Ember

Chapter 10

Tenderly stroking the raised scar against my neck, I smiled softly, easily recalling in stunning detail the precious moment I had with Marcus just yesterday.

Having fallen asleep in his comforting embrace, I almost howled in satisfaction. Marcus made me feel like a wolf, even if I wasn't one.

"So he marked you." a voice said from behind me.

"Sam." i grinned, easily recognising her melodious voice. I turned to face her, shock evident on my features as I took in her sad form.

I hadn't a chance to console her before she began to speak once more, "Rose, you are on your way to mating, and there's some things you need to know."

My eyes widened, "Er Sam I don't mean to be rude, but my mum has already had that talk with me..."

Her own eyes widened, surprise was clear amongst her features, "oh no! God no, not that!" She shook her head vigorously, "no, what I meant to say was that, well, mating is different for us, for elementals."

I nodded in understanding, motioning for her to go on.

"You are the only one of us to have a true mate that is alive." She paused, "it is not the same for myself and Dave, we are not a perfect match, our bond is not as strong."

She gently pulled down the side of her shirt to reveal a faded white mark, it was clear to me, but a human without the werewolf gene would never be able to make it out.

"My real mate, Chandler, he was perfect. I loved him with every fibre of my being," her voice began to audibly shake, "but it wasn't enough. I could not save him from the betas, they killed him because I was too weak to protect him. Dave and myself, we bonded because we understood what it was like to feel like half of you had been ripped out. We love each, but it will never be the same."

"Sam, I- im so sorry." I whispered, my fingers once again caressing the tender spot below my neck as pain ripped through me at the thought of losing Marcus.

"Don't be. It's in the past." she sighed, "I could never have given him what he wanted."

"Of course you could have!" I exclaimed, "Sam, you are the greatest woman I've ever known! There is no way that he wouldn't want you because of your powers, you were his mate! I can't speak for the bond between him and yourself, but me and Marcus... Well I can't imagine life getting much better than that. Nothing could change that."

She stayed quiet throughout my speech, but when her head tilted just slightly upwards, I saw the glistening tears that built in the corner of her eyes.

"Oh Sam I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," i sympathised. "I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you, being without your true mate. I'm honestly so sorry."

I had never been so kind to someone in my life.

Yeah, so maybe I had made her cry, but I felt incredibly guilty about it.

Ever since meeting the elementals I'd started to warm up to them, as though we were all bonded. It reminded me of the fact that we had all once been great friends, in a time I had forgotten.

"No Rose you don't understand..." She began to whimper.

"It's okay Sam really it is, I get it, I've never felt it but I-"

She cut me off, "We can't have children."

It was like she had dropped a bomb shell.

"You...what?" My voice significantly lower, "You and Dave can't have children?" How did this relate to her true mate?