Chapter 59 - A Major Decision

[Warning: Just... you have been warned]

Caleb turned around only to find Ashton standing there with a concerned expression. He realised the irony of the situation, given how the one person he wished to be away from at this very moment was thevery person who found him here. "Why are you here"? Caleb asked him quite rudely. "Did you… follow me"?

"Of course I did. I noticed you ran away so I wondered what's wrong". Ashton whispered.

"So you decided to follow me? Are you going to follow me every time I run away"? Caleb snapped at him.

"Probably not, but…"Ashton trailed off, confused with Caleb's behaviour. "I followed you because I was worried that you got in your heat or something. It's been over a month since your last heat. I know how important it is for you to keep your secret safe, and I got worried for you". Ashton tried to explain it to him. "What is going on with you? Based on your scent… I can tell it's not heat. Are you alright"?

"It's nothing", Caleb muttered.

"That is the one lie I used the most, which is why I know when someone is being insincere". Ashton mumbled. "Remember how you asked me to share stuff? Try that"! Ashton persuaded Caleb. Both of them were quiet for a long time. Caleb simply stared at the floor while he supported himself with his hand on the old table that was lying around in the room. Ashton waited for him to reply for a long time before he decided maybe it's better to leave, that maybe he was pushing too hard.

"Wait"! Caleb called out the moment Ashton touched the doorknob to exit. He froze in his spot and turned around to see Caleb turn as well to face him. "Can I ask you... for something? It's a big favour"?

Ashton smiled, happy to be asked as he nodded vigorously, "Anything". Meanwhile Caleb scoffed internally knowing what he was about to ask.

"I want you to mark me". Caleb whispered. His heart rate increased while he breathed heavily due to the anticipation of getting rejected. Despite believing it was ridiculous to ask, that he would say no, he went ahead and asked him. Ashton meanwhile stood there frozen in his spot, shocked and confused whether he heard him right or not, or if he misunderstood him.

"M..mark? from M…me"? Ashton managed to say that one word with great difficulty. "Why though"? He asked in a low voice.

"Nevermind, forget I asked" Caleb dismissed it and tried to go out of the door but Ashton stopped him by coming in between him and the door. "I said, Forget. It", Caleb repeated sternly whilst he glared at Ashton. Ashton however wasn't fazed by it and looked at him in the eye with determination.

"Tell me why"! He insisted.

"Why does it matter anyways"?! Caleb asked him in a high voice. 

"Give me a good enough reason, and I will mark you". Ashton declared. Caleb, taken aback by the answer, blinked before looking at Ashton. As he gazed into his black eyes he tried to find a hint of deception in them. After gazing in them for a few seconds when he failed to detect anything other than determination, he sighed.

"Something happened… a while ago" He whispered. He decided to blame the incident at Camazur instead of being upfront about it. He would use that as an excuse than admit that he only wants have Ashton's mark. He felt like a coward for using that as excuse, but now that he already popped the question he needed an excuse.

"What"? Ashton whispered. Caleb avoided his gaze and narrated the whole incident. His lips trembled from fear and disgust when he described how almost he had a mark of some unknown wolf. By the time he was done Ashton's fists were so tightened that he was about to break his own bones. "This is not the first time something like this has happened to me, but I always considered I would be safe within my pack boundaries. But at that moment, I felt completely alone" Caleb whispered.

"This is exactly what I hate about the oh-so-proud Alphas. They think that they have the right to force someone else." He slammed the door with frustration. Caleb was startled with the sudden noise, and even more so when he noticed a crack on the door.

"Really? It makes you that angry"? Caleb snorted, half-heartedly.

"Before I moved here, an Alpha tried to attack my sister. I broke his face". Ashton mumbled. While it was a serious situation he still found the other's reaction adorable "Are you sure you want to do this"? Ashton asked him carefully.

Caleb nodded, "Yes. It's been days since that happened. I can assure you that it is not a spur of the moment decision". He explained. Ashton nodded before asking, "Why me"?

"Well it has to be someone. Only a few people know about my secret, you being one of them. Also, I trust you". Caleb shrugged before taking a deep breath. "I would rather have a mark of someone I chose than have a random stranger I don't even know. Don't worry though, I won't ask you to mate with me just because of the mark". He explained.

"You realise that if I mark you, you won't be able to get another mate"? Ashton asked carefully.

"Yes, I do. I would rather be mateless that mate with someone I don't want", Caleb declared. Ashton went quiet for a moment as he indulged in his own deep thought. Caleb seeing his troubled expression chuckled. "It's fine if you still don't want to. I won't force you, or be mad at you". Caleb patted the Ashton's arm.

"Take off your bow tie," Ashton ordered.

Caleb, taken aback, blinked at him before asking him in a low voice, "Are you sure"?

All Ashton replied to him was, "Do it before I change my mind".

Caleb bit his inner lip before trying to untie his bow tie. He fumbled with it a little bit which made their whole situation a little awkward for the time being. Once he was done he unbuttoned the first button of the shirt he was wearing under his tux. 

Ashton reached his neck with his left hand and pulled him closer. Taking a deep breath he traced his neck till his shoulders before exposing his canines. He sunk his teeth in the soft skin deep enough to taste the others blood, "Ahhh...hh" Caleb moaned out loud despite trying his best to suppress it. Marking was an extremely intimate experience for the werewolves, and by the waves of pleasure that coursed through his body he could certainly understand why. 

Somehow hearing that voice from Caleb spurred him on as he kissed over the wound he just made to seal the mark. "Hmm...mm" Caleb bit his lips harder but still some noise came out from time to time.

This was not Ashton's first time kissing Caleb's neck, but this was the first time he consciously did so. Ever since he smelled Caleb's real scent he found it exciting and at the situation like this where he was already biting and nibbling he found it harder to stop. Once he returned from the mating haze, he gathered all his strength and used it to draw himself away from Caleb. His breathing was chaotic while tried to bring back his focus. 

He looked at Caleb whose eyes depicted nothing but raw lecherousness. Caleb opened his eyes slightly, which were tightly closed a while ago, and stared at him ravenously. Ashton opened his mouth to ask Caleb if he was feeling alright but before he could speak even a syllable, Caleb smashed his lips onto Ashton's and whatever self control Ashton had left went out of the window right that moment. 

Snaking his hands into Ashton's hair, Caleb pulled the other one closer to him. At that moment Ashton flipped them and smashed him to the cracked door as he kissed him with everything he got. Like animals in heat, all of their thoughts, any dilemmas, any inhibitions they might have had vanished and all focused mostly on kissing the other person in front of them.

They didn't know how long they kissed each other but neither of them backed down until and unless they absolutely couldn't breathe. Ashton bit Caleb's lower lip a little harder before he pulled away. Both of them breathed heavily trying to catch their breath, as they focused back to reality. Realising how Ashton did more than what was asked he recoiled and started to apologize, "I am sorry… I couldn't...I don't know what came over me. I couldn't stop. I am sorry".

"Ashton", Caleb whispered but Ashton, who was immersed in his own messy apologies, didn't hear him, so Caleb tried once more. "Ashton"!

Ashton looked up to his eyes with an apologetic expression, "It's alright. I am the one who kissed you, why are you sorry? I am the one who should apologize". Caleb defended Ashton's actions.

"I didn't stop" Ashton pointed out.

"Still not as worse as initiating the kiss. Don't be an idiot". Caleb scolded Ashton. They spent a few more minutes in awkward silence as they pondered upon what they should do next. Should they leave? Should they talk? Each of them avoided the other's gaze in order to not make things more awkward. "Ashton". Caleb finally decided to be the one to break this awkward silence. 

"Hm"? Ashton responded to him and looked at him.

Caleb smiled at Ashton before saying, "Thank you. I really appreciate it".