Growing Pains

He is going to kill me when he sees this. I had a “little” breakdown, and now it looks like a bomb went off. Chairs are overturned, books scattered, and the curtains now resemble a tattered flag on a battlefield. I catch my reflection in a cracked mirror. My hair is a mess, and my eyes are wild with anger and confusion. This isn’t me. What has gotten into me? I turn and look out the huge window. The moon shines above, and I feel both peace and turmoil. The room is eerily quiet until I hear the door softly creak open. Frank enters cautiously. 

He chuckles as he surveys the chaos that I stand amidst. “Looks like you had one hell of a rockstar party without me.”

I roll my eyes. “Not funny. I lost control, and I don’t like it.”

“Darlin’, it happens, especially when you aren’t used to your wolf. You will get used to it and gain control, I promise. Here, this will help.” He flips the table over and places a bag on it. It smells so good. “I thought you might like some dinner. Stress makes wolves extra hungry.” He unpacks the bag. “Do you want Chinese or Mexican?”

“Oh, I finally have a choice.”

He huffs. “Don’t be sarcastic or else I will take this dinner to the pack.”

“Fine. I would like the Chinese.” He hands me the container, and it smells better than anything I've eaten in ages. My stomach growls. Despite my frustration with the man who marked me without my full consent, I dug in and devoured the food. 

Frank watches me with amusement as I eat. “See? A hungry wolf is an angry wolf.” The bastard is right. The food does make the anger fade. I push the now-empty container aside. Frank leans in and brushes food from my lips. I feel goosebumps prickling my skin. The mark starts to throb, and I cover it with my palm. It is so warm. 

“Why does this mark do this? You said it was to protect me by showing others that I have an alpha’s mark. We aren’t in danger, so why is it doing this?”

Taking a seat next to me, his voice calm and reassuring, Frank says, “It’s meant to. At first, it will feel foreign, but in time it will become a part of you.”

It doesn’t make sense. “You said it was temporary.”

“Yes, I did because I don’t know when it will disappear. It could be a week or years.”

“Can’t you just remove it when the danger passes?”

“It isn’t like a tattoo, so no. It is magic. In addition to showing those around that I protect you, it also allows us to feel each other’s emotions and communicate without words.”

“Even with all of those perks, I still would have liked to be told about it before you did it. Why didn’t you discuss it with me days ago? I think that after my attack in the alley would have been a good time.”

“I don’t know. It just felt right when I did it. I don’t fully know how it works because no one has ever done a temporary mark around here.”

“So I am a fucking guinea pig. Great…just fucking great.”

“Not exactly. There had to be a bond for it to happen. We can’t mark strangers. Maybe that’s why I waited until I felt the pull. Also, a bond doesn’t happen often. I know you have seen movies. It works kind of like that because usually when we find the one we want to mark, it is permanent. Werewolves have soulmates, and that bond is for life.”

“Well, our situation is different.”

Frank looks at me, both thoughtful and serious. “For now, it is temporary, but…”

“But what?”

“Sugar, if the bond becomes stronger, the mark will become permanent. Which means…” His gaze leaves mine but returns. He looks almost bashful. “It means that you will be my eternal soulmate.”

My eyes widen in realization and shock. “Eternal? Are you kidding me? This is all too much. First, I learn that supernaturals are real and that I am a vampire crack. Then my dad is a werewolf, and I am one too. And now this mark and what its ramifications could be. What if I want to leave Darkness Falls? What if I fall in love with another person?”

He runs his hand through his hair. “The mark makes it difficult to be away from each other for too long, sugar. Besides, if we give in to it, it will strengthen the desire that we already have for each other.”

I freeze as I try to process all of this. “Remove it before either of us does anything more.”

“Sweetheart, I am sorry, but I can’t. I know it is a lot but…”

I stand up as I ball my hands into fists. “No, you don’t understand. I never asked for any of this. I didn’t ask to be born. I didn’t have a choice in if my father was a fucking werewolf. I didn’t have a choice but to try and find the truth. I didn’t have a choice other than death to avoid the vampires. I didn’t have a choice in this damn mark either.”

Frank takes a breath as he tries to find the right words. “I am sorry you couldn’t be raised among us. This bond mark isn’t something you had control over. Please don’t be mad. All I wanted was no one to touch you…to hurt you.”