by A. M Martin
Dean.
His head is laying on the bed; face pointed away from me. My eyes follow the chiseled pale, muscular arm that disappears underneath the covers.
I gulp and slowing pull the cover-up. Watching with wide eyes, as it pulls up inch by inch. I stop pulling on the blanket and just stare.
Dean’s large hand is resting on the top of my foot. Making it appear so much smaller than the size seven it is.
I wiggle my toes and gasp as his hand tightens on my foot. It feels like hours before it relaxes once more.
I slowly look back at Cam. He has a cheerful smile plastered across his face.
"So, it seems that you're more than extra special. You, my dear, are super extra special and have two true mates."
True mates? I’m going to need to find out what the difference between true and life.
I want to be mad. I want to scream. Cry. But all I feel is this absolute calmness. My hand still flies out and smacks Cam in the leg.
The jerk just smiles even bigger, his dimples showing.
I look back down at the sleeping boy. No not a boy. He’s well past that, at the end of my bed. What am I to do?
"Kayden." I gasp looking back at Cam, “He’s okay, right?" I remembered
Kayden falling on the hard floor, out cold.
I feel like freaking out but can’t. That makes me want to be mad. I can’t do that either. Just plain Jane calmness.
"Yeah." Cam says softly, “But not for very long." Cam gives me a knowing look.
Another bite.
"You can’t cut yourself off this time. You scared me. Scared everyone. Kayden is too weak to bring you back."
I nod my head.
"I know,” I whisper out. Remembering their fear. The looks on everyone’s faces. I was a monster in their eyes.
I flop back down on the bed. Letting out a deep breath of air.
"How long was I out?"
"Almost two days."
I jerk my foot from Dean’s warm hand. Then I feel it. The need to freak out. My heart beats faster and faster. My stomach tumbles with the fear. The guilt. My uneasiness about having two mates. How does that even work? I turn beet red just thinking about it with a different bundle of emotions running through me, heating my blood.
"Avery. It’s alright."
I nod. Yeah sure. Everything is fine. Just hunky dory. I didn’t turn into a freaky monster. I didn’t bite Dean and Kayden didn’t bite me. I have no mates. The word is sour in my mouth. Something nasty. You just want to spit out and gag.
I feel a warm hand wrap around my ankle as calmness engulfs me once again. My breathing slows down, my heart turning into a soothing beat.
I sit up, staring into a pair of otherworldly copper eyes. Dean has his chin on the edge of the bed. White hair is hanging down his forehead. Just looking at me with keen wild eyes. His white eyebrows raised slightly.
"He does that a lot." Cam laughs.
"Does what?" I ask never looking from those eyes. They suck me in. Swallow me whole.
"Stares at you."
I slowly pull my leg up out of his reach. I take a breath and let my feelings flitter through and file them away to deal with later.
This is my life now. I need to learn to live it.
"At least tell me he’s dressed,” I say looking at Cam with wide eyes.
"Well, we managed to get a pair of shorts on him, but that’s about it."
Shorts alright. That’s better than being buck naked. Unless they hang on him just right. Like shorts do with guys. You know what I’m talking about.
"What happens now?" I look at Cam.
His eyes soften. "One day at a time."
I nod and can’t help the small tear the falls from my eye. One day at a time. It’s the only thing I can do.
"Where am I?" I ask sitting up, looking around the huge room.
"Your room. Shelly had it redecorated while you’ve been out these two days."
I wince at the way I acted when I first got here. At seeing the pictures. The things from my old house. I shiver at how cold I was. Who was that person?
"My stuff?"
"It’s boxed up."
"Why..."
My words trail off as I feel the bed dip. I look at Dean. He’s entirely on the bed. His knees are balancing at the edge.
Wow. I can see his muscles tense and move. I gulp. He does know how to wear a pair of shorts. They set just right, showing of the V of his waist. Dear lord. I bit my lip.
"He’s not normal. Is he?" I whisper not looking away from the breath-taking boy, literally on his knees at my feet.
"No. His wolf will still be there. More so than what is normal, but really is anyone around here normal."
I laugh at that, “No not really. How long will he be like this?"
"Who knows. Everyone is different."
I squeak as Dean starts crawling up the bed on his hand and knees. Never taking those bright eyes from my face.
I lick my lips, a nervous tick, I discovered and watched as his eye zone in on my mouth with a tilt of his head.
Deans made it to my knees moving achingly slow, “What’s he doing?" I snap out. Feeling nervous. Excited. Scared.
"Uh..."
That’s all Cam says as we both watch Dean slowly crawls up the bed. My legs are laying between his knees and hands. He keeps coming up and up. Inch by slow inch. Making my breathing pick up. Moving slow and graceful, a predator. I believe I’m his prey.
He’s an inch from my face when he stops crawling. His thick muscular body is hovering over top of me. A tiny one-sided smirk comes onto his plump lips, “Avery."
He’s so close I feel his breath whisper across my face. My lips. And that voice. My god. It’s the sweetest noise I have ever heard. So, soft and lyrical not matching him at all. I think I’m in trouble.
Avery
Brilliant copper eyes stare into my face. Into my whole being. They are light with something powerful and unknown. I lift the gate to our link letting whatever is in his eyes to fill my body.
Affection. A deep, unflinching affection. A hint of lust.
I slam the gate down, how could this boy feel this deeply for me without even knowing me. Is it just this bond, true mate thing we have that brings this out? Is it even real? As for that little blip of lust, I’m not even going to think about it right now.
Copper eyes disappear and reappear bringing me back to the here and now. To this hauntingly, stunning boy practically naked hovering over me, a hairs breath away.
I bit my lip. Why me? Why am I the one always in these awkward situations. I’m still as stone, other than the tornado of butterflies in my belly and the heat pooling down in my core with curling toes.
God, He smells so good. Like fresh rain, saddle wood and something dark. Enticing. That makes you want to do dangerous things.
"Hi,” I whisper watching those lips go up on the other side, forming a full-blown smile. My breath catches.
Hi. That's all I can think to say. This boy is hovering over me. This very sexy boy, almost naked and I say hi. I mentally shake my head.
My heart stops, holds for a beat as he bends down.
Is he going to kiss me? Do I even want him to kiss me? What will Kayden think?
I hold my breath, and at the last minute, he veers right towards my neck. My breath whistles out. Oh, my god. I think I’m panting.
His white hair falls over his face, fluttering across my cheek.
What is he doing?
I feel the lightest touch; his nose maybe glides across my neck and down my shoulder. My heart is pounding so loud, a mighty thunderstorm in my chest. Excitement, nervousness, desire and fear battle for control.
Something wet and rough follows the path of his nose going up instead of down. I jerk, and a small moan falls from my parched lips. I snap them close. I cannot believe I just did that.
I stiffen, afraid to move. As a warm feeling flushes my body. He’s licking me. His rough tongue is sliding along my neck bri
nging all kinds of new feeling and sensations zipping through my body.
I watch wide-eyed, panting as he slowly raises his head. His face is expressionless except for a sparkle in his wicked eyes. He licks those plump lips.
"So, sweet." He whispers, “All mine."
Oh, my god. I bit my lip, squirming.
He’s up in a flash. I watch from my prone form. Sweating and breathless as he pads across the dark wood floors to the far side of the room. He folds himself into the window seat looking out at the trees. One leg propped up, muscles flexing in his arm as he wraps it around his left leg. Leaving his right one dangling from the seat, toes tapping the floor.
"That was intense." I jerk at the sound of Cam. I forget he was even here.
I try to swallow, but my mouth is dry as a bone. He…. he…
"What just happened?" I whisper looking at Cam.
He has a blush covering his cheeks. "Something private." He mumbles looking down.
"Why is he even in here? Why is Jeff letting him in here?" I mutter out, sitting up, running my hands through my tangled hair. I’m a jumbled mess.
He licked me. Called me sweet and all his. I’m on a tornado overload of feeling I can’t even begin to explain or grasp.
"He’s your mate,” Cam states like I’m dumb.
Maybe I am. Not having grown up in this world and everything is alien and so weird to me.
"And,” I stress crossing my legs. I peek over at Dean, he looks to be solely occupied with the view through the window, but the way his body is turned and the tilt of his head I think he’s listening to us. That makes me fiddle with my fingers.
"It’s like you're married. Jeff has no reason to stop it."
I blush three shades of red. Married? Um. I don’t think so.
I’m sick to my belly from nerves. "Do we have to.... you know?" I ask not looking at Cam, wringing the gray blanket between my hands.
"Know what?" The curious lit to Cam’s voice has me looking up.
He doesn’t know what I mean. This is so embarrassing. I know I teased him about it the day at the lake. I was cold about it, and I didn’t have these menacing feelings holding me back. Letting me know how to feel about this subject. But now I do, and I don’t like it.
I take a deep breath, “You know..." I nod towards Dean with wide eyes.
I see the moment Cam understands.
His eyes go wide, and he chuckles. "Not if you don’t want to."
There’s another soft echoing of a laugh. Dean. He is listening. Oh god. I kind of knew he was, but then again, my mind was hoping he wasn’t.
There’s a beat of silence, and I can’t handle it anymore.
I scramble out of bed, not looking at either boy, “I’m going to shower. You guys should maybe leave." I mumble shifting from foot to foot.
"I’ll watch some T.V,” Cam says smiling, moving to the opposite side of the room from Dean.
I watch him as he steps down into the mini living room. He sprawls out on the black couch, remote in hand.
Okay then. Deep breath.
I step down from the raised platform the bed is on. I can do this. Nothing to it. Just walking across the room. Then why do I feel my heart beating so hard? Why does it feel like the air is hard to breathe?
As I walk past Dean heading to the bathroom, I come to a paralyzing stop as a warm hand softly grabs my wrist. I bit my lip, nervous as all get out looking at the door to my escape.
His thumb glides across my wrist and with a slight tug, I snap my head towards him, considering those copper eyes.
"No fear." His voice is soft and commanding at the same time. He stops like he’s struggling to put the words together. "No fear me.”
No fear. I can do that. Right? Right.
I nod, and he lets go of my hand. How long till he remembers everything I wonder. Like the simple things and how to form sentences. Would the attention he gives me get worse when he becomes more human. I don’t know whether I like that idea or not.
With a tiny smile, I run into the huge bathroom. Once the door shuts, I can breathe normally. Kind of. Wow. I can’t help it, but to be excited and afraid for what this life has in-store for me.
Kayden
I run my hands through my thick dark hair for the millionth time. Warring with myself. Should I go to Avery and apologize for the bite or should I wait for her to come to me? I pull at my hair. I don’t know what to do. I messed up.
I growl out in frustration, going back to setting on the edge of the bed.
I should of went about it a different way. But I freaked. Seeing Avery all cold and closed off again was horrible. But the blood on her pink lips. The tag, true mate mark on her neck, that wasn’t mine. Sent not only me but my wolf over the edge. I was scared, acting out on those feelings and only those.
It stopped my heart seeing Dean forever blazed into Avery’s soft skin. My thoughts were flying crazily through my head.
How can this be?
Am I not her mate?
She means everything to me.
How can she have another?
I did what I needed to do. Had to do. There was no stopping it. At least I know it took. That the bond is one step closer to being completed. What that means I just don’t know. Everything is different from the stories I heard growing up. So, different.
I can feel her now. Not only physically but mentally too. That has me breathing more relaxed knowing the most precious thing to me wasn’t going to be taken away from me. That I still have her.
I feel guilty too. I can’t help but feel that way. Knowing that Avery has no ill feelings for me, about what I did, makes that guilt triple.
How can she not hate me? After what I did.
I shake my head, snapping my teeth. I feel so ashamed and mad at myself.
A knock on the door has my head snapping up.
I inhale deep, snow, something dark, and a cinnamon scent fill my nostrils.
Avery. Dean. Cam.
Should I answer? I’m panicking just a tiny bit. Nerves jumble in my gut.
I watch, wide-eyed as the doorknob turns ever so slowly.
My skin starts to hum as Avery comes through the door followed by Dean.
I’m surprised. I expected to feel jealousy or hatred towards the other guy, but nothing comes. Just a calm acceptance.
I want to cross my arms but decides against it. I don’t want to seem mad or cocky instead I rest my arms on my thighs, hands clasped between my legs and my head down in shame. That’s what I feel right now, shame.
She must hate me.
It may seem that I’m looking at the floor, but I’m not. Oh no. My attention, my whole being is focused solely on the beautiful girl standing right in front of the doorway. My mate. My other half.
Every time I see her it’s like the first time all over again. My heart jumps and butterflies swarm around in my stomach from nerves and excitement. My hands get sweaty. My wolf prances and prowls underneath my skin. I hope these feelings never fade away.
"Kayden?" Her soft voice floats to my ears like a summer breeze.
My eyes close on their own at the pleasure I get from just hearing her speak. From hearing my name on her soft lips.
I jerk at the feeling of cold hands on my wrist. A chill snakes down my spine. My eyes open seeing Avery looking at me with concern, down on her knees in front of me.
She takes each of my hands, threading her slim fingers through mine. My heart picks up rhythm. Our hands are a perfect fit together. A match made in the heavens.
Her ice blue eyes are full of worry. "Are you okay?'
I nod slow and steady, gulping. At a loss for words. I wasn’t expecting her to feel this comfortable around me. I would never have imagined that she would take my hands, hold my hands with hers. Oh, how I have missed her.
"You’re not mad?" My voice is husky and low.
I smile, watching Avery shiver.
"No." She says softly.
That’s good, knowing how she feels is on
e thing. Hearing it come directly from her is different, and I feel a heavy weight lift off my shoulders.
Pride fills me to the brim as I see my name, Kayden in soft silver. My tag.
Mine. She is mine.
My hand cups her neck, thumb sweeping softly across my name. All my worries about losing her fades away. I thank the gods for making someone so special to be mine for all eternity.
My head tilts as I notice all the other markings going around my name. Swirls, looking tribal-like, connecting to a small paw in the hollow of her throat and branching out to Deans name.
Another mystery to my unique mate. One I will think about later.
"You’re not upset with me?" Avery asks breaking my thoughts.
"No." My voice is loud and clear making sure she knows I speak the truth.
"I could never be mad at you,” I say, hand finding her cheek.
A tiny smile flitted across her pale pink lips.
I hold back a groan of desire. Wanting to kiss her so bad but knowing now is not the time.
I watch her shift as a nervous feeling comes to me. Her or me?
"What’s wrong?" I mummer, running my fingers through her dark locks. I can’t get enough of touching her. Never will.
A blush blazes across her pale skin. I smirk. She’s adorable when she blushes.
Avery climbs to her feet, wringing her hands together. Her eyes have a cautioning look to them.
Without looking at me, she mumbles, “I need to bite you."
My heart thumps heavily in my chest, and I hold in my chuckle as long as I can.
"I know." I stand up, wrapping my arms around her petite frame. No, I will never get tired of touching this beautiful girl.
On in pulse I place a soft kiss on her forehead and move onto the bed laying on my back. I swallow hard as a burst of nervous take-up resident in my body.
Avery has that deer in the headlights look.
"This is so weird." She whispers moving to the side of the bed. I gulp watching her every movement. This is finally happening.
"It might seem weird and upsetting to you Avery, but this is the best gift you could give me,” I whisper softly, my fingers trailing along her hand.