115 On the way back

"I'm glad, that you managed to make up with your mom. But let's not do those girl's party for some time.I was worried sick when you called. So please next time at least do it somewhere nearby." - Grumbled Greg on the way back. Lana was holding her ringing head. It seems that the hangover was affecting the werewolves the same way as humans. On the other hand, judging by the bill, they consumed the same amount of alcohol that would kill a normal human or at least send him to the hospital but they got away with an only headache.

" I am not sure that it can be called - made up." - finely replied Lana in a quiet voice, as if she was afraid to speak up, to not to disturb her poor suffering brain. - " After your call and our talk, I just looked at her differently. Yes, she was one worthless mother, but I am not a little girl, that need hugs and kisses from her anymore. As you said, I just tried to look at her from a grownup perspective. And as a woman who went through the unhappy marriage too, I can understand her. Even if it seems strange, but I'm thankful that she showed me the wrong way. I raised my kids the way I did, partly because I still remember how bad it was in my childhood. She was not that lucky in that aspect though. I don't need her as a mom now, but I'd like to try and take her the way she is. At least for now."

Greg chuckled glancing at Lana from the corner of his eyes.

" Yea, I know that I do not make any sense right now." - sighed Lana, looking in the window.

"The most important thing is that you want it that way.Nothing else matters."- Answered Greg, stretching his hand to touch her cheek, caressing it gently. Lana smiled and squeezed his hand in hers, pressing tightly to her face.

" By the way, do you think they will be fine?" - Asked Lana sometime later. Her mother and Risa refused the help of Greg and the company and left on their own.Lana was not worried about the fact that just an hour ago they were soaked thoroughly in alcohol. Despite some headaches, she already felt quite sober. The thing that made her anxious was that Brien didn't return any of their calls. Although Veronica called the butler Patrick, and he reassured them that everything was according to plan, Lana still felt bothered. Even though it could very well be the last traces of buzz in her blood.

" I'm sure it just all the stress catching up to you like that. We will call them in the morning, and I'm sure it will be as this Patrick said. It really seems like Brian to break his phone on the wall during a quarrel with your father, don't you think? " - Greg tried to console her. Though this situation made him a bit alarmed too. Especially after his talk with Tony. He still could not gather all the puzzle in his head, but more and more pieces showed disturbing signs that pointed in Lana's father direction.

He was so sick and tired of what-ifs and new problems that emerged like mushrooms after the rain. Yeilding to the sudden desire Greg slowed down the car and parked on the side of the road. Lana raised her head, looking in puzzlement at him.

Greg silently circulates her waist and lifting, placed a girl in his lap. He hugged Lana to himself and just set like this for some time. She too didn't ask any question. Why? If she knew precisely well what was brewing in his heart right now. So she just burrowed deeper into his embrace trying to share the turmoil in his heart.

" You know, even though I was worried sick on the way here." - suddenly said Gred after awhile. - " I was still a little happy."

Lana was a bit surprised by those words and looked up at his face as if to check, was he joking or not. Greg chuckled seeing the confusion in her eyes.

" I was happy because you finally felt comfortable enough to fool around. I wasn't expecting a fight in the bar with she-lions, but ... And you oversharing about my dance skills, was a bit too much, too. What's wrong with my dancing anyway?"

Lana pressed her lips together to keep the laugh in, but Greg indignant face was so cute that she couldn't hold it in for long.

" Sorry, honey." - she tried to justify herself between snickers. - " You are very sexy... in your own way... "

"Oh? So you think I am actually that bad? Then how about showing me a few good moves?" - Greg purred closing the distance between their faces.Lana's eyebrows arched and a sly smile appeared on her face.

"I have a few great moves for you. But are you sure you can handle them?!" - She whispered in his lips teasingly. Greg tried to catch them in a kiss, but Lana quickly moved back, escaping with a giggle.

"Well, seems I should prove to you how good a student I can be!" - Greg said in a low voice, squeezing her in his arms,cutting off anyways to escape.

The sun began to rise, and the first lights snicked into the front window gleaming in Lana's fair hairs, making it look like a halo. Greg paused for a second, mesmerized by this view. How was it possible for this woman to charm his each day anew. He felt like his heart was about to stop, every cell of his body vibrated, calling for her, as if she was the only thing in the world that could satisfy his thirst.

But Greg resisted, settled back and asked in a bit hoarse voice.

" Tell me about the mark."

Lana frowned, she wasn't expecting this question. She wasn't expecting any more talks right now... But that topic wasn't the one that could be easily dismissed. So she took a breath and gathered her thoughts in already a bit fizzy head.

" Basically, the mark is a little scar, on the nape of shifter's neck left after the bit of the Mate." - she started in a soft voice. Her eyes became a little misty. - "There's a lot of legends about how it came to be, but, in fact, nobody knows why it is so. Why this scar is the only thing that never heals on the shifter's body. I don't know with what it can be compared from human's world. It's not an exchange of rings or promises, cause they can be broken or forgotten.Even the phrase " the death do us part" won't work after this, because it won't separate us, I will be holding your hand on the other side, too."

Greg shivered a little hearing her quiet words, the breath stuck somewhere in his chest, and all sound around suddenly disappeared, as if they were the only one left in this world.

" But can I do it? I'm just a human after all..." - Lana didn't let him end this sentence, swallowing his words in a daring kiss. As if punishing him for even thinking like that. After a moment she suddenly fell back, stopping him from chasing her lips with her hand on his chest. She silently loosened her collar and showed him a tiny bruise on the nape on her neck.

" You never was or will be just a mere human for me. I meant to be yours from my first breath and will be beyond the last, forever."

Greg reached his hand touching her skin there so tenderly as if it was as delicate as a butterfly wing. His eyes were full of wonder.

"You know, they say that at first, everyone was shifters on Earth." - Lana continued, caressing the locks of his hair that fell on his face. - " But as time flew by some decided to abandon their human side, running away from pain and confusion brought by personal thoughts. The beasts life is much more simple, and happiness can be reached by full belly and freedom only. Others strived for more, they were hungry for intellectual grows, and animals instincts were standing in their way. So maybe the sleeping beast in your soul opened one eye to show you the way just for a second back then during that blizzard. But I should point that you did quite a half-assed job here... Not like you at all."

Lana chuckled and winked at Greg puzzled expression. His lips instantly stretched in a predatory smirk.

" Oh, you little minx! Who taught you to bait me like this? Did you consider the consequences? " - Greg gathered her hairs in his fist and tugged gently, bringing Lana's face closer. His eyes became the color of dark chocolate, and dangerous sparks were dancing at the bottom. But Lana didn't back away, too. She mirrored his smile and slowly licked the tip of his nose, feeling how the wave of heat shot through his body. The echo of it spread through Lana as an exciting tingling, making her eyes glow in a twilight of dawn.

" I already warned you once." - she purred in his ear,- " You should always remember that you're playing with a wolf."

Greg's smile became even wider so that his canine showed from under the lips.

" Ho? So you're hinting on the other time that I did a half-assed job. Your right, I should probably make amends. And I'm feeling so generous today that I'm paying you back with a big interest. Am I not the best?"

Lana jerked back a bit, feeling that once again she was caught in his trap. A mere human? Yea, right... She didn't even want to imagine a beast sleeping in his soul. Just pray that it will never wake up.