Chapter 5- An Agreement

                Johnston’s Point of view

She means the world to me, is my everything!!

The love of my life, the very purpose of my existence.

I am not sure if she comprehends the extent of my emotions towards her.

It has been eighteen years and my love for her has never diminished a bit.

As I stand here in the woods, watching the distance between us grow larger, my heart just can't stop screaming, "I love you, Erica."

I have nothing on hand and cannot do anything to prevent her from leaving. It is beyond my control.

It would be the end of me if I never saw her again. That is why I offered the Alpha to be her undercover protector. He knows that I would give my life to keep her safe, and being close to her means that I would always get a whiff of her delicious scent.

I love this girl, and I am one hundred percent sure she is my fated mate. However, the Moon Goddess has not yet revealed this to us through a mate bond, she has her own divine timing and plans for us; there's no doubt about that. Until then, all I can do is practice patience and keep my cool.

I sprinted towards a nearby tree to undress and turn into my wolf.

In wolf speed, I will be able to stay in sync with her rapid driving pace. This young woman definitely has a need for speed, and I can vouch that the car is well-maintained as I inspected it myself. My wolf, Tax, eagerly desires to remain by his mate Era's side at all times. Yes, Tax adores Era they are inseparable best friends, although neither has fully acknowledged that they are true mates.

Tax has warned me several times to take it easy and wait for The Sign. He has not yet experienced the bond that comes with finding a mate.

‘Don’t go ahead of yourself,’ he growls to me once again, feeling my eagerness to be with Erica, never losing sight of her. From afar, I can hear her voice belting out the next track on her car CD.

Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald's song "On My Own" reflects my current state of loneliness. Ironically, while the lyrics describe their personal struggles with solitude, I also find myself in a similar situation as my beloved started her journey through life without me by her side. As I listen to her celestial voice, I follow stealthily along at a rapid pace through the forest. I can listen her singing my whole life.

‘So many promises never to be spoken’

‘Now I know what loving you costs’, she cried out the words of my own broken heart.

These lyrics throw me back to memories of the past six years. When I was only sixteen, while Erica was already eighteen, I made my first romantic advances towards her. This happened during the grand ball held in celebration of her birthday which represented a significant point in any werewolf's life as they may find their mate at that age.

As she was used to my touch, scent and presence, she agreed to me gently grasped her jaw between my fingers and pulled her lips towards mine. It was just the two of us on the balcony in the backyard, surrounded by scents of beautiful roses.

Confidence was key, as I had been taught the art of deep, sensual kissing by none other than Stella, a highly skilled member of our pack known for her promiscuity. That first mind-blowing kiss with Erica made the expensive investment worthwhile as Stella’s f*e was not small. ‘Even loose girls do consultancy’, I thought to myself with a disgusted smirk on my face.

Erica and I shared a passionate kiss as if it were our last moment on earth.

We totally lost all our senses as we enjoyed that crazy feeling of intimacy, only breaking apart to catch our breath. Her taste was addictive and it seemed like she felt the same for me.

Later that night, she even allowed me to unzip her dress and bare all of her sexy curves to my eyes. I removed her bra so I could worship her boobs to my content. What an amazing feeling it was! At that precise moment, I pledged to myself never ever in my life would touch any other female like this again. All my passionate caresses belong solely to Erica!

That was not the last time we enjoyed these explosive emotions for each other.

It was mutual and we agreed to embrace our intense sexual chemistry. The only condition was to refrain from touching that one most sensitive part. This boundary was crucial in preventing us from losing control at some point and destroying all the traditions we believe in.

Until we received a definite indication that we were destined mates, we decided to hold off.

Believe me, dry-rocking for so many years was not easy at all. Overcoming her lustful moans and feeling her beneath me was quite challenging.

                "Johnston, Johnston," she used to softly call my name, pulling me closer until I teetered on the brink of madness. Many times, I couldn't endure any longer and released myself right then and there, wasting my pants. But no regrets, it was all for my baby.

Yet, the sparks of the mate bond were not there, that scent which would drive my wolf crazy, burn our body with an unbearable desire, was nowhere to be found. Yes, I felt an attraction to her, strongly, but I could sense that something important was missing.

Now, after driving for two hours, my beloved pulled into a rest stop that offered both takeout food and gas station amenities. I changed to my human form and chose to wait for her outside. As she came out of the shop carrying an order consisting of a medium pizza, fried chicken smothered in barbecue sauce, and a large cherry lemonade drink, I leaned against her vehicle carefully observing every detail.

As she sees me standing there, a sunny smile lights up her face. Standing close to me, she pecks my lips.

“Share?”, she offered me.

“Certainly,” I replied.

Werewolves are always hungry. We are high energy burners and need to refill frequently. We never say no to food.

After taking each seat in the car, we used the food bridge to place the food. I waited for her to pick out all of her favorites, admiring how gracefully she used her slender fingers to pop a slice of pizza between her lush lips.

“Erica”, I started. “I want to put a deal with you”.

She lifts her head in confusion.

“A deal? Why? What's it about, Johnston?" she asked hesitantly.

“Please, babe, don’t instantly dismiss what I’m about to suggest now. Take some time to consider it before reaching a decision," I pleaded.

“Johnston, what is it? Get to the point! You’re killing me with that stern look on your face”, Erica pressed.

“Erica, I want you to promise me, that at the end of this expedition, if you don’t find the mate you’re looking for, you will come back to me”, I pleaded with her. “We will officially accept and claim each other, mark and marry, and build our own little family. I can assure you that I am capable of keeping you happy and being a good mate as well as father to our pups. I swear on that, Erica”.

My breathing hitched as I waited for her answer.

She maintained a steady gaze on me, never breaking eye contact.

“Erica, I can be everything you've ever wished for in a mate. You won’t even notice that we are chosen mates. There will be no difference in our relationship”, I urged, yet with lots of tenderness.

Her eyebrows furrowed, displaying a range of emotions playing out on her face.

I am still not breathing.

Pressure is building inside my chest where my heart resides.

‘Moon Goddess, please……’, I started praying in silence.

After what seems like an eternity, she finally breaks her silence.

“Johnston, from the beginning my plans were all clear to you. I never hid my intentions for this trip for you, nor my feelings for you.”

"I do love you a lot, Johnston. Never think for one moment that I didn't take our relationship into consideration when deciding to start this search for my mate. In fact, it was a significant factor in my decision," Erica explained. "This is just something I need to do."

"But don't wait for me. Start your own search for your fated mate, Johnston. Open yourself up and embrace the idea of meeting and accepting her into your life. Only then will I agree to this arrangement. And if I return still single while you haven't found yours yet, we'll be together forever."

"Agreed?" I inquired, my face beaming with pride after this small victory.

Erica: "Deal!"...