His Mating Mark (10 page)

Nicole put all her groceries away, ate a small meal, and started cleaning. She had so much on her mind, thinking about the event later that night and how things might unfold. She was a little nervous, even scared, but she knew that the alternative was a life without Gabe and Josh. Addison’s great idea was to join the pack on their nightly run. Obviously, she couldn’t change into a wolf, but showing up at their meeting spot would prove her intentions.

She did want a life full of love and happiness. Even though they hadn’t been together long, she knew that if she let them go, she would always wonder. She hated living in the past, always questioning her decisions. The “what-ifs” of life, that’s what she called them.

Nicole clicked the on button and started making clean lines with the vacuum on the carpet. Cleaning always helped her to think. The only way she would get her questions answered is if she talked to them. She had been feeling haunted for years, and she needed to break free and feel whole once more. It didn’t take long for her to vacuum the small cabin or to pick up the trash that she left lying around. She was burning time, waiting until she could take a shower and get dressed.

She made her way to her laptop, knowing that she had plenty of time before the mountain would be covered in darkness. She had been trying to focus for a while but couldn’t seem to find the motivation she needed. She had been too depressed to write. She opened her laptop and stared at the empty document, wondering what she should write. Starting was always the hardest part, even when she had a fantastic idea, it was tough to begin.

Nicole couldn’t think. She pushed her chair back and went into her bedroom. She started the bathwater, deciding to spend some time pampering herself before seeing Gabe and Josh. She wanted to be soft, smooth, and ready, just in case. She poured a generous amount of bubbles in the tub, and within minutes, the small space smelt like honeysuckle and jasmine. She took a deep breath, letting the scent calm her nerves before undressing and stepping into the hot water.

Exhaling loudly, Nicole closed her eyes as the water reached her neck. She thought about all Addison had said and had to agree. At least this way she would be making the next step since they hadn’t contacted her once since Josh had dropped her off that day. Fear started to rise up inside her, and Nicole pushed it away. She wouldn’t let negative thoughts stop her.

She grabbed the container that held her homemade honey exfoliant and scooped a large amount onto her hand. She sat up and moved so that she was sitting on the edge of the tub, giving her tons of space to rub the rough granules into her skin. She took her time, making sure that the oil penetrated deep. She wanted to be perfect, wanted her skin to feel amazing. She went through her normal routine, scrubbing, plucking, shaving, and finally waxing. The things women went through in order to make a serious impression on a man, or men, in her case.

Nicole glanced at the clock as she finished getting ready in the bathroom. She still had a few hours to wait, but at least now, she was finally ready.

* * * *

Gabe sat in his favorite chair, sipping a beer. He had really tried to stay busy so that his mind wouldn’t wonder off to Nicole. It was hard to stop thinking about her and their short time together. Tonight was his night to watch her, and he planned to sneak over after the pack’s nightly run. He wondered how he would find her tonight. Would she already be sleeping? Would she cry herself to sleep again or would he find her sitting at her desk in front of her computer?

The door slammed shut and Gabe looked up, seeing the scowl on Josh’s face. “How is our mate today?” He tried to make conversation, knowing that Josh must have a lot on his mind.

“She seems happy.” His voice was tense, and Gabe cringed a little.

“You want her to be sad?” he asked.

“No, of course not, but hearing her whistle makes me think that she’s over us. That she’s moved on.” Josh fell onto the couch and crossed his arms over his chest.

“She hasn’t moved on, and she won’t. We’re giving her space, hoping that she’ll come back to us.” He tried to maintain a positive attitude even though he wasn’t feeling that way on the inside.

“I’m so sick of giving her space. Why did we agree to that? She should be here with us,” Josh said, and Gabe couldn’t agree more. Their house had become quiet. They didn’t want any visitors. He barely had the energy to meet and run with the pack, but that seemed like the only thing that made him feel sane. He needed to release his frustration, and shifting helped him deal with his emotions better.

He downed the rest of his beer, barely tasting it. “I know.” He shook his head, trying to find the right words to say, to soothe Josh’s volatile attitude. They were both on edge, had been for weeks. At first, he thought that Nicole might come back, but he quickly realized that she was too afraid. She wouldn’t be able to cope or deal with the whole pack, not with the pack haunting her dreams. It was his fault, that night. He should’ve had the strength to leave her alone.

“Damn it, I know that face. You’re blaming yourself again. Gabe, it’s not your damn fault. Forgive yourself and move on. Shit.” Josh was frustrated, and Gabe got up from the chair and walked into the kitchen, wanting another beer. “You bit her, big freakin’ deal. We’re allowed to, she’s our mate!” Josh yelled, and Gabe shook his head, grabbed another beer, and quickly downed the contents.

Something needed to happen, and Gabe said a silent prayer, hoping that Nicole would come back to them. “Hand me one.” Gabe grabbed two more beers, shut the fridge, and handed one off to Josh. They stood there in the kitchen, and Gabe leaned against the counter, waiting for Josh to say more. It was the same way every time Josh came back home from watching Nicole.

“I’m done waiting. Aren’t you? I don’t think I can take it anymore. Something has to change.” He downed his beer, slammed the glass bottle on the counter, and marched out of the kitchen.

Gabe heard footsteps and lifted his head in time to see both Adrian and Evan walking into the kitchen. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to deal with any pack business, but he knew that he would. His responsibility was to take care of his pack and their needs. Having issues with Josh and Nicole didn’t take precedence over the rest of the pack.

“Hey, guys, what’s up?” He tried not to sound depressed, but his voice gave him away and he cringed a little, hoping that they wouldn’t think he was too weak to handle whatever the issue was.

“Harper snuck out again last night. She’s been running by herself. I’m worried, I don’t think it’s safe,” Adrian said, and Gabe knew the issues. Harper was young by pack standards, even though she was legally an adult. The pack rules remained the same. She was only supposed to run with other members. They hadn’t had any trouble in a really long time, but it was always better to be cautious. He also knew that Harper belonged to both Adrian and Evan. She was their mate, but for some reason they hadn’t claimed her.

Harper was finally coming out of the depression she had been stuck in for years. He couldn’t blame her though. She had been so young when a lone wolf had come into town and instantly became obsessed with her. The wolf had taken her one night, and although he didn’t know the details, he knew that it had been bad. He was just so glad that Harper had gotten away and found him.

“I’ll talk to her,” he told them. They had spoken about this issue in the past, and Gabe wondered if she knew that they were her mates and hoped to get their attention. Both Adrian and Evan were complete hard asses, though, and wouldn’t be provoked into claiming her.

“She needs more than a talking to. She should be punished.” Evan glared at him, and Gabe shook his head and sighed loudly. Did they both not have a clue about women? Did they not know what had happened to Harper? They both hadn’t been in their pack when the incident had happened. He wasn’t going to tell them though. It was Harper’s secret to reveal. It must be a mate thing because when it came to Nicole, he was a complete idiot.

“What would you suggest? Should I spank her? Should I force her to run with the pack? We haven’t had any problems. Most of the town here is pack, so technically she’s safe.” Adrian and Evan were both from a different pack, and when their Alpha died, the pack broke up. He didn’t know what kind of baggage they were carrying and it didn’t matter. They were both good, strong men who were respectful and always helped the other members of the pack. He knew that they would be good for Harper, once they all admitted that they were mates.

“No, of course not. Don’t touch her!” Evan immediately yelled, but he quickly shut his mouth when Gabe arched a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. He never had actually planned to touch the girl, but still, he wasn’t sure what they both wanted him to do. “I–we–You shouldn’t allow her to be out alone. I mean what if something happened to her?” he continued, and Gabe shook his head.

“I know she’s your mate.” Both of them immediately shook their heads, trying to deny the fact. “Why the hell don’t you just claim her?” Neither of them spoke, and Gabe had to wonder if Harper knew what she was doing. She had gotten their attention all right, and he didn’t plan on correcting her behavior. These two needed someone with a little spunk, although he often thought of her as shy. Did she have a plan? Did she know they were her mates?

“I’m not getting involved. She isn’t doing anything wrong.” Gabe pushed himself off the counter and left them standing in the kitchen alone. He thought about talking to Harper just to make sure she was okay, but other than that, he wasn’t going to get involved in any situation where mates were concerned. He had royally messed up with Nicole. There was no way he would try to give advice.

* * * *

Nicole was dressed and ready to go. She paced around her house, trying to calm her nerves as she waited impatiently for Addison to arrive. A loud knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts, and Nicole practically ran, pulling the door open. Addison stood there smiling at her. She was almost too excited to contain her joy at finally seeing Gabe and Josh. It had been way too long.

“Are you ready?” She tilted her head, and Nicole nodded. “All right then, let’s go.” Stepping outside, Nicole zipped up her jacket and closed the front door. The sun was setting, and beautiful colors streaked the sky. She took a deep cleansing breath and followed Addison toward the tree line. “We’re walking,” she said before Nicole could even ask.

“Um, okay.” She was a little scared but didn’t want to openly admit her fear. She walked into the trees, following closely behind Addison. The further they moved, the darker it became. Nicole looked up and stared at the treetops, trying to see the sky, but it was becoming harder and harder to see. Her vision was diminishing, and Nicole started to trip over the exposed tree roots. She hit the ground and quickly got up, hoping that Addison wouldn’t leave her behind.

“Do you need help?” Addison asked, and Nicole shrieked, not realizing how close she had actually been the whole time. “Are you hurt?” she asked, her voice full of concern, and Nicole shook her head. “Okay, here, grab my arm, I’ll help you.” Nicole reached her hands up and felt around. She couldn’t see a thing. “Wow, I forgot how great our vision is compared to humans. Let me help you.” She felt small hands under her armpits that lifted her off the ground. Addison was a hell of a lot stronger than she looked.

“Thanks.” Nicole stood still and waited for Addison to take her hand. They walked together, this time slower, and Nicole was able to keep up.

“I guess I should’ve driven, but I thought it would be easier to walk. I guess I don’t think of you as a human, no offense.”

“None taken, I am human.” Nicole silently laughed to herself. “I–I’m kinda nervous,” she whispered, wanting to have a few minutes of girl talk before they reached their destination.

“I understand, although, I don’t have a mate or mates. I can imagine what you must be feeling.”

“Can you?” she whispered not really believing that Addison understood what she was going through.

“Yeah. I’ve seen mates together.” Her voice sounded sad, and Nicole felt guilty for thinking that she didn’t understand how she was feeling. “They crave each other constantly. They can’t stand to be separated for too long. They love deeply.”

“Oh.” That’s how she had been feeling. She had felt so lost and alone.

“I don’t have a mate. Instead, I watched the man I love find his mate,” she whispered, and Nicole felt a pang in her heart. Did Addison love Gabe or Josh? She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. They walked in silence for a while, and Nicole could only hear her breathing. She was panting, but Addison seemed to be fine.

Nicole heard a howl and knew that they were getting closer. The forest noises came to life, and her heart hammered in her chest. She took steady steps, trying to keep up with Addison, not wanting to fall behind.

“Listen, Addison, I’m sorry about the man you loved.” She felt the need to say something, wanting to clear the air before they reached the rest of the group. She didn’t want Addison to be left heartbroken, and she didn’t want to make an enemy out of the woman who had been kind to her.

“That’s the thing with mates, each one of us will end up with the perfect person. Even though I did love him, I hold no hard feelings. It wasn’t meant to be, and soon, I’ll find my mate, and I’ll love him.” Her voice was full of excitement, and Nicole realized that she was looking forward to finding her perfect match. Relief swept over her hard and fast, and she picked up her pace, needing to get to Gabe and Josh.

“It’s a full moon tonight,” Addison commented, and Nicole looked up, searching for the moon.

“Okay.” She shrugged. She wasn’t sure what exactly that meant and wondered if Addison was just trying to change the subject.

“They might be more aggressive than usual,” she added.

“Okay.” Nicole had no idea what to say to that.

“Don’t run from them. Hold your ground and don’t be afraid. They will be able to smell your fear.” Addison squeezed her hand once more as they stepped past the tree line and into an open clearing. A huge fire pit sat in the center of the large circle and Nicole’s eyes adjusted slowly, allowing her to make out the different faces. It seemed like the whole town was there, and they all moved to stare at her.

She felt like the prey to their predator and tried to stand tall, wanting to be confident. She stood in place, holding Addison’s hand, glad that she had some support. Six large men walked out of the tree line across from them, and she knew that Josh and Gabe were among them. It was the way they walked, as if they owned the place and demanded the attention of the others that had been waiting.

She stood transfixed on the scene in front of her and couldn’t help the little gasp that escaped when the men stripped off their shirts. Clothes flew off in every direction, and she moved to stand behind Addison. She bit her lip and stared directly at Gabe and Josh. All around the clearing, people shifted, their bodies contorting and changing into wolves. She swallowed hard and held on to Addison as if her life depended on it. The change happened quickly, and she was shocked to realize that she couldn’t hear the cracking and popping of bone and muscle. It was nothing like she imagined.

Smooth, sleek beautiful wolves stood waiting for their leader. Gabe smiled broadly as he pulled his jeans off and stood naked in the clearing. Within moments, he was the huge wolf she remembered from that night. She closed her eyes and buried her face into Addison’s back, wanting to run and hide. She had known all along, but she didn’t want to believe that the man she had grown to love could be the wolf who bit her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she tried to hold back the pain that sliced through her heart.

“Nicole, pull yourself together. I know this is new for you, but this is a huge part of our lives. Do you want to be with Gabe and Josh? Decide now.” She nodded her head and wiped the tears off her face. She needed to be strong and accept them or close the door, and she knew that she didn’t want to end things with them. Her life had become so horribly lonely, and she couldn’t stand the thought of being without them.

Loud howls surrounded her, and she stood frozen behind Addison, wondering what her next move should be. Addison grabbed her hand and pulled her to stand next to her. They walked toward the center of the clearing to where Gabe and Josh were. “They can smell you, and they all know that you have been claimed.” Addison explained as the wolves around them stared at her openly. It was strange to see their eyes and to know that they were human only moments ago. “When we stop in front of Gabe, I want you to look at the ground. He might take it as a challenge if you make eye contact first. And whatever you do, don’t run,” she warned, and Nicole swallowed hard, nodding slightly. She looked at the ground and let Addison lead her to where Gabe and Josh stood in front of the pack.

Addison pulled her to a stop, and Nicole stared at the ground. It was a hard thing to do, especially since she wanted to run and protect herself from the wolves surrounding her. She heard a deep growl and was ready to bolt when Addison hissed in her ear “Kneel.” She awkwardly fell to her knees, hitting the hard ground.

Two huge wolves instantly surrounded her. She could see their large paws as they walked around her, sniffing her. Deep inside she knew that it was Gabe and Josh, but she couldn’t help her body’s reaction. She was shaking, scared out of her mind, and she was having a hard time thinking clearly. She felt two large mouths, sharp teeth on each shoulder. She shrieked and fell to the ground. Her instincts kicked in, and she jumped up and started running.

“Stop!” Addison yelled, and she fell to the ground, feeling a small body on top of hers. She started fighting but stopped as realization dawned, telling herself that it was Addison and that she was okay. “Damn it, don’t move.” Addison moved, and she took slow deep breaths trying to calm down. She lay on her stomach and didn’t move as she felt herself surrounded once again, allowing the wolves to smell her.

“Gabe, Josh, please.” She was scared out of her mind and was on the verge of begging them to shift back to their human form.