Forbidden Fruit

Mockery and Deals

Alex's POV

   It's been five days since I met my Mate and Tobias and I are going crazy. Our runs are doing little to nothing to sooth our soul that was aching to hold Chloe in my arms. I have been looking for him everywhere, but haven't been unable to find him. I'm  grasping at straws and my mental stability is slowly dwindling. After a long morning of searching for the love of my life and ending up empty handed again, I decide to give in and go to my best friend for advice. My pride is sulking but I'm never going to be able to find him on my own. The city is too big and Incubi don't live together but rather live as floaters, settling wherever suits them at the time.

   My sigh is deep as I begin my tread towards my Alpha's and Luna's house. I open the link and prod James' mind, to speak with him. When I feel his conscious open to me, I sigh again as my pride once again writhes in annoyance.

   'James.' I start, even in my mind, my reluctance is evident.

   'What is it?' Thankfully his voice seems to be in a pleasant mood making the words that come from me easier to bite out.

   'Can I come over? I need your help.' I cringe as I send the weird hating how absolutely dependent I feel at the moment. The lack of control I have felt over the past week has had my wolf restless and me irritated, but I would do anything for Chloe. Even if he hates the idea of me. Even if he hates me. The thought has my legs faltering in pain.

   'Of course. You know where we live.'  Though, I don't hear any mockery in his tone, only concern and confusion, I can't help the sense of defeat that enters my system. I close the link and head towards his house unhurriedly, giving Tobias and I plenty of free time to explore the emotions growing within us.

Tobias, as always is the first one to initiate conversation. 'I think I may know what it is.' The sentence doesn't surprise me, as Tobias is a very observant wolf though quick to take action if needed.

' What what is? The reason why our Mate despises our very existence?' I ask bitterly, kicking a rock in my way so hard, it puts a dent against the trash can it flies into.

'No,' he answers taking my sarcastic comment way too seriously. ' Why you've felt so restless and in need of control. I didn't tell you sooner because it wouldn't take effect until we were close to finding our Mate.' My interest is peaked at this, but before we can continue the conversation, I round the next street and find James pacing worriedly in front of his house with his mate sitting on their porch, hands fluttering in clear distress over his upset lover.

As I come closer, I see James' head snap towards me, and his face take me aback at the worry in them. Cody gets up from his seat on the steps and walks towards me, his hands starting to settle down long enough to wrap his arms around his Mate's waist.

   "Hey, James." I mutter, my voice sound strained and tired to my own ears. "Hello, little one." I try to ignore their worried gazes as I pass them to sit on the porch swing that over looks the hill the house neatly sits on. I watch out the corner of my eye as they follow me to the porch and sit in the matching set of rocking chairs, turning to face me. For a while we just sit there in a comfortable silence, me gathering the humility to ask for help, them with endless patience which somehow makes it harder to speak. When the silence is broken, I'm surprised it is by the timid little Luna instead of James.

   "You found your Mate, didn't you?" The soft shy voice does nothing to soften the blow that his words has on James.

His head snaps from Cody to me and back again. His eyes finally settle on me, his features schooled in a way I don't know what is racing through his mind as he asks, "Is this what you need help with?" My curt nod being the only answer he receives.