The Alpha's Slut (#Wattys2016)

35~It's Time To Stop Running

   The purple-haired witch dropped his heart and examined her bloody hand. "I've never ripped a heart out before." she mused.

   The pack shouted in protest and turned to Valentino. He smirked slightly, "What are you doing here, witch? Shouldn't Titus be taming you?"

   She threw a smile in his direction, "The brother of Vincenzo, what a pleasure. Araceli is coming with me."

   Valentino snarled at her when she came close to me. "She's not going anywhere."

   I moaned in pain on the floor. Blood was seeping into my hair, everywhere. Katerina sighed and grabbed my bloodied arm. I shouted and writhed around as we were transported to a forest. "Gotta love teleportation." she grinned. 

   I screamed as she worked on my wounds, bandaging them and murmuring to herself. I slumped against a tree when she finished and prodded my healing wounds. "For a second, I thought Vince was there, that he had saved me." I breathed.

   She turned away, "Vincenzo Erebus and Piper are no longer together." she informed. "Mates always prevail."

   I laughed, "I was torn apart five minutes ago. He wasn't even there. I'm done, I'm leaving the werewolves."

   She tossed her purple hair, "So you can pursue a life with the humans and fall in love with a mortal? What an exciting life."

   I hissed at her, "I don't want exciting, I want love."

   She grinned, "Love is going to sleep with one person in mind. Love is dangerous and poison. It kills and breaks. But love is a part of life, without it there is nothing. Vincenzo was made for you, and you him. You would give that up?"

   I felt the bark dig into my hips, "There is nothing to give up, you shouldn't have brought me here." I stared at the familiar trees and lake. The territory of ShadowMoon.

   She stood up, "It is time to stop running."

~

   I glanced at the daunting packhouse of my mate. He stood with his beta and gamma fanned out beside him. "You are alive." he stated. 

   My lower lip shook, "Your eyes."

    He blinked, "Gold like the softest winter sunlight. Gold like warm, undiluted happiness." he whispered. 

   I stepped backwards, "When I had been alone for a month in the wild, those were my exact words."

   "I know." he said.

   I shook my head, "Get out of my head."

   "No."

   He placed his hand on my arm and stared up at me with his wolf's eyes. Noaz had gained control. Noaz brushed his nose along my neck and waved his beta and gamma away. "Mine." he whispered. "Mine. You belong to me, not Valentino. Never Valentino, always me."

   I held on to him as he kissed my wounds. "I love you." he murmured into my neck. 

   I cried out as he bit into my neck, claiming me. "I don't care what Vince does, you'll never leave me again. Never." he growled. He licked my mark and nipped my ear. "You can't defy the bond, not even Vincenzo can."

I fell against him and whimpered when Noaz gave control back to his human.

A/N: There is no defying the mate bond. There is no alternate, no second choice. I just want to clear this up. Mates are eternal. No second chances, no choices. Werewolves are born with no choice, it's just how it is.