It’s Funny How Love Starts (IFHLS Book 1)

The tension in the room made our senses heighten and our bodies cringe. Lucas was amused by our reaction and Travis seemed to be fully awake and aware, his eyes darting between everyone’s faces.

“Jace, open the door,” Lucas ordered. Jace gave him a regretful look.

“You’re crazy, Lucas,” Jace said, shaking his head. “I’m telling you this isn’t the best plan you’ve ever made.”

“Follow my orders,” Lucas growled. I flinched at the roughness of his voice.

Jace gave Lucas another regretful look but this time he obliged to his command. He opened the cell door and grabbed Travis making sure he wouldn’t run away. There was no need for handcuffs since Travis’ human strength would never match up with Jace’s werewolf strength.

Once Jace had a good grip on Travis, Lucas cut it straight to the chase. He produced a switchblade from his pocket that I had never noticed before and skillfully made a long thin cut on his forearm. A thin line of red began to appear and then it started to flow heavily but he didn’t shout or even grimace.

Lucas took Travis’ willing arm and repeated the same thing. Travis winced but didn’t fight back or make any sound. He put on a brave face and nodded at Lucas to continue. Lucas took both their arms, wrapping them together, blood touching blood and the blood promise began.

“Do you promise, Travis Trevino, to help Zane and Alexia with the murder case and to accept your failure to your mission for the return of your freedom?” Lucas asked Travis in a loud, commanding voice.

“Yes, I promise,” Travis said, standing tall and the look of determination on his face. “And do you, Lucas Slade, in turn let me go and not will not bother to chase after me once I am free?” Travis said confidently, his light eyes turned dark, filled with determination.

“I promise to thee,” Lucas said, searching Travis’ eyes for any false intentions that might have been lurking. “It is done,” Lucas said calmly and let go, rubbing his bloody arm on his clean shirt. The scar on their forearms would be a reminder of the promise they had both made.

They were both bound by the promise.

The blood promise was complete.

Both their arms were smeared with blood and the sight of it made me queasy. “You can stay in the guest room for the night and prepare to go back to your people tomorrow. Jace will help you settle in,” Lucas instructed, giving Jace a ‘don’t-hurt-him’ look. Jace groaned but he knew he had to listen to Lucas. “It’s getting late so I instruct everyone to get a restful sleep. The Elders are coming tomorrow.”

“The Elders?!” Travis exclaimed. He sounded like he knew them but I had no idea what they were talking about. Zane looked surprised too as if he knew who they were.

“Who are they?” I asked in the midst of all the surprise faces that were exchanged. It seemed like I was the only one who was constantly out of the loop.

“They’re the supreme werewolf leaders in the werewolf society,” Lucas explained. “I’m surprised your dad hadn’t taught you this yet.”

“She’s was too young right to get involved,” Zane said, protecting dad and my pride.

“Very well,” he said, brushing it aside. “The Elders are coming tomorrow to make sure everything is orderly since the fire accident and to see if I am capable of two packs so I have to hold a formal party tomorrow and I expect everyone on their best behavior.” Lucas took the time to look at each one of us especially Zane and me. When his eyes landed on mine, I couldn’t help but blush. I remembered the pillow fight I had with Zane that made dad furious and Lucas scold us.

“Well then,” Jace spoke up. “I’m retreating back to my room. Come on human, I’ll show you to your room,” he said bitterly.

One by one, everyone left the ‘dungeon’ and went back to the comfort of their room. Zane gave me a last look of worry but I shook my head hoping he’d get the message that I was OK and that he didn’t need to worry.

Lucas held my shoulders and opened the door to our room. I followed him inside and for the first time, I didn’t feel like a slave locked up in this room. Maybe he wasn’t as bad as I first thought. He had, after all, took care of me and been nice to me recently and even bought me and Zane the necessity of clothes.

I looked through my new set of clothes that were set on the bed and rummaged for a pajama that I picked out when suddenly Lucas touched my hand. I looked at him and backed off but his eyes were swirling with emotions and I got lost in those beautiful grey eyes of his.

“It has to happen tonight,” Lucas said smoothly. I knew what ‘it’ was.

“You promised me three days,” I argued but I was thinking maybe it was time. Maybe I was ready. Was I? My conflicting feelings were dying down and the part of me who wanted him started to engulf the other side who wanted to hate him.

“I’m sorry but if the Elders still see you as unmarked then who knows what might happen?” Lucas sighed, ruffling through his silky black hair, trying to relieve stress.

“And why would it matter?”

“Because I’m the Alpha and me not marking you show that I’m weak or in other words incapable of leading two packs. You’re lucky enough that I haven’t forced you!” He rubbed his temple and groaned.

“Well, next time keep a promise you can keep!” I yelled, going for the bed since he was sassing me. I knew if I tried to run out the door, he would probably block it before I had any chance of escaping.

“Ditto for you!” he yelled back. I groaned in frustration and tucked the covers over my head so it would block out any insults he would have thrown.

“Don’t pull your covers up on me!” he yelled and I felt a heavy concave shape in the space next to me. He pulled off the covers, his eyes growing stormy as it usually was when he was irritated. “Get this over with and everyone’s happy,” he said through his gritted teeth. I hadn’t expected my sweet moment of getting marked to be something that would be taken from me by force.

“I don’t want to. I’ll just scream for someone,” I threatened him, trying to pull back the covers but he threw them across the room.

“Zane is probably with Travis and Jace is most likely with them discussing about tomorrow’s schedule and Jace wouldn’t interfere in the first place,” Lucas growled, making me shudder. Crap, I was kind of screwed.

“You know, you are the most unpleasant person?” I spat as he took hold of my arms and legs, pinning them down to the bed. He was hovering just a couple inches in front of me, the smell of his cologne intoxicating me.

“I know but you know you can’t resist the desire of having me near you, me touching you,” he said slyly, trailing soft kisses on my neck. I shuddered at how close he was to his goal but he turned towards the direction of my ear, gently exploring behind my ear with his tongue. I moaned at the sensation, unable to stop myself. He was right. I couldn’t resist.

“Shh, my Alexia,” he whispered before continuing. He licked the edges of my ear with the tip of my tongue and began to suck the tiny part of my earlobe making me moan even more. “Shhhh,” he continued to say between kisses. He had trailed his lips skillfully down to my neck again, avoiding my lips, as if teasing me. I swore I could hear my own heart beat so irregularly.

I noticed how close our bodies were, his body hovering over my own, creating heat between us. He kissed my neck gently as if caressing it with his lips but suddenly his teeth grazed my soft skin. I shuddered again and I heard a low chuckle in his voice. His tongue massaged my neck gently and I felt his canines slowly appearing from his teeth.

He kissed my neck with gentleness that I never knew he had and then he bit me. I gave the slightest gasp of surprise and pain. He pierced my skin but the pain subsided and was replaced by the feeling of pleasure. I moaned more loudly, everything that mattered in the world disappeared that moment.

The only thing I felt was him, his emotions. His pain of his parents’ and Lexi’s death still lingered with him, the happiness he felt when he saw me happy and satisfied, the wonderment he had of me whenever I snapped back at him with my attitude.

 I didn’t know if he felt any of my emotions but both of our breaths quickened as the transformation happened and I was finally marked his. It was a blissful moment that i cherished and for the first time, I felt complete.

 Lucas’ POV

“Alexia,” I whispered, completely overwhelmed by the emotions I sensed from her. She was as confused as I was about where we stood. She was in awe of me as I was in her but I was more fascinated by her. I felt like I finally understood what mom and dad had been feeling about being marked and mated. God, it felt so wonderful.

“Yes?” she spoke softly.

“You’re amazing,” I said whispering it in her hair, her scent, now a mixture of my own. She reached for neck and shuddered from the bite mark I had made. “I’m sorry. It must hurt a lot,” I sympathized, wishing I could take whatever pain away.

“No,” she mumbled, “It’s not like I’m going to die.” We both winced at the mention of death. It wasn’t the best subject for either one of us. “Lucas?” she said, hesitantly.

“Yes?”

“You don’t really love me,” she said more like a statement than a question. Did I love her? I adored her and admired her but I wasn’t sure if I knew the word ‘love’ yet. It was a new territory that I had recently started to experience.

“Do you love me?” I asked in turn. She hesitated. Just as I thought. We were both still inexperienced about this thing called ‘love.’ The only thing close to this ‘love’ I’ve gotten to was girls in my bed but I knew now that love was much greater than lust.

“I don’t know,” she said honestly. It all grew silent as we laid there and cuddled. I had to tell Cynthia to turn down the AC once in a while but maybe the coldness was benefitting me, seeing that Alexia is letting me cuddle with her. “Well, I guess you’ve completed your mission,” she said gloomily and turned her back on me. I was speechless yet awed.

It was weird to take a rejection because I never gotten one from any of the other girls I had been with. Although I had done other things besides marking, their reaction was always pleasure and lust but with Alexia it was different.

Yes, I knew we both couldn’t ignore the fact that we enjoyed what just happened between us but it was different from the lust that enticed me and my past relationships. It was bliss. The sweet feeling of love although we both won’t admit it but I was glad to be able to share it with her.