[4]: Control

A/N: Oh man, as I am writing this, I have already come up with the plot of the book that will follow this one.  It will be a spin-off, including character(s) that appear in this book.   But one thing at a time!  And now, on to chapter 4.

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"So, those things invading our lands are called the Fallen?"

"Yes, Scott.  That is what Alec explained to me."

"I see.  And these, Fallen you say, are Lycans?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so how do they turn into that?  I still do not quite understand it."

I have been sitting here all morning in a meeting with Scott Winterstone, the Alpha of the Blood Rune pack, his vast territory that borders mine to the South East of my own territory.   I had summoned him here as a courtesy, and we shared a sort of friendship.  Only a few years older than I, we had somewhat grown up together.  Our parents had once been very good friends, and I remember going to his house frequently for dinners, and vice versa.  However, he had lost his parents to the same hunters that had killed Leilani's more than five years ago.  And since then, I have only seen him a hand full of times.

"Here, read this." I stated as I slid an opened book across my desk towards him.

He places his hand on the open pages of the book, and brings it closer to him.  His eyes cast down, and a look of concentration enters his face.  His pupils moving left to right, over and over, like an old-fashioned typewriter, as he reads the contents of the book.

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'The mating bond in which the Moon Goddess bestows upon two wolves is sacred and must be cherished.  Mates were created by her, to be two parts of a whole and should not be taken lightly.  In the event a mate should be rejected, or a mating bond is completed with a wolf whom is not the Moon Goddess' chosen mate for that particular Lycan, the Lycan that has been set aside for another and/or rejected will experience great hardships.  Sometimes resulting in their death by their own hands. If death does not occur, he or she will become mentally unhinged and lose themselves and become one of the Fallen.  A Fallen is a rogue wolf with zero empathy, and has lost its humanity, forever in the enthrall of the dark.  He or she will become a slave to their murderous thoughts and become an Angel of Death.

The rejected Lycan will begin to experience great physical pain during any intimate encounters his or her mate with another.  As time passes, and the encounters continue to occur, the rejected mate's health will begin to deteriorate and their internal injuries will intensify in strength.  If enough time passes, the rejected mate's wolf will weaken from prolonged subjection to pain, that their healing capacity will greatly diminish until it is completely ineffective in healing them.  When the bruising begins to last for days, instead of a few minutes or hours, the rejected mate has only a few months left to live, or become a Fallen.

The only known cure for the ailments of a rejected mate, is for his or her destined mate to accept the Moon Goddess' decision and fully mate with the once rejected mate before one becomes Fallen.  However, even if acceptance does finally occur, the once rejected mate may still experience physical hardships for years to come.  However, if a rejected Lycan has already become Fallen, there is no known cure.  There is absolutely no coming back from the dark for a Fallen.  The only way in which a Lycan does not become a Fallen, is through death.'

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He leans back into the chair, and looks up at me.

"That's some deep shit, Damien"

"I know, I know."

"If that book is accurate, then it sounds as if they can only be created if the mate bond is ignored."

"Yes, that's what I believe the cause of it."

"I wonder..."

"Wonder what?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Come on Scott, I know you.  Spit it out"

"Well, hypothetically speaking.  What if you do not reject you mate, but they are... How do I say this? Participating in extracurricular actives with others?"

"You mean cheating Scott?"

"Yes, in laymen's terms, fucking others."  he says with a blank face.

"Is that what you are doing Scott?"

"No.  I just said I was hypothetically speaking.  Not from experience.  Not my own at least"

His eyes flashed what looked like pain across them and then disappeared.  I knew that look.  It was a look I was familiar with, as I had seen the same one cross Leilani's face so many times in the past.  Times when I would have ignored them, but now I was acutely aware of them.

"Is something wrong Scott?"

"Wrong? Wrong with what?"

"You, my friend."

"Ha! Me? Never!"

I watch him intently for a second, and then dropped it.  If there was something wrong with Scott, it was his business.  When and if he came to me with his problems, I would be there.  But until that day, I would not pester him about it.  Friends, that was something else I had taken for granted before, and was determined not to ever again, as I thought of Alex.

"Anyways, speaking of mates.  Where is Rachel?"

Just as Scott asked me that question, my office door opened, revealing Leilani and Alex.  Alex's hand on the doorknob, with Leilani behind him.  I watched as his jaw clenched down and the vein on his left temple began to pound.  His anger barely contained.  Behind him, Leilani's face had fallen, and tears were forming in her eyes.  And I knew, they had heard what Scott had just said.  I watch as Alex stomps back out of the room, leaving Leilani standing in the doorway.

Scott turned around then at having heard the door open, and seeing the look on my face as I adverted my eyes over his shoulder.  He shifted in his seat in discomfort.

"Uhhhhhhh" I heard him utter, before looking back at me.

I needed to make up for the mistakes of my past, and I needed to start now.  If I were ever to gain back Alex's friendship, or Leilani's trust.

"About that Scott.  She was never my mate?"

"What do you mean?"

I turned my eyes towards Leilani, and extended my hand to her.  Looking straight in her eyes, I asked her to come to me.  I watched as she elegantly entered the room, and once she was within distance, place her hand in mine.  Pulling her to me, and into my side.

"Scott, have you ever met Leilani, my mate?"  I asked, as his eyebrows shot up in a look of surprise.  Quickly, he masked it for my benefit, and turned towards her.

"No, I don't think I have ever had the pleasure." I watched as he extended his hand to her.

She places her hand in his, and I watch as his hand wraps around hers.  My wolf not liking this man touching her.

"Hello Leilani, I am Scott Winterstone of the Blood Rune Pack. It is a pleasure to meet you."  he states, as he places a kiss on the back of her hand.

I heard her slightly giggle, before drawing back her hand away from Scott.  My wolf and I both feeling relieved that Scott was no longer touching her and putting his lips on here.  Neither of us liked the idea of any man near her.

"Well hello Scott.  Are you staying for lunch as well?"

"Scott was just leaving, little one."

"Yes, as much as I would love to spend more time with this beautiful creature, I must go."

I scowled at him, referring to her beauty.  I watched as he was address Leilani, and his using his thumb, and pointing it towards me.

"Geez, grumpy pants here can't take a compliment.  Last time you'll ever hear me compliment him on his beauty."

I heard Leilani's full laugh then, as well as Scott's.  Me standing their dumbfounded for a second, until my own laughter joined theirs.

"Shut up man, go already.  Come back tomorrow so we can finish talking about stuff."

"Yea, for sure.  It was nice meeting you Leilani"  Scott states as he gives a brief wave of his hand, and walks out the door, closing it.

"Go ahead, and make yourself comfortable while I call to have them bring up lunch for us."

I watch her as the receiver to the phone is up to my ear, letting the kitchen staff know to bring up our meal.  As I am, I watch as she walks around my office picking up pictures and other items and examine them.  Her delicate fingers caressing them softly.  I watch as she picks up a picture that I had in the office of Alex, herself, and I as kids, and smiles at it.  She hadn't noticed I had replaced the receiver in its cradle, and I was now approaching her from behind.  I wrap my around around her waist, her back to my front.  I place my head down into the crook of her neck, and I feel her lean her head to the right giving me more access.  I place a soft kiss where my mark would have laid, if it were there.

"I have missed you, little one."

"You just saw me a few hours ago, Damien." she says breathlessly.

"A few hours too long." I say as I nuzzle her neck again.

Turning her around in my arms, she places her hands on my chest.  I lean down then and place my lips on hers.  Kissing her passionately.  I feel her hands fisting the material of my shirt, as our kiss deepens.  My own hands going under her shirt on her back to feel her soft skin.  Of their own will, my hands move down and cup her butt,  and pushing her body into mine.  I back her up against a wall, and I lift her legs to wrap around my waist.  I deepen the kiss even more, and I hear a moan erupt from her mouth.  It was then, that I begin rubbing my excited body on hers.  The pleasure building for both of us, and my wolf screaming for his mate.  Just before either of us can lose control, someone knocks on the door.  I step away from her, trying to gather some distance from her so I can calm down my raging libido.

"Come in." I say with a gruff voice.

As I we wait for them to set up our lunch, I begin to chastise myself.  I had promised her I would take things slow.  And here I am, forcing myself on her.  I needed to keep my hands and lips to myself until she was ready.  How was I ever going to show her how much I had changed, if I couldn't control my body's reaction to her.

It was then, I made a promise to myself to keep myself at a distance, until she was ready.  If I kept touching her, there was no way I would ever be able to go slow.