Unforgivable

III. One Step Closer - Part 2 - Hit Sale

Sage hadn't lost an inch of what had happened and he hadn't been able to take his eyes off the screen even if he wanted to. He was just fascinated. Once Gamma Luke took his last breath, most eyes were on him, waiting to see his reaction.

"Sage... She's..." Aaron began but didn't continue, not knowing what to say.

"I know!" Sage replied, standing up.

Before leaving the room, he ordered, "What Orion says goes."

"Don't let her push you away! You are her mate. The only one who can complete her. And ask her why she chose your father's office instead of your own." Orion advised him through the mindlink, hoping to interpret his intentions correctly.

Once outside, Sage shifted into his wolf, tearing his clothes in the process. This run allowed him to flush out what toxins remained in his blood. He couldn't believe that once again he had been so blind. He really had to work on that! He took the path back to Doctor Adiscost's house, a path he had promised himself he would never take again. This time, however, he knew he was going for the right reasons. On the way, he stopped to pick up a T-shirt and shorts from one of their hideouts. There were no less than a hundred of them all over the territory with men's and women's clothes. Although nudity was not a problem, most of them preferred to reserve that for their mates.

Amaia was not surprised to see Sage come in, as Orion had warned her of his hasty departure.

"Where is she?" Sage asked her.

"Upstairs. She's taking a shower. You can wait for her here..." Amaia started but Sage headed for the stairs.

"Or not." Amaia muttered.

Sage entered the bathroom without really thinking about it. He was just following his instincts and the need to see her, like rigth now , now. No, he hadn't thought about it at all. In front of him, Mara was in the shower, completely naked, with her back to him. For a second, he felt guilty for not respecting her privacy, but his determination quickly took over. He looked at her back and arms, discovering for the first time her tattoos. She was even more beautiful with them. The water at her feet was reddened by what she'd just done, reminding Sage how perfect she was.

"Damn!" Sage uttered, his throat tight with emotion.

"Sage!" Mara said, turning back to him.

Mesmerized by her eyes, which he did not look away, he joined her in the shower, fully dressed.

"What are you doing? Your clothes!" Mara protested.

He took her face in his hands: "You alone have the ability to drive me crazy. Ever since you came back, and even before, you never leave my thoughts. What would it be like to have you in my arms? To feel your lips against mine? You can't imagine how many times I've dreamed of kissing you until your taste remains on my lips for hours. Seeing you so cold and distant, insensitive even, kills me. I wish I could see your eyes filled with emotion, that you would show me something."

He ran his right thumb over her lips, which parted: "You keep telling me we don't have a chance and I've spent the last few weeks trying to convince myself that you're right, that you deserve better than me. And Goddess you deserve so much better than me... You seem so delicate and fragile, that I thought you'd never be able to cope with my rage, my lack of control, the violence in me. And at the same time, I am unable to keep my distance. I would give everything I have to feel the sparks between us again... but I don't need them to know that you're the only one for me."

"I..." Mara began but didn't continue.

"I was beginning to despair. I tried everything to get you to respond and nothing. Nothing until tonight. Finally tonight you showed me something. Smart, calculating, strategic, teasing, vengeful, violent... You're just mindblowing! You've got it all planned out, don't you? Mason and the others are already screwed. They were the second you stepped foot in here."

"Long before, in fact." Mara confirmed.

"Damn! How did I get so lucky?! You're my perfect match. Inoffensive at first glance, but lethal when you get right down to it. No matter how hard that dipshit tried to destroy you, he never succeeded because you're strong. You are the strongest person I know."

"If that were true, I wouldn't have tried to kill myself..." Mara disagreed.

"Yet here you are in my arms. More powerful than ever."

"Sage, you don't understand." She protested.

"Probably not, but that doesn't change the fact that you're all I need. And anyway I'm too selfish to let you go. You're mine, Mara. Mine! I can't promise to be gentle and always sweet to you, especially not when you stir up so many emotions inside me. What I can promise you is to love you as you are with all my being, to defend you even if you don't need it, and above all to follow you wherever you go, My Alpha Luna. To know you can handle my wolf in any situation, that we will both be putty on your hands, only for you, is a huge turn on for us. I'm done feeling guilting for wanted you, my mate, mine, in any way possible.I need the gentle Mara to help me tame and channel myself and the vengeful Mara to calm my rage or to set me up in fire if necessary."

"And how do you know which one of us you'll be facing?" She challenged him.

"Your eyes. Your eyes show me the truth." He whispered.

She sighed: "It's not that simple."

"Nothing in life is simple. But I will fight for you, for us." He vowed to her.

"I'm damaged for good, Sage. You deserve better."

"No, you aren't. Not in my eyes. Not to me. And now, if you'll let me, I'm going to kiss you." Sage stated.

"Sage..."

Remembering Orion's advice, he asked her: "Why did you choose my father's office over mine?"

"Because I would not have been able to concentrate with your intoxicating scent." She answered honestly.

That was all he needed to hear. Slowly to give her time to stop him if she really wanted to, he brought his faces closer to hers. But she didn't, so his lips brushed Mara's, his heart racing as they shared their first kiss. The one they should have shared years ago. At first, she stood still and did not immediately respond to his kiss. As he began to worry about her lack of response, she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer before deepening the kiss. It was pure heaven. Everything was falling into place.