Trust Your Instincts

-63- Soulmates

 Mark washed the blood from his forehead before he even dared to speak to Jack about what Minx had told him. He knew that her presence was gone, but risking her finding out that he had been with Jack this entire time was the last thing he wanted to be doing.

 So he got up from the couch without even a second glance at Jack, ignoring the voice that was calling him back to the couch, each word holding more tenseness and worry than the last.

 Once he had washed all of the blood from his forehead, which had become sticky, dry and flaky, he released a breath that he didn't realise he was holding, and allowed his shoulders to slump in relaxation.

 It was a success. Minx had totally took the bait. Mr. Castillo, Ken, Felix and hopefully Laurel will soon know the plan, and all they have to do is wait until tomorrow night.

 Mark couldn't help but feel the excitement bubble in his chest as he stepped out from the bathroom and strolled back to the couch, where he slumped next to Jack. Jack had visibly calmed when he saw the grin on Mark's face, but his eyebrows were still raised questioningly and he was even forced to signal for Mark to hurry up and and tell him what just happened.

 He had only really heard one side of the story, and all he knew right now was that Mark had agreed to meeting up somewhere tomorrow, and that he was a damn good actor.

 Jack almost cried himself when he heard Mark saying the things he did. He knew it wasn't true. It never would be true, but the simple fact that the thought might be somewhere deep in the back of Mark's mind made him feel terrible.

 He didn't really think that Jack could blame him for everything, right?

 What sane person would put the blame on Mark when he had asked for none of this in the first place? He didn't volunteer to get bitten, and he sure as hell didn't volunteer to undergo mind control and kill one of his best friends.

 "It seems that 'Operation: Kill that Bitch' is a go." Mark said, an air of newfound confidence flooding into his voice and his grin widening when he took in the pleased expression on Jack's face.

 Jack bounced a little on the couch, anticipation eating away at him. Of course, it would be dangerous. It was scary, and not to mention, any one of his friends could get killed now that they had been so eager to get involved, but the thought of living a Minx free life... an alpha free life... with Mark by his side, was enough to boost his excitement level.

 It definitely outweighed the fear, that's for sure. They had the element of surprise this time, something Jack had failed to maintain when he came barrelling down the road at the speed of light on the night of the full moon. 

 It was going to work. It had to work.

 "Tell me everything." Jack ordered, not even bothering to sound polite. His enthusiasm definitely masked his ability to be well mannered at this moment, but Mark didn't mind, as he repositioned himself on the couch so that his head was in Jack's lap and he was looking up to the ceiling. He began to recount the conversation that he had just had with Minx, filling in the gaps that Jack had missed and watching his face contort into a gleeful beam. 

 Jack had to tone it down. He reminded himself for the second time that there was still the possibility that one of them could die, and he couldn't let his arrogance cloud his rational thinking. 

 He ran a hand through Mark's soft dark hair, listening to his deep silky smooth voice tell the story.

 He never wanted Mark to leave his side. There was no possible way that he could live a day without hearing that voice or touching his skin.