knows what I’m talking about, “Come on." He says to Aden.
I nod my head. Yeah okay. Time to get to a mirror. You can do this. It's just a little bite mark. Nothing to worry about. I say to myself standing in front of the mirror in the downstairs bathroom.
It’s a rather cute room. The walls painted a sky blue with black bird decals going up around the circular mirror and a very neat shower curtain. It’s white with a black tree, the branches running across the curtain.
I take a deep breath and look back at the mirror. My ice blue eyes seem brighter. Like they hold a power of some kind. I don’t look like a zombie anymore either. Which I take this place might be good for me besides the biting part. I look down through the mirror at the dried blood smeared at the crook of my neck. It doesn’t seem that bad.
Grabbing a light blue washcloth, I get it wet and gently start to wipe away the blood. And I just stare. What the crap.
From the pain, I was sure he took a chunk of flesh out of my neck. It did not feel like two tiny holes with teeth marks in-between the small holes. It’s already healed with a silvery gleam. What is going on? Does it have something to do with my cursed blood nature or is something else at work.
I move closer to the mirror. My lips and nose bump into the glass as I look closer at the bite mark. My eyes go wide, and my mouth becomes parched. Right there. Between the small holes is Dean written in flowery cursive, no bigger than an inch. You’d h
ave to be right on top of me to see, but I see it. It’s right freaking there. May as well be blinking and singing. Cause I see it. Right there, gleaming silver, glowing like a neon sign to my eyes. My heart beat floods my ears.
What now? What else could possibly pile up on me in my strange new life? I don’t need this. Whatever this is. And I’m hundred percent sure that I don’t need his name scared in my skin.
"Cam!" I scream till my voice is nothing but horse a whispered.
Never talking my frightened eyes off the letters. The name. His name. Dean. I've been claimed. The thought flitters in making me gulp. Making my eyes swell with tears.
Why does shit like this always happen to me? Can’t I get one little break before the next thing pops up? I haven’t even got control of my empath abilities yet and now this.
Tears of frustration make a path down my cheeks. It’s not the first time I thought of this nor will it be the last. Maybe I should have stayed in Green Bier.
Avery
Growls and howls echoes throughout the house. My gaze jerks to the bathroom doorway. What now?
A gray wolf and a chocolate brown one barrel into the doorway. Both have their lips pulled back, showing sharp white teeth. I stumble back; a squeak flings from my lips. The back of my knees hit the bathtub. I scream as I fall backward landing on my butt in the tub, pulling the shower curtain down with me. A pain filled moan slips from my mouth as my head bouncing off the wall.
Ouch.
My eyes water from the pain. I blink through it looking at the two wolves still in the doorway. They looked smashed together. Are they stuck? I twist my head to the side, watching them. A smile pulls at my lips.
The gray one snaps at the chocolate one then they both look at me with yellow eyes, large heads tilted to the side, mimicking me.
Are they making fun of me? I narrow my eyes at them.
"Guys." Cam’s uneasy voice floats from the hallway.
The gray wolf grunts. Cammie and Cam appear behind the stuck wolves. He busts out laughing.
"That is too funny." He says giggling with a pointed finger at the wolves wedged tight in the doorway.
Cammie chuckles, snapping pictures with her cell phone.
There’s a strong pull in the air. One moment it's two wolves the next is two naked boys.
I groan and slip my hands across my eyes.
"What is with you people and being naked?" I mumble.
I hear footsteps coming towards the tub. It has me pushing back against the wall. I do not want any more naked boys near me
"It’s natural for us Avery. It’s just skin." Nick says laughing, his voice fading.
"Avery."
A hand touches my knee, and I peek through my fingers. It’s Cam.
"Are they gone?" I mumble from embarrassment.
"Yeah. Here let me help you up?" Cam grabs both of my arms pulling me out of the tub.
I give him a sheepish smile that falls instantly from my face when I remembered why I screamed bloody murder in the first place.
I jerk my arm out of his hands.
“Why’d you scream?” Cammie asks sitting on the sink.
"Look. Look at this!" I point to my neck. My chest is moving up and down from my fast pants.
Cam eyes me curious shuffling forward to look at my neck. Cammie is peering around him.
A strangled gasp of air crosses my neck, “Oh my god." He stumbles backward wide-eyed.
“Is that what I think it is?” Cammie asks, leaning closer. I push her back. Too many people have been in my personal bubble today. Way too many.
"What is this?" I say seething, staring at Cam.
It’s his fault. This whole thing is his fault. He gulps.
"A true mate tag." He whispers gripping his hands together.
"What?"
A true mate tag? I thought it was called life mate. I don’t understand. No one ever said anything about tags.
"How could Dean tag me if I’m meant for Kayden?"
My heart sputters at the thought. It’s not like I have feelings for Kayden. He's been here since the beginning. He’s familiar, and I was finally, slowly coming to terms with being his mate.
"I don’t know." He says shaking his head, “But it’s there, and it's real."
“True mate? Are you sure Cam?” Cammie crosses her arms, “True mates haven’t been heard of since the dark ages.”
Cam jerks, his eyes widen for a second, like he just thought of something.
He rushes forward, so fast it has my back hitting the bathroom wall. His fingers slip up under my top lip, pulling it back, as a feeling of another finger enters my mouth and slides across my teeth.
He smiles and backs away.
"What was that for?" I glare and rub my teeth against my lips. So, nasty having his boy fingers in my mouth.
"Making sure your teeth are sharp enough to bite him."
Huh. What? Wait a minute.
"What do you mean, bite him?" I ground out.
Cam grabs my hand pulling me out of the bathroom and down the hall stopping in front of the entrance to the den. I jerk my hand out of his grip.
"Cam, what do you mean, bite him?"
"You need to bite Dean too. You have to tag him with your essence."
What. Uh, I don’t think so. My hand comes up clamping around my neck.
"No Cam." I shake my head, horror filling me to the brim, “I’m not going to do that. Bite him. Tag him. Whatever. I’m not. I already brought him out of the rage Cam. I won’t do it." I say while backing up the whole time, down the hallway.
Cam looks sick, “You have to, or he will die."
This again. He will die thing. Why does everyone have to die if you don’t do certain things?
I shake my head no. I’m not doing it. They’re asking too much out of me at one time. It’s a never-ending maddening cycle.
“He’s linked his essence, his very life force to yours. You have to complete that link.” Cammie says softly.
"He’s a stranger. Who goes around biting someone? A crazy person that’s who."
Or just Dean.
"Avery,” Cam takes a step towards me, “If you don’t finish the bond. He will die. With his death. You will slowly waste away till you join him." He whispers with sad tear-filled eyes.
I stop backing away. I look at Cam. See the truth in his eyes. The set of his face.
I start to cry. Why me? My emotions are a raging beast. Beating at my insides. Fear. Furry. Guilt.
My heart thunders in my chest. This would be easier. Could be easier if I locked it all away again.
I look at Cam. "If I lock it all the way will it kill me?"
Fear fills his face, “You can’t do that."
I unlocked everything, brought up all those hard and devastating emotions to bring Dean out of the rage and he freaking bit me as a thank you.
It should work. Locking it all away again. If Dean feels and we’re bonded, I shouldn’t need to feel. It should keep me grounded.
"Will it work?" I bite out each word on the verge of yelling or crying. My mind seems not to be able to choose between the two.
He nods his head. And me I smile. I can be at peace again.
My eyes close and I start to build my steel wall around the willow tree in my mind. I don’t want my emotions to disappear entirely. I want them to be protected and safe. I build it secure and tight. An unbreakable force. Instead of last time, though, I add a door. A door just as stable as my wall, but one I can open quickly if I need too.
My body relaxes. All the worry, the guilt, the anger, the emotional turmoil is gone. I’m blissfully blank and never felt better.
My eyes snap open, and I see Cam flinch backward.
"Where is he?" My voice comes out cold. Neutral.
I smile at the coldness of it. Finally, Cam pales, pointing behind him. Into the den.
“She flipped her switch,” Cammie mutters, and Cam hushes her.
I start walking. It’s my turn to bite. To tag De
an with my name. My smile turns bigger.
Kayden
I could no longer take it. Standing there watching Avery form a bond with another.
Avery.
Bond with another. I know it needs to happen. That doesn’t mean I like it nor does it mean I need to watch it. Thinking about everything that’s to come between Avery and Dean is driving me mad. I needed to get away. Run.
A pile of clothes is the only sign I was ever here at the house.
The soft dirt beneath my paws. The smells of the woods in my nose. I run. Run away from what I cannot stop. Does that make me a coward or a stupid fool? I run for miles, sometimes chasing a rabbit or deer but never to kill. I’m not hungry now, and I love the thrill of the chase
I stumble when a shock of pain zing’s through my body.
Avery.
I’ve been feeling little blips now and again. I knew the process wasn’t going to be pain-free. But this time it felt different. Something is different.
I slow to a stop. How far did I run? I look around at my surroundings for the first time. Panting, red tongue hanging out. I ran far. Too far. I will never be able to reach Avery in time.
The pack resides on over two hundred acres of woods, and I’m at the very edge. No wonder my muscle feels tighter than usual.
Turning around I run towards home to Avery.
Another shock hits me. I stumble falling into a stream. The cool water is shocking my heated body.
What was that?
Something inside feels broken. I snort shaking out my rich chocolate fur. Getting some of the cold water out of my dense coat.
I run. My heart is pumping blood faster through my body as I push myself to the limit.
Something’s wrong. Very wrong.
It’s another long thirty minutes before I reach the house.
I let the shift come over me. Bones creaking and breaking. Everything is reshaping into my human form once more.
My heart pounds as I jog up on the steps stopping long enough to slip on my jeans and shoes, with my shirt clenched in my hand I follow my nose through the house.