Over

Chetan's touch, his body close to mine, my body shivers at his touch.

Sex with Chetan is like every desire in one's life coming together all at once. Ajay is

terrific, too, and I do have feelings for him. There is an extra feeling with Chetan, the Mark

mate's pull.

"Look, we can't tell Ajay. He'll be crushed." I place my hand on Chetan's bare chest.

"It's not like you're sleeping with him."

"I am, we have been." Dropping my gaze to the water, I am ashamed of myself.

"Wow."

"Please."

"Fine, so you don't want to be with me?"

"I don't know what or who I want."

"Okay, babe, I can be patient," he says.

Ajay's howl ended our special moment. .

"And Kiara, are you sure she chose Cricket?" I ask.

"Yup, I can never keep her from her mark, mate. I know how bad it hurts, because I know

that I will never stop craving you."

"Yeah."

"I don't know how Ajay can get between us, Alpha or not."

"I think it's because he was trying to protect Kiara, too."

"That's not a problem anymore," he says.

Hearing another howl, I change into my wolf, and I howl in response and change back in

my human form."Let's get back."

"Don't worry, I won't tell your secret." The voice came from a girl, and I had no idea

who it could be.

"Aanya?" I look around for her.

"That's not her voice; it's quieter," says Chetan.

"We need to change now before Ajay comes to find me."

Rushing to the shore, we both get dressed as fast as possible. After our clothes are on, I

address the voice.

"Hello?"

"Hello, two-timer," it calls back.

Chetan chuckles. Looking at him, I raise an eyebrow.

"Well, it is true," he comments.

"Who are you?" I challenge.

Emerging from the water is a glorious pink fishtail. It jumps out of the water like a whale,

and my eyes and brain notice a creature I call a mermaid. Now while her head only pops up in the water, her body covered. She has purple and pink hair, dark blue eyes, and the reddest lips I've ever seen.

"How long have you been here?" I demand.

"Forever I supposed, in a deep sleep, I just awoken," she states.

"Why were you sleeping?"

"I have no clue. You should feel guilty cheating on your Alpha because he loves you,"

she speaks.

"You're right."

"What about you, Chetan?" she asks.

"What about?" he says.

"What about Zare's sister?" she asks.

"We are over," Chetan claims.

"Zare?" Ajay's voice approaches us, and I am nervous the mermaid would tell my secret.

I see Smoke with him.

"Over here!" I wave to get their attention. "I am okay."

"She's better than okay. The mermaid gives a smug laugh.

"Who's she?" asks Ajay.

"That's a mermaid," informs Smoke.

"Another new creature." Ajay groans in annoyance.

"And there are many, many more," the Mermaid laughs.

"Like?" he prods.

"I wouldn't worry about that great Alpha; I would worry about if your friends are truthful

to you," she says, before swimming off into the deep beach.

"What the hell was she talking about, and why are you here, Chetan?" Ajay whirls to face

the younger wolf.

Please lie, Chetan.

"I heard Zare howl and came to check on her after the cemetery run." He shrugs.

"Mermaids cause trouble intentionally. They like fighting and drama, don't take anything

she said seriously," Smoke announces.

"I won't. We are past this," says Ajay, grabbing my hand and kissing it.

It was as if I had been punched in the stomach. What have I done? My feelings for Ajay

are real, and I messed everything up; I know I will rip his heart out for sure. Guilt, regret, and

shame all set in, and I just hope I can control my emotions.

"How do you know so much about mermaids?" Ajay wants to know.

"My grandma told us kids many stories about them growing up. They ripped many packs

apart feeding them lies to destroy friendships," Smoke replies.

"She seems like she was good at mind games," Chetan remarks.

"Is she a threat to the packs?" Ajay frowns.

"No, they won't cause physical harm, just mental. Stay away from them, and we will be

fine, Smoke says.

With nothing more to say, we headed back to camp. I was quiet the entire way.

"You okay, Zare?" asks Ajay as we reach the camp.

He must have noticed how uncomfortable I feel or look and act.

"Yeah, sure." I couldn't look him in the eyes. I know in my heart I truly and honestly love

Ajay. What is Chetan? Is it only him being my Mark mate? It is like lust and desire times one

hundred. Would I say I love Chetan?

Soon everyone is chatting by the fire as Ajay roasts hotdogs. My stomach is sick and my

head uneasy. Sitting by the big tree overlooking the camp, I watch everyone. Chetan approaches me with food.

"You're not hungry?" He holds up the plate.

Shaking my head, I don't even want to speak.

"I am never going to tell him what happened, and he didn't believe the mermaid, you're

fine."

"I love him, Chetan, I can't lie."

"I didn't realize it had gotten that serious between you guys to be throwing out the L-

word."

"It has; none of that matters now. He'll never forgive me."

"If he loves you, he will Zare."

"I don't think so."

"He will. I am going back up with the rest of the others, want to come?"

I shake my head. The chanting has stopped, and many of the wolves have fallen asleep, I

listen to the sound of the forest. With many new creatures awakened, those sounds are now different. More crunching leaves are probably from being stepped on by vampires, and water splashing from the Mermaids swimming.

"What's wrong, baby?" Ajay sits next to me.

I need to get this off my chest to tell him the truth and see if we can work this out. "I need

you to forgive me for something, please, Ajay."

"It's about the beach, and what the mermaid says. I could tell you where lying it was all

over your face," he says.

He doesn't seem mad, just upset. I don't blame him.

"Chetan followed me to the beach, and I should have been strong enough to resist him,

but I wasn't."

"Did you guys kiss again? he asks calmly.

Shaking my head, I begin to cry.

"Something different? Or more than kissing?"

"More."

Ajay looks down at the ground for a long moment.

"I am sorry."

"Did what happened in the cave this morning mean anything to you?"

"It meant everything."

"Apparently not, Zare."

"I am sorry. It was a mistake, and it will never happen again."

"I heard that before, Zare."

"I know."

"I should have known. You two are mark mates, you belong together, and now with

Kiara finding hers, there's nothing in your way. It's fine, I understand," he says.

"You don't understand, I want you. Those are feelings I have for you because I love you,

not some stupid mark mate I am destined for".

"You thought I was going to allow you to be with Chetan, then forgive you, and we move

on?"

"No, I know what I did was wrong. Please, Ajay, I can't lose you."

"It's just the feelings I have when Chetan gets close to me; it's like my wolf wants him

and needs his touch. I couldn't help myself."

"That's how your Mark mate is supposed to make you feel. So go be with him, Zare,

because we are over."

The words rip my heart out, my world is spinning, and my legs feel wobbly.

"Please, Ajay, I am sorry." My face and my shirt are soaked with tears. I cry so much

I'm exhausted.

"Ajay, you are unreasonable," Chetan says, approaching us.

"How so, Chetan?" Ajay asks.

"Look how upset she is; I know she loves you, she told me. It was a mistake, and it won't

happen again."

"Like that wasn't your intention following her to the beach!" Ajay yells.

"Yes it was," Chetan confesses.

"I don't care if it was; you can have the whore. I don't want her," Ajay snarls.

"Whore? I think you better rethink your words," Chetan warns in a low voice.

"Did she tell you about us this morning?"

"Yes, and that doesn't make her a whore. She is stuck between two guys who love her

very much."

"One now." Ajay walking away.

"Ajay!" I yell in between tears. My voice cracks as I speak, and all I want to do is beg

him for forgiveness.,

"Calm down, Zare." Chetan wraps his arms around me.

I pull away at his touch.

"You want me to leave?"

I don't want to be alone.

"I am not here as your Mark mate, rather as your friend," he says.

He sits by the tree on the ground. Sitting next to him, my head hurts, and there is not a

word deep enough to describe the sadness in my heart. Chetan opens his arms, and I eagerly take place in them. Laying my head on his chest, comfort takes away some of the sadness. He rubs my back.

Watching Ajay laughing with the others, he acts like everything is fine. He honestly

didn't care about me. That is obvious. Chetan kisses the top of my head.

"He'll come to his senses tomorrow," is the last thing I've hear him say as I drift off.