6 Rocky Balboa's Crush

"I mean El, we were kissing passionately and then, suddenly, he pushed me away without any hesitation and jumped out of the window... without even bothering to open it. Imagine!" Marco complained with a lingering frown

"I think that he-" Elena tried to say, but failed.

"And not even a text message or anything after he left me there like a sack of potatoes!" Marco interrupted her, barely noticing Elena's exasperated expression.

It has been a week since they had started attending the new school, a week since Marco had met his 'special' mate and, lastly, a week since this lovely mate almost killed Elena on the spot, after Marco hugged her. She wasn't even a male!

And right now, Elena and Marco were eating alone in the kitchen of the pack house, oddly deserted, with Marco huffing about his love life.

Giulia was strangely taking a nap ~ probably avoiding Marco's moods ~ while Rex visited their ex high-school to assist with the numerous refugees from the Lord Skull pack, mostly widows with their children.

And they had left Elena stuck with a needy Marco. Life was so unfair.

He used to just list his conquests, sometimes providing too many details for Elena's sake. But he had never grumbled about one of these dates, only judged what they lack in a critical/ funny way. Elena was sure that his new relationship with his mate was an entirely different story, raising a whole bunch of insecurities, linked to real emotions.

"Marco!" She used her Alpha's tone which of course slowed him down but didn't stop his whining.

"Oh El! And he never talks to me, like there's zero communication. I ask him questions or try to start any type of conversation and nothing!"

Now it was Elena's turn to become speechless. "No way!"

"Yea… I just hear him saying 'mate' and 'mine'. And not even in a loving tone! He just growls them out and only when other males or females steal glances in my direction!!" Marco exclaimed with sad eyes, hugging himself. All his vulnerability surfacing for the first time.

Elena smiled at how in love her friend was already. "He just needs to get used to this whole mate thing, as do you. If he is the Killing Machine everyone depicts him as, no surprise he doesn't talk!" Elena tried to make Marco chilled out. It worked for only a bit.

"What does he even do when you ask him questions? And I mean, you can always ask him why he doesn't answer! And you can clearly specify how it makes you feel sad when he doesn't share anything with you." Elena intelligently suggested, finally catching the attention of her crying best friend.

"Nothing!" Marco yelled throwing his arms in the air, like some invisible pigeons were pooing on him. "He just stares at me, then grabs me and starts kissing me... then one thing leads to another and... oh you know how these things go El!"

Marco blushed from the top of his head to his chin. A week of firsts surely! Elena had never expected to see Marco embarrassed, especially in front of her. She well remembered (unfortunately for her) all the stories from his conquests, countless one-night stands or his pushy admirers. Or, worse, the pictures that Marco had received on Tinder, or much worse, what he was replied!

She shook her head, not wanting to recall those memories. And now Marco, the king of the gays, was shy about his speech-less mate, who had already captured his heart.

"Aaah and the icing on the cake, El! Last night, I received a text from a guy who asked to meet me just for a quick hook-up... and uhhh" Marco clapped his big hands near Elena's face, making her jump.

"He growled at my phone for like a whole minute before grabbing it, and puah! Out the window, like it was just a piece of used soap!"

Wow.

Elena knew that mates were possessive but she had never heard of these kinds of jealous reactions... if the Black Devil Beta was this jealous, she couldn't imagine how the actual Black Devil Alpha would be…

"Earth calls El!!! Yuhuu!" Marco annoyingly pulled her out of her deep thoughts.

"I didn't finish eh! There's more!" He snapped accusingly.

"What more could there be? Oh my god!" She asked, rolling her eyes.

"Well, he wrote down the name of the guy in his stupid note-pad and shoved it into his pocket." Marco gulped.

"I'm afraid he will kill the guy, Elena." Now he was whispering and looking around in fear. Like his mate would just be able to appear from the dark corner like a mischievous gremlin.

"Naa come on. Surely he was also with many guys before meeting you!" Elena was just (partially) joking, when Marco looked heart-broken, glaring at her like a lost puppy. "Do you think?" He asked her.

"I never thought you would turn into such a wuss!! Wake up Mar!!" Elena was beginning to feel annoyed now. If having a mate could make you so miserable and anxious then she would prefer not to meet him for maaaany years to come!

"Your mate completes you and you will understand how to make it work in time. Just allow time for the mate bond to strengthen, my ROCKY!"

Yes Rocky. That was Marco's nickname, and it was short for Rocky Balboa. Not because Marco was like him in features or character, not at all actually. But because he had a huge crush on Rocky Balboa when he was a kid! The thought still gave Elena cramps.

When she finished mocking Marco for his crush on Rocky ~ it was at least five minutes of a well-deserved laugh ~ she finally hugged her friend, making sure his broody mate wasn't nearby to kill her.

"You would never forget that, you FARMER GIRL!" He retorted with a cunning smile. She growled at that nickname.

"Davide wasn't a real farmer! Only because he enjoyed taking care of his garden..." Elena explained for the millionth time to her malicious friend.

She should have been already known that it was impossible to win a verbal argument with Marco.

"I still remember your face when he came to our door with a bag full of organic carrots as a present for you, BUNNY!" Marco was continuing down memory lane, laughing like a hysterical hyena.

Elena snorted loudly, punching her friend in the stomach, and making him cough. But still, he managed to continue laughing.

Damned Beta gens!

Nothing too serious since Elena wasn't really into him. She had never dated many guys because everyone in her pack feared her father. After Davide, she had been hanging out with a couple of Beta's and Alpha's sons only, especially with the future Alpha of their neighbouring pack, Crystal Wolf. Full Moon and Crystal Wolf packs had always had a peaceful and friendly relationship since their previous Beta was Elena's grandmother.

Elena and Riccardo had been on a few dates but, since they both knew they weren't mates, things were never serious or had any feelings involved ~ at least from Elena's side. Sure, he was a handsome and funny guy, very protective of her and incredibly sweet, too much maybe. Riccardo had suggested several times to mate and merge their packs, thus creating a single, powerful one. But Elena was always reasoning with him, explaining that they were fated to someone else.

Rex had always mocked her about Riccardo, emphasising how feminine he was. And that he had always imagined Elena ending up with a powerful wolf.

"The poor farmer is still scared of Alpha Giacomo's shadow!" Marco exclaimed, wiping his tears from laughing too much.

"Actually, now that I think about it, I have not seen him in a long time! He's probably in a serious relationship with his pumpkin!" And again, another fit of laughs, while Elena rolled her eyes.

When her dad had discovered her relationship with Davide, let's just say he didn't take it too well.

And now that Marco had mated with the Black Devil Beta... saying that his parents were very shocked by the mark on Marco's neck was an understatement. In fact, they had discussed for hours by themselves, after interrogating a very embarrassed Marco on how the two had met, how this Beta was and what he did.

Her father had already convoked a meeting on neutral land with the Alpha of the Black Devil pack to discuss this new turn of events. There was hope to reach a sort of short-term treaty between the two rival packs. But, since the Black Devil Alpha was away for some reasons, the final decision had to be postponed.

Alpha Giacomo and company were very conflicted on how to handle the issue: they didn't want to lose Marco, but, at the same time, they didn't really want to welcome that crazy Beta onto their land. Marco, on the other hand, didn't mind the final outcome, he was happy to transfer into the Black Devil pack house, as long as he could move in very soon with his mate. A mate that was very impatient and annoyingly entering to Full Moon pack, without any notice, under the hawk eyes of Elena's father.

Elena smiled at the memory from a few nights ago, when Crucifero busted into their house while they were all having dinner together. He was completely soaked from the rain, stained with blood and wearing only underwear. With a loud growl, he had marched to Marco, then carried him away, under the incredulous faces of everyone. Fortunately, both her and Marco's fathers dad were attending a meeting in Crystal Wolf's territory.

"Hello folks" A deep voice emanated from behind.