I look up and see Malcom staring at us.

"It's a friendly hug, he told me about his mate," I tell him. He nods and walks away. I back away from him and wipe the tears off of his face.

"You'll find someone," I smile lightly. "It just won't be me." He nods wipes the rest of his tears off of his face.

"I probably look so unmanly," he chuckles standing up. He puts his hand out and I grab it and pull myself up onto my feet.

"You don't want me Lucas. I've made such a mess of my life that I can't even look to find where I should start to clean it up. I'm so broken the no broom would be enough to sweep it all up," I lightly smile.

"You're in luck because I know who can fix you," he said. I roll my eyes because I literally just told him that I can't be the person he picks.

"I told you n-."

"Malcom," he cuts me off. I looked at him with confusion. "He's broken too. They say that something needs to become more broken before it can be fixed. Nicole, he's the broken that's gonna make your broken even more broken." I open my mouth to say something but the words that came out of his mouth didn't even comprehend in my mind. "Now, I need to find a way to keep our pack safe." And he left like that.

Never stopped to realize that he cried. He was back on his feet. He doesn't want to accept the fact that it's okay to let his emotions out.

"I'm sorry," Malcom says coming out from the corner of the wall. "There's no logical reason of why I should've put you though all of the physical and mental pain you've endured since you've met me. I was scared the day I met you. I never expected to find you, to have my mate standing in front of me that day. I was scared of what my horrible life would have done to your life. I was scared that I would become like me dad, and I did. You were right, there is no apology in this universe that could make you forgive me but seeing you scared for your life and seeing that something may happen to you in a week made me realize how scared I am." I let out a shaky breath and stared at him.

"And why are you scared? I'm the one that should be scared but because all these years I've run around with nothing to live and you walked in (and my heart went boom...sorry Hamilton) and I find you to be the thin string holding my life to Earth," I said. "M-my life wasn't supposed to happen and I should have let myself die that day, and I was ready, to go down dying trying to avenge my parents. Then, I met you and I lost my will to die."

"I did terrible things to you, why do you still want to be here?" He questions me. He had moved to inches away from my face. I could practically feel his breathing on my face.

"We're mates, we were paired with each other for a reason," I lightly smiled. His face lowered to mine slowly and unsure. He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck. His hazel eyes stared into mine.

"I want to mark you," he blurts out. My eyes widened and my wolf's ears perked up. We didn't move, and kept in the same position. I contemplated it for a few seconds in my head.

"Okay," I whisper. His eyes widened.

"Wait why would you I'm such a terrible ma-," I cut him off and place my lips on his.

"I'm tired of running. I want a reason to live longer. I want a reason to keep surviving. I want you to be the reason I'm still alive," I stared at him. My eyes fluttered as I tried to refrain myself from crying.

"I won't hurt you anymore, I promise," he whispered and pressed his lips against mine. I felt the bond becoming stronger. I felt it pulling our wolves together.

Malcom placed his palm on the bottom of Nicolette's thigh and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting more. He pushed her up against the wall to keep her steady as her hands roamed to his hair.

She didn't feel like she was making a mistake. She felt safe in his arms. The horrible things he had done swam away from her mind as the sparks buzzed through her body.

He was lust filled as he pushed her against the wall. He wanted more but she only agreed to marking. He could feel his wolf coming out as his canines grew and his eyes shined golden.

Nicolette let out a moan as he moved to her neck and softly kissed it. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he lightly sucked on the spot her mark had meant to be. He lifted her off the wall and stumbled into her room.

Her back slammed into the soft sheets as he continued kissing her neck. She let out another moan, it could have been a noise or a name. Nicolette leaned her head into his neck and groaned as his hands wandered under her shirt.

She felt his canines graze her neck and her back arched as she wrapped her legs tighter around his waist.

"Are you sure?" He whispered into her ear. She nodded and he nodded back at her.

He grazed his teeth on her neck on last time before he sank his teeth into his neck. Nicolette let out a scream of ecstasy as her blood pooled into Malcom's mouth.

The bond tightened and was stronger, stronger than it had ever been. There was only one more step to finishing the mate bond which was to mate. Malcom took his canines out of her neck and watched the wound close. Nicolette felt an wave of tiredness rush over her as her eyes started to close.

"Good night," he whispered.

"Again," an authoritative voice boomed. Malcom breathed heavily as he stared back up at his father. He pushed himself off of the floor as he let out a growl.

"Zaine I think you should let Malcom rest for a few minutes," Denali said. Zaine let out a growl and glared at her. Malcom growled back at his father.

"Shut up Denali," Zaine snapped at Denali. Malcom roared at Zaine and clawed at his face. In one swift move, Zaine slammed Malcom into the ground with one hand.

"Weak," Zaine spat.

———