Alpha to Omega-mxm

Chapter 23

He was just about to really start seeing what he could do with it when Vrasje suddenly appeared beside him and gently clasped his damaged hand between his own two. 

"Be careful, love. Your vampiric side is amazing, and I definitely want you to explore it, but the rules for you will be a little bit different than a normal vampire," Vrasje said as he gently massaged his hand. 

"You still have your wolf half, and that keeps your body alive. If you strain your damaged hand before it can properly heal as much as possible first, you could make it much worse." 

Ah, that makes sense. 

Looking down, Marquise pursed his lips and, hesitantly, let his hold slip on the new power he'd felt within himself, allowing it to settle back into the depths of his body... for now. 

"I'll be more careful," he said as he looked back up at Vrasje. "I guess I just got a little too excited." 

The man gently guided him to sit down, then slipped off his own shoes before setting his feet in the dirty fountain water. Marquise watched him, a bit surprised that he would do such a thing. His pantlegs were even getting wet.  

"It's nice and cold," Vrasje said as he gave him a lopsided smile that made Marquise blink a few times before looking down at the water. 

No harm in it, I guess. 

Since he was already butt naked, Marquise simply lowered his legs into the water and immediately shivered a tiny bit. It did feel refreshing, though.

Smiling, he kicked his feet a little, stirring up the dirt and leaves that had settled to the bottom of the fountain. He could feel Vrasje's eyes on him, but he didn't really mind. If what the man said was true, and it was beginning to dawn on him that it was, then he couldn't blame him for staring. He'd only seen a mate bond situation once before, and that poor pup had been completely smitten even after it had been rejected. 

"Hey Vrasje?" he asked quietly, nearly mumbling his words as he continued to watch his feet kick up the dirt beneath the surface of the water. 

"Yes, Marra?" 

Leaning back on his hands and not minding that his back was a bit hunched, Marquise glanced sideways, then quickly averted his eyes back to the water. 

"How much do you love me?" 

It wasn't easy to ask such a question, but this was only his second time seeing a mate bond, and he was curious to see how it actually worked. 

"I'd die for you, and kill for you," Vrasje said without an ounce of hesitation, making Marquise look back up at him in wonder. 

The vampire's expression was calm, but just beneath the surface he could see how sincere he was about what he'd said. 

"What about other wolves?" he asked as he returned his attention back to the water again. 

"I don't care about them," was Vrasje's immediate response. 

It made him grin a bit, but his smile didn't last. 

"Would you kill them again? I know you said that you didn't kill any during your last hunt at the border of your territory, but does me being a werewolf really mean that you won't kill any others?" 

He honestly wasn't against the man's hunting, because some wolves really were that bad, but definitely not all of them. 

"You know, that's exactly what Pepper had talked with me about earlier," Vrasje said, surprising Marquise enough to make him immediately straighten and look over at him.