Another Forever
Chapter 20

I can’t stop the tears as I think about all my mistakes. What will I do if I lose him now? After everything that I has happened, I'm finally seeing things with so much clarity that the very idea of losing Thomas is unbearable.

His warm hand grips around my wrist, gently pulling my hand away from his mouth. Hope flares in my chest, only to be drenched in the cold reality when he releases it quickly, letting it fall limply to my side as he takes a step back.

I’m sure my face displays so much hurt and sadness. No matter what I try to do, I can’t mask it. I broke the disguises I usually wear.

“They have found your Mother and the others.” He keeps his voice emotionless and hardly looks at me.

Relief washes through me but it's short lived. I take a step towards him, wanting to hold him, or more specifically have him hold me. He puts a hand up to stop me.

“Thomas, please you have to know tha-”

“I don’t think I can move past this, Hailey. Maybe if this was the first time, but it’s not. You constantly keep doing things to push me away.” My heart breaks at how absolute his voice sounds.

“I love you, Thomas.” My voice a broken whisper as I try a last ditch effort to keep him.

His eyes stayed glued on the corner, but he flinched.

I saw it, I know I did! My words got through to him and maybe this is a sign that there's hope. I know deep down he still loves me. He has to.

Of all the scenarios in my head, what happened next, I wasn’t prepared for. Tears welled up in his eyes. I watched as one escaped its cell and rolled down his cheek.

The tears in his blue eyes is like a mirror, reflecting all the hurt and sadness I have caused back at me. I felt like my lungs were protesting in my body, refusing to function if I couldn’t have him.

“I loved you from the moment I saw you training with the Beta. I know we’re second chance mates, but I can’t live with being a second choice that you only want when it is convenient for you.” I can hear the defeat in his voice and it sends another knife of guilt to my heart.

“I know I’ve made mistakes, but please forgive me. I’ll do anything!” My voice pleading for him to understand as I close the distance between us.

Again, he raises his hand to stop me and takes a step back. He's keeping himself guarded from me, ensuring that he keeps a clear head.

I need to show him that I'm being truthful and only one thing comes to mind.

One thing that will let him know without a doubt that I am head over heels for him and him alone.

“Mark me.” My voice firm as I tilt my head to the side exposing the curve of my neck where his mark will sit.

I can see the swirls of black in his eyes, his wolf is wanting control. His hands fist at his sides and his eyes close, but he doesn’t move. I make a split second decision to be brave. Is it completely stupid? Yes.

Will it work? I hope so.

I use his distraction to close the distance between us and press myself against him, holding my hands behind his head as my lips latch to his neck. His body stiffens under my touch, but I don’t stop. I place lingering kisses up and down his neck until I land on the junction where his neck and shoulder meet.

I hear a sound at the back of his throat, but whether it was from annoyance or pleasure, I don’t know.

Either way, he hasn’t stopped me and I don’t plan to stop myself.

My teeth grazes along the skin of his neck as my fangs start to grow.

The urge to mark him first is overwhelming, but I hesitate. Should I really mark him right now? He’s obviously still mad at me but I need to show him that I am serious about him, about us. I just can't force this bond on him, I will never forgive myself for the resentment that would follow.

Just as I am about to pull away, his arms shoot out and wrap around my waist, pulling me tighter to him. He can probably feel my heart beating like a helicopter in my chest. My wolf is anxious in my mind, happy that our mate is finally responding to us.

I glance at the spot where my mark will be, the skin already red from where I had been preparing for the bite. Before I can lean forward, my legs are knocked out from under me and wrapped around Thomas’ waist.

I yelp in surprise, loving the feel of his hands on my bare thighs, as he holds me against him. It feels so natural to be with him this way. I don’t even care that I am in nothing but a shirt. My breath gets caught in my throat as I realize his eyes are his normal ice blue.

Thomas is in control, not his wolf.

“I love you, Thomas. You’re Mine.” His lips crash against mine in a kiss that outshines every other kiss we've shared. It holds so many emotions that it leaves me breathless in seconds.

I gasp for air as I feel the mattress underneath me, but Thomas uses that moment to slip his tongue in my mouth, battling my own for dominance. I give up quickly, allowing him to explore my mouth as my hands explore his body hovering above me.

My fingers replace their way under his shirt, tracing his muscles tentatively, as his lips leave mine to trail down my neck. One of his hands is by my head, helping hold his weight off of me, and the other is on my hip rubbing circles through the shirt. I would be embarrassed about the moans that escaped my lips, if I cared enough. But right now, I don’t want him to stop.

But he does.

My fingers are still under his shirt, raking lightly down his back as he pulls away to look me in the eyes. I’m sure that the lust I see in his blue eyes is a mere reflection of my own.

“I love you, Hailey.” He reaches up and brushes some lose hair out of my face.

Before I can respond, his head dips down and his teeth sink into my neck. The pain only lasted a second before pleasure pumped through my veins, causing my body to arch into his even more.

His hand tightens on my hip as he pulls his teeth out and licks the spot where he marked me. He gently places a kiss on my neck before pulling away slightly to examine his work.

“Beautiful” he murmurs, before placing a kiss on my lips.

My mom was never able to mark my dad because she was human. I wonder if she ever wanted to because that’s all I can think of in this moment. I can feel the drowsiness kicking in, but I am stubborn wolf.

I give no warning as I reach my head up and sink my teeth into his neck. The growl that leaves his lips is pure pleasure that sends a shiver to my spine. His strength gives out as I pull my teeth out and his body collapses on top of mine.

“You’re Mine," I say before lightly kissing the raised flesh of the bite I left on him.

He rolls off me slowly, the drowsiness kicking in for him as well. His arms wrap tightly around my waist pulling me into his warm chest before he nuzzles into the crook of my neck.

I don’t think I have felt this content and peaceful in a long time.