He had marked me.Originally, I had seduced Ike to make him guilty for lying to me and hopefully work something out of him. I knew he was; I just couldn't figure out what it could possibly be about. But apparently, we both got sucked into the moment and now I bear his mark.It's not that I didn't want it... I guess... but I was a little annoyed at Ike right now. What the fuck could he possibly be lying about? I guess I hadn't really known him for very long. What if he always lied about things, I just hadn't caught on before now? Stop spiraling. I agree he is lying to us now, but let's not start believing his entire personality is a rouse. You're right. But I was still annoyed for now.I followed behind him towards his house, still covering his mark with my hand. I shouldn't have gotten so carried away. Now our bond is even stronger."Where are you taking her?" Comes a sudden voice from behind us. We both whip around, prepared for the worst.But it's only Willow, shadowed by her guard
Just like with mates, pack members share a special bond. We can tell from a feeling who is in the same pack as us, and we are all able to talk to each other in our minds in our animal forms. A very handy skill to have when you are shifted and unable to verbally communicate.But you also have a special bond. That's why it's rare to find lonely kids in wolf packs, because we all feel connected to each other. It had made my isolation that much more heart crushing.And right now, as Willow wrapped her arms around me, and Levi covered us with his much longer arms, I felt somehow forgiven. I could feel actually, geunie love coming from them, even though we had literally just met. I felt like I belonged with these people, like I had known them my whole life. How was that possible? It had been so long since I had felt this close with anyone. I wasn't even at this point with Ike yet, to be totally honest.I felt like I had been forgiven for being born a monster."I'm sorry." I say after calmin
"Can I ask why?" I finally stammer out like a dumb fuck. I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just shocked and apparently bad at hiding it right now. It had been a long night and I was tired.Willow looked at Levi who just shrugged. He plopped down on the couch, leaning back and shutting his eyes. Willow nodded her head towards the couch, and got up. I followed, her sitting in the middle and me on the other side."Levi and I are brother and sister. From birth. No one is adopted or anything like that." She begins, staring at the black TV in front of us. "But we are also mates." I look up in shock at Levi now, who is peering down through his lashes at Willow, who is still staring straight ahead."Why... how?" I asked, looking between them. That... never happens. Not since thousands of years ago, when bloodlines and royalty mattered."We think it's because we are both from a dying blue blood line. The Bushida line." I begin looking them both over again. That makes sense. They are asian, Jap
I tell them about killing my parents, literally, not in the constructed way Willow thought she killed her mom. I told them about leaving my foster home, and later being officially kicked out of the pack. I had never felt understood enough to talk about this topic with anyone, but I could see the empathy on Willow's face as I talked. She and her brother had been through some of the same things I had been. I told them about surviving on my own and fighting to make a good life for myself. About working my ass off day after day, pretending to be a human and pushing my panther down just so I could play normal. Then about meeting Ike and everything turning upside down. I told them how I was feeling conflicted about him marking me, because while it did make me feel loved and safe, I also knew there was no avoiding my future now. I was part of this pack; I was no longer a lone panther. Whether I liked it or not."Do you not want to be a part of this pack?" Spits out Levi once I'm finished. My
"Cleo." Ike quickly stands up from his spot next to Matt and rushes over to me. This only makes the group of girls glaring at me glare harder."You'll get wrinkles like that." I say to them without looking while Ike pulls me to sit next to him. The guy that had been sitting next to him gets up and scurries away, like he was scared of me. You are still a panther.Right, evil monster."We okay?" Ike whispers in my ear. I say nothing, just give him the most genuine smile I can manage. He looked at me in a way that suggested he knew I was covering up how I really felt. But he didn't say anything. Instead, he turns, and continues talking to Matt.Looks like we're both hiding our true feelings.Eventually, just as Ike said, people start passing out. Well, more like falling asleep leaning against each other. It was kind of cute. They'd all just lean against the person next to them and shut their eyes for a second, just to rest them they'd tell themselves. But soon their breaths would even ou
By the time I came back with a clean towel for Cleo, she was asleep. She was sprawled out on my bed, covering every possible inch she could it seemed. Her head was lolled to the side, mouth slightly open as she breathed, her cheeks rosy from the alcohol she had been drinking all night. I snorted to myself. She looked like a little kid when she slept.I threw the towel on my dresser and turned off the lights. I pulled off my shirt and pants but left my boxer briefs on.I struggled a bit getting Cleo to one side of the bed, especially since I was trying not to wake her up.But when I finally did get her covered up and was comfortable beside her, I felt really happy. We had slept together before, but it felt different this time. Honestly, I had kind of half suspected she would leave last time. But not tonight. Well yeah, she didn't drive here. Just let me be happy.I just wanted to be happy with Cleo, forever.I just wanted her to always be by my side."Ike..." I stirred. Who was saying
I end up borrowing some leggings from one of my guards, Angie. She was about the same height and build as Cleo. Though the leggings were a powder blue color. I noticed Cleo typically stuck to dark and bland colors, so I was a little worried she would be annoyed by what I brought her. I also got a sports bra from her. I don't think bras are like underwear where you shouldn't share, right? I just knew that Cleo wore these in the past and the one she was in now had left red marks on her shoulders from where it was digging in. Even something as small as that, made me jump into gear in finding a solution for her, to make her that much happier. Why did I care so much? I don't know. I guess it didn't really bother me, I just wan't used to wanting to dote on a woman like this before. I'm not saying I had ever been rude or even cold towards my bedmates in the past, but I always made it very clear I wasn't their partner, I wasn't interested in being their butt-buddy, and I wasn't going to be th
I never want to leave this place.That's all I can think as Ike and I walk around his pack, him talking happily about what was what and who was who. I met so many people, and I tried hard to remember at least a few of their names. I wasn't good with that kind of thing, so it would take me a while. But I would get it.I didn't want to leave.But I knew I would have to.I had gotten an email this morning asking me to come in for an interview. It was for a personal assistant position with some small family business. I didn't know who I was interviewing to work for, but the pay looked good, and it wasn't too far from my house. I was willing to take the risk.It was time to return to my real life. I couldn't hide in Ike's pack forever. This is your pack too, Cleo. You can't just leave now. That made my heart stop. Ike squeezed my hand forcing me to look up at him. I smile a little at him and wink before refocusing on watching his guards train. He wanted me to see his best fighters, and I t