In the morning, Thea woke in Elias' arms his face buried deep in neck and hair. Her body heated up and a chill ran down her spine. Thea didn't know how to act around him, everything she knew about people went out the door when it was Elias. Elias made her feel things she didn't know how to explain. And as he opened his eyes and met her gaze she felt that feeling double. His eyes made her turn a deeper shade of red and Elias quirked an eyebrow at her blush. He hadn't been able to truly flirt with her or build anything toward that as she was in a fragile state. But she'd been on his territory for 2 months now. Elias could tell Thea was comfortable. This is the closest she'd ever allowed him and if he was getting an opening now he wouldn't waste it.

"Good morning love" his voice was gruff and deep. Thea bit the inside of her cheek and pursed her lips.

"Morning" she whispered back. His face was inches from hers and her breathing was beginning to pick up at the thought of him closing that distance. It wasn't like her usual panic attacks she noticed. She was more excited than fearful and she twisted her fingers in anticipation. Elias placed a ghost of a kiss to her lips and slowly moved back to stretch and get out of bed. Once he'd pulled away fully Thea let out a breath. As grateful as she was to be able to breathe she also couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. That wasn't what she wanted to happen.

"What will do today" Thea asked. Shoving away her annoyance.

"I have meetings. Important people who help me run things around here" Thea nodded a bit understanding more every day.

"I wish I could tell you what. I may be home all day today, call for Lilo or Ethan if you need anything. I'll be back for you later. Alright love?" Thea didn't like any of that. She didn't want to him to go now, let alone for the day. Thea shook her head and stood to grab his shirt.

"Don't leave" she said. What she didn't know was that Elias didn't want to go either. And his resolve to leave her in that bed with that look in her eye was slim. Now that she had his shirt in hand it was almost a thread. But he had to figure out who Pete was. And more than that he had to figure out this growing problem with hunters getting close to the pack boarders in his kingdom. He couldn't afford another war and he was surprised that they even wanted to try it after last time. Elias reeled his mind back in and untangled her hand from his shirt.

"I have to. The things I need to do are important" he whispered. Thea pulled his hand and brought him closer.

"Stay" Thea leaned up desperate to feel more of that high feeling she always did when they were that close. Elias couldn't be pulled in but he was losing his nerve. And it didn't help that Helios was yelling obscenities about how stupid it was to even think of leaving his mate without at least a love-bite. She wasn't ready for that. He needed to hold it together, which was another he should probably leave. Elias' restraint was impressive so far but he wasn't sure how much that he would continue to have. Elias was just about to tell her no when she pulled him down into another kiss and his protests fell away. Goddess he could do this everyday.

She tangled her fingers in his hair pulling a bit. He growled into her mouth then paused. Scared of how she would react but either Thea hadn't heard it or she didn't care. Thea kept kissing him losing herself in the feeling of being pressed against Elias. Elias slid his hand down her body and hooked his hands under her legs and picked her up. Thea obliged wrapping her legs around his waist. They fell back into bed lips still attached. Elias ran his hand up and down her body careful of her leg the last things that needed to heal properly. She'd gained considerable weight and Elias was beyond relieved to see her flourish. Thea ran her hand over Elias' body as well finding that while it had never really mattered before she very much liked how Elias' body felt.

Thea's body hummed with excitement hoping that she would finally get to show him how happy he'd been making her. As their kiss deepened and their bodies got even closer. Elias began to lose control. His arousal was way too high for him to still be in control. But he definitely couldn't let Helios free. He knew exactly what he'd do. Elias couldn't have that. But just when he was going to pull away Thea flipped them over with her good leg. Elias lost the reigns a minute the surprise and arousal combined throwing him out the driver's seat. Helios was going to take full advantage of this slip too.

Elias' body moved Thea's hair to the side and began to trace kisses on her from her lips to the base of her neck. Elias clawed to get back in control but Helios quickly shut him out. Thea was so lost in the moment she didn't notice the teeth that retracted from Elias' mouth. He kept kissing, nipping every now and then. The feeling of his teeth scraping Thea's skin sent shivers down her body and she found herself craving more.

Then Elias' grip on Thea tightened a bit and he sunk his teeth in the junction between her neck and shoulders. Thea screamed in surprise, and though she pulled her body away, she couldn't deny the weak knee feeling that took over. She was conflicted to the point of discomfort and she pushed again against Elias' begging him to let her go. It was a bizarre mix of pleasure and pain and Elias held her tighter now her arms stinging a bit. When he finally pulled away Elias' body placed a few kisses around the area relishing in her moans and squirming and high off of the scent of her arousal he was about strip them both to complete the process when Elias snatched himself back into control. Elias immediately pushed away from Thea and the girl weakly held her neck looking at the man as her vision went in and out.

Fuck.

Elias called for Lilo and Lilo sighed but made her way hurriedly to assist anyways. Elias and Thea stared at each other a long while taking in the realization of what just happened.

He bit her.
Elias marked Thea.

Elias ran down the list of ways this could backfire on himself and he hated every single one. But there was nothing that he could've done that would've changed the outcome. Well maybe he should've just simply left.

"You hurt me" a bleary eyed Thea said holding her throbbing neck still. The mark was clean but she wasn't expecting it so her body may reject the mark and the process would be painful. Before Elias could get a word out Lilo walked in and assessed the room. She found Thea crumpled in a corner holding her neck and Elias standing next to the bed with a guilty look on his face. Lilo's face reddened and she sent a glare toward her Alpha and her lip curled slightly as she spoke her next words "Get the fuck out" she said trying to grab hold of her temper. Usually Elias would never allow the woman to talk to him like that but given what just happened he understood and left the two women in the room alone.

Once he was gone the tension in the room slowly disappeared and Lilo took careful steps toward Thea who was still tucked in the corner of the room. Once she was close enough she could see Thea's body shake and tremble as she got closer and closer. Lilo sighed and silently cursed Helios, she knew it had to be him becuase Elias wouldn't be so stupid. Lilo took a hand touched the open skin of her foot gently "Thea? It's Lilo" she whispered, Thea wanted to calm down but she'd started hypervenilating and she couldn't move. Pretty much frozen with her own fear. It was as frustrating as it was scary.

"Look at me. Breathe in and out with me. You don't have to move just breathe with me Thea" Thea obliged hesistantly and noticed that the breathing was bringing her trembling body back to a more controllable state. As soon as she could move of her own accord again she reached for Lilo's hand and squeezed.

"He hurt me Lilo. I do no trouble. Why hurt me" tears began to well up in the girls eyes as she began to realize that she offended Elias somehow and she worried what punishments would start now that she messed it up. Lilo growled inwardly cursing whatever man did this to her. When she could she attempt to read Thea and pull more from her memories. The pictures were still fragmented and she didn't know more than Thea had been in a tragic accident at 12 that partly scarmbled her brain and from there Pete found her and took the girl in. It only took a couple years before he began to take advantage of her presence.

"Elias didn't mean to, something took over his body. He wasn't in control, but it will heal and you'll be closer if everything heals ok" Lilo said trying to see what she could of the wound despite Thea holding her neck.

"I no like no understand anyone. I want understand. I lost" Thea's frustration with being out of the loop had come to a head and she was over having to ask what everything meant. She'd been the way she was for so long she began to think there wasn't anything else for her to understand but clearly there was a whole world she was left out of and every day she felt the effect of it more and more.

"Well it's funny you should say that I brought the friend I told you about here today. The one I said could help you learn. Before you meet her I think I should look at that neck of yours ok" Thea perked up at that. That's all she wanted was to understand what was going on. Being in the dark was just as exhausting as having to clean and cook everyday and Thea was begging for a repreieve at this point. Also if learning would help Thea understand what happened between her and Elias then she definitely needed to start as soon as possible. Thea sat up and Lilo rubbed her hands together and hovered them over the spot Elias marked her.

Lilo's nose twitched since she got closer she was hit with a blast of Thea's scent and she noticed that was much different from when she'd first arrived. Lilo didn't dwell on it since there were other things that she wanted to tend to. Lilo grabbed Thea's forearm and helped her stand once she assessed that Thea should be ok, she surmised that Thea didn't know enough about what just happened to reject Elias or the mark so it was healing as it should and causing Thea no real pain. Lilo would tear Elias apart for this, only the Goddess would be able to stop her even if he tore her apart instead.