Chapter 5: Erica

She rubbed the back of her neck as she stepped off the plane, the cold morning air kissing her nose. She tightened her hold on her jacket, shivering as she descended the stairs and followed the crowd. The meeting with her author went better than she expected with no distractions. Even though it all went so well, a part of her mind kept going back to Damion. His charming smile and his dorky personality. She surprised herself by smiling at the thought of him. What did Damion mean to her?

She walked down a brightly lit hallway crowded with people. Every conversation blurred together into nonsense as her mind wandered off. She told him she would have an answer for him when she got back, but she still didn't know how to feel. All she has ever know was building her own growth, her own confidence. She didn't need help from a man to be who she was today. But Damion wasn't an ordinary man. He was a Werewolf, a Beta. Second in command and he only had eyes for her. Over the past couple months it had been filled with pushing their lust to the limit. Every time he asked a question that delved deeper, she pushed back. She didn't want to get too close incase she wanted to leave. Yet the idea of leaving him hurt her heart in a way she never felt before.

As she turned a corner, the crowd thinned out, going their separate ways. Her eyes scanned over the faces, looking for his, but he didn't see him. She frowned, moving out of the way, but there was still no sign of him. Did he forget she came back today? What if he changed his mind and decided not to wait for her answer?

"Good morning." A voice whispered into her ear from behind her. Strong arms enveloped her from behind. She glanced back to see his chiseled chin, hazel eyes and messy brown hair. He smiled sweetly at her as he took her bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"I thought..." she looked back over the crowd of people. Where did he come from?

"I wanted to surprise you." He said to her, leading her away. She looked at his strong shoulders and back. He carried himself with such confidence, it made her blush.

"Damion!" She shouted, startling herself and the others around her. He stopped walking, turning back to her. She watched his face soften as he looked at her. He dropped her bag on the ground beside him and opened his arms to her. She felt the threat of tears spring to her eyes as she closed the distance between them and buried her face in his broad chest.

"I missed you to, Kitten." He kissed her hair. Feeling him, hearing him, smelling him. She never realized until now how much she truly missed him while she was away. Was this what Lily and Jayce felt? Their bond was strong because of his Mark on her. Would their bond be just as strong as theirs?

"Come on, Lily is making a welcome home lunch for you." He released her, picking up her bag again. How he said her name irked her. It shocked her. Why would she feel that way?

"Oh, Toronto sounds amazing!" Lily said gleefully as she set up the dining room table. Damion drove straight to the mansion instead of his house to meet up with Lily. She watched his short interaction with her and felt something was very off. He was looking at her in a way that made her uncomfortable and possessive of him.

"The sights were great and all, but I couldn't wait to be back home." She said. Lily nudged her gently.

"Did you miss your Mate that much?" She teased her. Erica smiled half heartedly, "What's wrong?" Lily asked instantly.

"Lily, how were you so sure that you wanted to be Jayce's Mate?" Erica asked her. Lily raised a brow at her, tapping her chin with a serving spoon.

"It didn't happen right away. I told him how I felt. I was confused about the attraction between us." She laid the spoon down on the table, "He told me about the Mate bond. He said he would take the time to get to know each other first before asking to place a Mark on me." Lily smiled as if she was replaying the memory in her head.

"I can't imagine him being the patient type." Erica shook her head.

"But he is patient. With everything that happened with Jasper, he didn't want to reopen old wounds." She looked over the table set up, nodding to herself.

"He had to convince you at one point, right?" She asked. Lily rubbed the back of her neck, avoiding Erica's gaze.

"Actually... I told him to." She played with her fingers.

"What do you mean you told him to?"

"I mean one day I told him to Mark me. He was the one that hesitated, but I was being assertive. I knew what I wanted, and I wanted him." Lily said with a firm nod.

"Did it hurt?" She asked her. Lily peered over to her, her eyes dropping to her neck.

"Damion hasn't Marked you yet?"

Erica shook her head, "No." She let out a sigh, sitting down, "I didn't want to lose who I am to be his Mate." She rested her face in her hands. Lily knelt in front of her, her hands on Erica's knees.

"Erica, listen to me." Lily's words made her uncover her face, "You have been with him for some time now. Has he once tried to change you? Even the slightest?" Lily asked her. Erica thought back to all of their times together. Through her rants, her tantrums, her emotional breakdowns. He was always there for her, encouraging her to keep trying. How could she forget all of that?

"Food's ready!" Damion called from the kitchen. Lily rose to her feet.

"I'll support you, no matter what you decide, Erica. You're like a sister to me." Lily told her. Erica smiled as she stood up next and hugged her.

"Thank you. I needed this pep talk."

It was a quiet night back at Damion's. He was asleep in bed, but she couldn't get a wink. He'd been acting distant all day and it hurt. She gazed down at her lover, running her fingers through his hair before climbing out of bed. She crept downstairs, looking around the small living room. His home was nothing compared to Jayce's, but it was cozy for her.

She sat on the couch, bringing her knees to her chest. Her heart felt heavy in her chest. Was it too late to agree to be his Mate now? He seemed so enveloped with Lily, she felt third wheeled. Did something happen while she was gone? But Lily wasn't that kind of person. She was madly in love with Jayce. She's planning their wedding for crying out loud! Erica buried her face in her arms as all these thoughts piled on top of her.

"Erica?" His tired voice made her look up, her vision blurred a bit with tears. He stood in his boxers, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He walked over and sat beside her, his large hand on her back, "Talk to me. I can feel something is troubling you." He told her. She sniffled, looking away. He let out a sigh, getting back to his feet.

"Where are you going?" She asked him. He rolled his shoulders.

"Bed. You obviously don't want to talk." He started to head upstairs.

"That's it? I'm gone a week and you just stopped caring about me?" She jumped to her feet. All the thoughts she had came to a boiling point.

"What are you going on about now?" He asked her.

"You've been distant all fucking day. You've been hovering over Lily like she was some fragile fucking porcelain doll." She spit out. Damion growled at her.

"She's my Luna." He argued.

"I'm your girlfriend!" She shouted. Damion looked at her confused.

"Why are you freaking out? You said you wanted time, so that's what I'm giving you." He told her.

"But I'm back now." Her voice cracked and she covered her mouth. No, she hated getting upset like this. Damion walked over, bending down and slung her over his shoulder like she was some potato sack.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" She demanded, punching his back, but it didn't faze him. He walked back to his bedroom and threw her down on the bed. She stared up at him as he crawled on top of her. He leaned down and kissed her hard. She pushed against him, but it was a losing battle. His tongue slipped passed her lips, trapping her tongue beneath his. She moaned, his hands going to her shirt and tearing it open.

"Do you know how much of a struggle it is? Every single fucking day?" He growled, sitting up. His hands turned into claws and he shredded her panties. She stared up at him wide eyed. "Each day you were gone, my wolf took it as a sign of rejection." He snarled.

"But I didn't even..."

"It doesn't fucking matter! It's the silence and the uncertainty of having a Mate. Since you kept refusing, my wolf started to browse again." He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head.

"So, Lily...?"

"My wolf eyed Lily even though she's Mated to my best friend. I don't want her. I've never wanted her." His other hand moved down her stomach and he slipped his fingers inside of her. She let out a loud moan, her legs pressing together, but he forced them open with his hips. He pounded away at her sex, driving her body insane. She was turned on to the max.

"What exactly does your wolf want then?" She asked, but she already knew. She can see the tip of his cock pushing passed the edge of his boxers. He stopped his fingers, bringing them out and licked them slowly. She shivered.

"Erica, I want to make this clear. One final time, and if you can't get it through your stubborn skull, then we're done." He said. She stared at him in shock. Her sex soaked the sheets that lay beneath her. His fingers grabbed her chin so she couldn't look away from him, "Your independent, strong-willed, stubborn ass, badass personality is what I fell for. Why the fuck would I change that? If you don't believe me still, just say so, but know this." He leaned his lips close to hers, "We will be done. There is no going back." He told her, staring into her eyes. She remained quiet, but more so to absorb what is happening. She twisted her hips, shifting her weight to roll on top of him. He let go of her hands, sitting up. She reached out, grabbing his hair and pulled hard. He let out a growl, his cock throbbing against her stomach.

"I'm not going anywhere, so don't you dare try to end this." She lifted up and slid down his shaft. He groaned, his hands grabbing her ass. She loved his touch. It made her want more. She rode him like she never rode before. He groaned louder, his claws digging into her ass. The pain made her almost drool.

"Erica!" He grunted, thrusting from below. He laid her down on her back, never once losing the momentum. She moaned, her nails digging into his back.

"Mark me." She told him. He peered down at her.

"What?" She reached up, grabbing his hair again and brought his head down to her neck.

"I said Mark me!" She commanded him. He let out a growl she never heard from him before. A sharp pain pierced her skin, followed by an intense heat.

"Erica!" He shouted, his thrusting shaking the bed. Her sex squeezed him tight, making him howl as he came. The feel of his cum filling her, made her eyes roll back and climax with him.

He leaned over her, trying to catch his breath as he gazed into her eyes. She reached up and touched the sore imprint of his fangs on her neck. It no longer hurt, but it pulsated to remind her. She was his. Forever and always.