Picture Perfect Love

Chapter 11- Intense Conversation & Unwelcome Company

Lucian was trying to decide how to word his sentences carefully to Kennedy. She wanted to know about mates and he had to tread carefully. With wolf couples this wouldn't need to be explained, but since Kennedy was human it was bound to get awkward.

"Well, the first step is marking the female," Lucian started.

"What like pissing on them to mark their territory? That's a sick joke, Lucian!" Kennedy protested, pushing away from his embrace on the couch.

"What? No! Gods no!" he interjected. "Okay, it might have been worded wrong. Just sit still and be patient for me to explain. As I said, the first step is marking. This is where the male bites the female at the base of the neck, right here" he said as he touched the juncture between her shoulder and neck. Shocks exploded across her neck and chest and he smiled as he heard her pulse increase and her breathing became labored.

"It's supposed to be a sensual experience but it's very important. This allows the two to feel each other's emotions so they can be alerted when one is in danger. It helps the bond grow and increase the chances of the mating to be completed. If after one month the mating isn't completed, the mark will fade and they can try to go separate ways or he can mark her again."

She thought about it for a minute and decided getting bitten sounded awfully barbaric, but he did say it was temporary. She could do temporary for Mina.

"Okay, I'm still listening... What's the second step?" Kennedy asked cautiously.

If she reacted badly to the first part, she was going to shit a brick at the next part, Lucian concluded.

"Well, it's a little different for us because you're human. It's not unheard of for a wolf's mate to be human, just uncommon. The next step would be to go through The Change. It's quite a process but ultimately ends in you gaining your own wolf and becoming one of us."

She raised an eyebrow, thinking he had officially gone off the deep end. "You want to do what now?"

He sighed in defeat and calmly replied, "You heard me. You would be turned into one of us then could be accepted into the pack as their Luna. As a human you aren't as sturdy as the rest and would be an easy target. The Change gives you a new life where you could be stronger, faster."

Alright, she wasn't really prepared to discuss that right now and just motioned for him to continue talking.

"The final step is the mating itself. Um, how do I put this?" he babbled more to himself than to her.

"If the word 'mating' is anything to go by I think I get the picture," she replied sarcastically. "Just tell me how, and don't give the details."

"It's done in human form, don't worry; just sex. During we both bite each other for the final mark. That essentially is our version of marriage. After that it would be you helping run the pack," he described.

He made it sound so easy, so simple. She supposed it really was that cut and dry for wolves who grew up knowing all this from the start. For her it sounded like a never ending list of out of this world steps.

"Do you have any idea, any idea at all what you're asking of me?! Jesus! For now I will consider the marking. It's temporary and I owe that much to everyone. I can't promise any more than that right now," she conceded.

Lucian was thrilled. This was a start and with his mark he could keep her safe easier and as an added bonus, keep the unmated males away from her.

"That's all I ask!" he said excitedly, kissing her hand.

-- --

Late that night, there had been no word on the twins' recovery and Kennedy insisted her and Lucian go visit to check on them. She needed to hear what happened, though at this point she didn't blame the boys for the death of her friend. For all she knew they were unconscious when it happened. Kennedy had come to care for the boys as brothers and needed the reassurance they would be alright. Plus she needed to keep her mind occupied.