"The Mark - Part 1"

*Caleb*

I can finally breathe, relieved that she is no longer afraid of me... all of me. The last couple of days I could just enjoy relaxing and letting my wolf enjoy some time with her, and at last, my wolf has stopped holding a grudge on me. Damn, it is hard to live with your beast.

Today we are having some time alone in the woods, and I am going to talk to her about the things that still trouble her. Last night she asked me for answers, and I begged for time to put my thoughts in order. I can't postpone this any longer, and I had been avoiding discussing the subject to her. I need to reward Cara for having a talk with her. I sigh and take a deep breath, I am too rusty for these things, I've let myself go on other subjects and just assumed things will get in her system without explaining. Stupid of me, but I am planning to fix this.

After I made sure everything was in order, I took her with me to the forest towards the stream. I already made sure no one would come near us so she can feel comfortable. Tho I have to admit, she has been walking and talking around my people and fitted in perfectly. She has a charm, just simple and easy going, they like her.

When we reach the clearing she sighs, looking around the scenery. It is one of my favorite parts of my territory, the place I used to come to think. The waterfall and stream add to the magic.

"I really love this place." She says after a few seconds of silence.

"I love you in it." I reply and she blushes letting me hold her. I will never get tired of seeing her blush, I hope I never stop making her.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

*Meadow*

I think I've forgotten how many days I had been here, it just feels as if every day is perfect. I have to remind myself later to talk to Carter soon and catch up on how things are going back at the office. I am thankful that Caleb gives me plenty of time to work on my project at the command center while he deals with his everyday routine, he added a desk for me right next to his. At first, it took time for me to concentrate as I was fascinated by his daily tasks; I honestly wasn't aware how much paperwork would go by him, his security business, the town, and the expenses, even calling other alphas to work on treaties and solve disputes. Luckily, in the end, I got my mind focused on my own work, and every afternoon we would go out on a walk. Much of each walk was with his wolf.

I was happy when he said he would take the day off and spend it with me completely, no work distractions. And now I find myself mesmerized by the beauty of his land under daylight. The last time I had a chance to see this area I was caught up in wisps magic and lost consciousness before I could enjoy it completely.

"Where is your mind wandering?" He asks me, and I turn around to see him lay a blanket in the grass and some comfortable pillows. I sigh and join him before he starts to take out food and drinks.

"Hold on for a minute, let's enjoy this view." I tell him and he chuckles, pulling me in his arms as he rests sideways and I lay against his stomach almost sitting so I can get a view of his eyes.

"You have a place that came out of dreams here, inside an already fantastic world." I say as he puts his arm around mine and brushes it slowly up and down caressing me.

"It is only magical to me because you are in it." He whispers as he leans to kiss my other arm.

We sit here in silence, and even though we are calm and enjoying the moment, I can sense there is something that has been troubling him for a while. I am not sure how long I will be holding quiet about this before I ask him what is wrong. Then he clears his throat and brings my attention to him.

"Meadow... I have been failing you on something that should have been of great importance... and that is communication. I owe you some explanations and answers I guess... so please ask away, I really want to take a chance now and mend this with you." He surprises me and I am caught a little off guard for a while. He waits for me patiently until I gather my thoughts and look at him.

"I guess, I had been learning a little from here and there..." I start, a little nervous, then he shakes his head.

"It should have been me. I should be the one explaining things to you, but I had forgotten over time how to deal with this. I didn't have anyone human I cared about enough to take the time to explain how things work. I am sorry again."

I smiled and caressed the side of his face as I looked in his eyes. "You are doing well now, so stop apologizing."

He nodded with a new childish smile on his face, and I couldn't help but chuckle. "What did Cara told you about the mark?"

He startled me again with his question, I take a deep breath before answering. "She said you would bite me in either my neck or my shoulder, while we are... making love... I mean, while I am making love to you as a wolf. And this will complete the circle." I trailed off and he nodded, then he looked far into the woods while he replied.

"The mark can be before, during, or after... but most do it during, because it creates a connection between both subjects that enhances the experience, reaching higher peaks of pleasurable sensations." I tilted my head looking at him, a little shocked; he continued. "It makes the orgasm stronger, it makes the feeling on your skin more alive. The connection is so strong."

I nodded slowly, pondering his words, and he was patient with me, holding silent. After a while, I looked into his mellow eyes and felt fear; not from me but from him. "Sometimes I feel this... strange impulses, is the mating pull which affects me?"

He chuckled and I felt a bit at ease if he was chuckling then it meant it wasn't that bad. "You are handling this better than anyone I've ever known, my princess..." he whispered and I shivered. 

"What...?"

He nodded again. "The mating pull is a strong physical bond that pulls both mates to join in body and soul, like a cosmic event in their lives."

I swallowed hard, I wasn't going crazy after all. "So... after you and I complete this... mating process, I am going to stop feeling like I can't breathe unless you are close?"

He smiled and squeezed me tightly to him. "Well, it will make me a bit sad you won't crave me like that anymore I guess, but yeah, you won't feel like you are losing your will to live if we are a bit apart."

He chuckled a little after seen me blush, I don't know why but I just said the first thing that came to my head and I wasn't really thinking what it was until they left my lips. "I am sorry, but it has been awhile since I felt so out of control. I am not used to it."

"Princess... do you regret it?" He, again, shocked me with his question.

"What? Caleb, I haven't felt as alive as I do now since... I don't even remember since when. I am aware much of this is dreamy and insane at the same time, but I know that even like this, it is me the one who has chosen and is still choosing to follow my instincts and feel I must do what I crave."

He released a breath I never noticed he was holding; he laid on the blanket and looked up to the sky. "Sometimes I feel like I am not worth it. Like any moment you will tell me you had enough and you are tired of trying... I struggle thinking I might be pushing you too much or not giving you enough space. I guess, deep down inside, I am still more human than I want to admit." He closed his eyes and I felt a different connection growing between us, one that it was likely to pull us closer.

"I am glad you feel like that..." I said as he opened his eyes to look at me with some fear. "Because I feel the same... I am afraid of not being worth it, of making you bored or tired of waiting for me. I fear I am pushing you, or not giving you enough of what you want, all at the same time. I am human, so knowing you have similar fears only makes me understand US better." I sighed and he smiled, his fingers caressing my back gently. "So what if I want you to mark me now...?" I asked and I couldn't believe I said it out loud.

He blinked twice and looked at me seriously. "Do you really want to, or are you trying to please me?" He asked and I felt a sense of relief when he said that. He was still giving me chances to back away, after all we have gone through and all our talks, he still was worried about me. This only confirmed my wishes, I want to be his in deeper ways. I wasn't sure if I could go all the way until I actually felt this mystic connection everyone talked about.

I tilted my head slightly and pulled my short hair aside, exposing him my shoulder and neck. I closed my eyes just as I felt him tense. "I love you Caleb, and I want to take the next step." I said with trembling lips.

He growled lowly and I felt his hands take a firm grip on me. He kissed me with passion, trapping my lips and soul in the process. I felt his arms wrap viciously tight around me and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. I moaned as he kissed my cheeks, my eyes and my forehead. He reached my neck and sucked the skin gently, kissing me there lovingly. Then he reached that spot, the one that drives me to my limits; I felt his tongue caress me and I moaned loudly, not caring how desperate I sounded. "Meadow... please be mine..." I heard him ask me in a whisper and it shocked me the sincerity of his plea.

"Yours... I am all yours... mark me, Caleb..." I barely finished whispering his name when I felt his sharp fangs break the thin fabric of my skin. There was a shot of pain and pleasure mixed in ways I never felt before; electricity ran thru my body and I felt myself burn with the most intense and pleasurable fire. I felt myself float; all the while his teeth remained right where I wanted them. Suddenly I felt my heart pace faster and quicker, yet I was calm. It wasn't until I started to focus that I realized I was feeling Caleb's heart as if it was my own. His teeth retracted from my body and I gasped, sensing his body heat also as if it was my own. I breathed hard and heavy, so many new emotions and sensations rushing through me; I was hearing crickets around us, birds flying, the wind blowing through the trees. I felt the grass below us over the fabric, the tiny drops of water splashing from the stream at our side. I was thrilled with everything coming in waves, nothing like I've imagined.

'Meadow... can you hear me?' Caleb's voice echoed all around me. It wasn't until he shook me gently and I started giggling with tingles all around me that I heard him louder inside my head. 'Meadow... Princess... can you hear me?'

'Of course, I can hear you, you talk too loud...' I was thinking about it yet I heard him chuckle.

'Open your eyes...' I heard him again, and so I did. An explosion of brightness made me shut them tight again. I felt Caleb's arms shift to adjust around me, and he lifted me up enough so I could feel his warmth close to me. I started to open my eyes slightly and got used to the light, it was the same yet different, like ten thousand shades more of white. Then I found his worried eyes and I smiled at him, he sighed relaxed. 'I was worried...' I heard him but his lips never moved. I blinked a few times to look at him and he caressed my cheek. 'Yes... now you can hear my thoughts... and I hear yours...' he whispered inside my head and I gasped, sitting straight. 

'You... can hear me?' I thought while looking at him and he nodded with a smile.

'One of the Goddess many gifts...' he whispered in my mind again and I jumped into his arms, kissing him with passion. I felt his heart beat fast like my own; I felt his blood rush every part of his body. I felt him, in every single way.