Mine, Forever Mine

Chapter 28: Your Love's a Fucking Drag

Bright sunlight shines right onto my face and I open my eyes. I look down and see I'm not in my clothes from yesterday. I have on a man's white dress shirt and boxers. I sniff the shirt and smell Brayden. Someone knocks on the door, and Brayden walks in. "Good morning Alexa." He says and I smile. "Good morning Brayden." I say and pause. "Um, when did you change me into your clothes?" I ask hesitantly. "Last night when you passed out. I didn't touch you or anything in that way." He says quickly and I laugh. "It really wouldn't matter now. If we're to be mates, it shouldn't matter to me." I say and he nods with a faint frown. "When I was changing you, I saw blood on your leggings. Care to explain?" He asks, and I sigh. "I was mated to my pack's Head Enforcer. He did mate me, and impregnated me. But he was killed, and I was passed onto his twin brother. He marked me, but wouldn't mate me. I-I had... lost my pup two days ago." I say, tears rushing down my face. Brayden pulls me into his arms and I cry into his chest.

When I finally pull away, he wipes away the stray tears. "You lost a part of you. And you've been acting as if nothing happened. You should have told me." He says and I nod, my vision still blurry. "Come on. I wanna show you your new land." He says, helping me stand. "Do you want to eat, or when we come back?" He asks as we come towards the kitchen. "I'll catch something." I reply and he nods. He opens the back door and I shift. I shake out my fur and turn my head. Grey eyes look back at me and I bark. He purrs and I butt my head against his. He wraps a paw around my neck and pulls me close. He runs his tongue over my muzzle and I yip. I spring away and bark. He continues to purr and I run off. He chases close behind me and I feel his hot breath on the back of my legs. I stop and turn around, coming face to face with Brayden. I press my nose against his and my tail lifts then wags slowly. He rears up and wraps his paws around my neck again. I slip away, and bow playfully. He purrs again and I tilt my head. I look down at the thick snow and pounce. I pull up the small mouse and drop it again. He dips his head and turns away. I devour it and bark. He turns and trots off. I follow close behind and soon we come to a deer herd. He motions to a small lame buck and I dip my head. I lower down and he runs off into the trees closes to it. I look down and see my fur once again changed color. Why does it do this?
It's me. I've been changing and our fur is showing that.
Great. But now I blend in.
I was now snow white, with no marking. I see Brayden in the tree above the buck and I tremble as I wait. He leaps out of the tree, right onto the buck. I run out of the trees and bite down onto its rump. It kicks out and gets me in the side. I yelp and roll. It's bleat ends in a gurgle and I hear it fall. Brayden pushes my head up and helps me back up. He bites into the flank and tears away a piece. I take a bite from the stomach and I hear a growl. I look up and see very familiar green eyes.
Liam.
Yep. I'm here to bring you home.
Brayden looks up and stares at Liam. He shifts back and looks to me. "This your marker?" He asks and I can only dip my head. Liam growls.
Who's this?
Leave him alone.
Why should I? He's near my mate.
You only marked me, Liam. To the King, we are bonded and marked by each other. You didn't mate me.
You were with pup. I couldn't.
You should have, and I would be back home in your arms.
I'll do it right now.
He comes to me and bites my scruff. I tuck my tail tightly against me and feel him pressing against me.
Get off!
No!
Before I know it, his weight is ripped off. Brayden growls and Liam snarls back. I stand in between them, and growl. Stop!
No!
Liam! Leave me alone! This is my break away from the pack!
No! You're coming back with me! Whether you want to or not.
I jump at him and snap at his face. He squeals when my snapping jaws close on his ear. I let go and he scrambles up.
What happened to you?
I matured. That's what.
I take a bite at his exposed flank an blood spray my face. He howls in pain and limps away quickly.
I thought you loved me.
I do. But you need to leave me be.
He nods and limps away into the forest. Brayden looks at me and motions for me to follow him. As we're running back to his home, I feel it coming. Oh no.
I slow, and then continue. I shift back first and start shivering. Brayden opens the door and I quickly run in. "Um Brayden, I have something to tell you." I start. "Go ahead." He says. "Um, my heat's almost here. And I thought I should let you know." I say,  embarrassed. "I guess I'll have to get the chains." He says.
He's going to chain me up?!
He notices my panic, "It's for me." I nod, with a sigh of relief. "But don't you crave a male's touch? Or want to be mated?" He asks and I blush darkly. "Not really. I just want to be in a cool area." I say and he nods. "I'll be with you the first night, but after that I'll have to be chained." He says and I nod, then wrap my arms around him. "I thought wolves don't like the smell of cougars." He murmurs against my hair. "You don't smell like regular cougars. You smell spicy and woodsy. With a manly wildness to it." I explain and he chuckles. "I thought cougars don't like the smell of wolves." I say against his chest. "You don't smell like normal wolf. You smell sweet, like warm vanilla." He says and I snuggle closer to him. I clench my legs closer and can't feel a slickness anymore.
Thanks Echo.
It's my job to take care of you, so I stopped the bleeding.
Brayden lifts me up by my hips and I wrap my legs instinctively around his waist. "I like you this way." He smiles. I lean forward and kiss him to wipe away his smile. But instead, he grins. "I knew I'd win you over." I smack his shoulder, "Hey buddy, I'm not that easy." He shakes his head, "Never said you were." He kisses me again and I bite his bottom lip. I growl and he replies with one of his one. His eyes are dark grey, like when he's a cougar. My eyes turn bright green, different from my now emerald green eyes. Echo had told me this was our final change, and I would stay this way until I died. And it was fine by me.

Brayden
My arms tighten around Alexa, and she cuddles into my side. Her head lay right over my heart, and I had my head rested on hers.
Her heat was coming, and I can't do anything for her.
We can try taking away the pain...
Bobby no. I won't do it.
Well why not? She said she'll be our mate.
It's wrong. Her wolf with take over and she won't be the one doing anything.
How are you so sure?
I've heard about things like this. When the female goes in heat, her inner animal takes over. The wolf, cougar, bear, you name it. It's not her.
Just say it. You don't want to lose control.
And that was my reason, but I wouldn't let Bobby know that. I didn't want to lose control and hurt her.
My cougar was the most dominant out of all the ones I've encountered. Which is how I easily killed the last Alpha of the cougars. Another possible reason why Alexa and I are one of the rare compatibles.

Shifters always stayed with their kind. Not once did they intermingle with other species. Except the few that did. A wolf and a cougar? Never heard of. A wolf and a bear? Has happened before. A cougar and a bear? Happened before. Wolves and cougars never were compatible, until now. What I didn't tell Alexa was that she held the mate scent mixed with hers. She smelt like warm vanilla, pine needles, and winter snow, a strange yet sweet combination. She never told me specifically what I smelt like to her, but said I had a wildness to me. Maybe it's my beast speaking to her. I might never know, but I know for a fact, I won't be letting go of my Little Wolf.