Hers (#1)

06| the morning after

"Fuck."

"I know. I'm in shock too."

"A bit more than shock on my part--you caught him masturbating!" Samantha suddenly gasped. "What if he was picturing you?!" Lana, faced flushed due to embarrassment, retorts heatedly, "Well, I want him too, but--"

"But what? The boy has shown the slightest crack in his "ugh wolves, I hate you, I wanna go home" spiel and you aren't the least bit excited?" The frustrated Alpha slumps into the curves of the mahogany arm chair, and sighs wearily. "Of course I'm excited Sam--but what if he wasn't thinking of me? What if he was thinking about Jenny?" A growl threatened to escape her at the mention of the Pack Watcher and her mate's embrace in Forest Marina.

"Don't bother about that--curb your jealousy and focus on the present! The bond is beginning to affect him! This is huge!" Flame interrupted. "Soon, you'll be popping out babies and getting married--" Lana stops her rambling with a slim, elegant finger.

"Will you both stop? Shit, you act like we've kissed or something. Can we keep my relationship with my mate my business? Please?"

Samantha frowns, looking the dark eyed Alpha in the eye. "To be fair Alpha, it is sort of our business. The closer he accepts the bond and his mark heals, the closer we will to gaining a Jaci. And with everything that's going on now, we need one more than ever. Those men are getting less discreet with their actions, and they may even have the gall to attack us of all packs."

The Alpha growls at the mention of the biggest pain in her backside since she became Alpha. "I know--but I won't force him. Marking him and bringing him halfway across the globe was bad enough. To fall for me will be his decision." Flame picks the edges of her seat and huffs. "So what if he doesn't relent? Will you send him back?" A pause. "I don't know. I don't know."

And for the first time in over 400 years, Flame and Samantha see pure emotion on the Alpha's face; full on vulnerability, frustration and love sickness. She doesn't know what to do. So they remain silent, as they themselves do not have the answers.

MARCUS

In my quest to avoid Lana after she caught me with my hands down my pants, Logan offered to take me on a tour round the Pack and I vehemently agreed, sensing an escape.

We were currently at Central C, District 3 and having tea with Logan's parents who he didn't live with as he was a Pack warrior. I sat in a tiny wooden chair, nursing a small cup of jasmine tea.

His parent's were nice enough except they barely spoke any English and couldn't hold a conversation with me. "We've lived in Wuyan for over 25 years, however we have Italian ancestry. It's the same with many of the Pack members, they either converse in their native language or Chinese."

Confused, I asked why Lana, Flame and Samantha converse in English. " They do and they don't. Alpha is more comfortable in Chinese, although her English is perfect. Samantha and Flame are both Creole and speak French, Chinese and English. So, you'll probably pick up some phrases--mostly swear words." I made a note in my head to start up Chinese lessons, Samantha's taunting ringing in my ears.

There will always be someone else. Someone taller and bronzer, who probably was bilingual too. Shaking myself out of my misery, Logan and I explore more of the pack grounds. The entire place is gorgeous. Intricate webbing of red and gold align of the curved rooftops of the houses as the smell of jasmine tea and cooking waft through the crisp, forest air. The sound of laughter and merriment flow in the atmosphere I and I start to think that maybe wolves aren't as bad as I thought they were. It was almost human, and absolved my images of spine ripping and gnashing teeth.

Day turned to nighttime and as rain and thunder poured down to the Earth, and I walked up the marble staircase to my living quarters, thinking of ways to sneak a phone call back home. Maybe I should try using a phone at one of the districts? My rambling is cut short as I open the door and come face to face with an unusually nervous Lana. Immediately, my mark begins to sting and my heart begins to race. Calm down, I willed myself. Coughing to clear my throat, I ask in a shakier voice than I wished, "What are you doing here?" In that instant, I remember what happened yesterday and feel my face flush. Shit, shit, shit.

"We need to talk, Marcus?" I gulp, dreading her next statement. "What about?"

"You were touching yourself yesterday."

"Jesus, is this what you wanted to talk about?"

"Obviously." I notice that she's trying to avoid my eyes and the tips of her ears are a soft pink.

"I-I heard you whisper my name."

"Oh."

"Oh."

"This may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is to me."

"A teenage boy's masturbation is a big deal to you? Don't you have like, a million shifters to care for?"

A slight growl escapes her lips and I notice that she has her eyes on me now. "And I can't take care of them without a Jaci. Whatever it was that happened yesterday was a sign that the bond is beginning to affect you, whether you like it or not." A scowl begins to fester on my features and I growl back at her. "Well, I know that I have no choice in this. Not of that was news to me--" The rumble of thunder in the sky shut me up. Unfazed, I was about to continue when I spot Lana's hands twitching. "Lana," I speak softly, slowing reaching to her. "What's wrong? Why are you twitching?" Another burst of thunders sparks through the air and an audible whimper escapes her porcelain chest.

She's afraid of thunder.

"You're afraid of thunder." I state, voicing my thoughts. She nods slowly, her hands clenching tightly in fists. Instinctively, almost like I was being controlled by some sort of otherworldly force, I cover her hands with me and pull her closer to me.

"It's ridiculous," she finally speaks, her voice meek and broken. "A wolf? Afraid of thunder?" She laughs, and surprisingly its without any bitterness or sarcasm. "Have you ever had a point in your life where you've been so scared? As a child maybe, cowering under the limited protection of your blankets, knowing that the monster, the demon underneath your bed or in your closet is right there, waiting to pounce; a smug smile on its face because it knows that your parents have reassured you countless over that it doesn't exist? And then you hear something--a creak, a snap and you can literally feel the icy tendrils wrapping round your spine and the horrible dread washing over your entire body. And you can't scream. You can't let it slip, your image of strength. You're a big kid now, not some little kid scared of monsters. Your parents will be angry at you, they will lose faith in the power they thought you had. So you stay quiet and pray to the God you don't believe in for protection. But you know deep inside, that nothing is going to help you."

Her speech left me at a loss for words, and a wave a sympathy rush through me and I give her a slight, awkward hug for comfort.

"I used to think that a giant chicken would come and kill me every time my mom made chicken for dinner." I state in a lame attempt to diffuse the heavy mood. It works and she laughs a breathless, beautiful chuckle that reminds me of wind chimes. Her mood turns sober quickly, and she faces me with apprehension written all over her face. "Can-Can I stay here for tonight? I can sleep on the floor, if you want. I just-I just really hate sleeping alone during a storm." A part of me wants to refuse but I see the expression on her face and I come the realization that I have been enough of an asshole for the time being.

So I agree, and we share the same bed, arms wrapped around each other as the thunder terrorizes the sky ahead.

And I smile.

A/N

My god this is the worst chapter ever if I do ever edit this I am changing this one first

Anyways a bit of a filler

--Mayowa0