Forever Yours

9: "It's My Mark"

 Panting slightly Oliver's eyes flicked through the trees as he ran, feeling Gerard and Heather's bodies flanking him. The pack had silently agreed to settle in a new area, after making sure no other packs were in range Oliver had started to lay a territory boundary. Keeping it only as large as his pack needed it to be, it was still a lot of ground to mark. Having started to lay the scents early in the morning it was already well into the evening, and the night before was spent sleeplessly watching over Jasper, and listening to familiar yet strange voices echo in his head. A nagging feeling tickling at his memories, like something had been pulled right up to the surface.

 Oliver could feel his body's exhaustion weighing on him, his mind's worry for his mate dragging him down further. Being nearly completely drained the day before left Oliver weak, still not having recovered fully an extended run like this was hard on him. Still the events made Oliver realize he and his pack were not trained enough to fight vampires. Which he needed to address as soon as possible.

 Then Jasper, the vampire had a restless night. Oliver had watched him struggling in his sleep, feeling the bond between them tightening with distress from the vampire. It didn't take a mark for Oliver to know that Jasper was reliving Cezar's death. It confused Oliver as to why he didn't feel jealous over the fact that Jasper was still in love with Cezar, in reality Oliver should have been upset. His mate was bound to another after all, but it didn't feel like that to Oliver. He only felt more connected to the vampire. It made him question many things.

 The woman that Oliver knew to be his true mate held almost no pull over him, the signs were there but Oliver had easily walked away from her. He had seen first hand through his father that the pull was nothing to be brushed off so easily. Yet, Oliver only felt a faint sadness that the woman had been with someone else.

 Had the fates been wrong? Had he simply mistaken the human for his mate? If he had why did he not feel the signs with Jasper, even though the pull to the vampire was there? 

 Yes, Oliver was confused. He didn't understand the situation, not in the least but he knew he was drawn to Jasper. Be it the bond, or something else entirely Jasper was his. Oliver could do nothing else but go where his instincts told him to go. 

 Alpha, should we stop?

 Gerard's voice echoed in Oliver's mind pulling him back to the present, back to the thick heaviness that weighed down on him. The run slowed as Oliver flicked his ear toward his Beta.

 The border isn't marked thickly enough yet. 

 Gerard cast a worried glance at his mate, who returned the look with one of her own. They could see Oliver wasn't feeling well, his breathing was harsh and his pelt looked matted. Shaking his fur out Gerard slowed to a trot, the action pulled Oliver out of his run as he stopped to look back at Gerard. Panting heavily Oliver blinked when a blurriness masked his vision for a brief moment.

 Heather and I will have the twins finish the boundaries, you're not well Alpha.

 Gradually Oliver felt his breath returning to him, lowering his head slightly and huffing under his breath the wolf turned toward the direction of the bar. His throat burned faintly with every breath, easily ignored but Oliver could feel it getting worse slowly.

 Upon reaching the familiar building Oliver shifted back just before opening the back door, glancing back as the pair behind him split and headed for wherever the twins were. Walking up the stairs to the flat Oliver paused as he came face to face with a surprised Cameron. The man's nose wrinkling as he covered his eyes and turned his head sharply away from the nude wolf, "Why the hell are you naked?"

 Looking down at himself Oliver scratched his chest shrugging at the older man, "My clothes rip if I shift with them on. I haven't had time to set spares outside for us yet."