Sorry for the very very late update. I've been stuck. Sorry.

***

Ares froze above me, and I froze as well, surprised by my own words. I'd agreed. This was it, he was going to mark me, and I was going to be... his. or something. I wasn't sure. With every passing day with Allen, I regretted not paying attention in biology more and more.

Ares lifted himself off of me, looking down at me with wide eyes, love swirling along with the specks of gold twinkling within them. I couldn't believe I'd once feared those eyes, when I looked at them now, they were filled only with love and adoration, just for me. It made me feel safe. And cared for.

"Ares can mark mate?" he asked then, hope so evident and soft in his voice. Careful too, like he couldn't believe it; I didn't blame the disbelief either.

I took a deep breath, nodding to him, but myself as well. Convincing us both. "Yeah, you can. I love you, Ares, and Allen too. I know you've wanted this for so long, and you are kind, sweet, and funny, and you deserve this."

His nostrils flared, a shiver passing through him as he was just staring at me.

Then he pounced.

The force threw me back against the pillows and the pillows against the headboard. His hands roamed over my body, one behind the back of my head, the other moving down. He kissed and licked and nibbled as the base of my neck, the place where it met my shoulder. He growled against my skin.

My hands immediately shot out to push him off, but he didn't budge. I kicked out with my foot, hitting his shin, this brought him out of his trance.

He stared at me, fear in his eyes. "Did mate regret? Does mate not want Ares to mark her?"

I took a deep breath, running my fingers through his hair, hopefully soothing his worries. I don't think it helped much. "No, Ares, you'll still get to mark me, uh, tonight, don't worry, I just..." I took another deep breath. "Ares this is all very new to me. I'm a little anxious because I don't know exactly what to expect of this. I understand that it won't hurt, but still, it's so new and foreign."

He furrowed his brows, concerned. "Ares doesn't understand what he's supposed to do."

Leaning forwards, I kissed his cheek, the skin reddening as I pulled away. "Just don't rush it, Ares. I'm right here. I'm a little anxious. Calm down, we're not in a hurry. Give me a bit of time to adjust as you go, okay?"

Pursing his lips, he nodded, then looked up at me with large eyes. "But Ares can still...?"

I nodded. He smiled, and then leaned forwards, placing his lips on my neck again, kissing and nibbling softly. He wasn't rushed now. He was taking his sweet time, kissing, groaning against my skin in a way that made it resonate down between my legs.

He kissed his way up my neck, his lips meeting mine. He deepened the kiss, pushing me further into the headboard. My heart picked up. If he was going to mark me... why not just let him go all the way? Become his in every way? My body was calling out for him- screaming, actually.

His kisses moved off my lips once again, moving back down my throat and neck, strong arms wrapping around me, protecting me.

And then the phone rang. Not his mobile, the real official office alpha phone in his office that was so loud you could hear it all over the house. Ares groaned, ignoring it.

As much as I didn't want to, I managed to tell him that he should probably go pick up the phone.

"No, Ares is marking mate," he mumbled against my skin, teeth scraping over the sensitive flesh at the base of my neck.

I laughed, "Ares, go pick up the phone. I'll still be right here, waiting for you when you get back. Go on and pick it up, you never know, it could be really important. There could be some sort of emergency."

He growled. "No emergency, just bothering Ares."

"Ares, they don't call you just to bother you, we both know that. Go pick it up, now, please. Otherwise, I'll be worried about what's going on. So please... for me?" I know how to hit him right where it hurt. Allen found it nearly impossible to not give me everything I asked- for Ares, not bowing down at my feet and giving me whatever I pleased was completely out of the question. It came in handy.

Growling he pushed himself off of me, stomping towards his office. "I love you!" I yelled with a laugh as he closed the door behind him. I also heard him picking up the phone, yelling at whoever was on the other line.

I ran my hands over the messed-up duvets and sheets, most of which lay in a pile on the floor next to the bed. Closing my eyes, I tried to feel my body. The sensations. I was nervous, but not scared. My privates and lower stomach was... ready, I guess, tingling, waiting for Allen, Ares, to come and claim what was rightfully his. I smiled at the thought. I was Allen's. And he was mine. And we were each others.

I resisted the urge to move my own hand down to pleasure myself. I'd tried doing it, Allen had even once helped me, showing how to move my hand as he watched. But when I was all by myself it felt a little odd. Embarrassing, kind of. Like I was making a fool of myself, even though it felt completely natural as soon as it was Allen's hand touching me.

A smile spread on my face when the door opened, but it fell when Allen, not Ares, rushed out, running his hands through his hair. "Pack a bag, now, warm clothes."

I got up from the bed, covering myself in my blankets. "What? Why? Did I do something?"

"No. I don't have time to explain. Get dressed and pack some warm clothes- just two sets or so. And whatever else you need. Toothbrush, hairbrush, all that. And do it fast. We're leaving in 15 minutes." he rushed into his closet, throwing a duffel bag on the bed next to me, taking one down for himself, yanking two shirts off his hangers.

I wrapped the duvet closer around myself, walking into the closet with him. I found a t-shirt and some sweatpants, and put them on, not bothering with underwear. He told me to bring a sweater outside the duffel bag, so I did. I packed some clothes, my deodorant, brushes for various uses and the book I was reading. 10 minutes later Allen all but carried me down the stairs, throwing me in the back of his car.

Before I got a chance to ask him what was going on, Allen's phone rang over the Bluetooth speakers. "Alpha Allen, you asked me to call you?"

"Yes, thank you, can you tell me when the next train that can somehow get me on the way to Alberta, Canada leaves Union Station?"

Canada? What? What are we supposed to be doing in Canada? My eyes shifted to Allen, his mouth stern, eyes cold. Has he... done something?

"Uh... well, there's a train going to Oregon in an hour and a half. Is that something?"

"Can I get to Alberta from Oregon? It doesn't matter where in Alberta, I just need to get out of the country. Now."

Out of the country? What in the hell is going on?

"You should be able to pick up a train from there, yes. But maybe not like, right away. You may need to stay at a hotel for a while."

Allen shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I just need to get out of here, right away. Make sure that the Parker Coach is attached to the train to Oregon immediately. I don't care about costs, I don't care about who you have to wake up or blackmail or bribe, I want the coach attached to that train, preferably by the time I arrive at Union. It should be in storage at the station though, as far as I know."

"Yes, Alpha Allen. I'll make sure to get it there before the train leaves the station... Anything else I should know?"

"There needs to be some food in there, and something to drink. Buy some sandwiches, the ones with chicken and bacon. Two with onions and tomatoes, two without. And get some water onto the coach too. Enough that the average person would need for however long it'll take to get to Oregon. Also some coffee, please. And hot cocoa. And some... snacks. Anything. Chips or chocolate bars or something. Whatever. And make sure that the remote WiFi is working, and the TV is plugged in. Understand?"

"Coach, sandwiches, water, snacks, hot drinks, WiFi, TV. Is that all?"

He furrowed his brows. "Yes. Thank you. We should be there soon. Make sure the bed is made, as well. Bye," he hung up and held out his hand for me, which I took, nuzzling my thumb over his skin. I had no idea what Allen could have possibly done. It couldn't be bad. Or well, since we were leaving the country it probably was, but it couldn't be morally bad. Allen wasn't a bad person. He's good, and kind.

He'd barely hung up the first call before he started the next. I couldn't make myself interrupt. The phone was picked up. "Al, what the fuck? The baby just went to sleep. It's a fucking miracle you didn't wake her up." I recognized Joseph's drowsy voice.

"Josh, you need to find out when the next train from Union to Oregon arrives in Oregon, and when we can get the Parker Coach attached to another train going to Alberta. If we can't leave the train station within 2 hours, get us a hotel and a car to drive us there until we can. Doesn't matter what the costs are. I'll give you a heads up about what's going on later."

"Sure, Al. I'll arrange it. Be safe."

"I will. Bye, Josh." he said, pressing the button and hanging up the phone. We then drove in silence. I wanted to ask him, but I didn't know how to. Part of me was also worried and didn't want to know. What were we in such a hurry for?

He drove with furrowed brows for the next good while, coming to a screeching stop square in front of the train station. He walked around to the back, taking a duffel bag in each hand, opening the door for me, and wrapping his arm around my shoulder as we walked. A man approached us as we walked, and Allen shoved me behind himself, acting as a human shield.

"Alpha Allen, the Parker coach is attached, the train on track 8, and all of your demands have been met."

Allen nodded. "Great, just one last thing- sanitary pads. We'll need some." my cheeks heated at his words, but he was right; in the hurry, I'd forgotten to pack any. And come to think of it, sweatpants with no underwear... I really needed to make use of a pad, like, twenty minutes ago.

The man wrinkled his nose, making Allen huff. "Please, act like the fucking adult you are. It's clean cotton, it won't kill you." he pulled me back in front of him, marching over the bridge walking us over the tracks, then down to track eight. He led me past the many many carts already attached, until I caught sight of one that was different from the others. Instead of ads and billboards, or even graffiti on the carts, this one was sleek and clean, but still, an older model- just polished, cleaned, and remodeled to look new.

"Come on, this is my private cart." He said, pulling out his keys and touching a little round thing onto a coded lock. Something inside the door said 'swoosh', and then it opened. Allen guided me in front of him, into what seemed more like a camping wagon than a train coach.

To my left was a door that was ajar, leading into a bedroom with a bed that reached from wall to wall. Then a small room, probably a little toilet, with a kitchen opposite it- or kitchen and kitchen. It was a small counter with a sink, a minifridge underneath it, and a microwave.

At the other end was a seating area, with a built-in couch and table- the originals from when the coach was made, it seemed. At the very end was a door that led to the classic end of the wagon- probably with a little staircase leading onto the train platform. I looked up at Allen. "You have your own train coach?"

He shrugged. "It's better for the environment than flying everywhere. And more private. And safer, to. No one can get to our cart. Also, train rides rarely get canceled due to the weather. A knock sounded on the door we'd just walked through. Allen threw the duffel bags towards the bedroom, pushing me behind him again, as if ready to take a bullet for me. It was making me nervous.

The door slid open, to the same man as before, cheeks red, simply holding out a pack of sanitary pads. Allen took it from his hand. "Thank you. Anything else?"

The man shook his head. "No, the food your requested is in the fridge and cupboards. There's toilet paper in the washroom, and... the TV and WiFi are on. I assume you know the password?"

Allen nodded. "Yes. When's the train leaving?"

"Within the next half hour, Alpha Allen."

"Thank you. That'll be all. Call me right away, if there are any updates or changes in the situation. Any changes."

The man nodded, and the door shut again. Allen sighed, handing me the pads. "Here. I can smell that you're bleeding through your clothes. I can't imagine that that's comfortable."

I shook my head and took the pads, and the duffel bag I'd packed into the little bathroom. I found a pair of clean underwear and changed out of the sweatpants. There was only the tiniest bit of blood in the crotch, but the thought grossed me out for all I knew Allen would probably lick it off, with his insistent okay-ness with my menstrual cycle.

I didn't bother putting on another pair of sweats. I didn't want to waste any of the clothes. I wasn't sure how long these things took with a train, so I was unsure of when we'd be able to wash our clothes again- of course, Allen could always buy us more.

I left the bathroom, looking at the little seating area, where Allen was already sitting with a laptop- not his usual one, this was a MacBook. I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing my toes against the carpeted floor in the coach. "Allen, what's going on?"

He sighed, gesturing for me to take a seat. Taking a deep breath, he looked at his hands. "I want to start off by telling you that there's nothing to worry about. We are both safe, and this isn't your fault."

A shiver went through me. What was going on that I could in any way or form blame on myself? Saying that it wasn't my fault had to mean that it was my fault. At least partly. I stayed silent. "Well, Paige, uh, when I arranged for your mother's family to visit, I made an agreement with their Alpha- I'd take a quick glance at a law proposal for him. Pass it through. I thought it'd be something small, and I wanted to make your mother happy. Your family came and went, and then I received the proposal for the law change. I wouldn't, couldn't approve it."

"Which pissed their Alpha off, obviously. He screamed and yelled over the phone, but I told him that what he was suggesting was outright unconstitutional. I told him it was evil and wicked, and I made a point to tell every other Alpha about his... ideas."

"And earlier I got a call, that he'd raced through several pack territories with several cars, telling anyone who asked that he was heading straight for my pack. The man is a maniac, born to unmated parents, no true mate of his own. He's sick in the head. Goddess knows what he might do. I was worried, so I decided it was better to be safe and leave. I don't doubt that I'd be able to fight both him and whoever he brought to back him up, if it were to protect you, but I'd rather avoid it."

A shiver passed through me. "Is he... after us?"

Allen shrugged, "Can't know yet. He may have just gotten sick of me hanging up the phone whenever he called to yell at me. He may have come to kill me- better safe than sorry, better paranoid than dead."

I bit my lip. "Are we gonna be okay? Are you gonna be okay?"

He nodded, smiling and reaching over the table. I took his hand. "We, and most importantly you, will be fine. Nothing is going to happen, don't worry. We're just keeping some distance to be safe. Nothing to worry about. I just panicked."

I nodded, slowly. "What was the law proposal? The one you said you'd approve of?"

"I... I didn't say that... or well I did say that I would approve it, but I was stupid, and I said that I would approve it before I'd taken as much as a glance at it- before it had even been sent, or written down for that matter..."

This is becoming annoying. "What was it, Allen?"

"Changes, tweaks, as he called it, to laws regarding wolves and humans and mates. For one... he wanted rape among wolves and their non-mate to be legal, if the rape was 'with the intent of procreation- it would be a loophole. Any wolf could assault a human, and in court, they could say they were trying to get pregnant, and then they'd get off scot-free. He also wanted it to be legal for wolves to take humans like mates. Take them. Force humans to live with them in spite of there being no mating bond."

A shiver passed through me. "It was - and don't be sad please- terrifying enough when you kidnapped me and were all lovey-dovey. God knows how I would have felt if you'd done it without the love I know you feel. If you'd done it for your own... amusement."

He shook his head. "I didn't pass the law. He's pissed. It's all alright."

"I'll protect you," he said then, a promise.

"I know, Allen, I love you."

***

Short chapter, shitty chapter.

Hope you're all happy to see me and Paige and Allen back.

I'm doing my best, now is my bedtime and I still need to dry my hair. This is un-edited, so... sorry. Love yas.