A Wolf's Kiss

Chapter : 6

"Your wolf?" Cole whispers. He leans to check the way the cut stretches around Mark's middle.

Cole wonders if he should take a picture of it and send it to a doctor friend from University. He knows the wound is not infected, but there's something strange about it. He’s so concentrated on the injury; he barely notices Mark leaning closer until Cole suddenly feels Mark's nose against his exposed neck.

Cole tenses. Because of Mark's sudden action, because his hand is still touching Mark's skin, because he can feel Mark inhaling deeply, and Cole just returned from a run, and he's sweaty and smelly. He also tenses because it feels nice to have Mark this close to him.

Cole knows he’s blushing, and if it were someone else, he would have already pushed them away, but it's Mark. And Mark is handsome, and Cole is quite attached to him already, but Cole still takes a step away after a moment. “Ah! I'll bring clean bandages-” he says quickly. He puts a small distance between him and Mark, which makes Mark snap out whatever trance compelled him to smell Cole like that, and Cole can tell his eyes are wide.

Mark looks shocked even by his actions. It takes a second for Cole to realize Mark's gaze has settled on his neck, and for some reason, it makes Cole shiver. "I'll be right back!" Cole yelps. He is already hurrying towards the bathroom before Mark can nod at him. What the hell just happened between them?

While trying to calm himself down in the bathroom, Cole wonders if it’s normal for werewolves to smell people like that. He works with animals, he knows that’s a natural reaction for dogs, but Mark is a man- a man that shifts into a wolf- but a man nonetheless. Before walking out, Cole looks at himself in the mirror. His blond hair is tousled, and his cheeks are pink. His glasses are falling on the bridge of his nose. His grey tank top is wet from sweat from his run. Cole wishes he would look a little better, but he guesses it doesn’t matter. Right now, he just wants to know why did Mark smell him all of a sudden? He doesn't seem able to come up with an answer.

Mark is still in the kitchen. He’s facing the counter. Shirtless, and he’s clenching his jaw. Cole stares at his back from the bathroom door for a second before shaking his head. “Come here, I’ll cover that up,” Cole says when he enters the kitchen. Mark winces at his voice, but he walks towards Cole.

Cole leaves the bandages on the kitchen counter. It’s quiet between them as Cole cleans the wound again. He's still thinking about Mark’s strange actions from a moment ago, but he doesn't know how to bring it up. He waits until he’s pressing the gauze to Mark’s wound to ask.

“Mark… do I smell off?” He decides to say. Mark seems startled by Cole’s question. His eyes widen again, but he doesn't answer. “I mean- you- my neck- a moment ago… is it because I smell off?”

The silence stretches until- “I wouldn’t say you smell off,” Mark whispers. “What do I smell like then?”

Mark blinks. “Uh- right now, you smell distressed,” Mark says.

That’s not the answer Cole wanted, but- “What?” Cole is confused. That’s an emotion, not a scent.

“You smell sour. Like spoilt milk. Which means you’re anxious or worried-”

That’s not a good description, and Cole’s mouth falls open at comparing his scent to spoiled milk, but Cole can’t argue because he is indeed distressed. Because he doesn't understand Mark's actions and because- "Of course I'm distressed! You opened your wound again. You have to be thankful it was already scarring!" He sighs when he finishes wrapping the bandages. Mark doesn’t answer, and after a huff, Cole comes up with a different question. "You can smell emotions?"

“I can smell other wolves’ emotions,” Mark explains.

When Mark says it so calmly, Cole guesses it makes sense- “Wait, you can smell other wolves, but I’m not a shifter.” How can he smell Cole if-

“I know,” Mark says. He's frowning. Cole hopes Mark elaborates on that. "I have never been apart from my pack for so long, and I think that might be affecting me- since a couple of days ago, I've been feeling your scent more-" Mark looks away. "More present," he decides to say. Mark sighs before adding, “I think my wolf is confusing you as a pack.”

“Oh-” Cole can understand that. Since they’re living together, it makes sense Mark’s animal part sees Cole as someone close. Shifter packs are similar to what humans understand as families, and, even in this short amount of time, Cole can't deny they've grown quite close

“Your wolf is like your animal side, right?” Cole tries. Mark nods. "And he's confused?"

“Yes. That's why I went to the woods because I had to clear my mind. I thought a night there would put me at ease. It did; I was there for two nights, and when I returned, I expected my wolf to have calmed down, but you smell-” He frowns. "Very strong, right now." Cole blushes brightly, very aware of the sweat on his body and suddenly embarrassed by Mark’s comments about his smell.

Mark must notice Cole’s shame because he sighs. "Shifters scent between pack members," Mark explains. "To show affection. That's what I was trying to do. You- showed me your neck, and you smell strong. I couldn't control it." Cole's mind is spiraling. Mark’s explanation sounds plausible, but at the same time, it makes Cole feel warm.

Their eyes meet, and Cole feels like he needs something to ease the tension between them. It's making him queasy. “If your wolf is confusing me for your pack, does it mean I’m your friend?” Cole smiles brightly, trying to move the conversation towards friendly territory.

“Yes. My wolf considers you a friend,” Mark decides to say.

Cole notices Mark is a little flustered, if his clenched jaw and the way he avoids Cole’s gaze are signs of anything. The hopes of a friendly conversation leap out of the window at the possibility of a more flirtatious route. “And what about you, Mark?” Cole’s voice comes out a lot lower than usual. A whisper. Mark shrugs. “You consider me your friend?” The shifter rolls his eyes, and that was not the answer Cole was expecting. “What? You don't?” Cole whines. He knows himself, knows he's acting cute for Mark, knows his teasing could be considered flirty, but he can’t help it when Mark is looking at him so intensely. "Ah- I thought we were friends," Cole pouts, looking away. “We’ve been getting along so well!”

"Stop that," Mark grits.

"What?"

"That voice." Mark is glaring at him.

"What voice?" Cole speaks softly. Like he does to the puppies.

“The voice you use to talk to the pups-" Mark remembers. He has seen Cole around puppies in the clinic. Cole is biting his lower lip, not to break into a smile. "Don’t tease me-” Mark growls. It’s playful, though, a slight growl. It makes Cole laugh. “Don't laugh, Cole,” Mark growls one more time, but Cole laughs more.

“I'm sorry! That growl was not intimidating at all!” Mark raises an eyebrow, unamused. “I mean-” Cole giggles. “I expected more for a growl from a big bad wolf-like yo-” Cole doesn't finish the sentence because Mark gets on his space, caging him against the counter, and when Cole’s back hits the table, Mark growls right next to his ear. Cole takes a sharp intake of breath.

“Better like that?” Mark roughly asks when he looks into Cole’s face, and Cole closes his eyes, unable to meet his gaze. Cole is not sure if this is his way of playing around or wanting Cole to lose his mind. Cole is so embarrassed, he's wearing leggings, and if Mark looks down, he might

Cole can feel Mark leaning closer suddenly, and Cole tenses.

He was going for Cole’s neck again, though, for a moment, Cole thought Mark was going for his lips. Mark settles on his neck, and he repeats the action from before. He deeply inhales like he wants to smell every inch of Cole’s neck, rubbing his nose against the skin. Mark smells him one last time before snapping away.

Mark’s pupils are dilated, and he's breathing heavily, looking at Cole like his scent is something he wants. Cole can’t explain why but he doesn’t gaze away from him, even if Mark’s stare is intense. This time he holds his gaze as his heart races fast. However, Mark takes a step back suddenly, and the spell breaks.

“Mark?" Cole goes after him.

Cole doesn't know what he is expecting to happen, but before he can touch Mark, he remembers Mark can smell his emotions, so he stops. Currently, Cole is a little warmer

than he should be after just some pushing around. Mark looks like he wants to escape too.

“I’m going to eat,” Mark announces. He doesn’t turn to see Cole again. Eventually, Cole detaches himself from the counter and hurries to the shower. He needs to cool down.

Cole gets late to the veterinary after their odd interaction in the kitchen. He doesn't stop thinking about Mark for the rest of the day, and he's glad the shifter doesn't come to the clinic, so Cole has time on his own. He's selling dog food when he remembers what happened upstairs.

Mark is only staying for a couple of days more -maybe a week more since his cuts opened again- Cole can keep it together during that time if they don’t find themselves in a situation like that again. Still, if Mark pushes him to the kitchen counter one more time, Cole doesn’t know if he’ll be able to resist. He should resist, but at the same time, Cole wonders if Mark wants him to keep it together? Or smelling his neck and growling at him was a way of making a move?

Cole shakes his head. He might be reading too much into it, but he's sure he felt the s****l tension between them. It was a lot.

"Cole, are you okay?" The girl buying dog food brings him out of his thoughts.

Cole's eyes widen. He's never been this distracted at work before. "Yes! Sorry!" he hands her the food bag.

She searches for her credit card and chats with him in the process. "And your assistant? The other man?" Most of the town has already seen Mark at the clinic or the stores, so Cole is not surprised that she asks.

Cole blinks. "Uh- he's busy." She nods, and Cole stares at her. He wonders if she finds Mark handsome, and the mere thought has Cole spiraling into thousands of other questions.

Mark must like men, right? He recalls the way Mark interacted with him. How he teases and listens and stares. Last week, Cole thought they were too friendly to be strangers, and it must be because they feel comfortable around the other. Still, he’s finally considering the possibility of Mark being interested in him.

Cole hasn't kissed a man in almost two years. If Mark is returning to his pack soon as he wants and won't be coming back- maybe some action wouldn't ruin their friendship. Cole slaps his hands against his cheeks to snap him out of these dirty thoughts.

The girl is looking at him with wide eyes, shocked by Cole’s attitude. Cole is also appalled by his behavior.

Cole apologizes quickly and rambles about having a bad day before receiving her card to finish the payment. Cole is not making a move on Mark. Cole helped him because he was injured, and he's sheltering him out of a good heart; he won't take advantage of their situation. "Your passcode, please," he tries to sound bright.

Working at the clinic might be a distraction from his dirty trail of thought, but he can't help but come back to them when he's alone at night, in his bed. Cole feels ashamed before going to sleep when he replays in his head what happened in the kitchen. The way Mark caged him against the counter and how he looked at Cole’s neck. Cole twists in bed, getting a little warm at the memories.

He won't make a move, but he has to admit the werewolf is making him frustrated.

Cole knows Mark is outside, and he hopes he’s sleeping when Cole reaches for his bedside table in search of a small tube of lube.

Cole tries not to think about Mark when he touches himself. He tries to be quiet because he knows Mark's senses are sharp, and Mark is just outside, so he gets on his fours, blankets messily thrown around him and he muffles his moans against his pillow.