Fire and Flames

Chapter 13

Rayne

My palms become sweaty and my body begins to shake lightly as I wait for Caden to open the door.

I hear light footsteps and unlocking of the door. I clutch the bags and box of chocolates closer to my chest as the door opens slowly.

Caden appears in front of me. He draws in a sharp breath as he gazed down upon my frame. Taking in the long shirt that covers only just below my thighs, and my pale bare legs.

He looks up and locks eyes with me. I gasp softly as he wraps an arm around my waist, his other hand reaching up to cup my cheek. The bags fall to the floor as I wrap my arms around him.

Caden's lips hover over mine, the only sound I hear is of our rapid heartbeats and labored breathing.

My eyes flutter shut as I close the distance between us. As our lips press together tears begin to drop down my cheeks. I let out a quiet sob and move my face into the crook of his neck.

Caden bends down and picks up the bags I dropped before collecting me into his arms as well.

He kicks the door shut behind him as he enters his room.

My body shakes and quivers as Caden sets me down on his bed. I look up at him through tears eyes. Caden pulls out a small box from his bedside table and places it onto the palms of my hands.

He kneels down beside me on the floor in between my legs. His hands gently massage my thighs as I open the box slowly.

There-in the lovely velvet box with a deep maroon colored bow that held the box in place now clicked tight in between my pointer and middle finger- is a pastel pink pacifier with the word 'Rayne' written in swirled cursive letters printed onto the circular face of it.

Tears prick the edges of my eyes as I gingerly pull out the pacifier from the box.

It may seem like a weird gift to get for your mate... but to me... this is Caden's way of showing that he accepts me for who I am. Accepting me for me. And that means everything to me.

Caden gently takes the paci out of my hands and kisses me so softly before placing the pacifier into my mouth. I smile around the paci and suck on it, making small humming noises at the back of my throat.

I wrap my arms around Caden's neck and slide down into his warm tight embrace. Caden's chest rumbles as he growls contently. His eyes flutter up to meet mine as I press my forehead against his.

"I read up about things like that," Caden starts. "I know that sometimes they can be in little space or act their current age. And that I am supposed to treat you a certain way depending on your age. Am I right about that?"

I nod and press a kiss to his temples. I feel a weird sensation of transitioning between being little Rayne and being seventeen-year-old Rayne. I feel a tight heat pooling in my body and decide that this moment is for seventeen-year-old Rayne.

I hook a finger around the loop in the paci and tug it out of my mouth.

"This doesn't bother you at all?"

"It's a little... strange, but I don't mind it. I'll always love you for you."

I kiss Caden deeply, the bags on the floor forgotten as we kiss and cuddle close together. My eyes fluttering shut as his body envelopes my own under the covers of his bed.

We don't have sex tonight. We just lay in each other's embrace in comfortable silence. When my eyes begin to drop closed I feel Caden press the paci into my mouth. I lazily suck on the paci as I fall asleep in my gorgeous, amazing mate's arms.

Adrian

It was about midnight before I got everything unpacked from my shopping trip with Rayne. I took my time to organize all of my clothes and trinkets before putting them away.

Now at one in the morning, I sit at the kitchen counter, crying as I stuff my face with ice cream topped with pickles and jalapeño peppers and wishing I didn't have these awful pregnancy cravings.

The pup's scent has completely changed to one of a normal werewolf. The Alpha scent washed away and gone without a trace.

I wince and close my eyes as I think back to how this pup was conceived. Flashes of Sage on top of me- hurting me- cross my mind.

Sun Magic...

That is what Alpha Zaryn called it. The pack Elders believed that the cause of Sage's sudden change was Sun Magic.

There were two types of powerful magic in our world as werewolves. Moon Magic- made by the Moon Goddess herself and used for healing, growing crops, and more including sometimes assisting omegas through birth.

Then there is Sun Magic. Created by the Moon Goddess' younger brother the Sun God. He was jealous of his sister who created her own type of species- is werewolves- and ruled over us with a kind yet stern power.

The Sun God did not like the Moon Goddess one bit. He loathed her. He hated everything the Moon Goddess said or did. So when he saw that her people were all happy, healthy, and caring towards one another, he decided that he would make things like Feral Rouge wolves and Sun Magic to spark fear and hatred across the once peaceful communities.

With Sun Magic werewolves could learn how to control someone's mind to do their bidding. To push a person and their wolf to the back of their mind so they would become a shell of who they once were.

They can only be cured if the one who used the Sun Magic takes back their spell or the user of Sun Magic dies or is killed.

Alpha Zaryn said that it sounded very possible that could very well be the case of Sage's change. But what we are all struggling to find out is who would do that to Sage.

Of course, there are many Rouges and other packs that could be using this as a means of sabotage but it just makes no sense. How could someone sneak past our Warriors and be able to possess Sage?

Unless... no. I refuse to think that someone in our own pack is controlling Sage to do these horrible things.

I am brought out of my thoughts by the kitchen door creaking open. When I turn and see the person who stands in the doorway, my blood boils in a sudden jolt of anger...