Chapter 335

Slowly, I shake my head. Because even if my grandmother hadn’t forbidden it, I still know that it’s true. That I still want Luca – he’s still my mate.

Jackson nods, closing his eyes just for a moment, processing it. And I feel the hurt swelling down the bond, but also feel him shutting it down, not wanting to let me feel that. Not wanting me to feel guilt.

I sigh, wiggling a little so that I rest lower against Jackson’s body, resting my head on his chest, tucked beneath his chin. He tightens his arms.

“Even if…even if I gave you my mark, though, Ariel…it wouldn’t have been right. Your scent would have changed, and everyone would have known, and people would have figured out that you’re a girl. It would have been a big deal – and you have so much on your plate already.”

I sigh, nodding, knowing that he’s right.

Still, my wolf bares her teeth, disappointed. Our mark, she growls, inwardly, just to me. We need it. Want it. Ours.

I murmur softly to her, stroking a hand over her fur, even though I feel precisely the same. I mean, I know Jackson’s right, but a very fervid part of me wants to just tell everyone else to go fuck themselves. He’s my mate – I want his mark, my mark. Why on earth are we tiptoeing around everyone else to get it?

“Hey,” Jackson says softly, worried, drawing my attention back up to him.

I lift my scowling face to meet his and his eyes crinkle into a soft smile.

“I love you,” he says, cupping my cheek in his palm. “I am so in love with you, Ariel. You don’t need to worry - I promise, I’ll give it to you. But…maybe this is enough for today?”

“You’d better give it to me,” I snarl, snapping my teeth at him and giving him a playful shove, making him laugh. “I just…love you a lot, Jacks. I know everything you said is right. I just…” I sigh. “I really want it.”

“Bossy little wolf,” Jackson murmurs, suddenly snatching me up and rolling me so that I sprawl over his chest. I laugh, cheered a bit, sitting up a little so that I can grin down at him. “Very greedy too, wanting to lose your virginity and get a mark in one day? Honestly, Ariel, save something for the future –“

“Jackson!” I shout, laughing, giving his shoulder a hard shove as I sit up fully and straddle his hips, smacking him on the chest. “You are being so withholding! Making me beg for sex, beg for a mark! The Goddess is going to smite you for turning me into a sniveling little sex supplicant –“

He roars with laughter, grabbing for me, pulling me close, but I resist – continuing to smack him and call him names. A scuffle ensues, which Jackson of course wins – rolling me in the sheets until I’m pinned back against the mattress.

Which, honestly, I don’t mind. Not at all.

Still, I pout, petulant, and wiggle my body beneath him, making him clench his jaw in order to focus and maintain his glare.

“Fine,” I snap, snarling playfully back and holding one finger up to his mouth. “Just give me a mini mark.”

“What?” he asks, his face breaking as he grins down at me. “What the hell is a mini mark?”

“Just like a teeny tiny little mark!” I burst out, grinning playfully up at him, “here, on my finger, where no one will notice it!”

“Ariel!”

“Jackkkks,” I moan, letting my head tilt back in despair. “You never give me any marks and I ask so nicely! How can you deny me a little tiny miniature mark that no one will ever see or notice but which I can have because I love you so much and -”

“Fine, fine,” he grumbles, giving in. I grin up at him, placated when I see him part his lips, his canines already extended. The sight of him so dangerous and feral makes heat again start to spread in my core. Then he leans gently forward, first kissing my proffered index finger softly and then nipping it, just barely, with one razor-sharp point.

I jump a little at the sudden pain but then burst into a grin as I observe the tiny little line of blood, the barely-visible edge of the cut.

“Happy now?” he asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Yup,” I say, turning back to him with a big grin. “I like it when you let me win. And I love my mini mark.”

Jackson laughs again, dipping his lead low to lick at the little drop of blood, and then rolls again to his side so that our bellies are pressed together. I sigh happily and drop my hand, feeling my wolf healing already at work on the cut.

Jackson growls comfortably, cuddling me close and nudging my chin aside so he has access again to my neck. “When I give you my mark for real,” he murmurs, “I’m putting it right here.” He presses a kiss, then, to that special spot low on my neck. And I shiver with delight and anticipation, again wanting it now – right now.

I bite my lip, looking at Jackson with hazy eyes, slinging my leg up over my hip. “How long does it take?” I whisper.

“For what?” he murmurs, already moving closer.

“For you to be like…ready again.” I laugh a little, not knowing how to say it.

“Oh,” he sighs, pretending to consider it as he brings his mouth close. “Just about…this long.” And then my mate kisses me and turns me over again in the sheets. As always with Jacks, I’m immediately lost to him.

A few hours later, Jacks and I are all cleaned up and much more composed. We took an actual shower, complete with washed hair this time, and changed the sheets, made the bed, and put on our clothes. Indeed, if it weren’t for the fact that we can’t stop touching each other, and that Jackson won’t let me step further than an arm’s length away from him, I honestly think we’re doing a pretty good job of pretending that nothing happened.

But when Daphne’s steps into the room first, and her eyes immediately catch on mine and flare, I know that she knows.

“Oh no,” I say, dropping the pen I’m holding as I sit in Jackson’s lap and work on some chemistry homework. “Is it that obvious?”

Daphne bursts into a grin. “Only to me, I think!” she says, squealing and dashing across the room to me, her hands out. I climb out of Jackson’s lap and take her hands, looking anxiously around.

“But we made the bed – and we showered and everything –“

“No, it’s just you!” Daphne says, happy, wrapping me up in her arms. “You looked so happy, all curled up in his lap, I can tell that you’re closer – I just knew –“

“I’m going to…go pretend that I heard the dumbwaiter bell,” Jackson murmurs awkwardly, standing and wandering over towards the little door.

“No mark, though?” Daphne asks, leaning forward and pulling at my collar.

“No,” I scowl, tilting my head so she can see my bare neck. “We decided – well he decided – that the timing wasn’t right.”

“Oh well,” she says, shrugging and dismissing the point. “There’s time. Was it good?”

“I’m still here!” Jackson calls, even as he opens the dumbwaiter door and needlessly peers inside.

I nod eagerly and wrinkle my nose at my friend, tugging her over to the couch. “Do you think the others will know?”

“No, boys are oblivious,” she says, coming with me. But then she hesitates, glancing at the door. “They should be back soon, though – we got word that the Games were complete. And…” she hesitates, grimacing a little. “That…the guys in charge are pissed. Does your being back early enough to have one hell of an afternoon have something to do with that?”

“Kinda,” I say, scrunching my nose and shrugging.

“She doesn’t mean ‘kinda,’” Jackson says, wandering back over now that he senses the conversation is safe and sitting next to me on the couch, wrapping an arm around me and gently pulling me back to rest against him. “She means absolutely, she started a shit storm, defied everyone’s direct orders, and might get us kicked out of school.”

Daphne gasps, but then her face breaks into a big smile. “Fun!”

Jackson and I laugh as he shakes his head at her. “You certainly found the right friends, Daph, if this is your definition of fun.”

Daphne grins at him but we all turn towards the door as it opens, all of our gigantic Alpha friends starting to spill through it. I smile a little, not missing the fact that Jesse is the first one through the door and Daphne is immediately across the room and in his arms. He laughs, hugging her close and cheerfully asking how she is as Tony, Luca, Ben, and Rafe spill into the room after him.

“What happened!?” I gasp, desperate to know, sitting up a little and peering around at everyone.

“All hail the returning champion!” Ben says, laughing and turning to gesture at Rafe, giving an elaborate bow as he does. “The singular winner of both Games 1 and 2!”

I shout with joy and congratulations, but even my voice fades as I see that Rafe does not look very happy for a returning champion.

That his face actually falls slack as he looks around the room and sees his cousin talking excitedly to Daphne, an arm around her waist, gazing happily down into her pretty blue eyes.