A Mates Mark

I felt like the world disappeared the instant Arissa’s question left her lips. Was she really willing to hear me out about something as serious as my feelings? My defiant, cautious, and crazy woman was sitting here wanting confirmation of how I felt.

"Are you sure you want to hear this?" I asked slowly, squeezing her fingertips that brushed against mine. "You aren’t going to attempt to run away from me, are you?"

For a second, Arissa didn’t speak. Instead, she just stared at me trying to convey something that she clearly couldn’t put into words.

"I’ve ran away from many th