MARLOW
That day, I’m standing on the porch of my new house, purchased at a truly insane pace.
The last three days have been incredible. After Blue called me, I called the bastard, Rupert, and said to him that I’m staying in Rainbow Springs.
He took it pretty well and dryly informed me that he was returning to the facility because he had ‘unfinished business’ there.
Then I talked with Mr. Davos cautiously, asking for the house price… and it was surprisingly affordable! He even let me spend the night there so I could, as he put it, get used to the idea of living there.
The house exceeds my dreams, and the fact that it’s surrounded by an orchard is just… the cherry on top, pun intended.
Since yesterday, I’ve been impatiently waiting for news from Blue’s lawyer, and today it finally arrived.
I’ve been standing on the porch for two hours straight, staring at this road, my eyes moist from intense focus, waiting impatiently.
Yes, I know! I jumped onto this shaky path of life at a crazy pace, made impulsive decisions, but rarely have I ever been so certain of something.
My own little house, my own monster. One who loves and cherishes me, and now he’s coming to stay.
I barely remember the moment he hugs me because it takes my breath away and makes my head spin.
They got him back!
They tore him out of that damn facility, and he can be mine now. My very own, but properly tamed monster, aka… mantis shifter!
The attorney says goodbye soon afterward, leaving behind a copy of Fenn's contract with Blue before driving away.
Fenn and I are left alone on our new property. He looks around for a moment, but really he just wants to hold my hand, so we sit together on a comfortable bench outside the house, and he keeps looking at my face with disbelief and admiration.
There’s only one thing that keeps distracting me, the delicious smell drifting through the air. I glance down and spot a package lying on the path.
"What’s that?"
Fenn blushes. "Well, I promised you ham at first, but it was an insult to a cat as amazing as you. So I brought you a more proper treat instead: French paté!"
I burst out laughing as he picks up the package and unwraps it. Good Fate, that smell. My senses instantly come alive, and I’m already leaning in, ready to start stuffing bite after bite into my mouth, but I quickly get my inner cat under control.
"Okay, thank you, I’ll eat that in a minute because first…" I cock my head. "There are more important things." I grin at him and give him a wink.
Fenn chuckles and nods. "Yeah, there are."
Then his expression turns serious.
He takes a deep breath and speaks, with a certain solemnity
"Thank you for fighting for me, Marlow. You’re the only person in the entire world who has ever fought for me. I promise you that whatever life throws at us, I’ll fight for you too, always."
My heart trembles with happiness because I know, absolutely know, that what he’s saying is true. I can feel him now so clearly that it’s almost like reading his thoughts, and there’s a very specific reason for that: what he said at the airport.
I guess I already sensed it before, not fully consciously, but now I actually allow myself to believe it:
Yes, we’re fated mates.
I've spent a lot of hours mulling over this topic after everything that happened between us.
A key piece of information allowed me to finally solve the puzzle! He’s not a purple alpha after all, but a shifter like me.
It opened my eyes and unlocked a new way of looking at everything that’s happened between us, our strange pull, the fact that I was able to take away his pain, that I could instinctively find him in the forest, that I can almost read his emotions like an open book.
Finally, I let myself piece it all together, and I can’t reach any other conclusion.
The certainty fills me completely. My powerful longing, a deep belief in… us, despite all the obstacles. It all has an explanation.
Urban legends say that shifters can’t recognize each other as easily because, on a biological level, our genes are just too different. But our souls are still part of the same whole… and they slowly connect, slowly merge, overcoming the barrier of those differences, and weaving a Bond.
And, as another proof, Fenn Drax is practically reading my mind even now.
"Almost from the moment I touched you, and smelled your scent, even if diluted by a pheromone blocker, I knew it was you or no one," he whispers. "We're destined to be together by Fate, I just feel it."
I smile knowingly. "It wasn’t easy for me to come to this conclusion because of my false assumption about you being a purple alpha.
So it all happened almost subconsciously.
I rarely called it by name, but I felt it too, even when I wanted to leave the damned facility, I simply couldn't. I’ve never…
experienced that kind of Pull toward anyone before.
Like some powerful magnet was drawing us together.
So yes, I do believe we are fated, Fenn. "
A moment of silence passes, emotions hanging in the air, and then I have to say it.
"But even if we weren’t, I still want to give us a chance. I just have this odd but strong faith in us!"
Fenn tilts his head.
"It’s confusing, I admit. Normal AOs have the First Orgasm when they make love and their soul merges; this is their confirmation, but as it seems, we shifters do not… which may be discouraging. Still, I just know, Marlow. I simply know."
There is another moment of silence.
"Fenn," I take a deep breath, "I also want to thank you. You fought for me too. Even after you had to realize I left with Rupert, it had to feel like a betrayal. But you refused to give up. I’m so grateful to you for chasing after me to that damn airport.
I was devastated and so lost. And you stopped me from making the worst mistake of my life. "
Fenn gently strokes the back of my hand with his thumb.
"Oh, Marlow, of course. I couldn’t let you go. I would follow you to the end of the world."
I hesitate for a moment. I want him to know that I’m expecting twins. That’s going to be pretty crazy… two children, and on top of that, they aren’t his. That’s a heavy burden for any relationship, maybe even a fated one.
Yet somehow Fenn knows exactly what I’m thinking, again. Could our Bond already be so strong? We haven’t even bitten each other’s glands yet, and still something is developing between us, an almost wordless understanding.
"Marlow, I will love your kid. I know that’s what worries you. But he’ll be part of you."
"They’re… twins, Fenn." I just blurt it out. "My feline shifter nature probably had something to do with that," I add, watching his face for any sign of discomfort, any grimace, but there’s nothing. He just takes it and accepts it immediately.
"Oh, baby, congratulations… that’s wonderful news. I know how much you wanted children, and this is your dream coming true. Nothing could be more important than that! And I’ll do everything to be the best father I can be for them. Blood doesn’t make a family. Love does."
I stare into his purple eyes. I can feel his sincerity, his happiness, and his complete embrace of me and the kids, and I know I have to be honest too.
"That’s true. Blood doesn’t make a family. There’s something I want to tell you. You could say I want to come clean."
And again, that magical, almost telepathic connection!
Fenn closes his eyes.
"I know what you want to say, but you don’t have to explain yourself. I know how that program worked. I have no right to expect that you and Rupert never—"
I cut him off with a frantic wave of my hands.
"That’s exactly why I want to tell you the truth.
I didn’t sleep with him, Fenn. Not even once!
What happened was a sexual assault. The day I came back after you and I had sex for the first time, he seemed to lose his mind.
His kink is sharing his partner and being fascinated by the taste of another man’s jizz… "
Fenn stares at me with wide eyes, clearly not understanding where I’m going with this. I sigh because it’s so cringeworthy to talk about.
"He was really turned on by the fact that I’d just had sex with you. He pinned me to the bed, but first he tased me—"
"Holy fucking shit!" Fenn jumps to his feet, his face twisting with rage.
"That disgusting asshole! Just let me get my hands on him—"
"Wait! Please listen—"
"Marlow, was it my pheromones? Did they trigger the assault?" His eyes widen as he realizes something.
I let out a sigh. "Please, let me finish! Rupert came on my ass; he didn’t put it in. But the moment he was done, I jumped up and beat the shit out of him. He ended up unconscious in the hospital. So you could say I got my revenge. He spent two days recovering and had a mild concussion."
Fenn lets out a long breath.
"Whew… good. Oh, if I ever got my hands on him, he’d end up in pieces! You did the right thing. He deserved it, even if he was triggered, it’s no excuse! I know for a fact people can actually stop themselves, if they have enough self-control. But Rupert… What a revolting piece of trash!"
He sits back down beside me and pulls me against him for a moment. My head settles on his shoulder, where his gland still bears no bite marks, which starts to bother me for some reason.
"It’s okay now. I gave him a solid beating. I won’t deny it felt satisfying!"
Fenn lifts his hand and runs his fingers through my hair, ruffling it gently.
"My goodness… I had no idea you went through something like that. I’m really sorry, Marlow."
He studies my face as if wanting to make absolutely sure I’m okay.
"I’ve already gotten it out of my system."
A moment of hesitation crosses his face. He glances toward the colorful flower beds and speaks almost shyly.
"I hope you don’t want him to be part of the picture. When it comes to the children, he doesn’t deserve to have any contact with them."
"To be honest, I think so too. We’ll see how everything plays out. He definitely isn’t the kind of father my children deserve."