The Avalon Institute For Supernatural Beings (AISB)

Chapter 10: His First Gift

"Well, the pull for the animal to Mark it's territory is strong and Nathan being an Alpha, the pull must be stronger."

I frowned.

"Jeff Marked you?" I asked, surprised.

She grinned, pulled her turtle neck aside a little and showing me the hollow between her neck and where her shoulder starts was a small black paw print-like tattoo.

My eyes widened.

"How'd he do that?"

She laughed and said "I won't spoil the surprise for you. Find out for yourself."

I pouted. Fine.

Why hadn't Nathan Marked me? Not that I was ready to be claimed like property... but why hadn't he said anything about it?

"How did you two meet anyway?" I asked.

A dreamy and fond expression filled her eyes.

"During the Annual Shifter's Game."

"The who now?" I asked, blinking.

"Oh. Yeah, it's just the boys playing ball." she said with a wink.

I laughed at how childish that sounded.

"And the girl Shifters?" I asked, because the girls Shifter population was almost equal to the male.

"Them too. They play after the guys."

"So, during the game..?" I prodded.

"Yeah, during the game, I was near the bleachers talking to someone I knew when this big-ass ball whammed me in the head. I turned around to give whoever came to take the ball back a piece of my mind and I was just...enchanted. He was, is so perfect." then she chuckled.

When I cocked my head, she continued.

"Jeff threw the ball at Lake, the guy who'd accidentally hit me."

I laughed.

"Shifters are really possessive, huh?" I asked.

Sara snorted. "Understatement of the year."

I smirked.

"How'd you know Jeff got hurt that day? The day you saw Nathan, that is."

"Oh. Yeah. I was kinda keeping an Empathetic eye on him, unconsciously. Not just him." I hurried to assure her "You, Nathan. My mom and dad... though because of the distance it's harder to keep an eye on them."

"You feel the pain?" she asked, an intense emotion spilling from her. I didn't have time to identify it,though.

I nodded, biting my lip, hoping I hadn't offended her.

She hugged me to her.

Realizing what she'd been feeling was gratitude, I hugged her back.

She pulled back to give me a watery smile.

"That's really sweet. Thank you." she said.

"You'd do it for me too." I said, smiling.

She nodded. "In a minute."

"I've been wondering, can you read Nathan's mind?" I asked.

"Ha. No. Everyone has natural barriers, Indy. Shifters having a more animalistic side have it stronger. So unless I pushed hard against the wall, battering it, I wouldn't be able to read. But everyone has a Mental Scent. Jeff, being my mate, has the strongest scent to me."

I nodded. "Yeah, just like how the emotions Nathan feels, feels like mine."

"There's a difference otherwise?" she asked, confused.