Her Mortal Mate

Chapter Thirty Six: Withdrawals

Jadea

He must have been suffering major withdrawals if he wanted to make the bond now. That’s the only thing I could think of.

Every individual’s body, psychological reaction and emotional response handled such connections differently, regardless if they were mortal or immortal. When mates connected, their souls tended to latch onto one another since—most often—their souls were made for each other. If a lasting mates bond wasn’t made, the connection eventually would wear off. When that happened with true mates, I’d heard rumors some suffered from debilitating withdrawals. Much like the one Adam was suffering from. Usually, however, between most—mates or not—there wasn’t such a drastic physical or mental reaction.

I wasn’t opposed to making the bond at all. Rather, I preferred it. Blood bonds were what made my pack and I so efficient and deadly. It’s what had kept all of us alive, and not just when we were hunting. It made us understand one another. It made us stronger. We were each other’s support system and I wanted Adam to be a part of that desperately.

I just didn’t want to make him feel pressured into making such a bond.

Well, the nice part about this one sided kind of bond was that it wouldn’t affect Adam as much. It would give him that satisfaction, it would fulfill that need to be connected, but if the bond was ever severed, I would be carrying most of the lash back of the bond since I would be the one who would be drinking his blood. He would have uncomfortable withdrawals, but it wouldn’t be what I would ultimately suffer in the aftermath.

“Are you sure?” I asked, one hand gently curling around the right side of his jaw, my fingers parting around his ear. He reached up and banded his fingers around my wrist as he leaned into my touch.

“Is it w-weird? That I’m craving you in such a way? That I-I’m having … W-Withdrawals almost?” He asked shyly, his eyes closing so he could hide.

“Oh, my adorable vanilla,” I whispered, pressing my forehead against his. “It is not weird at all. This is just a fraction of what you’ll be feeling and experiencing in my world. This… craving is simply a part of it.”

“Then why are you hesitating?”

Damn! I was just called out! Holy hell.

Had I just said he was shy?

I take that back!

I chuckled at my own thoughts before becoming more serious. “Because I want to make absolutely sure this is what you want, Adam. There are very strict rules immortals must follow when it comes to mortals. Especially, when we take one as a mate.”

“Oh. Okay. So, is there something I have to sign? Or say? Do?”

“You’re really serious about this?” I hadn’t been convinced with how upset and nervous he had been acting.

He pulled just far enough away to level me with one of the most serious expressions I’d ever seen on his face. There was no hesitation at all. Those big blue eyes ensnared mine and for one moment I was drowning in them. “Yes, Jadea. I want to be so fully connected with you. I’m-I’m hesitant because I don’t want t-to annoy you,” he bit his lip as he stated his concerns. “I don’t w-want to become another b-burden for you to bear.”

My heart nearly broke at his concerns and his fallen expression. “You could never be a burden to me. And, I’m sure if you annoy me, it’ll be out of love. However, I know just stating these things won’t help ease that mindset of yours. Which is why I actually like blood bonds. There’s complete transparency.” After another moment more of staring into those beautiful blue eyes, I lifted his wrist. “Alright, Adam. I’m going to make a temporary bond. One that may last a few days, possibly a week—

“H-How do you know what is a temporary bond over a lasting bond?”

“By the amount of blood consumed and how often.”

“Right. Ok.”

“You will most likely be light headed afterwards, so I will help you back inside once this is done where you will promptly eat and drink. Understood?”

“So bossy,” he teased.

“Better get used to it buster. You think I’m bossy now, wait until you’re inside my head,” I smirked.

His mouth turned into an O and I couldn’t help it. I smashed my lips against his. My thumb moved over the scar on his wrist, hidden underneath a cleverly placed tattoo. “I don’t want to leave a mark on your neck,” I said gently against his lips. “May I?” I asked, my thumb tracing once again over the scar.

I was hoping he would let me. I wanted to give those scars a different meaning and purpose. One that wasn’t so dark…

His gaze moved to his wrist, the pain evident there. “Yes,” he whispered.

Slowly, I lifted his wrist to my mouth and placed a kiss along the scar. I gave him plenty of time to reconsider. When he didn’t, I took out a small knife and slit and small thin line into his skin that was deep enough to nick the vein.

I heard his heartbeat race, but once the smell of his blood filled my nostrils, it was over. I licked the small red rivers leading down his skin before closing my lips over the wound. I kept my teeth tucked behind my lips, knowing I would scare him more if I just bit.

As his blood rushing over my tongue, I moaned because it was the most addicting kind of elixir to me. He tasted better than I could have ever predicted. I felt a warmth growing in my chest and traveling down my spine.

Fuck!

I couldn’t wait for the day when we fulfilled the mates bond. When we were intimately joined together in each and every way possible.

Adam’s sharp intake of breath drew me back to the present. His mind was merged with mine and he’d seen, and felt, that last thought I’d had.

“Does it scare you?” I asked timidly in his mind.

“A little,” he admitted, “but only because it is new and unfamiliar.”

Moving my tongue over the wound, I ensured the vein was repaired before licking the wound closed. There was a special agent in werewolf saliva that could heal small wounds, which was rather useful.

“How do you feel?” I asked aloud.

“I’m ok,” he replied after a few moments of deliberation after he had mentally checked over himself.

“I know you probably wanted to be connected only with me, but today we are meeting with Nikolai and I’m going to have to merge my packs minds with mine and yours. If you are uncomfortable with that, then I can block out your mind from the group.”

“No! No,” he said a little calmer the second time. “I-I want to be a part of your group.” Of your family.

I forgot how broken Adam’s family had been. He’d told me his parents overdosed with them in a car. He had been placed into foster homes. And then, shortly after his band was starting to rise into fame, he’d gotten a fan girl pregnant and then the true hell began.

As broken as each of us was, my pack mates were my family. We joked and teased like a family. Watched out for each other like family. We loved hard like family.

And Adam knew that.

What my pack and I had was something rare, almost like a fairy tale and Adam was desperate for that kind of connection.

After pressing one last lingering kiss against his lips, I slowly opened my mind up to the rest of my pack. It took them a moment to realize Adam was connected too, but once they knew their excitement couldn’t be contained.

“Finally!” Garret exclaimed, startling Adam with his outburst. “Damn near took you long enough! Heck! I was thinking of just doing the honors myself to get him initiated into the damn pack!”

“And Jadea would have skinned you alive if you had,” Blade retorted.

“It’s good to have you here, Adam. We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Briar, ever the softie of the group, welcomed.

Adam hesitated, still not exactly sure how to communicate efficiently through telepathic means.

“You‘ll learn,” Garret assured. “It just takes practice.”

“We will teach you,” Briar added.

“Lance is pacing. His uncle’s probably getting close. If you’re wanting to eat breakfast, you should probably hurry up,” Blade noted.

And that was our cue. Standing up, I helped Adam to his feet and tucked myself securely under his arm so I could ensure he didn’t injure himself too badly if he passed out.

“You worry too much, woman,” Adam said aloud.

“That’s part of her job description.”

“She worries enough for all of us, therefore we don’t have to worry at all.”

“Oh, you two!” Briar scolded Blade and Garret as they chuckled.

“Are they always like this?”

“Worse, if you can believe,” Derrick groused, feeling more so Adam’s question through the bond rather than hearing it. “They’re being mild so they won’t scare you.”

Adam looked amused more than scared as a wide smile broke across his face. This was what he’d wanted all along. To belong somewhere. To be loved and accepted just for being himself.

“Oh don’t go getting all sentimental on me now!” Garret’s voice ripped apart the moment and made us all laugh.