Chapter 6:

I woke up in the best mood I'd ever been in. Tangled up with Garrus, Genesis was purring like a kitten in my head, and I was-

"Are you purring?" He asked, amused.

My cheeks heated.

"I'm happy." Defensive.

"It's cute."

His hand on my back started rubbing up and down, his other playing with a lock of my hair.

"I assume you have more questions." I broached the subject after a while.

"Oh, I have a lot." He chuckled.

My med alarm went off, and I reluctantly got up to start getting ready for the day. Briefly wondered how I'd missed the alarm to wake up but brushed the thought aside.

"I've got some time before class."

I felt his eyes on me while I dressed. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he rushed to throw his clothes on.

"Yeah?" I tilted my head, finding his reaction funny.

He blinked, sheepish. "I got a little, uh, distracted."

"Would you rather gather your thoughts and have the Q and A after I'm done for the day?"

After mulling it over, he nodded. "Yeah. That'll give me time to think of more."

I nodded, quickly running to the kitchen and making a hot coco. Going to my desk and getting situated.

"You forgot something."

I glanced up at him, confused. I couldn't think of-

He leaned down and kissed me.

...

I know I took notes- pretty detailed ones, by the looks of it- but I honestly couldn't remember the last few hours, my mind stuck. Replaying the kiss over and over.

I got up, spying him lounging on the couch, legs up. He was in the middle of a call, and I felt a twinge of disappointment. Before I could turn away to head to the kitchen for food, he waved for me to join him. Tilting my head, I obeyed.

"Solana." He spoke to the woman in the call. "This is Andromeda."

I leaned down to wave, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me down, so I was laying on top of him. My cheeks turned red again.

The female turian screamed, clapping her hands. "I'm so glad to finally meet you! He hasn't shut up about you in his messages! I feel like I already know you!" A giggle.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, yeah?"

I'm sure if he could blush, as well, he would've been.

"Solana!"

"It's my job, as your baby sister, to embarrass you, Gare." She stuck out her tongue, before focusing on me. "You're so pretty. Tell me about yourself."

I chuckled. "Thanks. Uh. I'm a singer. Studying to be a doctor. When I have time off from school- holidays- I write Young Adult fiction." That surprised them both. "I use a pen name for that. Rosaria Reeve."

"Oh my god, I've read all your books!" Another scream.

"I hope that means you liked them." I joked.

It took her a few minutes to compose herself.

Garrus kissed the side of my head, and she zeroed in on it.

"How long have you two been together? You never said you were in your messages."

One of his arms went around my waist, and he gave a light squeeze. "Last night."

"I'm so happy for you." She sighed dreamily.

We were together. Officially. I was on cloud nine. So was Gen.

"We'll have to meet up soon!"

"Definitely. I'd like that." I beamed at her. "I think you'd get along with my sister, too. She's just like you."

"You have a sister?" She was hanging on my every word.

"Yeah. And a brother. They're both older than me." I chuckled, feeling a little homesick at the thought of them. "They're great. My parents are great, too. The best. Couldn't ask for a better family."

"I'm so glad." Another dreamy sigh. "Our father is strict, but he's kind. I wouldn't ask for another family, either."

Another squeeze around my waist, and I gave him a soft smile.

"We have to get going, Sol, but we'll talk again soon." He said, trying to cut the call.

We said our goodbyes, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"Sorry. I should've warned you. She can be a bit much." I could tell he was struggling to put it nicely.

I chuckled, waving it off. "I wasn't kidding. She's just like my sister. I love her already."

"Should I be worried about competition?" He joked. "They say you pick someone that reminds you of a family member."

"No. I don't love her like I love you." I shifted, turning to touch his cheek.

"You-" He choked, eyes wide. Searching mine.

"When werewolves meet our fated mate, we fall hard and fast. I realized I love you when you made me that sandwich, for lunch, and my first thought was to tell you I love you." I smiled softly. "I know you're probably not there yet, and I'm more than content to wait."

The datapad fell to the floor as he grabbed my hips and lifted me, so I was straddling him, and kissed me. Hard. I melted against him.

"What- What was that for?" I gasped out after we'd finally separated for air.

"You're perfect." The look on his face... I felt my whole face heat up under his gaze.

"You're..." I trailed off, unable to form a coherent thought. I cleared my throat, trying again. "You are..."

Yeah, I got nothing.

He chuckled, hands moving up to cup my cheeks and kissed me again, this time soft and tender.

"Say it again." He whispered against my lips, eyes staring into mine.

"I love you, Garrus." I purred quietly.

He guided my head to rest on his shoulder, and we laid like that for a while, one of his hands playing with my hair.

After some time, my stomach growled.

My alarm went off for five o'clock meds, and I jumped.

"I should probably look into ordering something for food while I'm up." I grumbled, carefully climbing off him and standing up.

"Probably should." He sat up, watching me. "Do you want me to order it? You've spent a lot on takeout the last few days."

I waved it away as I walked into my room. Coming back out after taking the meds, I grabbed a water from the fridge.

"What were you thinking of eating tonight?"

Without missing a beat-

"You."

I blinked.

His eyes widened, and he covered his mouth, horrified he'd said that.

"I mean, that can be arranged, but I was asking about real food." I joked, my heart hammering.

Shaking his head, he groaned. "I can't believe I said that. And I can't even do that, because you're human, so I embarrassed myself over nothing."

I held up a finger. "Actually, we're not human. I know a few weres who've experimented with aliens, and we're compatible with both levo and dextro, for whatever reason. So, it would work."

He blinked, absorbing that tidbit.

"So... food?"

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts, that I ended up reordering the burgers from the first night.

When the knock on the door came, he snapped out of it and beat me to the door.

"Burgers?" He asked, the smell filling the kitchen.

"Yeah. You didn't tell me what you wanted, so..." I shrugged. "If you want something else-"

"No, no. It's okay." He rushed to say. "Sorry. I guess I got lost in thought."

I let him dish up first. Once my food was on a plate, I went to the couch, only to find him in my spot.

"Bold of you, to take a girl's favorite seat." I half-joked.

I really was half serious, though.

"I think you'll find my lap a better spot."

Holy shit.

"Holy shit, that was smooth." I shook my head to clear it. "But have you worked out the logistics of eating like that?"

"Can't be that hard." A wave of his hand.

"Any food gets in my hair, I'll be upset." I warned.

It was a little awkward at first, but after a couple minutes, I was more focused on the fact we were so close.

The food gone, he shifted me, so I was sideways across his lap, and I nuzzled into his neck, inhaling deeply.

"I like being near you." He confessed quietly. "The closer we are, the more content I feel. Is that... part of the bond?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "Skin to skin is the best way to be close. The sparks are soothing, after you get used to them. It's all to do with the souls recognizing each other and reaching out. Coming into contact and such."

A soft hum left him, and he started playing with my hair. His favorite thing to do, apparently. Not that I was complaining.

"And the bond is a gift from your goddess."

"Right."

"What's the story behind it?"

"Selene fell in love with a mortal, human man. When he died, she was so lonely, she created her own children- the werewolves. Only, she didn't account for how lonely they would become, because they're part wolf- and wolves mate for life. So, she decided to give them their own mates, ones that would meld with them on a soul level. We call those 'fated mates'. A were can choose a mate, too- like if their fated died, for political reasons, like an arranged marriage, or if they get tired of waiting. Not everyone finds their fated, sadly. Especially now, with us spread across the galaxy." I hesitated a moment. "When a mate dies- fated or marked chosen- the living were can go mad because of grief."

"Because of how strongly you feel."

I nodded.

"I like the lore." Another hum.

Silence settled over us. After a while, I pulled back, looking at him.

"What's on your mind?"

He opened his mouth, before quickly shutting it and shaking his head. Staring at the lock of hair in his grasp like it was the most interesting thing.

"Garrus?"

"I have this... insanely hard to resist urge to..." I nudged him when he trailed off. "Well... to bite you."

"Where?" My heart rate picked up.

"Where?" He echoed, taken aback.

"Garrus."

He shook his head, reluctant. I waited.

"Here." He finally supplied and tapped my left shoulder, close to the curve of my neck.

I shivered.

"Meda?" He finally looked at me, blinking, looking shocked. "What does it mean when one eye is green, and the other is purple?"

"It means we're both actively present." I explained, pulling him down for a kiss. She wasn't taking control with me, just letting her presence be known. "As for the biting- that's a bond thing. It's how we mark each other."

"I have to asked: marking- is it... Does it have the same meaning as marriage?"

I tilted my head. "Essentially, yes. In werewolf culture, if you mark and mate, you're married. Your marriage certificate is put into the system, so it's 'legal' in other cultures."

"Is there more than marking? Or do you just bite and- bam- married?"

"Marking and mating. So, biting and sex."

"I like the sound of that." He chuckled, voice husky.

I got up, taking our trash to the kitchen and washing the plates.

He came up behind me, resting his chin on the top of my head.

I rolled my eyes. Stupid, tall turian. Rubbing it in my face how short I am.

"Are werewolves and aliens a common couple?"

"Ah... No..." I bit my lip, drying the plates.

"No? Is it rare?"

I pressed my lips together, unsure how to say it.

He grasped my hips, turning me to face him. "Meda?"

"It's never happened before." I sighed, staring at the floor. "And I haven't told anyone about it, because I don't know what it means. Usually, it's werewolf and werewolf or werewolf and human. There's never been a documented case of a werewolf and an alien before, to the best of my knowledge."

"Oh, wow. Huh."

I peeked up at him from under my lashes. He was deep in thought.

"Will you..." He hesitated, and I saw a flash of hurt. "Will you tell anyone about us?"

My eyes widened. "Of course! I just didn't want to say anything before I knew for sure that you wanted me. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up. My family has been worried about me finding a mate." I rolled my eyes. "And, since you're an alien, I couldn't very well just assume that you'd want me, like I could with a fellow wolf."

"I'm going to preface this by saying I'm just curious. Okay? Just curious."

I was instantly wary.

He kissed the top of my head. "So, Genesis said something about rejecting the bond. How do you do that? Does that happen often, since it's supposed to be such a sacred bond?"

"Ah, uh." My chest tightened at the subject.

"I'm just curious." He repeated, reassuring me. Squeezing my hips lightly.

"Okay. Well. You say 'I, your full name, reject you, the other person's full name, as my mate'. It doesn't happen often, no. Usually by an Alpha that doesn't want their mate to be what they view as weak. Or, if they've had an arranged marriage before the fated comes."

"Does everyone only get one?"

"We have second chance mates, too. If your fated dies or rejects you or you rejected them, you have the chance of getting a second fated. It depends on Selene's good graces."

"Am I your first fated?" He tilted his head.

I looked away. "I'm... special. Every so often, in the line of my father, there's a female born that has the... pick of the litter, so to speak. I feel the bond with every unmated Alpha. When I was little," I chuckled softly at the memory. "before I came of age, I prayed to the Goddess and begged her to send me someone I'd feel differently for. Separate from the bonds that I was born to have. And she gave me you."

My eyes slowly made their way back to his.

"With each of the times I've felt the bond, Genesis gnashed her teeth and howled for me to break it. I've rejected eleven Alphas." I volunteered quietly. "At first sight. I asked their names and immediately rejected them. When I first saw you, even Genesis was lost." A soft smile. "My blessing from the Goddess."

He let out a low growl, pulling me against him. "You're mine."

"Yes." I chuckled, nuzzling into his shoulder. "You know, that's such a werewolf thing to say."

My chuckle turned into a full laugh.

"When you're marked, will the other bonds stop?"

I blinked, my heart doing a flip at the promise behind his words. "Uh. I'm not sure, honestly. I never came across that in my readings. Even if they don't, I'll still reject them all."

"Good." Another growl.

I kept my mouth shut, giving him time to compose himself, keeping my amusement and how pleased I was to myself.

"Is something special about your family? You said your father's line is what makes you special."

"Ah, yeah." I pulled away, unsure how to say it.

I busied myself with putting the plates away.

"I'm royalty." I eventually said, facing away from him. "The third child to the king and queen of werewolves. A princess."