Simply Mates

ONE

The sun stubbornly shines through the clouds, casting light upon the blue lake in front of me. The water sparkles and twinkles with each ripple. The trees surrounding the lake and I flutter with the soft, summer breeze - the sound a lasting melody that compliments the sweet sounds of the birds above.

But none of that matters. No, the man in front of me has captured my full attention. His ice blue eyes look down at me, piercing through my soul and marking it as his. My own eyes keep flickering down to his soft lips which are curved into a sexy smirk. He flicks his tongue out, wetting his lips, and my eyes follow the motion. Everything in me is screaming for me to be the one to lick those lips and it's taking more than I have to not listen.

My eyes continue their journey, trailing down his strong body - his broad and very naked chest is on full display. Fine, black hairs break up the sun kissed skin and trail lower and lower, down the hard ridges of his abs and further beyond my sight - into his jeans.

The sudden movement of his hand pushing through his jet black hair forces my eyes up again. He's staring at me - knowingly and expectantly - waiting for me to make a move, I suppose. I've been standing here, taking him in a lot longer than necessary.

Blue eyes meet green and he raises an eyebrow, making me turn my attention to the lake. My cheeks reddening and my heart pitter pattering rapidly within my chest. My breath captured in my throat and my hands shake perfusely on their own accord - desperate to touch his skin with just a finger to soothe their longing ache.

I hear a sigh escape his perfect lips and, out of the corner of my eye, I see him turn towards the lake, too. We each take a moment to take in everything - I, him and he, me. A moment of pure torturous, absolute agonizing, and definite awkward silence.

"Not what you were expecting?" He asks as he turns his head towards me.

I shake my head. "No." I whisper.

"Me either, love." He says softly. I look down to the ground, his hand begins reaching towards mine. His fingers twitching as they grow closer, almost as if they are being drawn to mine like a penny to a magnet.

Before they can reach me, I jerk away. Panicking, I say, "Don't." Raising a hand to stop him. "Don't touch me."

He furrows his brows in confusion. "Why-"

"Just don't." I interrupt. "If you do, it will make this all real and I'm not ready for all that."

He visibly winces and quickly turns back to the water, but not quick enough so I don't see the hurt that flashes over his face. The pained look sends a dagger to my heart and tears begin to flood my eyes that I so desperately fight back.

"It's not that I don't want you," I tell him softly as I wring my hands together. "Because I do, it's just complicated."

"It's not complicated." He states, his voice hard and cold. "We're simply mates. There's nothing complicated about it."

My heart flutters at his words, before sinking further into my chest and my skin buzzes with pleasurable electricity, before dulling into a a slight tickle. He's right, but he's wrong and he knows this.

"It's not that simple."

His head snaps towards me. His eyes darken and widen as his wolf pushes forward. His teeth begin to sharpen into fangs and his nails lengthen into claws. He's shifting.

"Are you rejecting me, love?" He questions darkly.

"No, Callum. I would never. But please, think about this." I say as calmly as I can, holding my hands up as a pathetic barrier between us. "We can't do this. You know we can't."

A growl rips through his throat, his bones begin cracking as he takes a menacing step forward.

"Please. Callum, it's more than just being mates. We have packs to think about - families to think about. Father will have your head and yours would gladly take mine."

He snorts, as if the thought is ludicrous and impossible. "Let them try." He snarls as he takes another step forward. Black fur begins sprouting from his skin and he juts forward as he completes his shift.

His once ice blue eyes are now as dark as the midnight sky, an almost navy blue swirls around the black centre. They never leave my green ones, watching as he stalks forward, backing me into a large oak tree.

A grin-like expression forms on his face and he takes another step forward. I tightly close my eyes, not wanting to see what is about to happen.

My heart races in my chest and my breathing is erratic and sharp. My hands are clenched into fists at my side and my legs shake beneath me, barely keeping me from falling. I count in my head, a pathetic attempt at keeping me calm as I wait.

One. Two. Three. Four...

When nothing happens, I open my eyes slowly, immediately being met by icy blue ones mere inches from mine. I can feel his hot breath against me as it escapes his slightly parted lips. His arms have caged me in against the tree, making sure I don't go anywhere.

I would like to say that I pushed him away or something, but I can't. I was absolutely frozen in that moment, lost in a sea of ice blue orbs - waiting for the moment that would seal our fates and change my life forever.

And as I wait, I allow myself a second to take in the man before me - how he smells like vanilla spiced cologne. How his hair hangs into his eyes and dances in the slight breeze that passes around us. The scar that marks just above his left brow. The scruff that is beginning to form on his otherwise smooth skin. And how absolutely perfect his  lips are.

Did I already say that?

"Mine." He whispers, making my eyes snap up to his again. His voice is husky and animalistic and his eyes are darkening again as his wolf fights for control. He brings a hand to my cheek, gently resting it there, and I cannot help but lean into his touch - the soothing jolts of electricity passing between us and melting my resolve in mere milliseconds.

I close my eyes, relishing in this moment and, with my willpower gone, my wolf surges forward and says, "Yours."

And, before I can correct her, the pleasurable pain of teeth slipping into my neck takes over my being and darkness wraps around me as I fall into oblivion.