Two

Growling again, they licked my neck, right on the spot where a mark would be placed. My blood turned to ice, there was absolutely no mistaking that gesture. And just to make it crystal clear, they nipped that same spot, their canines only just piercing the skin, but drawing four tiny drops of blood.

Licking me there again, the Lycan growled once more, a long, low sound of pleasure. I trembled as I stepped back, holding my neck, my eyes wide. They remained on the rock, their long, sharp gangs glistening in the fading light as they grinned, watching me, but not following into our pack's territory.

I turned and ran, stumbling carelessly down the rocks in my sheer panic. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe, I could only flee, as fast as my legs could carry me. As my feet finally - and somewhat miraculously - found more even ground away from the river, I careened through the brush that I normally would run around, feeling but ignoring the sting of the branches and the barbs of the thick undergrowth in this part of the marsh.

When I finally burst from the treeline near the pack house, I fell to the ground in relief, my chest heaving as I gasped for air.

"Shit, Laila, what the hell happened to you?" a voice sneered, and I grimaced. Sarah. Of all of the werewolves, it just had to be her. I ignored her, still breathing hard, as I tried to stand up, but winced as I tried to put my left foot to the ground. My ankle hurt like hell, I suddenly realised now that the adrenaline had faded.

Sarah's eyes widened. Of course she noticed, but she did about the last thing I expected, pulling one of my arms over her shoulders, and draping one of hers around my waist, pulling me towards the med building. "I'm fine.." I tried to say, between gritting my teeth at the pain.

"Bullshit, Laila," she said, not all that harshly, for her at least. "What happened? Were you attacked?" I just shook my head. I wasn't about to tell her, or anyone, about the Lycan, or what they'd done. I paled just thinking about it. "Not an attack?" she asked quietly, and I shook my head again.

She paused before we entered the building, where I'd likely get a whole lot more questions, "Someone from our pack?" she asked even more quietly, actually sounding concerned. I only shook my head ahead again, and she stared at me a long moment, frowning, before finally opening the door.

The med building was fairly quiet this long after training had finished for the day, so the on duty doc, Mike, came out pretty quickly, giving the two of us a questioning look. Sarah jumped in first, "We were just messing around, but she fell into a bush," she said quickly, causing me to stare at her, bewildered. "I think she caught her foot on a root or something though, she's limping," she continued, and the doc frowned at me.

"Riiight.." he said, clearly not fooled by Sarah's obvious lie. Having been the senior pack doctor for much longer than I'd even been alive, he'd probably heard all kinds of ridiculous excuses, and didn't bother asking for further explanation. Sarah just shrugged at me sheepishly, and I wondered a moment if I'd ran all the way into a different dimension. She was actually being nice, which never happened.

"Okay, well, whatever happened, we'll just begin with checking you over," he said, nodding towards one of the nurses who grabbed a chart and headed into one of the rooms. He pulled my other arm around his shoulders, and he and Sarah helped me to the room, and onto the bed.

"This one?" he asked me, tapping my left ankle, which was already looking a little swollen. I nodded, and he looked over the rest of me, asking, "Where else?"

Sarah came around the other side, holding my hand and seeming concerned for me, but other than her weird behaviour, nothing else really felt wrong. "Just a few scrapes, that's all," I said, and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Just a few.. " he repeated wryly, raising an eyebrow at me. I wondered just how bad I looked, but the thought quickly evaporated as he tried to bend my ankle.

I tensed, squeezing Sarah's hand and letting out a few choice swear words that made the nurse blush. Doctor Mike sent her out of the room for something, and I cringed. Most of the nurses here were young teens, as all of us had to work shifts in the med building from age twelve. It meant that the whole pack had a good knowledge of both first aid, and a werewolf's weaknesses, long before training to fight really began getting serious.

"Sorry, Doc," I said quietly, which only received a disapproving "Mmmmm," for response. The nurse came back with a wheelchair, and I frowned at the two of them. "X-ray," Mike said simply, coming around to help me across to the chair. "I'll wait here," Sarah said awkwardly, settling into a chair.

Thankfully, after the X-ray, Doctor Mike said it didn't look broken, but he'd be keeping me in until the radiologist had a better look at the scans in the morning. And also to make sure I rested it, as werewolves were not known to do well. He rubbed some healing ointment on it and wrapped it tightly, then began cleaning up all my cuts and scrapes, working from the bottom up, and soon enough everything was feeling calmer, my breathing normal again.

Until he reached the left side of my neck, anyway, and I freaked, covering it suddenly, my eyes wide. Him, Sarah, and the nurse all stared at me, and I felt my face pale. "It's.. it's fine," I stammered, "I'm just.. really.. ticklish there." They all looked equally disbelieving, and Mike raised an eyebrow.

"Hands down," he said impatiently, "I don't give a damn about pack gossip, and who marks who, but I do need to take a look, given the state of the rest of you." I swallowed, looking at Sarah pleadingly, but she only shrugged, frowning in confusion. I sighed, and lowered my hands, squeezing my eyes closed.

"There's not even anyth.." Doctor Mike started, sounding confused, but trailed off as he looked closer. "Sarah, can you please wait outside?" he said suddenly, straightening when she didn't move, "Now, please." His voice was firm, but she hesitated, "I'm the Gamma's mate," she said carefully, apparently trying to pull rank, "If this is something he should know about.."

"Then I will let you know, in a few moments," he finished for her, and waited for her to leave, before shutting the door and turning back to me. "When did this happen?" he asked, his voice serious.

"When did what..?" I began, my voice shaking, but he quickly cut me off. "You know perfectly well what," he said impatiently, "These punctures might be mostly healed, but they are very clearly not from a werewolf. When the fuck did you encounter a goddamn Lycan?!" he asked, an edge of fear in his voice.

I trembled, covering my neck again, "Please, don't tell anyone," I said quietly, "I was stupid, there's this spot up by the river I like.." I trailed off as he rubbed his forehead, looking pained. "I didn't cross.. " that only made him stare at me wide-eyed, but I shook my head, "No.. they didn't either," I continued, as he looked confused, "We just, kind of.. were both there, in the middle.. in the water.."

He let out a few choice curses himself, "Are you completely insane?!" he asked, shaking his head, "How did you even get away?" he stared at me suddenly. "I.. they didn't follow," I said quietly, "They weren't interested in coming into our territory, they just.. sniffed me.. and nipped me, then let me leave. That's why I ran back so fast."

He just stared at me for a long moment, "This was tonight?" he asked softly, and I nodded slowly, grabbing his wrist as he tried to stand, "Please, don't tell anyone, I don't want trouble. I won't go back there, I swear it, please."

He looked at me with pity as I begged him, but after a long moment, he finally nodded, "Fine," he said, "but if I hear a single whisper about Lycans near the border, I'll be going straight to the Alpha myself." I nodded gratefully, but froze as he added, "You'd better hope they don't decide to raid our whole town, in search of their mate."

I shook my head wildly, "No, I can't be.." but he only raised an eyebrow at me as he opened the door, letting Sarah back in. I shut my mouth again quickly, as she came straight to the left side of my bed. Doctor Mike noticed, shaking his head with a serious look.

"Oh my goddess!" Sarah exclaimed, "Did someone try to mark you?! Is that why you ran? You're not even eighteen yet!" She looked horrified, but at least had the sense to keep her voice low for those kinds of questions. I squeezed my eyes closed, giving her a short nod, knowing that it would at least be believable, "Yeah, but please.. I don't want anyone to know. I was too quick for them anyway."

She squeezed my hand, and nodded, as I gave her a reassuring smile, "Of course, I'm so sorry, Laila. That's so horrible, to try and mark someone who doesn't even have their wolf yet!" I blinked at her confused, "Sarah," I said, hesitantly, "you're being really nice to me.. did something..?"

She smiled sheepishly. "I was.. concerned for you," she said softly, "I thought one of the guys here.. well y'know.." I nodded solemnly. We all knew. "Thank you," I said quietly, and she nodded in return. After a long moment, she spoke again, "I guess.. I just always kind of thought you and Trev could end up as mates," she said quietly, "It's why I hated you, for a while."

I stared at her in shock, "Trev and I?!" I asked in shock, "Yeah, you're both kind of similar, in a way.." she said, with an apologetic smile, "He's always respected you a lot, and I just always saw you as a threat, to me and him, at least until.." she brushed a lock of her thick blonde hair back from her neck, and I understood completely. She'd only recently come of age herself, turning for the first time at the last full moon. Of course she couldn't feel certain about Trev before then.

I still didn't understand how she thought I was a threat, with him, but at least it explained her behaviour. Werewolves were notoriously territorial. 'Lycans even moreso,' I couldn't help but think, my stomach turning suddenly. She noticed as my face paled, "Does it still hurt a lot? I should let you rest, I'll get Doctor Mike to bring you some painkillers on the way out, okay?"

I squeezed her hand and thanked her, and she smiled, before heading out the door. A moment later, the nurse came in with some pills, and I took them gratefully, closing my eyes and hoping for some restful sleep, after such a crazy few hours.