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Teeth.

There are teeth in my neck.

These are the only thoughts ringing through my mind as I feel Klayton's canines pierce through a part of my neck, digging deeper and deeper. I scream loudly and try to shove his face off, although his wolf instincts make him pierce deeper.

The pain is excruciating and I don't stop my cries and screams. I can feel an invisible core bind Klayton and I, signifying that we had finally completed the marking. My chest is burning and it feels like my skin is peeling off and repairing itself —slowly, excruciatingly. I fist my hands in his hair and yank, hoping this will somehow stop all the pain. He doesn't make a move to stop, as if he the pain isn't bothering him and he has only one thing in mind.

Me.

The pain intensifies, and I scream bloody murder. Tears are streaming down my face and I can feel warm liquid soaking into my clothes.

We were a complete mated pair.

I gasp loudly as he pulls away, and I was truly surprised I hadn't passed out from the pain. This had to have been the worst pain I had felt yet. There is blood seeping from my neck and I look at Klayton with a horrified expression.

He looks crazy.

Blood dripping down his face, his eyes dark with a hunger.

A hunger for me.

I involuntarily whimper from the pain, and it almost seems to shake Klayton out of his trance because he immediately applies a pressure to my fresh wound. I gulp loudly which causes more blood to ooze out. I glance down to Klayton's hand on my neck and notice that he is shaking madly, and blinking as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.

"I-I'm so sorry Adira," he whispers, horror expressed on his face. "I lost control! Let me make this better."

I don't say anything other than a frantic nod in his direction —anything to ease the pain I feel from my neck. He removes his hand, releasing the pressure, and brings his head down towards my neck once more. I involuntarily flitch, afraid of the contact. Klayton glances at me shamefully before continuing and bringing his face down.

I feel his tongue gently trace its way along the part of my neck that meets my shoulder; right where he had bitten me. It soothes the ache and I have to actually bite my lip from moaning —the feeling all too new to me. A ghost of a smile dances on Klayton's lips before he runs his tongue along my wound again.

Soon enough I can feel the pain to subside, and my new body healing itself at a more rapid pace. I can feel a power stir inside me —a new one. At this moment, I knew I had successfully collected the soul that lay with Klayton. I longed to see the new physical change that surely has made it way onto my body.

Every time I have retrieved a piece of the Moon Goddess' souls, I have spiritually as well as physically changed somewhat.

The wound is just gender but not as excruciatingly painful as before. Klayton gently pulls away from me and I turn my head towards him, my steely glare not going unrecognized.

"What. the. fuck?" I ground out through my teeth.

~

The ride home was horrible.

Throughout the entirety of it, Klayton and I would not speak a word to each other. I was seething in my seat —how dare he do that without my consent?

I know I had basically given him the green light —days ago when we had sex, even though I didn't technically comprehend the biting portion of it. However, this just felt wrong. I could tell Klayton was ashamed and had really lost control for a few moments, resulting in my marking.

I guess seeing his mate in the hospital must have pushed him over the edge.

An edge I never want to see him fall off of again, I shudder at the thought.

He pulls up to his house, and I'm kind of pissed off about it. We both weren't in the right headspace to be trapped in a house with only the two of us to keep each other company. Once he securely parks his car in the driveway, I turn to him and am the first of us to actually speak.

"I want to go home," I whisper, still not making eye contact. Instead, my eyes are set firmly on the keys still in his ignition, hoping somewhere that Destiny could help this to go my way. For something to go in my favour, for once.

"Your home is with me." Klayton answers gruffly before exiting his car and slamming the door shut. The action angers me and I follow suit, slamming my door as equally hard. We both stalk up to his door and I watch as he fumbles with the keys.

I'm mad at everything lately.

However, his comment really set me off. Because he isn't wrong. My home is with Klayton; he feels like home. Not those strangers who I grew up with —although I would forever love them deeply. My whole world is changed though.

As the door begins to open, with my newfound strength I shove past Klayton and march my way into his house. I ignore his slightly shocked expression and walk all the way upstairs, straight into the adjoining bathroom I had been inside days prior.

I want to see what changed.

I peel off the clothes from my body and stand completely naked in front of Klayton's mirror. Instantly, my eyes find their way to a red and blistered scar above my breast; right where my heart is.

I cringe at the sight of it— this must have been one of the leading causes of pain when Klayton had bitten me, I just hadn't known it at the time. The physical alterations happens so quickly, the pain of the bite and the change must have happened almost simultaneously so it would have been excruciating pain.

Although it was painful to the touch, the red ring was magnificent to look at. The imprint, which mostly resembled a burn, was in the shape of a half moon. I lightly bring my finger up to touch it but hiss at the fresh pain. Fortunately, with my new strength, it shouldn't take too much longer to be fully healed into a scar above my breast.

I hadn't bothered to close the door to the bathroom but instantly regret it as Klayton saunters into his adjoining bedroom, and stops as he catches a glimpse of me naked. His jaw drops, and he quickly does a once-over of my naked body before coughing and looking away. I couldn't help but be annoyed at myself for my sheer stupidity.

I briskly walk over to the bathroom door and close it quickly, not wasting anytime. I put my clothes back on, although I'm gentle when it comes to putting on a shirt because of my new scar. I don't bother with a bra. Luckily, I had some spare clean clothes already in the bathroom hamper from prior to this whole mess that were quite cozy.

I exit the bathroom and see Klayton lying in his bed, reading a book —shirtless. He's clad only in his boxers and nothing else, the book perched on his abdominal muscles. He's wearing reading glasses and only glances at me briefly as I exit the bathroom with my chin up. I make my way over to his bedroom door and as I am about to leave, his husky voice stops me.

"Where are you going?" He asks and I scoff. Turning around, I cross my arms over my chest yet make a face as I accidentally brush against my fresh wound. Klayton noticed my reaction and his eyebrows furrow together in confusion.

"I'm honestly exhausted after everything and want to sleep. I'm going to the spare bedroom," I tell him.

"No you're not. Come lay here," he offers beside him. I don't make a move and he sighs at my own defiance. "You and I both know that you won't be able to sleep without me. I'm the same without you. Especially now that we're fully mated, it'll be impossible. You need me as much as I need you," he tells me softly. He's almost begging me to join him, and I suddenly notice the dark circles that appear under his eyes.

He's truly been struggling without me.

Gulping, I hesitantly make my way towards the rather larger bed. At this moment, I'm thankful for its size so I won't have to be pressed so close to Klayton. I pull back the cover and watch as Klayton does the same; the both of us simultaneously getting underneath on opposite sides of the bed. He immediately props up on his back and continues reading, although his lower half is covered by the dark blanket. I turn myself away from looking at him and lay on my side, closing my eyes. Suddenly, I'm having flashbacks.

Sex flashbacks.

My eyes fly open because I quickly remember one of my last memories in this bed from a couple days ago is Klayton and I having sex. Suddenly everything feels hot and I take some of the heavy blanket off of me. I hear Klayton place his reading glasses beside him, on the nightstand. The sound of his book slamming shut makes me jump slightly and he turns off the remaining light in the room, coming from the lamp beside him.

My eyes are closed but I can't help but be awake and alert. I feel Klayton shuffling awkwardly and I grit my teeth in annoyance. He sighs loudly and I feel him turn my way. I do the same towards him.

"What is it?" I whisper harshly.

"Your scent," he mumbles and shifts a bit closer to me. "I don't have to be a mind reader to know what was on your mind. It's distracting."

We're facing each other close enough now that I can make out his face from the moonlight shining through the window. His nostrils flare and my face reddens under his knowing gaze. I'm hoping he can't see how flustered his comment made me.

"What do you want? An apology?" I seethe his way. Truth be told, I'm hiding my humiliation under a persona of anger. Although it does piss me off that I'm think about him naked when I want to think about punching him in the face.

Stupid bond.

Klayton growls lightly and turns around, his bare and muscular back now in my view. I glare into it and also whip around; the two of us now back to back but still not touching one another. I exhale deeply and shut my eyes tightly, hoping I can successfully fall asleep. Enough time goes by where exhaustion hasn't kicked in and I huff in annoyance, while Klayton also uncomfortably shifts on the other side of the bed.

My eyes are still closed when I feel arms encircle me and pull me into a warm chest. My backside rest against his front and I feel a hardness poking into my butt slightly. I throw my eyes open and slightly turn to face him in bewilderment. I use my butt to push back against his pelvic region and that just earns me a low moan, although I had meant for it to get him off me.

"What are you doing?" I whisper at him, stunned. My mind and body are at an all time battle, as I know within my mind I don't want him but I feel myself rub up against him again. His arms tighten around me at the movement.

"I thought the worst nights of my life were when you weren't here. I was wrong. It's sleeping in the same bed as you, but not being able to touch you." He whispers back, right into my ear with a tinge of sadness. "I-I'm sorry about um, this." He shifts his lower region against my bottom again.

Oh my god, he just apologized for having a huge boner when we're fighting.

I would laugh if this whole situation wasn't as uncomfortable as it was right now. I nod stiffly at his words. Giving in to what my body needs right now, I lay my head down and put one of my own arms around the one he has encircled around my waist.

I'm allowing this, truthfully, because I know the only way I could peacefully get some rest is by being with my mate.

Klayton silently understands and pulls me even closer, nuzzling his face into my neck. His breath is fanning against my mark and it makes me hot —really hot. I can hear and feel him deeply inhale and almost purr at the scent that is surely surrounding.

Arousal.

His member is still stiffly pressed against my ass and it takes all of my self control right now to not turn around, rip all our clothes off and ride him like a banshee. Instead, I shake the naughty thoughts from my head and close my eyes, thinking of how I'm going to destroy that damn red book.

~

Waking up, I feel a slight room-breeze across my skin that hadn't been there last night. I gently peel my eyes open and am stunned for a few reasons.

Number one — My shirt has been ripped apart, however, only the front part. Plus, I wasn't wearing a bra, so my literal titties are out.

Number two — Klayton's position from spooning me during our sleep shifted, so instead he was curled up beside me with his head resting on my chest. He was sleeping on my titties.

Number three — Klayton woke up as soon as I had shuffled away and now we were staring at each other equally as perplexed, and me; somewhat horrified.

Klayton bounces off of me so fast it looks like I burned him to the touch. His hands that were gently wrapped around me previously, now up in the air in surrender. His mouth opens as he stares at my chest, then he looks into my eyes.

Then back at my chest, before I clear my throat awkwardly. His eyes were trained on my breasts, however entranced by the fresh scar in the shape of a half moon. I use my hands to cover myself up and begin to frantically question him.

"What the hell happened?" I bit out angrily, but the underlying worry was evident in my voice. My eyes burn into him accusingly, until I notice the small and black pieces of fabric underneath my fingernails. It's from my shirt; the one that had been shredded in the front.

I did this?