Sean's tears ran dry as he leaned hungrily into Mark's kiss. His arms wrapping around his shoulders to hold him close. He wasn't a confident kisser, but he mimicked Mark's way of kissing. Brushing his lips over his and parting his lips enough to allow Mark's tongue to flick hesitantly against his own. To which he returned the gesture graciously. A deep throaty growl rumbled in Mark's chest, causing Sean to smile to himself. It wasn't an aggressive growl but a kind of playful longing. Something that he'd never heard before and found that he rather liked. Mark's hand moved down his back, trailing to his thigh to shift it away from his side. Without thinking, Sean obeyed and inhaled sharply as Mark shifted his weight over him. Nestling himself between his thighs, allowing him to kiss him better. The kiss turned needy and wanting, until Mark was grinding over his hips with very subtle movements. Movements that teased Sean to the brink of going mad.

Unable to control himself, Sean quickly went for Mark's pants. Unbuttoning his jeans masterfully and fighting with the zipper, when Mark suddenly rose up on all fours. His back and head hitting the compacted dirt roof with a startled yelp. Sean paused, his cheeks reddening as he smiled. Until Mark's hand swatted his away from his crotch. Cupping himself, Mark let out a frustrated growl with his eyes shut tight. His breathing was heavy and jagged. Sitting up a little, Sean whispered to him sweetly. "Mark... it's alright. I want-" He was cut off by Mark snarling through his teeth. "Don't say it!" Sean reached out to touch his cheek, but Mark quickly brushed it away, telling him without meeting his eyes. "I saved your life. It's natural that you feel something for me. As your protector. As your Alpha. You're scared and I'm safety. I get it... but don't cross this line. For both our sakes." Shaking his head, Sean pleaded with him. "Mark, that's... It's more than that. I can smell your..."

Mark's eyes widened, his hand abruptly going to his throat with a pained expression. Mark's whole body appeared to tremble, when he told him seriously. "I'm sorry... but that just makes it worse." Raising an eyebrow, Sean shrugged out innocently. "How does that make it worse? Mark... if it's natural for me to feel these things. Then it's natural for you to feel-" Mark's growl turned into a sharp whine, before he stated through clenched teeth. "Stop! Just... stop." Laying back down on his back, Sean calmly asked him. "What are you scared of?" Mark finally met his eyes, his voice clearly distressed when he snapped back. "I'm an Alpha! I fear nothing!" Huffing very softly, Sean retorted under his breath. "Everyone is afraid of something, Mark. Alphas are not immune to that." Mark bared his teeth at him, snarling down at him with light defensiveness. "I fear NOTHING!" Raising his legs to pin Mark in place, Sean kept himself calm and casual when he replied. "Ya? Then why do you reck of it?"

Mark growled in warning, causing Sean's body to tremble but he stood his ground. Staring him down, he asked him with humbled curiosity. "Why did you save me from the Apex? Why did you come for me during the round up of Omegas and Betas?" Through clenched teeth, Mark snarled back. "I told you why. Put your legs down. I want out!" Refusing to obey his weak command, Sean sat up on his elbows and casually said. "I know what you said. I suddenly don't believe you. You've never looked my way or acknowledged my existence. We've never been close. You're just my neighbor. So, why... did you come to MY aid?" Breaking eye contact, Mark huffed out. "The Apex was going to breed you. You didn't like him. You didn't want him. As your Alpha, I couldn't stand for it. You are my pack member. Under MY protection. What kind of Alpha would I be if I sat by and let him take you like that?" Sitting up closer to Mark's face, Sean whispered softly. "Would you have done that for any of the others? Cause you only protected me in the round up. You could have easily defended the others."

Mark growled but said nothing. Refusing to look at him again. Leaning in closer to Mark's neck, Sean whispered softly over the back of Mark's hand that still clutched his own throat. "Be honest with me, Mark. Do you feel something for me?" Mark shook his head but still wasn't looking at him. Smirking to himself, Sean continued to whisper. "You know what I think? I think that while you lost your sense of smell... you didn't lose your ability to see, hear, taste, and touch your mate. Your body senses me... but you're afraid to listen." Mark's dark eyes met his, his voice strong and defiant, when he retorted. "That is very presumptuous of you." Shaking his own head, Sean told him a little broken-heartedly. "Do you know that I'm the only one in our pack that hasn't had a Heat yet? Do you know that I've had a bad case of puppy love for you... and it didn't go away after I became an Omega. Or after you left for Alpha school. Even when other Omegas and Betas talked about having your puppies... I... didn't get jealous or territorial. I... just... didn't lose hope. Can you tell me that's normal?"

Mark shrugged, answering flatly. "I don't know. That's an Omega thing. Wanting to be the Alpha's Luna is perfectly-" Lightly growling to cut him off, Sean snapped out. "I don't care about being the pack's Luna, Mark. I don't care about be the Alpha's Luna or the Apex's... I want to be yours and I can't explain why. I just feel it." Shaking his head, Mark mumbled out. "You're lonely. You desire me because I showed interest. Before I'm here. Because of what I've done for you. Don't confuse yourself." Sean opened his mouth, then exhaled very slowly. He suddenly felt like he was leaking. While a dull ache began to pulse between his legs. Reaching down to tentatively touch himself, he sharply inhaled as his fingers felt how soaked he was. Following his attention down, Mark uttered out in a shaky voice. "Sean? Are you alright?" Biting his lower lip briefly, he whispered mostly to himself. "It can't be... I think I'm... I think I'm going into Heat?"

Mark's face paled and he dropped his hand from his neck as he yelped out. "Let me go! Let me out!" Sean didn't lower his legs. Instead, he excitedly stammered out. "I've never smelled your true scent before... That means..." Shaking his head, Mark quickly countered bluntly. "It means nothing! Omegas go into heat over Alpha scents all the time! Get a grip, Sean! Let me out!" Mark thrashed but stopped when Sean inhaled sharply. Mark's thrashing had done nothing to him. It was just his own shock at feeling an overwhelming need burn through his veins. He could feel his temperature rising until he felt feverish. His pulse began to quicken and the throbbing between his legs got stronger. So much stronger. Falling back across the ground, Sean panted out softly. "I take it back... this sucks... I don't want it..." Mark's hands grabbed his thighs, telling him shakily. "Sean... Lower your legs. Let me out before it gets worse."

Huffing, Sean arched his back a little when he chuckled out. "Worse for who? You can't smell this. You'll be fine." Mark's voice turned deep and gritty when he answered seriously. "You greatly underestimate me. I can't smell it... but that doesn't mean that it doesn't affect me. I'm still... aware." Sean raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with suspicion until he got it. Mark was blushing a deep red and trying to hide his hard on that was filling out his crotch now. His whole body was trembling and despite how hard he tried to look away... Mark couldn't keep himself from watching him writhe. Gulping, Mark mumbled out in a stressed voice. "You're my packmate... a subordinate. I have claim to you if I desire it. I'm your pack leader. An Alpha. You don't have to be mine for me to want you. You're ready to breed and that's all my body needs to know... Instinct does the rest..." A light chuckle escaped Sean before he told him with a blush of his own. "Is that right? As I recall... you were hard for me before I got my Heat and we were in a similar circumstance to this."

Growling, Mark warned him darkly. "Sean. Stop. That was different." Shuddering from the memory of Mark's cock firmly pressed against him, Sean asked breathlessly. "How? Who are you trying to convince? Me... or yourself?" Mark swallowed but said nothing. Pressing himself firmly against the wall as he shook with fear. Sitting up on his elbows, Sean anxiously pleaded. "Mark... As my Alpha... I need you to do something for me." Shutting his eyes, Mark shook his head, blurting out. "NO! Don't ask me! I won't!" Taking a shuddering breath, Sean pleaded desperately. "Mark... I'm going crazy... This need is... I need relief. If I don't feel something I'm going to fucking scream!" Mark shook his head, avoiding both touching him and looking at him with great effort and control. Getting a little pissed off, Sean sat up real close to him. Bringing his lips to his ear as he sweetly antagonized. "Mark... You've got two options. You either put your hands on me and help me through this with all you've got. Or you mount me right here and give me your puppies!"

Pausing to shudder at how that last bit made him greedy to force himself on Mark, he calmed himself before telling him rationally. "Mark... the first Heat is always the strongest. It's why our parents lock us away from Alphas and Betas. If a stray in these woods catches my scent... THEY won't hesitate to mount me! They'll be blinded by my scent! I NEED you to help me! One way or another, Alpha!" Grabbing Mark's jaw to force him to look at him, Sean saw his own eyes flash a wolfish yellow in Mark's dark eyes, when he practically growled over his lips. "I'm not asking anymore. I'm telling you. I'll be damned if some stray is going to impose his puppies on me before you do!" Mark gulped loudly, causing Sean to grin before pulling him into a passionate kiss. Seeing Mark so reluctant and nervous only made him want him more. He'd never given a single thought to having puppies before... but the thought of Mark's puppies made him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Kissing him a bit reluctantly at first, Mark steadily warmed up to his kiss. Then taking his wrist away from his jaw, Mark broke the kiss to whisper to him in a voice so genuine and beautiful. "I'll help you. But I'm not putting my pups in you. I won't shame you like that." Leaning back to remove his shirt, Sean tossed it aside and panted out coolly. "I need to feel your warmth... my skin won't stop burning." Without waiting for him, Sean took his hand and placed it against his chest. Instantly, his burning skin cooled in the spot where he touched him. The relief so sudden that Sean exhaled with deep satisfaction. On his own, Mark moved his hand over his chest. Petting him slowly as he felt out every muscle and curve of his exposed torso. Laying back limply, Sean moaned. Mark's hand was like ice to his burning flesh. It cooled his skin back to normal. Every nerve along his skin tingling from his touch until he was both hard and ready for him to mount him.

Bracing over him, but keeping the rest of himself from touching him, Mark told him in a deep honey-glazed voice. "Omegas like you scare me... You're an opponent I can't fight physically. I wasn't trained to handle you emotionally... I don't know what you want from me. And don't say my pups... because you're not mine." Smiling warmly up at him, Sean reached up to touch his cheek, before telling him in a loving honest voice. "No one has ever been scared of me before. You can deny it... but I believe you're mine. You killed the Apex for me. No Alpha would ever dare such a thing... unless he felt he had something to protect. Something he believed was... his." Leaning his head against his palm, Mark closed his eyes, causing Sean heart to flutter. For a long time, Mark said nothing. Until with a heavy heart he told him softly. "I've killed a Magyar prince. A direct descendant of the great Luna and the pure royal Loup-Garou bloodline of the Burcharest throne. In doing so... I may have just ended my own bloodline. And doomed my pack."

Lowering his hand to Mark's shoulder, Sean asked a bit confused. "I don't understand." Taking a deep breath, Mark distantly informed him as he looked away. "No one has ever killed an Apex. How do you think the other Packs will take this news? They'll demand justice for the act of treason. They knew who I am. If the prince demands it... My whole family could be killed. Our pack... broken up or overtaken by some new Alpha. I suspect the Southern Alpha would take it over." Sean's heart sank, his fingers gripping Mark's shoulder tight when he replied quietly. "The Apex was a monster... the prince knew. But no one could disobey the Apex. You did us a favor!" Shaking his head, Mark told him coolly. "It doesn't matter. I killed a royal. If they don't kill me... my father will. For your sake... I hope you're not mine. Because if you are... if they come for my family. They'll come for my mate... my pups. I don't want that for you. We've got to get home... I've got to warn them. And I've got to stop the Southern Pack from challenging my dad... because they'll think I ran from the betrothal. They'll kill him."

Wrapping his arms and legs around Mark to pull him down over him, Sean told Mark protectively. "Help me feel better. And... I'll get you home."  To Be Continued...