Author's Note: I just want to give my readers a heads up. I use the term 'bitch' but it is not meant in a vulgar way. I am using the correct defintion of the word, which is 'female dog'. I didn't want any misunderstandings. Thanks for reading.
Ariel's POV
It has only been an hour since Eli left and I already miss him. It had to be the bond he was talking about. I hated that bond or whatever it is. My body was weaker and it was hard to breath. I couldn't stand upright, my mom thought it was because I was out in the rain and that I was coming down with a cold. I knew it wasn't.
I laid in the bath tub soaking up the warmth of the water. I laid there unable to move my body. I turned my head to see the time. It was almost midnight. I had to go out. Tonight is the night of the full moon and I had to search for others like me. It was supposedly when wolves howl, but the only howling I hear is the sound of my echo. I felt like I was the only one out there. No one howled in return. I had to keep trying, I couldn't give up.
I stumbled out of the tub, and dried off. I wrapped the towel around me, and Julie waltzed in.
"Hey, you doing okay? It sounded like you might have fallen out of the bath tub?"
"I'm fine."
She looked at my shaking knees, and I turned away from her.
"What's going on?"
"The bond."
"The bond?"
"The mates' bond."
"Oh, so you're buying the whole mate thing?" She asked.
"I didn't at first."
"Then what happened?"
"My behavior changed. I remember that I couldn't breathe when I asked him to go. I begged him to stay the night, I ran after him, I didn't want him to leave. I pleaded to him to come back as soon as he could." I explained, "I mean he called us mates. Our chemistry is strong, when he is not here I feel weak and helpless. I could barely get out of the bath tub."
"That's so strange."
"You think, but you're not the one dealing with it." I snorted. "Also to think, remember when I touched Eli? His body shook."
"Yeah so?"
"Julie, come on." I looked at the clock, ten minutes til midnight, "I gotta go."
"Go where?"
"To go feed my werewolf's appetite."
"Which means..."
"I am going to go search for others."
"How long have you been doing that? Every full moon for the past six months, no one is out there."
"I have to keep trying."
I got dressed and went into the living room, mom and dad were sitting on the couch. Mom was reading and dad was watching tv. I walked up to them, "I'm going out."
"Where are you going?" My mom asked, as she looked towards me. My dad turned off the tv and also turned to look at me. I had gotten their attention so easily just by a few words.
"It's a full moon." I remarked, "Where do you think I'm going?"
My dad looked relieved. They must have thought I was going to Eli. My mom got off the couch and made her way over to me. "Honey, I know you want to find more like you, but maybe there isn't any one." My mom sighed, "You've been trying for months. I think they would have answered you by now."
"Mom, you know I have to keep trying."
"Baby, when a wolf howls it is trying to locate it's pack."
"Exactly."
"No, they are not answering you because you are not in their pack. You are not a pack member. You're a loner wolf; a rogue."
I shook my head, "That's not true. I do have a pack."
"Honey, you're biological parents were killed. Maybe they didn't have a pack. I'm telling you, Ariel, you are wasting your time. I don't know why you have to keep doing this, Your father and I are your family. We raised you since you were only months old." My mom said, "We love you for who you are. It hurts our feelings for you to go search for your 'other family'. It's like we are not good enough."
"Mom, this has nothing to do with you or dad. I simply want to know where I belong. I refuse to believe that I was supposed to end up with you. Why would they want their existence known? It would cause chaos between all humans. This was an accident."
"Go find your family then." She snapped.
"Just because I want to find my pack members, doesn't mean you are not my mom and dad." I ran back into my room. I shredded my clothes and opened the window, "What on earth are you doing?" Julie asked. I flipped my hair away from my face and saw Julie on my bed, playing on my laptop. Her eyes were wide.
"I"m going out."
"I can see that, but I don't think the neighbors would apprecaite a teenage girl running down the streets with no clothes."
"Are you kidding? They'd probably go grab some popcorn and enjoy the show." I smiled.
"Ariel." Her tone was harsher.
"No one will see me. Just watch."
I sprang out the window and morphed into a wolf. I landed on all four's and looked up to my window. Julie was there sticking her head out. I took off and made my way towards the forest. My paws sounded like thunder as I stomped across the ground. My heart pounded in my chest, and my breathing was labored. I leapt over fallen trees, and hills in a quick smooth motion. It felt like my body was gliding through the air. I was close to the cliff, I did a sliding stop. The moon was full and big. I sat down on my hind legs, reached inside me and let out the saddest cry I could make. It seemed I was only howling for a few minutes before I heard a growl behind me.
I spun around and saw a dark wolf coming out from the shadows. His jaws were snapping, flashing his white fangs at me. His ears were pinned back and his body was in an attacking stance. He wanted to hurt me - no he wanted to kill me.
"Listen, I just wanted to-" I began. I thought I could calm him down.
His jaws snapped again and I flinched, "Get out of here, rogue! You are in my territory!"
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. I was trying to find my pack." I tried again, "I'm an orphan. My biological parents were murdered."
The dark wolf shot towards me, but I quickly jumped out of the way." Maybe you didn't hear me. I said get out! I've killed many humans, so don't think I won't kill you too!"
It seemed that he was more the rogue than me, I haven't hurt anyone. His jaws clasped around my throat and pinned me to the ground. I felt a wave like an ocean hit me, but it didn't hurt. The sudden wave that hit me felt like bliss, I didn't even feel the bite. The other wolf quickly let go. I got up and stared at the shaking wolf. His golden eyes looked at me, they seemed familar.
"Ariel?"
My eyes went wide, "How - how do you do know my name?"
"It's me, Eli."
I ran up to him and we wrapped ourselves around one another. Instead of the bond overpowering us. I felt that I was in some sort of heaven - no, paradise.
Then I remembered what Eli tried to do and I was coming down from where I was at, "Eli, you tried to kill me."
"I am so sorry, my dear, I didn't know it was you. You didn't tell me."
"Well, you didn't tell me that you were a wolf too."
"It all makes sense now. I know why you're my mate."
"And why is that?"
"That's why you survived Adam's attack, and why Julie asked me to leave."
"Yes."
"You are my mate because you are going to make a perfect Alpha's wife."
"You're an Alpha?"
"No, not at the moment..." His voice trailed off. He seemed upset by something.
"Eli, did you really kill...humans?" I asked, afraid that I already know the answer.
"I'll answer you as long as you let me explain."
"What? You went on killing sprees because your mother was murdered? That's no excuse and you know it!" I growled.
"How did you know?"
"You told me your mother was killed and your baby sister was upset with you. I put two and two together. You are not that hard to read, Eli." I muttered, "How many? You were responisble for the disappearing of those girls, weren't you?"
His golden eyes vanished, "ANSWER ME!"
"Yes, and Zane, my friend who interupted us while dancing at the club, he helped too."
"Why were you at the club? It's a human dance club."
"I wanted more." His voice got shaky.
My body started to tremble and it wasn't because of the bond, "I was your next target."
"Yes, it suddenly changed when I touched your hand. Just like you felt it when I touched you. That warm bliss, that is our bodies recongizing each other." Eli explained. "And we will continue to feel weaker when we are not near each other; it will be hard to breath. I can hardly stand and you want me to be right next you. That instense warmth won't settle until we finish the bond."
"I will not bond with the likes of you."
"What if I could give you the pack that you've been searching for all these months?"
"I'm listening."
"There is an Alphaless pack that just recently joined my rival pack. The Alphaless pack lost their Alpha and his mate to a fire and there is no Alpha bloodline. You said that your parents were murdered, well maybe they know what happened and maybe they can link you to their Alpha."
"Me an Alpha?"
"It's possible after all you are my mate. It would make sense that you are of Alpha bloodlines."
"Take me to see them."
"It is too late to do it now, but I will take you to see them."
"What's in it for you?"
"A mate."
"Let's just say for shits and giggles that I am their lost Alpha. I wouldn't go to you, I have my pack to take care of."
"You are seventeen. You cannot care for a pack. You couldn't take care of yourself if you were to get lost in here." Eli said.
"And you're nineteen."
"I was born and raised with my pack, you were raised by humans. There's no comparison."
"It doesn't matter. I'm a fast learner."
"You will listen to me."
"You do not own me, Eli Fang...Fang, really? I should've saw that one coming." I shook my head.
"But I do own you, my mate."
"No, you don't."
"Do not challenge an Alpha. You will not win."
"And if I'm an Alpha?"
"You're pretty cocky for a bitch that doesn't know anything about being a werewolf."
"Well, you're cocky because you're Alpha and you've killed humans."
"Ariel, why are you so mad at me?" His voice was soft and he sounded hurt.
"You've killed people, Eli."
"But I stopped."
"Still." The cool breeze sent shivers down my spine. I can't be in my wolf form for much longer. I didn't know why I couldn't stay in my form for longer than an hour. It was like my limit. I know I'm getting closer to it. "I have to go." I started to walk away but our bond was crushing me. My paws began to quiver and I couldn't hold myself up. I was beginning to fall. I closed my eyes.
Warm, strong hands caught me right before I hit the ground. I looked up and saw Eli's face. He really looked sexy with the moonlight lighting up his face. Suddenly, I remembered I had no clothes. I looked down at my body, I wasn't in my wolf form. I struggled to get away from his grasp.
I am not going to do anything that you don't want.
Our eyes met, I was being pulled to him. It was like some stupid romance movie. Their eyes met from across the room, they glided over to each other, meeting half way. The guy holds her close and they share a kiss. But not just any kiss, a deep, passionate, breath-taking kiss, and blah, blah, blah.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, "You really believe in this mate thing?"
"I live by it."
His palm cupped my cheek, and rubbed my skin with his thumb. "Then are you going to kiss me?"
"Oh yeah, just like in a 'stupid romance movie'." He chuckled.
How did he...did he just read my mind?
He leaned over, I could feel his warm breath on my lips. "Eli..." My voice was raspy and quiet. Kiss me.
His lips brushed mine and I pulled him closer to me. Our kiss was everything that I expected it to be. I was in paradise. The sun was bright and warm. Eli was shielding me from the sun's harmful rays. His kiss was drugging my mind. He held me close to his body. The warm breeze rustled my hair. Seagulls were crying overhead. I heard the sound of the ocean beating against the shoreline.
"Ariel, I can't hold back any longer."
"I'm not asking you too."
I heard his clothes being thrown aside, 'I am going to ask you one more time, Ariel, are you sure you want this?"
This was all just a dream, right? I wasn't really on a beach, was I? I looked around me, all I saw was sand and palm trees. It had to be a dream. "I want you."
His arms wrapped tighter and he pulled me to him...
I woke up in Eli's arms. It wasn't dark anymore. The sun was shining through the trees. I pushed Eli's arms off me and I looked at him. His body was naked as mine. I started to shake...I wasn't dreaming...
Eli stirred, "Ariel, is something wrong?"
"We had..."
"Yes."
"I wasn't dreaming?"
"No." He said, bluntly. I turned away from him, "Do you want to talk about it? It will calm you."
"It felt like a real dream." I was still in shock.
"What was your paradise?" He asked.
"Warm, sunny beaches."
"And that is what you saw? You saw us on a beach making love?" He asked.
"Don't call it that!"
"Why not? It is what mates do."
"We did not 'make love'. It sounds so cheesy." I snorted.
"Call it what ever you like, my dear."
"And that too!"
"I felt that same parsdise, just as you did. I felt and heard everything that you did."
"Then why didn't you say something? You knew what was happening, I didn't." I was more angry now.
"How was I supposed to know that you thought you were dreaming. I thought you knew that it was the bond taking us to bliss. You knew that it was that."
"That bond is really strong."
"Yes, I never heard of a bond being this overpowering. It is quite exhausting." Eli laid back down, "Well, if you are going to blame me for what happened last night, then I will take the fault."
"You knew what was happening." I snarled.
"I am really sorry, Ariel. I do not know what else to say. Personaly, I enjoyed every second of it, why didnt you? It was your bliss."
"I am not saying I didn't enjoy it, I'm just saying-"
"That you would have liked to know what was happening?"
"Well, duh!"
Eli turned away from me and he got to his feet, " I am so sorry." His voice got quiet, " I didn't mean for any of this to happen...I just hope that you can forgive me...no...hopefully I can forgive myself."
"What are you talking about?"
"I gotta go." He quickly morphed into a wolf and took off.