A Shifter Among Wolves

Chapter 26

---Paige's POV---

I slowly woke up from my carefree slumber. Purrs rolled through the air while I snuggled deeper in my pillow, my eyes too tired to pry open. Suddenly my pillow moved, making me aware that it was moving with the sound of rushing air below my ear.

Finally, I pried an eye open and looked straight at Jacob's well-toned biceps. I frowned, trying to remember what happened before... suddenly my mind was flooded with memories; I had been sick with the change... Jacob taking care of me...the kiss.... the mark.

Unconsciously, my hand crept up to my mark, slightly tracing the bite wound. I'd expected some blood on my fingers when I pulled them back gingerly but they were clean. A shiver ran through Jacob before he slightly turned, spooning me in the process while he wrapped me in his arms.

Jacob nuzzled the mark in my neck while he whispered, "Good morning." I shivered from the tingling sensation that flowed through the mark and his breath caressing my cheek. I smiled lazily, feeling too happy to get out of bed even if it was.... god knows how late.

"Morning" I yawned while I stretched myself like a cat. Jacob chuckled, pulling me closer to his chest. "I love it when you do that." He mumbled sleepy in a low, hushed voice. A smile slid over my face while I turned in his arms, facing Jacob.

I bit my lip while I looked at Jacob's appearance. Truth be told, Jacob looked so damn sexy with his bed hair and his bare chest that he gave me a hard time to focus on what I wanted to ask. The knowing smirk on his face didn't help either. Shaking my head from side to side in an attempt to focus on the question, I relaxed back in his hold while I traced the outline of his muscles.

"So, is this it? We're mated?" I asked while I waved at the mark in my neck. Jacob wasn't looking at my neck though; he was looking down at my left wrist. I followed his lead and gasped slightly when I noticed that I had a tattoo on my wrist similar like Jacob's.

Unlike Jacob's, mine didn't end in a tribal tattoo. Instead, the flowing lines made the impression that I was wearing a bracelet on my lower arm and wrist, with a capital J in the center. Below the letter was writing like Jacob's and it said "Just love." I traced the lines, instantly amazed by the fact that the tattoo felt warm to the touch.

"No." Jacob said, making me frown while I looked at him. Didn't he want me to have the same tattoo as he did? He must have sensed my confusion and hurt because he pulled me closer to him, if that was even possible, and said, "I was just answering your question Paige. No need to stress out."

My lips formed a small 'O' when I realized that I had asked Jacob if we were mated now. He smirked at me before he explained. "This is the first mark, showing others that you are my mate and that you're off limits. When we, uh-" Jacob swallowed harshly while his eyes gained a darker tint. "When we mate, we will both mark the other and the bond will be completed."

If it weren't for the fact that I was blushing ferociously, I would have laughed with Jacob's blush. He was looking away, trying to hide his scarlet cheeks while I bit my lip to contain the grin that wanted to appear.

"So, I've gone through the first part of the mating season... Luke said that the next part would be the heat?" I stated unsure, what made the end of the statement sound like a question. Jacob looked back at me; his eyes still dark while he explained further.

"Yeah, it's uh... god, why do I need to explain this?" he groaned slightly while he sat back up, rubbing his neck sheepishly. I giggled, unable to control my emotions; Jacob seemed desperate to find a hole to crawl into, his cheeks a deep red while his eyes darted around the room, looking at everything but me.

Jacob growled playfully at me, making me laugh harder before I sat up beside him and leaned against his shoulder. "I want to know Jacob. I don't like it when I'm left in the dark." I pouted, looking up at him while I was smiling on the inside. Jacob looked torn between telling me and saving himself from the embarrassment of the truth. Eventually he sighed and started playing with my fingers.