"Why do you insist on resisting me?"

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"I thought you were kidding when you said you were gonna move in with me." Teddy says as he opens the door, pleasantly surprised to see Mani stood in the corridor laden with bags. "And by the looks of it, it's for more than one night this time."

"Just move out of the way so I can get inside." Mani huffs as Teddy eventually steps back to let his mate in.

"If I'd have believed it, I'd have changed the room around a bit, y'know, pushed the beds together." Teddy says as he pushes the door closed behind them both.

"You are a bit ahead of yourself aren't you?" Mani says as he drops his bags on the other bed.

"Come on... You know you want me to claim you." Mani suddenly feels the presence of the alpha behind him, slowly leaning in. His hands making their way around Mani's waist, pulling him back into the warm body. Mani feels the overwhelming pull of primal desire with the proximity. His wolf wanted just that. To be taken by his fate mate and maybe Mani's more rational side did too, but he needed to have that awkward conversation first.

He peels the large hands away from his hips. "Is that all you ever think about?" Mani pushes Teddy back far enough to be able to turn around to face him. He looks into Teddy's crystal blue eyes and tries his best not to fall down the rabbit hole.

"Can you blame me? My friends who have mates have never had to try so hard. Why do you insist on resisting me?" Teddy now backs away completely, sitting on the edge of his bed.

Mani sits on the bed opposite. He looks at the alpha, feeling the want but also the guilt inside of him for being so stubborn. "Perhaps I do want those things too, but have you forgotten? There is a little thing called vampires to discuss."

Mani sees Teddy's fists visibly grip onto the edge of the mattress. "Fucking vampires. Must they invade every part of my life?"

"Have you told your dad about the attack?" Mani asks. It makes Teddy look at the omega with wonder.

"No... Why do you want to know that?"

"Maybe I should ask you why you haven't told him." Mani flips the question.

"Why do you think? He will attack without question. I thought you knew all about the famous Ashen pack." Teddy looks at Mani as if he's a fool, but Mani knows he's onto something.

"Is that because you don't want to fight?" He says. Mani felt a little on edge with his probing question but the sooner this conversation was over, the sooner Mani could focus on his own personal crisis of whether to let Teddy finally touch his humanlike body.

"I…" Teddy tries to say more, but finds his mouth snapping shut.

"Perhaps you don't want to fight Teddy. Perhaps you want peace." Mani gets up from his bed to sit next to his mate. He takes Teddy's hand in his, locking their fingers together.

Teddy looks at the connected hands, not wanting to look into Mani's eyes. His pale skin was so evident against Mani's slightly darker complexion. "I sense you have a plan." He utters under his breath.

Mani can feel his heart race in his chest. This was the moment. His opportunity to get the wheels for peace in motion. This may be his one and only chance and he had to get it right. "Would you be up for a meeting…with the bloodkind?"

"What?" Teddy stands up, instantly letting go of Mani's hand and looks down at him. "You want me to sit in a room with a vampire and… chat? Are you out of your mind?"

"Here me out. Please." Mani insists, almost pleading as he pulls on the alpha's arm. "There's this document…" he begins.

"Document? What document?" Teddy says now sitting down once again, though he is wary of what he will hear.

"Have you heard of the common values?" Mani asks but Teddy furrows his brow.

"Common what? What are you talking about?"

"The war. The underground war. There was a chance for peace all those years ago, but the moment never happened and we all know what came after." Mani continues to cling tightly to Teddy's arm. "I don't want to live through a war. Not if we have the power to prevent it."

Teddy looks into the deep brown eyes of his omega and he feels weak. Not weak in the sense that he could not enter a battlefield and fight if he had to. He had been conditioned by blood and by birth to do so. No… he felt weak because his omega had a different kind of strength. He had the power with words. Mani had a hold of his heart and the puppy dog look he was giving him was making him want to try whatever Mani was suggesting.

Teddy leans in, just enough to kiss Mani on the exposed part of his forehead. He pulls back and smiles. "Ok. I'll try this meeting of yours, but I cannot promise peace. It has to come from both sides."

"I know I know. Thank you." Mani says with a mixture of relief and excitement in the mix. He now leans in and kisses Teddy on the cheek.

Teddy beams a smile as Mani looks at him, overjoyed. "So, now that we have got that out of the way…" Teddy leans in and attempt to meet Mani's lips in a kiss, but Mani pulls back a fraction, stopping the contact. "What…what now?" Teddy complains as he pulls back once again, but is taken aback when Mani gets up from the bed.

"Do you know what I want?" Mani says with a smirk spread on his face.

"I wish I did." Teddy says as he rests back on his upturned palms.

"Why don't you ask me." Mani says, his grin growing wider.

"Fuck Mani, would you stop playing games? Why do you have to make things so complicated? I've taken you on a date. I've respected your wishes to not bond with you until you're ready, I…"

"Make love to me Teddy. Make love to me like a human." Mani takes a step forwards, now standing inbetween Teddy's parted legs. He brushes his opened fingers through Teddy's almost white hair. He sees his blue eyes, so big and inviting, his defined features so alluring. He leans in and kisses the alpha on the lips. Soft, slow, tender. The taste of Teddy on his tongue just confirmed what he knew already. What he had always known. Teddy was his mate, his match. Fate or no fate, Teddy was the one.

He pulls away from the tender moment and smiles wide at his alpha. "I've always wanted to know what it's like to be fucked human style. Will you do that for me?"

Teddy's hands find purchase on Mani's backside as he pulls Mani into his parted legs as he sits on the bed. "You are in my hands…and I am in yours…."