The Change (Fated Series: book1)
Chapter 42 - Love Birds

Marcus

Marcus heard the movement, before a pair of paws landed on his back, managing to bring him to the ground. Had it not been for the tingles the crush inflicted, he would have snapped his jaws at the wolf pinning him down. Fortunately for Nessa, that was not the case. He didn’t need to look to know that it was his mate, his Nessa. In fact, Marcus’ wolf drooled over the reversed power, the anticipation of seeing his mate in wolf form for the first time.

At first, he could only see her chocolate fur, as her snout kept on brushing and snuggling against the cuff of his neck. If Marcus was in human form, he would have chuckled at how affectionate her wolf was. It almost seemed as if her wolf was trying to catch up all the time she missed with him, leaving her scent and saliva all over him, imprinting him as hers. It surely took her a long time to finally come out of her shell. Marcus was amused at the unrestricted devotion and admiration her wolf had for him. What better way to suck up to an Alpha than to give him an Ego boost?

Even with his Alpha presence and mark on her, it took a while for Nessa’s wolf to come out.

All things happen in good time, he reminded himself. Her wolf was hurt more than the human when rejection occurred. Rejected wolves either went rabid or dissipated away, until they were simply a memory of the past.

Goddess, but wasn’t she beautiful?!

She was divine.

Her wet muzzle kept on snuggling closer into his neck, completely topping him over. Not that he minded it. She could do whatever she liked to him. He was hers. If she wanted to snuggle, so be it. Marcus could care less how his obvious submission would be interrupted. It was HER and HER alone that could make him feel again. For that alone, he was entirely grateful to having her in his life. So what if a little submission would get her off?

For the short time they were together, Marcus had found out two things – she loved getting her way, but she also got kicks off his possessiveness. To be perfectly honest, the constant power struggle in their relationship kept him on his toes and made him appreciate the mating bond even more.

He would not trade any of it! Not now, nor ever.

But at the moment, the little power display was the least of his concern. His mind was preoccupied with other things. It was becoming harder and harder to restrain his own wolf from pouncing off at her and taking his mate. The sneaky bastard could not wait for Marcus’ control to slip even for a second to take over. Unfortunately for Marcus, he had to restrain him, to control his urges. His manhood never quite got the message as it made itself known. Nessa’s wolf was still oblivious about it, and was currently definitely not helping his situation as a soft, content purr, vibrated through her chest. If Marcus did not shift back to his human form any time soon, not only would their wolves become intimate acquaintances, but Nessa would end up pregnant. Mating in wolf form all but guaranteed conception.

The things he did for her. He had to force his will over the beast to shift. The change took over his body and startled Nessa, who finally lifted her muzzle and looked him in the eye.

If Marcus thought she was simply beautiful, he was completely mistaken, for the creature towering over him was captivating.

She was gorgeous.

Perfect.

Her warm brown eyes flickered in surprise and captured his. Never backing down from the stare competition, she slowly licked her lips.

Goddess, if she only knew what she was doing to him.

“Mate,” her thought rang into his mind.

“Yes, mate,” Marcus smiled and rubbed his hands into her fur, sitting up. Nessa’s wolf allowed it only to release a startled yelp as her underbelly brushed against his stiff member. Marcus chuckled at her reaction and fisted his hands into her fur. “If you keep looking at it, it will only grow bigger, love!” Her eyes snapped at him, focusing on his face. “Let me take a look at you. Damn, you’re big!”

As the low growl erupted from her, Marcus smirked and corrected himself.

“Poor choice of words. I meant you’re almost the size of an Alpha. Marvelous! How could anyone mistake you for a Gamma?”

Marcus felt proud. He had a mate who could challenge any Beta and come out victorious with proper training.

She would definitely stand her ground. He couldn’t help but compare her with Emma as he ran his hands through Nessa’s fur, feeling the coiled muscles under his fingers. For a wolf which hardly shifted, she was in a good shape. If she spent time in her wolf form, he could only guess how much stronger she would be.

A training he vowed to give her. If being mated with Emma had taught him something, it was that life was perishable. Having a strong mate, who was able to defend herself, would ease up the constant worry. Guards helped but she needed to be able to be sufficient by herself. She was a survivor so far, an agile wolf that fought and stayed alive.

In order to meet him.

To give his life and love back.

Life should not be about surviving, but living. He vowed to help her do that.

There was a sudden urge to challenge her, to see how far she could push back. Could she take down an Alpha as well? Could she overpower him? Somehow being overpowered by her did not seem a worrisome thought. If he had to be honest with himself, she had taken over his heart a long time ago.

“I can take on an Alpha,” her wolf’s thought pushed in his mind.

Cocky, wasn’t she?

Marcus grinned just as Nessa’s frustrated comment carried through the bond, “Shut up, mutt.”

So the two of them were still fighting for control. He rubbed his own nose against her snout, letting his hands envelop her flanks in something that resembled an embrace. Swiftly pushing his thought into her mind via the mind-link was easier than it used to be now that Nessa and her wolf were reconnecting.

“Nes, I would not mind a scuffle with your wolf, but if my wolf takes over, you will end up very, very pregnant,” Marcus explained and felt the surprise and utter discomfort radiating through their bond. Too bad wolves did not blush. He could almost picture the level of redness, Nessa’s cheeks would be right now.

“I want pups,” Nessa’s wolf growled.

“I am all up for it,” Marcus smirked, pointedly looking at his groin. He could tell a part Nessa’s obvious discomfort and her wolf’s appreciation of his hardness. He patted her side, “Love, you need to shift back.”

“Make me,” Nessa’s wolf shot back and her rough tongue slid diagonally across his face, from his left jaw angle to his right eyebrow, before her wolf dashed off into the forest.

His throaty laugh erupted.

Leave it to Nessa and her wolf to leave him hanging! It was unbelievable, how easily she managed to turn tables on him. He would never be bored with his mate around.

He shook his head before he swiftly shifted, giving chase.

Juliet

(Leaving Blackwood)

The more miles Juliet managed to put between them, the tug on her heart lessened. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Shouldn’t it be harder to leave the one person who was destined to be with you? Juliet chased those thoughts away, clearing her mind as she looked through the window at the familiar scenery as the Black escalate approached pack grounds.

Rover grove.

Home.

Yet it didn’t feel homey anymore. It was work. A chore. Duty.

She was still surprised at the pain she felt as soon as the rejection passed her lips. The hurt on his face and her wolf’s heartache were driven into her heart like daggers, severing their still developing mating pull and bond.

What made her reject him?

She could still not quite well put her finger on it. Was it his confidence every single one of her problems could be resolved entirely by his say-so? Was that that drove her so nuts? Or was it the arrogance in his manners, the dominance he projected, while being the Second in Command of a mere Battalion? Was it her Alpha that did not like the challenge he presented? Who did he think he was to be so puffed up in front of her?

She was the Alpha, damn it!

Who was he?

“Our mate,” her wolf supplied the answer.

Juliet was conflicted and it was the understatement of the year. Her mind knew nobody was self-less as they appeared to be. It was a lesson she learned and paid for in tears and disappointment. Hurt. She never wanted to be as hurt as the day when her world came crumbling down, because she had dared to believe in a dream, dared to live in the illusive bliss of happiness and pure joy. She would never allow anyone to hurt her as deeply again.

And mates, may it be Choice or True ones, were notorious for doing it. Brandon proved it. Though now he was safe. She knew what to expect of him. While Jonathan, he could tear her in pieces with all those unknowns circling him.

Who was he for Goddess sake?

Juliet could sense there was something Jonathan was hiding, a side of him he was not allowing her to see. And that troubled her. What could be so terrible to hide from a mate who you were so eagerly trying to win over? To convince her to choose him over almost a decade of a family live with a Choice Mate was going to take more than he was currently offering.

However imperfect Brandon turned out to be, he was hers! She would be hypocritical for blaming Brandon for wanting to feel the mating pull and bond, now that she had met Jonathan. Had it not been for his cold exterior, she could have easily succumbed to her desire to feel him… touch him… taste him.

The fact remained the same – Brandon chose her even after mating with Vanessa. He stepped into their mating with the full knowledge of what he was leaving behind. But he did it. For Her! She could not fault him for his self-control slipping into protectiveness of Vanessa. Now things were coming into a different prospective. Yes, Vanessa had it rough and her current situation in Blackwood was more than suspicious. After all, who would have thought that the cold-hearted, revengeful Alpha had a soft spot for Nessa? Before she saw them together, even Juliet was convinced Nessa had something going with the Beta of Blackwood. It wasn’t a secret, that Beta Cameron was popular with the ladies.

Juliet knew she would always feel a special connection with Jonathan and will whole heartedly help him if need be. She could not turn her back completely to the man he was destined to be. If he needed her, she would be there for him as a friend. Now she knew what Brandon had gone through and why she would forgive him. No matter how much he hurt her, it wasn’t intentional. There was no rational thought explaining the undeniable pull to a Fated.

They had a family to always go back to and a pack to protect.

Her heart, however, disagreed. It was aching to feel Jonathan’s presence and touch once more. Her body was putty in his hands, responding to him and betraying her in more ways than she cared to admit to herself or to anyone.

She remembered every single time they touched. The sparkles that charged the air around them with so much desire and pure need. She always wondered about the complexity of the emotions he managed to inflict in her. She was captivated by his caring smile, his reassuring touch and his endless concern for her well being. Was it genuine or was he just playing the part? And what was so dark and scary that he did not want her to see?

One thought circled back in her mind.

She could not stop wondering, what could have been had she not tried to resist him?

Jonathan

The heartache intensified and he had no doubt, she was with him once again.

DAMN IT, WOMAN!

Jonathan spat on the ground as he continued his vigorous exercise routine. His muscles bulged from the stress, his breathing labored from the work out, that was depleting his wolf’s energy, but never his mind which worked on overdrive, analyzing every single word, touch and moment he had shared with her.

He wiped the sweat away from his forehead and moved onto the next machine. Thankfully, the gym in Blackwood was more than spacious and properly equipped to allow him to work out his anger and frustration. Jonathan knew he had to thank Alpha Ned for his hospitality. After all, working himself out was the only thing that kept him from shifting and tearing Brandon to pieces.

Despite the fact that Jonathan accepted the rejection, his wolf was still yearning for his mate. His beast wouldn’t accept the ease with which his True Mate rejected them even before knowing them. Years worth of longing could not be erased by her words. Sad, but true.

He was volatile and often times dangerous, but weren’t mates supposed to make it all better - to care, to comfort, to balance each other?

After everything he had been through, Jonathan thought, hoped and even secretly prayed to the Goddess, he would be blessed with someone completely devoted to him. Wasn’t karma supposed to set the balance straight? In Jonathan’s book, his troubled childhood and the nightmare of his teen years had to account for something. It was a trial of his character, the ultimate testimony of his merit to wield so much power and continue to be humble, compassionate, loving… Everything his mother had promised him, he fouls replace in his mate. But when the time had come, nothing he had gone through was been enough to make her stay, to make her choose him, to make her understand.

Did he make the right call?

Absolutely not!

His heart ached, he could feel the darkness slip into him, the uncontrolled bubbling and threatening to surface when he least expected it. Jonathan knew how dangerous the highs and lows of the rejection could be. He had witnessed it with Vanessa.

He found himself thinking about Nessa once again. It was a way to get his mind off Juliet and remember the past, the good times that kept him anchored in the present and kept the darkness at bay.

His dear Vanessa was keeping him sane and she didn’t even know it.

He still remembered the months after Joel brought her in. The constant desperation, the contemplating of a suicide. She would get to the meticulously chilling details about it and the next day she would be hyper, laughing at her own words and swearing she was messing around. Only for a week later to actively throw herself in danger. He remembered the gruesome day when she had all but ran into rogues, searching for a swift death. If Joel has not already been dispatched to take care of that problem, she would have gotten her wish.

And then there were the days when she felt better. When everything was just but a joke to her. Those were the days, she flirt with Joel. Jonathan knew that had it not been for the blood bond Joel had with a twelve year old, he would have succumbed to the lust in her eyes. After all, Vanessa knew how to effectively seduce. Had she not been a part of the extended family, Jonathan himself would not have minded replaceing a relief into her arms.

The rejection hurt in more ways than one. There was the emotional component of the pain of the rejection. He was never going to be good enough for anyone if his True mate had not found him to be appealing enough, worthy enough to be mesmerized by his physique. And what was so wrong with him to deserve a swift rejection like that? When comparing himself to Brandon, the pup came up short on all accounts. But yet, he managed to hold his mate’s heart.

Then there was the true, physical pain. His heart was tearing into two. He felt empty. Drained. He was no longer whole. He had a part of his soul that was ripped out of him by those simple words “I, Juliet Grey, reject you…” coming from those perfectly shaped red lips that were meant for him to taste.

One thing was certain. He would never be the same again.

And nothing else mattered.

Marcus

“You what?” Marcus asked perplexed, confused about what he just heard.

“I have to go home,” Nessa told him smiling, as she played with her keys.

There it was again. He was not delusional.

She was!

“But you are home,” Marcus calmly informed her and moved closer to her, trapping her little body between his and the car. She rolled her eyes at him and explained to him in a calm manner as if talking to a child.

“I mean home-home.”

She even winked at him, implying he should have caught up on it earlier.

“This is your home!” Marcus raised his voice, pointing out with frustration. He lost his cool one time and she is ready to call it quits. “Is that because of what happened in the forest?”

“It’s not what you think,” Nessa said and tenderly patted his shoulder. He bent down to look her in the eye.

“You are not angry at me?”

“Oh, the mutt had it coming for a long time,” Nessa smirked at him and pecked his lips. “She is currently scheming about shifting and getting her strength back to see if she can take you on! Again! Crazy bitch, I tell you!”

“I wasn’t too rough with you?” Marcus asked with concern. He had indeed tackled her down pretty roughly, wrestling with her as if she was a true opponent. His wolf had got carried away, growling at her until she finally submitted to him as her Alpha. He might have even gone as far as biting the cuff on her neck and carrying her as a pup for a few meters, before Marcus managed to reign his wolf in.

“You are serious?” Nessa half-asked-half-stated, looking at him, and then busted out laughing, moving her hands around his neck, pulling him into a hug, then whispered in his ear. “Oh, dear! I was ready to jump you! The mutt, too. So far, only few wolves had managed to tango toe-to-toe with her. You besting her despite her best effort to take you down, now that she found impressive. She might need a repeat once in a while though.”

“We can repeat it in the bedroom,” Marcus opted, kissing her ear and then sucking down his mark on her. Nessa moaned into his chest and pushed herself closer to him. Her reaction made him grin. Her body was responding to him much to his satisfaction.

“Now you’re telling me?” Nessa asked with frustration in her voice. “Now that I have to go to my apartment?”

“Have to?” Marcus asked, nibbling on her ear. She pushed him away and tried to stay serious. Not putting much force in her shove at his shoulders, only implied to Marcus to continue his escapade, trailing kisses onto her neck.

“Yes, I have things to take care of there.”

“I’ll send someone from the pack,” Marcus replied and continued kissing his mark. He felt her nails digging into his shoulder as her arousal peaked.

“No,” She finally found her voice to speak. Marcus quickly pressed his lips, sucking in on his mark, before he released her.

“No?”

“You’re not sending anyone there, because I am going. You can’t distract me that much, Alphalicious,” Nessa giggled and pecked his cheek and then applied “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“You’ll take Travis with and you’re going to be back right away!” Marcus didn’t feel when his Alpha Command seeped into his words. She must have noticed it as she gave him one of her own smirks.

“Sorry, Alpha. No, can’t do,” Nessa placed her finger over his lips the moment a growl was threatening to escape them. It didn’t sit well with his wolf his mate was defying him. “Coffee here sucks, so I am going to drown my coffee-addiction in Starbucks. Though I’ll take Travis with, if that makes you happy!” Nessa confessed, earning herself a deep chuckle from him.

“Don’t block me or I will have to come fetch you myself,” Marcus warned her.

“Oh, that would be so hot!” Nessa told him.

“On second thought, we are going to bed,” Marcus growled at her and snatched her by her waist, lifting her over his shoulder.

“Marcus! I thought we passed this!” Nessa huffed as Marcus quickly made his way to the Pack House.

“Never,” Marcus replied shortly.

Nessa

“What’s going on?” Teresa asked as Alpha Ned brought Nessa hanging upside down over his shoulder.

“Caveman here likes to fuzz,” Nessa answered, which earned her an affectionate pat from Marcus. She quickly spanked his rear in reply. “Put me down, Tarzan, I am not leaving, for Goodness Sake. Think of it as shopping from my own closet… Plus I have bills to pay!”

“I told you everything is taken care of,” Marcus growled and ignored Teresa starting up the stairs.

“If I lose my phone service or get evicted, I am going to skin you alive,” Nessa threatened, only to earn a chuckle from Marcus.

“I miss seeing you naked too,” Marcus replied off hand and produced a gasp from her.

“If you drop me down the stairs, forget about pups, you’ll be in the dog house for months,” Nessa informed him sweetly. Marcus huffed and arranged her over his shoulder.

“You’re mine. I take care of what’s mine,” Marcus growled and Nessa rolled her eyes and spanked him again in her frustration. “I told you your bills are paid and you can’t get evicted because I’m your landlord. Now relax.”

“Since when?” Nessa asked as Marcus made his way through the corridor.

“The first time I stayed over,” Marcus replied and opened their bedroom door, then kicked the door shut and placed her on the bed. As she was still stunned by the news, he continued. “You cannot seriously expect me to have let you sleep under another man’s roof, after we mated!”

“It was a one-night stand for all you knew at the time, Mister, and I am renting the place not living with Mr. Vincenzo. Damn, your implication is disgusting. He’s OLD!” Nessa grunted.

“I told you before, it has always been more than a one-night stand for me,” Marcus growled at her and stood up away from the bed.

“Where did you go?” Nessa asked. Marcus looked at her and then shook his head as he sat on the edge of the bed.

“You’ll be the death of me!” Marcus confessed as she moved to sit closer to him.

“Oh, too much shouting for your sensitive ears?” Nessa grinned and laced her hand through his hair, while she sat closer to him. He quickly pulled her closer to him, wrapping her legs around his torso. “Marcus, I don’t have anything to wear…”

“Good, because I prefer you naked!” Marcus said and pushed her to lay on the bed and started kissing her again.

“No, no. You’re not going to seduce me out of going to pick up my clothes!”

“It almost changed your mind now, didn’t it?” Marcus smirked as he placed his face onto her chest.

“Bad, Alpha, bad!” Nessa giggled and started messing his hair. “Now can I go?”

“When Travis arrives. You are not going to roam alone around the unclaimed territory with everything that is going on,” Marcus said.

“Fine, I can pick him up on my way,” Nessa negotiated.

“Your little car cannot hold a full tactical team,” Marcus shook his head.

“Oh,” Nessa cooed at him and pecked his lips. “You know how much you turn me on when you get all possessive and Alpha on me, but I would be fine. I’ll be quick; it won’t take more than a couple of hours… tops. Pinkie promise, after all I am just packing some stuff.”

“I want you to pack all your stuff,” Marcus stated.

“Are you asking me to move in,” Nessa teased.

“I told you to move in with me,” Marcus corrected her.

“Oh, my grizzly bear wants me to move in, so he commanded me! How sweet! I would have said yes if you asked me nicely you know…. I am kind of addicted to you! So cute!” Nessa confessed giggling.

“I am not cute!” Marcus growled at her.

“No, you’re sneaky, manipulative, possessive and arrogant Alpha,” Nessa smirked and pecked his lips. How’s that?”

“Better,” Marcus replied and captured her lips with his.

“Damn, I was going for great or awesome at the very least,” Nessa mockingly pouted at him.

“Oh, it can be arranged,” Marcus grinned savagely and pressed his lips against her.

Travis could wait for days, for all Marcus cared about.

Joel Rifkin

If all was true, then indeed Pablo has been a very busy wolf over the span of two decades. Joel still couldn’t piece together the exact events that led to this, but one thing was certain – the devious plan was the product of the disturb mind of Pablo Alvarez. Still it never ceased to amaze him how much hatred and devotion had gone into the plot of raising the Monarchy.

The cards were stacking up. Pablo singlehandedly influenced the politics in the region for over twenty years, by pulling strings with one or another pack. The earliest scheme Joel could prove was for the election of Pack Law’s Elder council.

Elder Matthews was successfully elected with the support of the Hispanic community, that was manipulated by Pablo Alvarez’ charisma. Prosperity, equal housing and education had swung the vote and made Matthews the Elder in charge of Elders Council, a prestigious position that was later abused to influence the union of Northern Hills and Rover Groove in the face of the arranged mating of Juliet and Oliver. Joel did not have any proof yet, but found it convenient how Pablo managed to resolve and even increase his lead investor’s shares in the financial crisis of 2008. After all, wasn’t Reverhill all but pulling his capital away from their unprofitable investment in Alvarez’ mining company?

Of course that was the rumor until Alpha Grey demise created an Alpha-vacancy in the Rover Grove pack. Conveniently, Oliver Reverhill was the man with the greatest support in the face of none other than Elder Matthew in the race for Juliet Grey’s bond. He had the transcripts curtsey of Brandon’s own stupidity.

Joel shook his head. Did the pup really think that Vanessa will take him back after all he did to her? Or was he hoping to spark jealousy in her as Alpha Ned had been considered for Juliet. “The Edwards’ boy” as they so casually referred to him, would have annihilated them even if so much as a rumor had come to his ears. After all, he wasn’t under Pack Law’s watch-list for seven years because he was meek and gullible.

The loosing investment in the mining company of Alvarez, surprisingly had seemed much desirable for the Northern Hill’s Alpha, who not only did not sell his shares, but increased his investment in the company tenfold. The price of a share had skyrocketed earning Alvarez the millions he later used to eliminate or buy out the competition.

Reverhill must have turned green at the news of the mating of Brandon and Juliet Grey. However, his son, Oliver, had seemed to keep a good relationship with Juliet. Maybe the pup did really love her, obvious of the schemes that were in place.

One thought seemed disturbing enough for Joel to contemplate. How could Alvarez sanction the murder of Emma Edwards, Luna of the Blackwood Pack? There were much finer ways of ensuring Blackwood’s impartialness to the conflict between Reverhill’s Northern Hills and Stevens’ Blue Moon Packs. For once, Joel did not even think that Alpha Ned would have involved himself in WAR, knowing that his mate was pregnant. War complicated things. A mated wolf always looked out for family first. Emma and his pup would have been all the priority Ned would have needed to stay out of the fight.

Joel rubbed his chin, while he looked over the reports. Was Emma’s death really a part of the plan? Why go in so much grieve to eliminate her and inflict an unknown reaction of Blackwood? For all Pablo could have known, Ned could have rushed full force into the War in his attempt for quick reunion with his lost mate and pup?! No, that part of the plan did not make sense.

Unless, he wanted to hurt Alpha Ned personally.