8
Denzel
I took my little darkness into my room once the morning sunlight appeared on the west horizon. I cleared the back porch of the things used for our wonderful night, then I moved into nature to let my wolf out for a run. Silver was excited, as I was about marking our mate, although it was unplanned. True, all these experiences were still very new to us, but I enjoyed every bit of it. At some point, I was nervous about ruining everything by doing something entirely wrong, but thankfully, I didn’t.
My wolf hummed as he leapt over the log of wood, sprinting through the woods and drifting through the early morning breeze. We circled the pack territory and returned to the origin point, shifting into our human form.
“Mate!” My wolf purred with a yearning to be with him again.
“Patience, Silver. We have to let him rest.” I told him as we marched back to the entrance of the house through the backyard. I had to ensure I didn’t wake him in his sleep as I moved through the house as quietly as I could, going through the regular morning bathing and brushing. After I changed into my new clothes, I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Let’s not forget about my favorite thing—coffee.
First thing I had to do after breakfast was get Marion a suit for the unification ball, since we were already attending together. I drove to the pack’s boutique and bought a perfect match for him, then I returned home and hung it in my room, where he’d see it once he woke up. I left to attend to my duties of the day with the Beta. I was no longer part of the patrol team of werewolves. But I still contributed so much to the wellbeing of the pack. I was also among the wolves in charge of the housing construction for the new wolf shifters that had recently joined our home.
We finished the new houses as quickly as possible so the wolves would have a better place to live, and in celebration of our hard work, the pack was hosting the unification ball. An event my wolf and I were excited to attend because of our mate. Other than that, I truly appreciated the effort that Logan and Frey put into the wellbeing of the pack, ensuring the restoration of peace amongst the wolf bloods. The unification ceremony was a change of everything—witches and wolf shifters reunited once small, like old times. Some would love to call it the beginning of a new age. This was something the moon goddess herself blessed since she was now pairing werewolves and witches as mates.
Towards evening, I returned home and prepared for the ball. I dressed up in my black tuxedo, gelled my hair, and walked downstairs when I heard a commotion in the living room. It was Marion, and he was completely stunned by what he saw. You could say I took his breath away, and my wolf couldn’t stop prowling excitedly in my head, taking the credit for his reaction. “Better thank me.” My wolf said, and I rolled my eyes at his words.
“Please don’t flatter yourself, Silver. You should thank me.” I replied to him.
I pulled Marion into a hug, savoring every moment of our embrace. It still came as a shock that the presence of this beautiful man pushed the buttons of emotions in me. Considering how things went down with my former mate, I didn’t think I would ever look at someone and imagine just how much I was in love with them. Yes, I was in love with Marion, much more than I had ever loved anyone my entire life. And it was all for him. He belonged to me and I belonged to him. Heart, body, and soul.
I let him go, just when I inhaled a lungful of his scent, closed my eyes and exhaled deeply. I reopened my field of vision, taking in the view of his beautiful features. He looked absolutely gorgeous. “Moan like that again, and I’ll have to take you right here on the couch.” I tightened my grip around his waist. He leaned on my forehead and breathed, “I would love you to, but we’d be late. Come on, let me go, so I can bath and dress up for the ball.”
“Go.” I left him, and he hurried upstairs.
Not too long, he returned downstairs, ready and dashingly irresistible for me. A possessive rasp spurted from my throat, and my eyes gained their golden color when he walked up to me. I had never seen him like this. Maybe it was my eyes or maybe he just got even more beautiful every passing second. I couldn’t keep my hands off him. He was all mine tonight and I couldn’t wait to eat him. You could say he took my breath away as well.
I took his hands, and we headed off to the ball in a beige CUV. It wasn’t a long distance from our home, but since we were already running late, we had to take the car. We arrived at the venue, and I squeezed the vehicle into the parking spot, which was already occupied by different cars of several sizes. I turned off the engine and glanced at Marion, who had a nervous look on his face. “Please don’t read my mind.” He murmured.
“Is anything the matter?”
“Yes. It’s just... people might talk about being with the Luna’s father.”
“Let them talk. I personally enjoy hearing about my very own fan fiction. Or don’t you love fan fictions?” I questioned. He stifled a peal of laughter, looking at me with excitement in his eyes.
“Just shut up, Denzel.” Marion chuckled.
We both alighted from the vehicle and headed straight to the venue. I snaked my hands around him, snarling at those who would dare to look at us in the wrong way. We walked into the large hall and saw wolf bloods and witches evenly scattered across the hall, in groups, with wine glasses in hand, talking with one another. “How are you feeling?”
“Great actually. So we should probably talk about leaving the pack for a while. Are you sure about it? You want to come with me?”
“What kind of mate would I be if I left you on your own?” I answered and took two wineglasses from the server, passing one to him.
“It’s going to be dangerous, you know, and I don’t want you…”
“Seriously, Marion. Please drop this. I already told you. I’m not leaving you on your own,” I said, hoping not to sound harsh. “Now come on, let’s meet my daughter. She’s over there.” I pointed toward the ranked wolves standing at the far end of the hall. With a smile, I glanced at Marion and took his hands, and we both traipsed over to the Alpha and Luna. I tilted my head in submission to Frey and his mate and my daughter pulled me into an embrace. “Dad, please, no need for the formalities,” she smiled. “Marion,” she also hugged him, and he grinned. “It’s nice to have you both here.”
“Thank you, Luna.” He was finishing when the Alpha turned toward us.
“Denzel.” He said and took my hands in a solid handshake.
“Alpha.” Marion added as well.
“Welcome to the unification ball. Both of you.”
“Thank you.” Marion and I said almost together. He glanced at me and used the telepathic communication to inform me he would be with the witches across the hall. “Excuse me.” He said to us and sauntered away.
“Congratulations on the progress you’ve made, Alpha. Who would have thought?”
“Hmm. We’ve all made the progress together, Denzel.” He replied and raised his glass, clicking it and getting the attention of all the wolf shifters and witches in the hall. “May I have your ears please,” he stated and the hall fell into silence immediately after the declaration of his words. “Witches and wolf bloods, welcome to the unification ball. I want to thank everyone for being here today, the little steps we’ve taken together as a new family. Cheers to a new beginning.”
“Cheers to a new beginning.” We echoed.
As the Alpha finished his short speech, the music changed, and I gulped down the rest of my drink, passing it to one of the waiters. It was time for me to find my mate and have my first dance with him. I scanned through the hall and saw him with other witches, hearty and immersed in the experience he was having at that moment. I felt the peace he felt and it was so soothing. He had forgotten all his worries and just lived like he was supposed. I promised myself that I’d do everything within my power for him to set him free from this curse, so he would know unadulterated happiness the rest of his life. I sauntered toward him and smiled, approaching the witches. Seeing that I was getting closer, he excused himself from the group and pulled me into an embrace. “Mate! Don’t let him go.” My wolf purred possessively.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I placed my hands on his cheeks and gave him a slight caress. I didn’t care if people were looking at us. Everyone had to know that he was mine and I was his, and there was no shame in that.
“Would you dance with me?” I proposed.
“Yes.” He murmured.
I took him to the dance floor and joined other couples, swaying to the sound of the melodic tunes of the 90’s music. I held him close to my body as we danced toward the building beats, and I held his gaze with a smile. “So tell me anything about you.”
“Nothing much. Just the same old Marion.”
“Come on, there has to be something,” I pressed on. “You already know I had a mate, was part of the three year Sentinel training program, almost died once, and…” I wanted to tell him I loved him, but seeing the uneasiness in his eyes, I held back those words just until I found the right time. “So please tell me anything…”
“Nothing, alright. Just leave it alone.” He pulled away from me and headed out of the hall. I sensed the anger in his voice, and it made me wonder what I did wrong.
I released an exhale, ignoring the stares of the wolf bloods as I went after him. He had already walked farther into the field in the compound. I didn’t stop until I reached his position. I heard a whimper and instantly knew he was crying. “Don’t come any closer.” He declared, trying to keep his broken voice bold.
“Marion, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“No, you don’t understand. This thing that’s happening to me. I can’t drag you into it.”
“Don’t push me away because I understand. I know what it does to you. I’ve been there. I heard your screams, and I saw you lying lifeless on the floor.”
“No, you don’t. You don’t know what it means. Our fate. What if it happens again? What if I die? Or maybe you? You!” He struggled with the words, an expression of frustration apparent in his eyes.
“We’ll figure it out. We’ll change fate.”
“Please stop with all the promises.”
“There you go again, pushing me away! What do you want from me, Marion?”
“Just leave me alone.” He murmured as he turned to me with tears in his eyes.
“I won’t. I can’t.” I shook my head.
“The next time it happens, I will die, Denzel. Don’t you get that?! This thing between us, it’s only going to end in tragedy.”
“No, don’t say that. I promised to keep you alive, and I’ll share in your pain. I’m more than willing to feel every part of it because I cannot lose you. Marion, you brought back feelings I thought I could never feel. You made me realize I wasn’t a failure in loving someone. For fuck’s sakes, I’m in love with you, Marion.”
“You love me? You could die. Loving me would only bring heartbreak to you.”
“What is not worth dying for is not worth living for, my little darkness,” I sighed and shrugged. “Marion, you wanted to feel that unconditional love. You have all my love, and you can do whatever you wish with it.”
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was so scared. I thought… I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” He shook his head as tears brimmed down his cheeks. He hurried toward me and pulled me into an embrace, holding me tightly.
“Sh, sh. It’s okay to be afraid. I got you, mate.” I was glad he opened up to me about what was bothering him, and I wouldn’t leave him half way neither was I going to let him die. I just had to keep him alive long enough for us to figure out what was happening to him.
“Just please hold me.” He murmured, his hands clutching around my sturdy frame and he buried his face into my chest, breathing against it.
“It’s ok, my little darkness. You’ll be ok.” Tears wormed its way down my cheeks, and I let out an exhale. This moment with him felt so intimate and I had to wonder if we could change fate, if we could change what was happening. If I could set him free and make him happy. Goddess, I need you. I can’t lose him. Right now he’s my most precious witch and I can’t lose him.
Hours had passed when I swept him off the floor and carried him back to the vehicle. I put him in the front seat and hurried over to the driver’s side. Stepping into the vehicle, I ignited the engine and drove straight to my house. Parking the vehicle in front of the compound, I turned off the engine and looked at Marion, who had dried tears on his face. I leaned closer and wiped them off. He gave me the biggest smile and sighed. “Do you think we should leave tonight? By tomorrow morning, we would arrive at our destination. I don’t want to take any chances.” I proposed to him, praying silently he would agree.
“The distance is far, and we’ll arrive at the city tomorrow if we leave now,” he nodded. “Tonight will be better. You know, I used to take road trips with my mother whenever I had my episodes. It helped calm my nerves.”
“Alright. I’ll bring over our stuff. Just sit tight here, ok?”
“Sure.” He nodded.
I left the car and returned with the boxes and luggage. I put them in the trunk and entered the vehicle. Glancing over at him, I beamed and asked, “Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll find a motel outside town to spend the night.”
“Hmm.” He nodded.
I ignited the engine and drove off to our destination. I had to do everything within my power to keep him alive, no matter what it cost.
I was more than willing to die for him. If that would prove how much I loved him, if that would keep him alive, then I would.