Already Marked (completed)

Why are you running?

He came back a minute later, completely dressed. "See why I needed to show you?"

I nodded yes and stepped closer to him. "So the thing is," he started talking while also closing the distance between us. "Werewolves have things called mates," Soon I had my arms around his neck and his were around my waist. I rested my forehead on his chest, his chin on top of my head. "Kind of like soul mates... And you're mine."

I listened to the steady beat of his heart. "Ok. Well what does that mean for us? For me?" I pulled back and looked up into his eyes.

"Well specifically it means you and I are meant to be together, forever." He squeezed me tighter when he said forever. "It also means I'm going to change you into a werewolf, and you will be part of my pack."

Still looking into his eyes, "how do you do that?"

He let out another nervous chuckle, while also avoiding my eyes, "well first I bite you," his eyes moved to stare at my neck, "on the neck. Then" his eyes started to shift around again, "we seal it with... uh," he looked right into my eyes "with mating."

It took me a second, but then I understood what he was talking about. "I...I uh" I stumbled around my words trying to figure out what to say. I pulled back from his grasp, but he held onto me. "I'm not ready for any of that." I shook my head back and forth. I looked back into his eyes, "I love you Darren, I do. But I'm not ready for all this. Just seeing you change and finding out you are a werewolf is so much to handle. I still need to get used to that idea. Plus we are going to start our senior year. I... can I wait until after we graduate?"

A smile had spread across his face in the middle of my spiel. "Of course. For you I could wait forever." Then he leaned down and covered my lips with his.

I pulled up outside the small one room apartment Darren and I got together. Instead of going inside I sat in my car trying to work out all my thoughts and feelings.
Why do I feel this way around Josh? I wondered. It's how I feel around Darren but stronger, more of a raw and uncontrollable emotion. And how can I fall in love with someone I just met? I don't believe in love at first sight. I mean... well true Darren had told me about mates and how they fall in love almost instantly, but he said I'm his mate. He just waited longer, a little over a year, only because he didn't want me to freak out. But... if what I felt today is what mates feel... how could he have restrained himself so long? And does that mean Josh is my... I shook my head. No impossible. Darren is my mate. I am marked by him and no one will take me away from him.

My hand slowly drifted to the bite mark on my neck that was proof I was Darren's.

I let out a sigh. All these thoughts were making my head hurt. And besides that, if I didn't get out of the car soon Darren was going to start to worry.

I walked inside and saw Darren staring down at his text book with papers spread across the entire surface of our small dining room table.

"Wow, only the first week and they got you swamped?"

He let out a low chuckle. "Not quite. The paper isn't due for two weeks. I'm just trying to stay ahead of the game." he put down his pen and looked at me, smile brightening his face, "and how was your day?"

I could feel myself heat up at such a little question. I never was good at lying, or keeping secrets. "It was fine." which it was... Mostly.

"Are you sure?" His eyebrow arched.

I knew he could tell. He could always tell. "Yes. I'm sure." I lied again.

He frowned. "Well, ok. I have a pizza in the oven. It should be done in just a couple of minutes."