A Luna's Revenge, Stone Mountain Shifters

Chapter 28 - Mate Marks, Too

Charlie

It is nearly 1:00 pm, so I stop at a local truck stop to grab a bite to eat. A burger, fries and shake for the road is exactly what I need right now. After collecting my dinner, I walk around the parking lot, looking over the tags of the various vehicles. While our territory is hard to find for humans, there are an abundance of them around. Whether they have been brought here as mates or companions to shifters or just having stumbled on to us, humans are attracted to our physical appearance. Our bodies are stronger and more muscular, especially the males who can get up to almost seven feet tall and broader than a linebacker.

I finally find what I am looking for in a pick-up with Canadian tags. Canada is far north of our territory. The truck's occupants must be inside, so I toss my old cell phone in the back. I have already turned it off and smashed it, so hopefully it makes it far away to lead Jenson on a wild goose chase and not be able to track me.

The clock on my dashboard reads 5:00 pm. Jenson should be getting my little gift at any time now. I am at my destination, the little college town of Sparksburg. Everything is familiar as it is exactly as I remember from my dream. I pull into the back parking lot of the strip mall where Amaris operates her clinic and shop. The strongest sense of deja vu that I have experienced thus far envelopes me. Moving in slow motion, as if practiced, I lay out a blanket on the ground beside my car. Next, I pull out the pain and healing potions and a very sharp knife that I brought along for this purpose. Sitting down on the blanket and I sterilize the knife and lay it to the side on a sterile cloth.

Breathing deeply, I begin, "I Charlie Ann Black, Luna of the Little Silver Creek Pack, hereby rescind my position as Luna and as a pack member." I instantly feel the mantle of the pack dissolve from my shoulders and an emptiness replaces it in my chest. Not a comforting feeling, but rather an uneasiness settling there.

Taking another deep breath, "I, Charlie Ann Black, reject you, Jenson Black, Alpha of the Little Silver Creek Pack, as my mate." The sharp pain that impales my heart doubles me over as I feel the echoes of eternity dissipating like a mist rising.

After several deep pulls of oxygen into my lungs, I tug my top down from over the mate mark. Putting on a pair of surgical gloves, I take a cotton ball and apply a generous amount of pain potion and the healing potion. I hope this goes as well as it did in the vision. With the edge of the knife, I begin carving around the mate mark. Burning pain shoots through me as I slice at my sensitive skin. Dizziness courses through me, but I can't stop now. I have to remove the mark before I pass out. I continue to cut with my right hand while I lift the pain relief potion bottle with my left. My hands shaking, I pour more of the potion where I am working. As I press down with the knife, the portion of skin with my mate mark drops free. It dries up and shrivels to dust on the blanket before me. I pour the rest of the pain potion on the burning skin above my heart. I fall to the ground, reaching for the healing potion. I pour it on my blazing flesh as well. Spots form in my vision. The bottle drops from my trembling hand, breaking as it hits the asphalt, as everything fades to black.

Jenson

It is almost 5:00 pm and Charlie hasn't come back from her "errands" in town.

"Alpha, there is a man here to see you." My beta mind links.

"A man? Bring him up to my office."

In just a few minutes the door opens and a man walks in with a manila envelope. "Jenson Black?" He asks as I nod. He hands me the envelope and says, "You've been served."

"What the...what's this?" I tear the envelope open and stare down at the pile of papers in my hand. It is a divorce petition from Charlie. "What the hell is this? I'm not signing this! I'm not losing Charlie!"