Seventeen Dustin

November slipped by quickly, and before I knew it, Thanksgiving break had arrived. The past three weeks had been a whirlwind of feelings. And I couldn't really explain most of them. But it felt good. That, I was certain of.

While Mark had to focus on his studies and I had football practice nearly every single day, we still found time to spend with one another. The weekends were always too short, becoming the time when we wandered through the woods around the academy together. Usually, I was in wolf form while he remained on two legs. Sometimes, it was just a jaunt through the woods, and other times, it meant we were blowing each other on a bed of soft green moss. Either way, it was always the best, regardless of what happened.

On weeknights, we had a saccharine routine, even for my tastes. After I got back from practice and showered, we'd push out beds together and hang out, just talking about our days. I told him about my philosophy classes I hated, and he'd talk to me about complicated equations and sigils that I absolutely did not understand. But I loved hearing the passion in his voice. It was almost infectious. When he talked about magic, his eyes lit up and he smiled real big. It reminded me of how I used to feel about football. And honestly, that made me a little sad to realize I didn't do anything I was passionate about.

Except for reading, I guess. Mark was right; it was a bit weird to be a werewolf jock and a fan of literature. Stereotypes dictated that those two things didn't mix. But reading for me was an escape from the world into one I could only imagine. Mark always laughed when I told him about the newest book I was reading. In fact, he had taken to asking me to read to him at night.

His first request? Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was a classic and my favorite, which he knew, of course. So, I was more than happy to read it to him. He really liked when I did the funny pirate voices. It was such a childish but intimate exchange between the two of us, and I loved it.

I was looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with him as well. We'd have lots of time to read and work on whatever we wanted without having to worry about the rest of campus getting nosy. It had been a little bit of a struggle to tell my parents I was staying on campus. My mother about cried. But when I told them it was because scouts were starting to show up to see me and I needed more practice, they forgave me.

It wasn't a total lie, but definitely a little over half. True, scouts were showing up, but they weren't always for me, and I hadn't heard back from those I gave my information to. I took that to mean that they weren't going to draft me for the NFL. And if I was being honest, I really wasn't that upset about it. Football was hard and it took up a lot of time that I could be spending with Mark. On top of that, the team was still treating me like an outcast, thanks to Leroy and Travis. The pair of them had made it their solemn duty to make my life hell on the field. I wanted out of it, plain and simple.

But what would I do with my life if I wasn't playing football? Not philosophy, that's for fucking sure. Going back to Ohio sounded like a death sentence, but I couldn't exactly count on starting a like with Mark just yet. We'd been seeing each other for less than a month. I didn't want to jump the gun and scare him off. I knew he was my mate, and I wanted to be with him forever, but I needed him to come to that conclusion on his own. I told myself from the beginning that I wasn't going to coerce him into anything. I knew I came with a lot of baggage, so it had to be his choice.

"You doing okay over there?"

I looked up, those violet eyes full of concern. "Yeah," I replied, shaking my head. "I'm fine. Just got lost in thought."

"I can tell," Mark smiled. "I was hoping you'd been staring at my dick this entire time, but when I tried to get your attention, you were just gone."

"I'll stare at your dick if you want me to," I smiled, crawling over to the side of the bed closest to his desk. "Do you need a distraction?"

"Unfortunately, no," he sighed. "I think I'm getting close on this equation for my time spell, but my brain is starting to feel like mush."

"Sounds like you need a break then."

He let out another big sigh. "I really want to get this done."

"Well, if you can't think and you aren't getting it right, what's the point of continuing to do it?"

Mark narrowed his eyes. "You know… you play dumb, but you're a lot smarter than you seem."

I furrowed my brows. "Is that a compliment?"

"Obviously." He leaned close, giving me a small kiss. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Never…"

There was a loud rapping noise on the glass, and we both looked up. Outside, with his hands cupped against the frosted window, was Todd, a big smile on his face. He motioned that he was coming inside and a multitude of other rude things before disappearing.

The moment he was gone, my blood went icy cold. We'd been seen because we forgot to close the blinds all the way. Anyone could've seen us.

"It's okay," Mark said, sensing my nervousness. "It's just Todd. I already told him not to say a word about anything." He glanced to the side. "I also haven't really told him we're together… so that might've been a surprise."

"Is he trustworthy?" I asked, trying to quell my shaking voice. I got up from the bed and dropped the blinds on the window. "I don't want the team to find out… not before the season is over."

Mark took my hands. "He's not going to tell anyone, I promise. He gave me his word, and for a Fae, that's the best you can ask for."

"S-Sorry… I'm just… I'm not ready."

"It's okay," he nodded. "I understand."

Even through his smile, I could see a little hint of sadness. I could tell he wanted to be more open with our relationship, that he was proud of it. But I just wasn't there yet. Coming to terms with having a male mate had been enough of a challenge. I didn't know how I'd ever admit it to other people or my family. Every night, I went to bed wishing that it wouldn't matter if they disowned me. But the truth was, I had nothing else in this world except them and Mark. Giving up one for the other felt cruel, but it seemed like that was the only choice I'd have eventually.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thought spiral, my eyes focusing on Mark's soft smile in front of me.

"Don't let him rile you up too much," he said. "Todd is a bit of a handful, but he's a nice guy. I promise."

I nodded with a weak smile. Mark gave me a nod and headed for the door. My heart raced in my chest as I wrung my fingers. This was it. The first test. I didn't know if I'd get another practice run like this before I had to do the real thing.

"Hey, buddy!" Todd bellowed the moment the door was pulled open. "It feels like I haven't seen you in weeks!"

He stepped in, pushed the door shut, and threw his arms around Mark. I took note of the low growl in my chest at the sight of another man touching my mate. Immediately, I pushed it down, trying not to look like I'd gotten my hackles up.

Sparkling blue eyes looked over Mark's shoulder. "Don't worry, puppers, I'm not gonna do anything. We're just friends."

Puppers? Hated that.

"I… know," I replied, forcing a smile. "It was unintentional."

Todd turned back to Mark. "You didn't tell me it was so serious. I thought maybe you two would fuck once and get it out of your systems. I didn't expect to see you necking like a couple of love-struck poodles. And now here's the captain of the football team, getting his hackles up because another man touched you. Congrats, buddy!"

Mark glanced back at me, lifting an eyebrow. "The possessive thing is new."

I held up my hands in mock defeat. "I swear. It was an accident. You are an independent man. It must be a side effect of the mate bond."

Todd's eyes went wide. "Mate bond?!"

"I guess so," Mark replied. "That's what he feels. And, to be honest, I feel it, too. Although witches call it a familiar."

"Are you going to do the ritual for it?"

"Jesus, no! We've been dating for three weeks! I'm not gonna lose my head and run off to Vegas to get hitched like some horny teenager."

"How about you, pup?" Todd asked. "You ready to settle down and pump him full of pups yet?"

My face went bright red, and my cheeks burned. Mark gave Todd a playful shove.

"Will you stop harassing my boyfriend, please?"

Boyfriend? My dick twitched in my pants. I liked the sound of that.

"Sorry," Todd laughed. "I'll stop, I swear. But I gotta razz you a little bit. You were so convinced you hated this man, and now here you are, practically laying in his lap all the time." He smiled. "Honestly, it's good to see. You spend too much time worrying about pleasing your father when you should be focusing on what makes you happy."

"Thanks," Mark muttered, clearly embarrassed. "Is there a reason you were spying through my window?"

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot!" Todd reached back into his pocket and pulled out a glowing green, highly polished stone. "I came to give you a gift." He glanced up at me. "It's for the both of you."

Mark hesitated. "Does this come with a catch?"

"No catch. I just know you two are staying here for Thanksgiving break, so I thought I'd give you something special to do while everyone else is gone."

Mark took it, turning it over in his hand. "What is it?"

"You'll see," Todd smiled. "There's a single item trapped inside." He produced a small slip of paper. "Here's the incantation to open it and the one to send it back to the stone. It's a fun little piece of magic I picked up when I was back home."

"I trust you," Mark replied with a hint of warning in his voice. "This is safe, right? I'm not gonna unleash a Fae monster in the woods? Your kind still hasn't tracked down the Mothman y'all lost here about a hundred years ago."

"He's a slippery little bugger, I'm telling you," Todd laughed. "But it's nothing like that. Although, if you do see Mothman, let him know that his owner misses him."

"Sure thing," Mark shrugged. "If I just happen to see the most elusive creature in these mountains, and he stops for a chat, I'll let him know."

"Thanks." Todd smiled, looking over at me. "It's nice to meet you, Dustin," he said, a hint of mischievousness pulling at his lips. "And don't take anything I say too seriously, except this." He pointed a finger at me. "Do not hurt my friend, okay? I'm a gentle soul, but I will cut a bitch if necessary."

I nodded, my brows furrowed because I wasn't sure if he was being serious, but I felt a strange surge of fear nonetheless. The Fae were not to be trifled with.

"Alright, thank you," Mark said, pushing Todd back toward the door. "Have a nice break and get out of my room."

"You two enjoy yourselves!" He called over his shoulder. "Don't get pregnant!"

Mark slammed the door, cutting off his words. Leaning his back against the wall, he took a deep breath and blew it out through his lips.

"So… uh… that's Todd, huh?" I asked, trying not to smile. It seemed like he got Mark more worked up than he did me. "Nice guy."

"He's a right pain in the ass." Mark glanced down at the green stone in his hand. "But he's a good guy underneath all that nonsense."

I shook my head. "Fae creatures, am I right?"

Mark sighed again. "Right."