Forbidden

|23|

Eden

"What are you talking about Marx? There's no way that he would..."
My voice trailed off as my wolf straight rattled my chest from its pained growl. I could feel my eyes widening in fear, did he? Marx silver gaze never faltered as he stood there, peering into the hidden recesses of my mind and I felt it again, the need to submit. I fought it with all my being, I wouldn't believe anything he said until I saw it with my own eyes. So I lifted my chin and felt the determination set in my jaw, but Marx just smiled in response. Even if we were enemies, he still knew me and he understood my actions without the words.

"Marx, how do you know that Laurent chose another?" Mason asked through the link with suspicion leaking from his tone like corrosive venom. My eyebrow lifted slightly, I wanted an answer to that as well. The slow curving of Marxs lips sent a thrill to the lower parts of my body and I tensed up. I don't know what the fuck he did but I know he did something. There was no way I was having this need to bend over and submit like a bitch in heat naturally.

"I came across his new mate Val back in Raiven a few days before. At the time, she said that the Alpha had chosen someone else, whom I'm guessing was you Eden but just last night, I was informed by a roaming member that the Alpha and Val were found mating in the woods accompanying the outer camp grounds. What else could that mean?"
Marx spoke, the sentences cut through me like sharpened canines on a Does neck and a whimper slid from my lips. Why did his words seem as though they rang truth?

Mason clambered up on all fours and shook his fur out, a snarl now permanently set up on his face.

"I'll believe it when I see it Marx. You always hand a penchant for twisting things to your own liking. Let's go Eden."  With a bit of hesitation, I stood as well and followed Mason who was already a good few feet away when Marx grabbed my hand, slowing my walk to a complete stop. I turned to look at him only to find his gaze searching, as though he was trying to find a hidden treasure.

"What Marx?!" I snapped without really meaning to and he just chuckled, a irritatingly sensual sound. His thumb softly caressed the smooth peanut butter skin of my arm and I closed my eyes in bliss, only to open them back up immediately in shock. I needed to get away from him and quick, something was off. I tried to yank my hand away but Marx let it go just as I pulled and I stumbled back from the amount of force I used. I heard the threatening growl from Mason ahead of me and reluctantly left from Marx's side.

"You know.... you both can always just come back home Eden.." The whispered words pulled at a ache in my heart, a need to finally have somewhere to call my own but past memories surfaced and shattered that thought. Shaking my head, I keep my chin lowered on my chest and glared at the ground.

"Raiven stopped being home for me along time ago Simon... even if I did return, to what means? Would you force the mark and make me the do girl slave you oh so desire?" It still hurt, the wound of someone I held close betraying me in such a uncaring fashion was still fresh in my mind. The smirk on his face faltered and he turned away from me, ambling to the other side of the grotto to leave. Before he disappeared in the thick dense woods, he threw one more sentence over his shoulders.

"Everyone makes mistakes Eden, I just want to fix mine." And like that, Marx was gone. There was a hollow hole opening in the middle of my heart but I plastered imaginative tape all over it, refusing to think the emotions I was feeling were true. I closed my eyes and sent the signal to my body to shift, preparing for the pain, I clenched my teeth in anticipation. Nothing. No pain, no claws, no muzzle, no anything.....I couldn't phase?!

"E, what's wrong?" Mason's voice hardly made its way to my ears as I started hyperventilating, a sickening feel of fear gripped the inside of my chest and refused to release the bitch. Why couldn't I phase?! I tried to channel my inside wolf but for once, the bitch was absolute silent which was not helping my hysteria. I began tugging on my curls, losing my mind surely and tears blurred my vision until a voice in my head spoke, soothing my troubled mind.

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"Breathe my child, it is okay. Your wolf is simply adjusting to the new events. I have not forsaken you Eden."

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My eyelids fluttered and finally decided on staying open, Mason's emerald irises were the first thing I saw as he stood before me with concern wrinkling the middle of his forehead in three. His hands were cradling my face, trying to see if I was losing it like I did whenever I thought about the past.

"I'm okay Mason, I .... I can't phase though, my wolf refuses to let me in so I'm going to have to walk. And you need some damn clothes on." Mason laughed as he remembered his state of dress, or rather lack of dress and dropped his hands from my face.

"My bad E, I was just worried is all. You can't phase? How the hell does your wolf refuse to let you in? That doesn't make sense Eden, somethings not right. We need to get back to the camp and see what the hell is going on. And since I have no extra clothes, i'ma have to run in wolf but I'll keep my pace slow so you can keep up. Let's go." And with that, Mason's body arched, the sound of his bones realigning echoing in my ear until only the russet form crouched before me. And so we began the trek back to Laurent's camp.