Story - , Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Mating Ritual (chapter 21)

A/N: I haven't had the chance to go over this, soit maybe a little
choppy. Forgive me? :)
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"THERE HAS TO be anotherway?" I looked up at him with hopeful eyes,
and begged him to say there was.
Satchel just sat there with an impassive look on his face. We'd been
talking for hours now, still in front of the dying flames flickering
from the hearth. My wound still stung every time I moved, and I'd been
told because it was a silver bullet, it would take longer to heal.
"There isn't…" Satchel said in a flat tone. He wasavoiding eye contact
I noticed. I bit my lips again.
"But…there has to be a loophole...somewhere right?"
He looked at me with an apologetic look on his face, and then finally
shook his head...again. I groaned for the tenth time, thinking that
maybe if I'd rephrase my question, he'd give me a different answer.
But every time I mentioned a new possibility, he'd just shake his
head. Moreover, the finality in it shook me with fear.
"The fact that he's already marked you with his scent, he can state a
claim over you. In werewolf lore? That means you belong to him. I'm
technically overstepping my boundaries by keeping you here." God! I've
never been in so much denial as I was right now.
Surely, there was some kind of way that a wolf could take away his
bonding scent right? Break the bond or something…however impossible
that may sound, my optimism hung in there.
"What about human lore?He kidnapped me, how isthat allowed? He should
be put away…reported topolice even." My voice was an octave too high,
and almost near hysterical.
I was beginning to hate the way Satchel kept shaking his head, but I
couldn't help but think it was kinda hot since the loose strands of
his hair will fall out of his pony tail. Light green eyes drained. He
sighed.
"We're far from being human, Willy. In our world, werewolves take
their mating seriously. Once we claim a mate, we're bound by honor,
love and protection. Males' being the more dominant species - they
mark their mate to ward off others. If someone threatens that bond…our
territorial instincts kick in, and there's no way around it unless
blood is spilled." I tsked.
"Well, then lets hope it's his." I regretted the words instantly. "-I
didn'tmean that." I said hastily. He just sighed, shuffling under me
to try and sit up.
"He marked you before he took you. In his eyes, I'd be considered the
kidnapper. Since, you're not…you don't belong to me." I rubbed my eyes
as exhaustion settled in.
"But Sheeba said the mating ritual would only be permanent if I was
marked in wolf form. Shesaid that would finalize the mating. There's a
loophole right there." I was thankful when he didn't automatically
shake his head to say no, but then frowned when recognition settled on
hisfeatures as I mention Sheeba.
"Sheeba? You met her…?"I nodded.
"She was the only one that helped me out there." I frowned. "You know
her?" He reluctantly nodded.
"Both of our fathers usedto work at the old milk factory down Mills
Drive. When you left, her father started bringing her around to keep
me entertained. My dad thought I could do with the company, and that
he'd had enough of my moping around. Sheeba was a good distraction,
until she developed a little crush on me…" Oh. There was the
silent…but there's more hanging in the air.
"You guys ever dated?" I regretted the words instantly. I mean, it's
not like I had the right to even ask.
"For a while. It didn't go so well." I nodded, mentally stabbing the
green-eyed monster inside of me down. I had to remind myself that it
was past tense, and that I'd been long gone out ofhis life that I
didn't have the right to feel jealous...but the mere thought of
Satchel being with another girl – especially one as beautiful as
Sheeba - made my jealousy boil. I masked it, and mentally shoved it
down a hole.
"That's…cool." I said lamely. What else could I say really? It's not
like I didn't have a boyfriend to go along with my life I'd made in
New York. As soon as the thought summoned to the surface, I felt sorry
for what happened to Peter. Regardless of the fact that he cheated on
me, and never treated me as if I mattered, still no one deserved to
die like that. I think Satchel refused to bring that incident up, and
I wasn't going to force him into it either.
I wasn't sure if it was my place to pry, but I had theurge to want to
ask him about his relationship with Sheeba. Satchel smirked.
"Are you jealous?" He teased. Surprise hit my face, and I shook my
head indignantly. I scoffed.
"Pfft…no!" I rolled my eyes. His eyes roamed my face, and grinned cheerfully.
"Yeah, I think you are." He crooned. I shook my head, fully in denial now.
"Why would I be jealous?" My tone was a little high pitched, and a
light blush heated my cheeks. He chuckled, and it lit up his face.
"Because you think my eyes are 'oh so amazing."He drawled. I groaned
and hit him playfully in the arm as he recited what I'd told him under
the willow tree. This made him laugh, and I was trying my hardest not
to join in.
"Shut up. I didn't say 'oh so amazing' I just said…oh whatever." I
giggled and we just sat there laughing it up. Aretha came in to check
on us, and see if we needed anything.
"You kids up for ice cream?" Satchel raised his eyebrow.
"Mama, we're not kids anymore." Aretha smiled.
"Oh, excuse me Mr. Man." She mocked, and handedus each a bowl of
ice-cream. "-but you're never too old to eat ice-cream." I nodded in
agreement. I hadn't had this stuff in ages.
"Your moms right, though I'm not so sure you've grown out of that kid
phase yet, Satchel." Aretha laughed and disappeared out of the room.
We sat there in silence, eating ice cream for the next couple of
minutes, so I felt the need to strikeup a conversation.
"So, you and Sheeba huh..." He barked out a laugh.
"I knew you hadn't let that go." He teased. I shrugged spooning
moreice-cream in my mouth.
"Okay, so I'm a little jealous. Sue me." He chuckled.
"Not much to tell really. In fact, it only lasted as long as two
weeks." Oh. Feeling a little guilty because I was silently cheering.
"What happened." I tried to sound nonchalant.
He shrugged.
"Turns out she was tryingto lure me into the pack…her brothers pack."I
stopped eating, and raised my eyebrows in question, before Satchel
answered.
"Trench and Cairo are herolder brothers. She's also Cairo's twin."
"Wow! Really?" He nodded "When Trench formed The Pack; they were
searching for Pure-Breeds to strengthen their bloodline. When they
couldn't have me, they just took in strays for numbers." I frowned.
"But Sheeba seems so calm. She's really beautiful and good natured.
How does one like her, have Cairo as a twin brother?" He set ourbowls
down on the coffee table.
"It's all part of the façade.She's good at what she does. " I though
back to how Sheeba treated me, and for the company. I had a hard time
picturingher Cairo's twin. I frowned.
"Why do they want you in their pack so bad…aside from the Pure-breed
thing?" He took a while to answer, and then finally he cleared his
throat.
"Because I'm a Pure-breed, there's a ninety nine point nine percent
chance that my child would be one too. Regardless of who bears my
child, they'll be a werewolf. They sent Sheeba here in hopes that I
would claim her as my mate…but I'd already set my eyes on someone
else." He pointedly looked at me with his startling eyes. I bit my
lips, trying to ignore the way my heart fluttered under his gaze.
"God! This just gets worstdoesn't it?" I sighed, resting my head back
on his chest and studied the ceiling. My thoughts reeling about what
I'd been through lately, and I was rather getting a little sleepy. I
felt the gentle strokes of Satchel's hands in my hair, and it soothed
my like some kind of lullaby.
"You know, it's kind of funny…I used to dream up what kind of life I
would've had if I'd stayedhere and lived my life as a country girl.
What kind of life I was missing if I'd never lived with Grams."But
never had I thought that my life could be like this: A human by day, a
werewolf by night. And to tell you the truth? I wish I stayed and
learnedall of this earlier…I mean regardless of what I've been through
since coming here, I think I'd have a better life here than I would in
the superficial world I had in New York."
"I had the same dream." He murmured in my ear. Iturned a little so I
could see him better.
"I'm sorry I left."
"So am I."
Satchel and I must've fallen asleep, because I woke up in the middle
ofthe night, and the flames had completely died down so that a few
embers lit up the ashes.
Waking up in Satchel's arms was something close to what pure ecstasy
was like, but watching him, sleep made me see him in a new light. His
worried frown had disappeared, save for his long eyelashes that
flirted with his angular cheekbones. His hair loose teasing his face,
while the steady breathing coming from his perfect pouted lips made it
all the more mesmerizing.
He seemed vulnerable somehow…like a sleeping jaguar with no care in
the world. I didn'twant to move for fear of waking him up. He'd been
through a lot, and his exhaustion had finallytaken its toll. I
couldn't say the same about me though, after all, I'd just found out I
may have to live the rest of my life as someone else's mate.
Why didn't you claim me?I thought, as I let my eyesroam Satchel's face.
I would've said yes. I sighed and kissed him lightly on his chin, and
I shifted my legs so that I could get up. I really needed to use the
bathroom. After successfully getting up without waking him, I tiptoed
to the bathroom ignoring the pain in my side. I was still in his
oversized shirt, and I smiled, pulling the collar up to my nose and
inhaled his scent. His aftershave skimmed my nose, and the faint scent
of pure Satchel meddled in between. He smelt like nature.
I used the bathroom, andlooked myself in the mirror. I hadn't seen
myself in almost a month.My honey colored eyes seemed haunted now, and
the worry lines on my forehead more prominent. Even my re-growths
started making an appearance atthe roots of my hair.
Ugh! I look disgusting. I had to remind myself to dye my hair back to
its natural color. If I even, get the chance. Because blond with
brunette re-growths were plainly unattractive.
I decided to have a shower, reluctantly having to part with Satchel's
shirt, and as soon as I stepped under the seductive heat, my wounds
stung all over.
I hissed from the pain. The wound I'd gotten from the bullet flushed
my abdomen with pink and it stung badly. Even the angry red claw
markson my shoulder still tingled where Cairo had marked it.
My feet were the same, achy and visible calluses. I ended up sitting
down because I was so exhausted to stand, letting the surge beat down
on my back as my thoughts consumed me.
I was remembering whenTrench and the pack had taken me, and marked me
with his scent, holding me between his teeth as he took what wasn't
given to him.
I wasn't his, I didn't belong to him, I would never ever claim him as
amate. It was wrong in every sense of the word, and he should pay for
holding me captive for those frightening two weeks.
Those two weeks felt liketwo years at the time. I thought I would
never get away from them. At the time, I feared for my life. I
shuddered and I rested my chin on my knees, hugging them close to me.
My tears mingled with the droplets of water, as I sat there in mere
shock.
I'd held it all in, for Satchel's case because I didn't want him to
worry, and I finally let it all go in the privacy of this small
bathroom.
I must have sat there for hours, because I was vaguely aware of the
water turning off, and a towel wrapping around me. I looked up out of
blurry eyes to see Aretha Heins.
"Come on, child. Let's get you dressed." I reluctantly found my feet,
and followed her as she wheeled to her room.
She clicked the door shut,and wheeled over to her dresser, rummaging
through it, pulling out various of items for me tochoose from, so that
her bed was strewn with different colored clothes.
"I kept all my clothes from when I was your age. You'll bound to find
something that fits." I smiled at her for the kindgesture.
"Thank you, Mrs. Heins." She waved a hand.
"Don't be silly, call me Aunt Retha. Oh and I got something for you."
She opened her top drawer and pulled out a box of hair dye with a
model in front with brunette hair.
"-It's actually a color mousse to strip your hair from any harsh
products such as dye. Figured you'd want to show off your natural
beauty." I gave her a genuine smile.
"This is…where did you get this?" She smiled.
"I have my sources."
"Thank you. You shouldn't have." She rubbed my back.
"Happy belated birthday, Willow." She exited the room, leaving me to
the likes of her clothes, and privacy. I used the connecting bathroom,
as I lathered the mousse into my hair. Sure enough, when I washed it
out, the blonde color ofmy hair washed down the drain leaving my
hairin a brunette wavy mess.
I looked in the mirror to study my face. I looked different, younger
like I was five years old again. My face looked paler, andmy eyes
looked a little tawny.
My cheekbones more dominant, even my chin seemed a little sharper. I
left my hair out to dry, as I shrugged on a white summer dress, since
the rest of the clothes seemed to look a little too over the wear and
tear expiry mark. This dress however seemed like it hadn't seen enough
summer days.
A rapping sounded at thedoor, and I turned around to see Derryn waltz
in the room with a huge smile. Her reddish brown curls bounced around,
as her green eyes beamed up at me. She looked like she'd justwoken up.
"Willy!" She ran toward me and hugged me. Nearly taking me down to the
floor. I tried my hardest not to wince, butthe pain was still there.
"You're back! You're back! I knew you would come back!" She burrowed
her head into my stomach, and I smiled,stroking her curls out of her
face. .
"Nice to see you too Derryn." She pulled back and her smile only got wider.
"You're a wolf now! I can smell it!" I reluctantly nodded. I sat down
on the edge of the bed, and she burrowed right next to me.
"Mommy said I have to wait for my seventeenth birthday for my time,
but I can't wait that long. I want to be a wolf now." My eyes lit up
in surprise.
"You're a carrier too?" She nodded.
"Daddy said I'm red wolf. He's seen it happen to me…same with Satchel
being Black Wolf. Daddy even envisioned his own death."
She talked about wolves, and death like it was the most natural thing
in the world. Sometimes I forgot she was a seven-year-old girl. I
loved her like my own little sister.
"You wanna know a secret?" She whispered, leaning in to me for my ears only.
"I love secrets." I said, matching her whisper. She smiled.
"Daddy said Satchel with fall in love with Snow white. He was never
wrong." I frowned.
"As in the fairytale girl, Snow white?" She shrugged, with a
devioussmile on her face.
"Maybe." She said lightly, as she tugged me by that arm, steering me
out of the room.