Unforgivable

Sage slept like a baby, something that hadn’t happened in years. Having Mara in his arms was everything he had wanted but never dared to hope for. He watched her sleep before he himself fell into a quiet, restful sleep. His last thoughts were that he wanted to go to sleep like this every night. The question would be how to convince Mara to move to his room and how long it would take. In his mind they already had too much time to catch up on. Although he would never push her to do something she didn’t want to do.

Sage was awakened by Mara leaving his arms.

“Where are you going?” He asked her, his voice heavy with sleep.

“We’re not alone. I heard someone’s footsteps. Stay here, I’m going to go check.” Mara whispered, buttoning Sage’s shirt hiding her naked body. Since Mara was small, it was above her knee.

Like he was going to stand there while she went to look! No way! He didn’t know who it was, so there was no risk to be taken. Putting on his boxer shorts, he trotted behind to join her. They were walking towards the beach about 300 feet from Sage’s field. A young woman, who looked about their age, was waiting for them there. She was dressed strangely in seashells. Sage had never seen her before and her smell was unique and intriguing. Mara ran to her, clearly she knew herself.

“Dakini! You’ve come back. How did it go?” Mara told her.

“Mars wants to talk to you directly. I assume you’re Sage. Amaia told me you two kissed but it freaked you out. Apparently it’s working out for the best.” Dakini tells her matter-of-factly.

“This is a new development.” Mara muttered.

“So I’m the first to know. Cool! I don’t see a mark though. Why didn’t you mark her?” Dakini asked Sage.

Sage thought Mara was sometimes too direct but this Dakini was even worse! He wouldn’t have thought it possible. It was as if she had no idea of normal social rules.

“I asked him to wait. I’m still processing all this, us. It’s all new. Besides, we haven’t even talked about ‘us’ yet.” Mara answered in Sage’s place.

“You’re mates and you’re giving each other a second chance. I don’t see what’s needing to discuss.” Dakini stated.

Mara turned to Sage and clarified, “In Dakini’s home community, mates don’t exist. Well on her mother side they do have mates but they aren't exclusive. Moreover, she considers herself as part of her father tribe. She finds the idea to have one and only love very romantic, which has earned her much mockery from her siblings. Nevertheless, she is the only one in her family to have inherited her father’s ability to shift, so they are all jealous.”

“What are you?” Sage asked her curiously.

Dakini visually asked for Mara’s approval before answering, “A Hybrid, my mother is a mermaid and my father an killer whale.”

That explains her somewhat salty, oceanic smell, Sage thought.

“I didn’t know there were killer whales shifters.” He exclaimed.

“No, her father is a killer whale who can shift into a human. She is not human. Having inherited the gifts of both her parents, she attracts covetousness and her uncle has already tried several times to broker deals in exchange for breeding with her. Nevertheless her attraction to the land and to mates, makes me hope that she has a mate somewhere.” Mara explained.

It was really disturbing to be in front of two women who were talking openly about each other’s problems without any discomfort. Sage felt really awkward.

“Mars wants to see you now. You know his legendary patience.” Dakini refocused the discussion.

“You’re right. I better not keep him waiting. I just need to warn Orion.” Mara muttered.

“Yeah, I know how he is...” Dakini agreed.

“I’ll have him inform Julian, he needs to mask your scent.” Mara added.

Sage watched her as she mindlinked Orion.

“He’s with Aaron. They’re on their way. I’m going now.” She stated.

Sage felt her hesitation, she didn’t know if she could kiss him or not. He wanted to kiss her but had questions.

“Where exactly are you going?” He inquired.

“To talk to Mars.” She replied pointing to the ocean.

“What?!” Sage frowned.

“We need him to protect our pack members who can’t fight. Mason knows exactly where our safe rooms are. That’s where he’ll attack first. We need to hide them, out of his reach.” Mara explained throught the mindlink. Suspicious as always, she didn't want to say it out loud.

As she stepped out into the ocean, the water parted, clearing a path for her. Within seconds Mara had completely disappeared and the water had returned to its place.

“Who exactly is Mars?” Sage asked Dakini.

“My uncle.”

“The same one who wants to use you as a breeder in return for deals with allies.”

“The same one... But don’t worry she knows how to handle him and he loves Mara.”

After 15 minutes, Sage was starting to panic and Dakini hadn’t helped him at all when she tried to reassure him. The arrival of Orion and Aaron a few minutes later was a relief. A short-lived relief considering the puzzling reaction of his Beta.

“Don’t look at her!” Aaron ordered him, while removing his shirt.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Sage exclaimed.

“Stop looking at her! And you cover yourself!” Aaron growled, throwing his shirt at Dakini.

“What?” She frowned, catching Aaron’s shirt.

“I don’t need it.” She added, trying to hand Aaron’s shirt back. She gasped as her hand touched Aaron’s chest. She felt a sort of electric current pass through.

“What is that?” She questioned.

“That, Daki, is the sparks two mates feel. Mara was right to think you’d end up with a mate. Let me introduce you properly: Dakini this is Aaron, the Beta of the pack. Aaron, this is Dakini. Daki I’ll let you explain to him what you are.” Orion explained, looking amused.

“Can’t you feel it?” Aaron asked Dakini.

“My people don’t have destined mates, we rarely share our lives with one partner. But I have always dreamed of this. I feel the sparks when I touch you” And she touched him again to prove what she was saying, “And you’re hot as hell but that’s it.”

“Oh...” Aaron replied, disappointment evident in his tone.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you. I want you to know that I’ve always dreamed of having a mate and I’ve been teased a lot for it. It’s just that even though I hoped for it, I didn’t think it was possible... Please don’t reject me.” Dakiti told him.

“What an absurd idea! I would never reject you! I am not disappointed in you, on the contrary... It’s just that I’ve only just met you and everything about you is driving me crazy. I have to fight my wolf not to mark you right away and I don’t really want to fight because let’s be honest you are mine, my beauty and the sooner I can claim you the better.”

Dakini smiled, “I have no problem with that, you can mark me now, we can even mate too.”

“That kind of thing is more for privacy Daki.” Orion chuckled.

“Okay. Where do you live?” Dakini asked Aaron, who was still gawking at his mate’s reaction. He wasn’t going to complain, on the contrary.

“Dakini, Julian has to mask your smell first. No one can know what you are,” Orion warned her.

“You know how I’ve always dreamed of having a mate. No way, I’m passing on this chance!” Dakini replied, annoyed.

Aaron was flattered by her reaction and even excited to have such an eager mate. He couldn’t wait to get to know her better. Julian appeared a few seconds later and Dakini hastened to explain the situation to him. He agreed to teleport them to Dakini’s house and pick them up the next day in the late afternoon. Aaron, who had not been asked, was more than happy to escape with his beautiful mate.

Once alone with Orion, Sage asked him: “Is it normal that it takes so long? He’s not dangerous, is he?”

Orion smiled, “Don’t worry she’s safe with him. Mars is an asshole but he adores Mara.”

“I don’t find that reassuring... He is that she has a mate at least?” Sage interjected, frustrated.

“Don’t worry, the only one who has a chance with Mara is you. Besides, I take it from your mixed scents that your date went well.” Orion smirked.

“Yeah, the night was perfect... On the other hand, she asked me to wait to mark her. I mean, I wouldn’t have done it without her approval.”

“You still have some things to find out about Mara. She wants to make sure you know everything before you take that step. Ask her what her tattoos mean. Besides, she’d told herself she’d never know love and in a way that made her feel better. She doesn’t like to feel vulnerable. And to love someone is to make yourself vulnerable to them. The fact that she spent the night with you is already a huge step for her. It makes me happy to see that she can’t resist you.” Orion clarified.

“Thank you for your help.” Sage was very grateful.

“All I want is her happiness. I do it for her.” Orion shrugged.