Chapter 65: It has to come from you

**Alice’s Point of view**


Two weeks. Two weeks that our families have taken over their pack and are taking turns caring for the Silvers. It's not a sustainable situation over time, but it's good enough for now.
I've been trying to work things out with Elliot for two long weeks. He and I have talked a lot and just when I thought we were going to work things out, we ended up at an impasse.
At first, he was afraid that my feelings had changed and although I reassured him as best I could, I can feel that he still has doubts. For my part, I am afraid that one day he will leave me. Werewolves don't always end up with their fated mate and choose one. And they are happy.
But we can't even do that. We will have nothing to bond us. So even though humans seem to love each other like that, it's not nearly enough for werewolves who need to really mark their 'territory'. We are part animals after all and I'm afraid Elliot needs that. I know he will. 
Here's where we are now. I've barely seen him for three days now and I feel like he's avoiding me. I tried to talk to Owen and Simon but they didn't say anything and Sam and Melanie assured me that I would be fine.
Easy to say.
I am lost and as usual when I want to be alone, I take refuge in the library to continue my research on magical plants.
I push the door open and enter the room filled with candles. Strange. Nobody ever comes here.
A path of rose petals runs between the shelves and I decide to follow it. 
Elliot is waiting for me at the end, absolutely divine in his dark suit and his hair slicked back, multicolored flowers everywhere. He looks nervous.
"Elliot, what's going on?"
He swallows. "I have something important to tell you."
Uh-oh. 
*"No, it must be good."* Cassie tries to reassure me. *"He wouldn't have arranged all this if he wanted to leave us."*
I'm too nervous to be serious. "I didn't know you were romantic." I say as I design the flowers, candles and hearts.
"I'm not." 
I raise an eyebrow. "Neither am I. So why..."
He cuts me off as he speaks quickly. "Look, flowers and hearts aren't our things but this is a romantic moment that requires romantic decor so shut up and enjoy."
*"He's really stressed out."* Cassie remarks.
I swallow and smile. "All right. I'm listening."
He exhales. "I love you. I loved you from the first second when I didn't even know you were my mate. I loved you like crazy when I found out and I think I love you even more now that you're not." 
He swallowed painfully. "I can't hear you in my head anymore and I miss it but I still love spending time with you. I don't feel the sparks anymore but when you touch me I feel like you're burning me." He says with passion. "I love you and I know you're afraid I'll reject you." 
I look away, sad at the thought of him knowing my doubts. Was it Melanie who told him? Sam maybe? It doesn't matter. He'll think I don't trust him.
He steps forward and lifts my chin with his fingertips, forcing me to look at him. "I don't want you to be afraid ever again."
He then pulls out his sword that he was holding behind his back. He takes it in both hands and signals me to do the same. I smile as I do so, remembering when he swore to keep our secret in that alley the night we met.
He smiles too. "You think I should take a knee or something?"
I laugh out loud and enter his game, reenacting that night with an offended look. "Goddess no! You're not asking me to marry you! You're just swearing you don't mind not being my mate!"
He smiled softly, his eyes shining. "Well, actually..."
I gasp as he places a knee in front of me without taking his eyes off me. "I, Elliot Griffon, future Alpha of Red Moon pack, swear to love you faithfully, Alice Moore, future Alpha of Blue Moon pack, with all my might. I swear to be there in good times and bad. I swear to be there when the pain of losing your mate is too unbearable. I swear to keep you happy and I pray to the Moon Goddess to bless us with pups. If you can't be my mate, will you do me the great honor of being my wife?"
I am shocked. He wants me after all!
He waits, his eyes are full of doubt. 
I kneel in front of him and take out the daggers that have been with me since Derek's attack. He then drops his sword to take them with me.
I clear my throat. "Elliot, I'm sorry." He freezes, hurt. I hasten to reassure him. "I'm sorry I was so stubborn. I'm sorry I pushed you away and I'm still surprised at how patient you were with me. It's not because you were a Red, it never mattered. It's because you made me question everything. Everything was mapped out, I knew what I wanted and you blew it!" I say with a laugh.
"Elliot, I lost everything. I was disowned by my pack, practically stripped of my Alpha status in the process, my pack was forcibly taken from the rogues, I was marked against my will and had to kill my best friend who was going to rape me. But the only thing that ever really terrified me was the thought of losing you."
He smiled softly, tears in his eyes. "Alice..."
"I love you, Elliot. I've loved you since the first night and I swear I always will. And I think the Queen is right. The rest is up to me."
I make him drop the daggers and grab him by the shoulders. "I want you to be my mate." 
I pull his clothes apart and bite him where his neck and shoulder meet. He screams slightly before groaning loudly, his body completely soft against mine. I feel the bond that existed between us awaken. I understand then that it had never been broken, just buried. 
I retract my fangs and lick the wound to help it heal. 
I move away slightly and he opens his eyes, looking sleepy. I grab him by the hair and pull him against me. "And I want to be your mate."
He sighs against my skin. "Alice, I don't think it's possible. A mark is permanent, not even death can erase it. We can't tell what will happen if you get marked by two different people. It could kill you. I don't want to take that risk."
I hold him tighter. "I'm confident. She said it's up to me and I know what I want. We're General mates for Goddess sake! Let's trust Her, let's trust ourselves. I'm sure we love each other enough."
He kisses me tenderly on Derek's mark and I feel his canines come out. He positions himself and freezes. I hold his hair tighter and press him more against me to encourage him. 
His teeth pierce my skin and I release a cry of surprise, immediately plunged in intense pleasure. I don't feel my body anymore and Elliot and I collapse on the ground with the impression that the world explodes. 
The sparks reappear, more vivid than ever and I feel like I'm being struck down on the spot. The bond that existed between us is both thin and hard as a rock. I feel like I am merging with Elliot and Leo, we feel everything they feel and we can communicate again. 
I hardly have time to realize that Leo throws himself mentally on Cassie, licking her furiously. She yelps and returns the favor, wagging her tail. 
*"Goddess. It worked!"* I say, euphoric.
But Elliot is not in the same state as me. It's hard to explain, but I see him looking at my connection to Derek, looking sad.
I huff.* "What are you waiting for to break it? It's a fragile bond compared to ours."*
He seems to hesitate and finally concentrate with all his strength on it, breaking it into a thousand pieces. I then feel even lighter if that's possible, completely free and bound to Elliot.
*"Not quite."* Leo says, his voice full of lust.
Elliot lets go of me and licks my wound. He takes me by the hand and drags me behind him, towards his room.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe it." He repeats over and over, euphoric. "We're mates!"
"Don't think we're not getting married though."
He turns and looks at me, surprised. "Do you still want to get married?" 
I understand his question. This is something that is not done among werewolves since mating is stronger than anything and is the equivalent of human marriage.
"Of course. It's too late anyway. I already said yes."
"Well, technically, you didn't really answer me."
"I marked you. It's the same thing."
He laughs. "The dress, the preparations, the big declarations. Have you suddenly become a romantic?"
I smile. "No. But I still like flowers."