Big Bad Wolfie

***Maria's POV***

I grunted as they placed me onto the bed in front of Doc.

"That dog MARKED her?!" She gritted next to me, starting her examination.

"Yes, we're currently thinking of the most gruesome way possible to murder him. Do you have any suggestions?" Rose spoke matter-of-factly.

"I think I might have a few," Doc grumbled.

I rolled my eyes with an almost nonexistent smile, because it hurts to move anything.

They're not actually going to do that.

But I love them for wanting to.

It unfortunately didn't do much to fill the hole in my chest left by a certain alpha.

"Well, I can't do much for the mark," Doc said regrettably. "If I try to do anything like stitches, your body will most likely reject it and it'll just put you in more pain."

I feel like banging my head against the wall.

Mating marks are so freaking confusing and annoying.

And painful, apparently.

But that might just be me.

"How long until it's healed?" Brandon asked.

Doc sighed, "About a week, maybe longer."

All of our jaws dropped.

Ow.

"Why so long?" Rose questioned with a furrowed brow.

Doc shook her head, "A number of reasons. The sensitivity of the area, it has to remain open long enough to create a scar, and it's a way to force the mates together." She looked at me sadly. "Closeness with a mate makes it go faster, but. . . I don't think there's going to be much of that going on."

I almost laughed out loud, "No there is not," I rasped painfully.

She nodded. "... So! About your side, that will be healed in a day or two with stitches."

I tried to nod but froze, "Sounds good," I said instead.

"Oh, and I'm gonna give you something for your hand to help the scarring," Doc looked down at me, very unamused.

I chuckled nervously. She's referring to the one I sliced with a dagger. Oops.

This is going to be a long week.

~*~*~*~

I looked into the mirror after getting dressed for the day, and my eyes went straight to the mark on my neck.

The ugly thing is finally almost completely closed!

Though, it's being replaced by a possibly even uglier scar.

You can see, very clearly, where his canniness plunged in and how they were torn out.

Cute, right?

Anyway, I haven't seen him in more than a week. I've heard him fighting with Rose and Brandon outside my door. But he never usually gets past that point.

Last night though, while I was pretending to be asleep, I heard him sneak in.

Brandon and Rose must have figured he had given up because he hadn't been showing up lately and gone to get some rest.

I'm glad. They've been looking after me for the past week. They needed some sleep.

But I heard him ease the door open and tread lightly over to my bed. I stayed facing away from him with my eyes closed, trying not to let him know I'm awake. His scent made tears prick my eyes at the time.

I'm more hurt than I'll ever be angry.

I heard him sniffle from his place sitting behind me.

Is he... Is he crying?

I focused my sense of smell and found the saltiness of tears other than mine.

He's crying...

I had to hold my breath to prevent from making a sound of sadness.

This man confuses me so much.

He makes my heart hurt.

"I'm so sorry," his voice shook.

The tears escaped from my closed eyelids.

Why would he be pretending if he thinks I'm asleep?

Maybe he knows I'm faking it?

I felt his hand on my shoulder, and it took everything in me not to flinch. But his touch was gentle, and feather light. Almost like he was afraid I'd break.

He sniffled again. "I didn't mean to," he cried, "I swear."

I hate how crazy he makes me.

The one person I can't read, the Moon Goddess makes my mate.

"And Malaki," his voice broke, "as much he likes to come off as the tough guy, he didn't mean to either."

I could feel his hand shaking on my shoulder. "He didn't mean to hurt you," he repeated.

Malaki... that must be his wolf.

...I

Um...

F**k! Why do I want to forgive him so bad?!

His hand suddenly trailed to the exposed mark on my neck, and this time I couldn't help but stiffen.

His hand immediately froze.

Even though the touch was feather light, it triggered a chain reaction of fireworks and butterflies and everything nice. Only to remind me of everything I don't have.

I don't have stability. I don't have a symbol of love on my neck. I don't have a mate.

I don't have anything this mark is supposed to represent.

"If you're awake," I heard his voice the smallest it's ever been, "I hope someday I can earn your forgiveness."

I let out a shaky breath.

"And if you're asleep... There's no way you can stop me from doing this."

I felt him lean over, and for a second my mind went crazy over the worst possibilities, but everything went still when he placed his lips on my neck.

His lips were practically hovering, the touch was so gentle.

And for the first time in, however many days, I wasn't in pain.

The hurt completely vanished and was replaced by the best feeling I've ever felt.

I was starting to lull to sleep with the feeling of ecstasy comforting me and rapping around me like a cocoon.

Then it vanished and I jolted back awake.

It was like Wolfie pulled the rug out from under me when he pulled away.

He sighed, "Hopefully I'll see you tomorrow before I leave."

And now I'm standing in front of my mirror thinking about his last statement.

That means his team's heading on the hunt today.

And I already have a plan.

...Jason's POV...

"Let me through," I told Rose and Brandon at Maria's door.

Looks like they'er back at their post this morning.

No matter. Zach has been telling me to give her space - the only reason I haven't thrown their @sses back in the jails - but there's no way I'm leaving without saying goodbye. "Seb, Josh," I called the closest warrior wolves over. "Get them out of my way."

They immediately did as told and grabbed for Maria's friends.

"Hey!" Rose glared.

"You don't wanna do this," Brandon snarled.

Before long, there was a big commotion and the beginning of a fight in the middle of the hallway.

But the sound of the door opening and what followed shut everyone up, "Guys, it's fine."

Rose and Brandon glanced at Maria standing with her door open.

"Huh?" They both frowned at her.

She nodded. "Really, let him in."

She emphasized her point more by opening the door wider and stepping aside for me.

I wiped off my own confused expression and replaced it with a smirk towards Rose and Brandon.

I tried to saunter into her room over my apparent win, but guilt started gnawing at me the second she closed the door.

I turned to find her leaning against it with her head down.

The sight of her made me speechless, just like it did last night.

This girl will be the death of me.

"So..." She mumbled, not looking up and picking at the floor with the toe of her shoe.

"So..." I whispered back.

"I heard what you said last night. . ."

My heart skipped a beat.

Stop it, this doesn't mean she forgives you.

I took in a deep inhale.

"You did?" I answered back stupidly. "What... Um... What'd you think?"

"... I-I don't really know yet," she played with her hands.

'Well, that's not a definite 'I hate your guts'.'

You, shut up.

I nodded. "Well, um, I just came over to say goodbye."

She slowly looked up at me.

The look in her eyes made me week at the knees.

"You're leaving for the search?" She asked in a small voice.

I nodded.

Goddess, I want her in my arms.

She nodded back, "Well, I just wanted to say-

"No Maria," I said sternly, but then felt my heart soften. "I don't wanna fight today," I told her tiredly, looking into her beautiful green eyes.

I expected her to continue pushing, but instead she lowered her head, "Yeah, me neither." She looked back up, "I just wanted to say good luck," she smiled.

My heart melted, and I couldn't help myself. I ran up to her, scooped her up into a hug and planted big, firm kiss onto her lips.

After a second I placed her back down and beamed at her.

I'm finally getting through to her! She's finally excepting things!

You might not have ruined everything, Ki.

'Thank the goddess.'

Zach opened the door while I still had her in my arms. Both of our heads whipped in his direction.

"Oh," his eyebrows rose, "am I interrupting something?"

"No," I said at the same time Maria said, "Yes."

I looked down at her as my smile only grew. "I've gotta go, I'll see you soon," I told her pecking the top of her head without even thinking about it.

I walked out with Zach with a giddy feeling in my stomach.

So giddy, in fact, I forgot to lock the door.

We pulled up to our first destination in the bad part of open territory, along with the vampires and wolves from House Blue Blood and Night Hound Pack, the territories we're partnered with for the search.

"All right, everyone knows what they're looking for?" I questioned as one of the ones in charge.

Everyone nodded.

"Great, let's get going

-

"Wait for me!" I heard a very familiar female voice call from the van.

I froze.

Oh, she didn't.000000