Dallas's POV

--

It's been a month since my mother died.

My father's still alive. This surprises us all.

Nicole has stepped in, quick to comfort him and take care of him. It's odd for me because he's always taken care of me. But now, it's opposite.

Surprisingly, my father has gotten better. He's able to sleep and eat. He's able to breathe. Hopefully this doesn't mean he's going to go insane. But I don't think he will. He talks more and he doesn't seem as distant.

Nicole, however, is always exhausted. I know that. She always tells me she's not and she denies it again and again, but I can tell. I can see it in her eyes. She is exhausted and would like nothing better than to collapse and fall asleep.

Because of this, I try to help her as much as I can. But I don't know how to do everything my mother did.

The best part is that Spencer has not talked to us once. Not one time. He has not come back for a month. He has left us alone.

It's too good to be true.

Honestly.

Oh, we've told my father our revelation about joining the Packs. He thinks it will work. Thank the goddess. He thinks we should. But I won't be Alpha until I'm eighteen. I'm definitely not ready for that title yet.

Nicole has to wait until she's eighteen as well. Then, her father has to give her the reins and step down. But we all know he won't. Not that easily.

--

Where's Nicole?

After eating dinner, she disappeared and neither my father nor I have seen her since. Her scent is still fresh and I follow the ghost up the marble stairs and into the hallway with my room. The scent seems to cling to the air, making it easier to track. I open the door of my room quietly, peeking my head in.

Sitting on my bed is Nicole. Her blond curls cascade down her back in a flurry. She's sitting so her back is to me and her head is in her hands. Exhaustion radiates off of her in waves and makes me feel tired when I shouldn't be. I hadn't realized that she was hiding her fatigue from me.

But she's let go. Her shoulders sag and her eyes are closed, making me wonder if she fell asleep like that. When I see her hand tapping against the comforters, I know she's not.

Seeing her like this hurts.

Why wouldn't she tell me? Why would she hide this from me?

She's not used to all this stress and work. She's taking care of my father and - as much as I hate to admit - me.

"Nicole?" I ask quietly, my voice low. Her eyes snap open and I can hear her curse under her breath. I've never heard her curse.

Immediately, the exhausted droop of her body is gone, replaced by her mask that she's hid behind for a month.

I step into my room, watching her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She stands and I can see it takes a great effort to not collapse. I take the extra few steps toward her and grab her by the shoulders. "You need to rest." And then her mask is gone. Back to the exhaustion. She knows she can't deny it.

"I knew you would say that."

"Then why wouldn't you rest? You need to sleep. Do you even sleep at night?" She stares at me and I can see in her blue eyes that she barely sleeps. An hour here, an hour there. that's it. "Nicole..." My voice cracks and she shakes her head. Why haven't I noticed how dark her eyes have become? Why haven't I noticed how sleepy her face has become? Why haven't I noticed this?

I recall the many nights that she sleeps in my bed while I sleep on the bean bags. She must have lied awake a long time. Or gotten up without me noticing.

"I'm fine, Dallas." She smiles to lighten the mood.

"You're not fine." Says a voice behind us. Nicole winces and looks to see my father. He walks into the room, his dull silver eyes staring at Nicole. "You are not fine. Nicole, this is not healthy. You should be resting rather than taking care of me." He says quietly. He's not used to admitting that someone has to take care of him.

She shakes her head.

"Really, I'm fine. I'm not tired." This causes a low growl in my throat. Nicole glances at me startled.

"Nicole." I shake my head. "Go rest."

"No. I'll sleep tonight, but not right now." I frown. "I promise. I still need to do the laundry." I sigh, reluctantly giving in.

"Alright." She grins, slipping her hand into mine and squeezing gently.

--

That night, I watch as Nicole climbs into bed. She turns her startling gaze to me.

"I'm sleeping. I'm sleeping." She closes her eyes, turning over so she's in a more comfortable position.

I watch for another few minutes. I want to make sure.

When I lie down on the blue bean bags, I feel myself slowly start drifting into sleep. After some time, something wakes me.

"Dallas? Dal?" It's Nicole.

I lift my head, groggy from sleep. "Mm?" The silence of the room weighs heavily on us.

"Dallas? I can't sleep." I sigh.

"Just count sheep."

"Tried that."

"Count wolves."

"Tried that, too."

"Goddess, Nicole. I don't know how to help you." I sit up, running a hand down my face and staring at the spot I know Nicole is lying down on.

"I don't know, either." She's quiet for a minute and then she asks, "Will you come over here for a minute?" I hesitate.

"Okay..." Reluctantly, I stand and walk over to the bed on numb feet. I climb onto my bed, scooting over next to Nicole. "What's wrong?" My voice comes out as a whisper.

She leans against me. Her cheek pressed against my arm. "I'm fine now."

I nod even though there's no way she can see me, and scoot down underneath the covers. I wrap my arm around Nicole, kissing the top of her head.

She's asleep.

I soon fall asleep myself.

--

In the morning, I wake up to something touching my jaw.

My eyes slowly peel open until I'm staring at Nicole as she presses her nose against my skin.

Her eyes are closed so I know she's sleeping.

I soon close my eyes again.

And then open from the feeling of Nicole kissing right under my jaw. A noise escapes my lips and I turn my head to look at her. "Nicole. Stop." I mumble. She presses her nose against my skin again, inhaling my scent. It's a werewolf thing.

The need to Mark her starts rising and I hiss. Not now. No. Not now.

"Nicole, you need to stop. I'm going to loose it if you don't stop." She opens her eyes to look at me. "I don't want to Mark you right now, but I'm going to if you don't stop."

"Mark?" She asks. Right, she doesn't know what that is.

"A Mark is where a Werewolf bites their Mate's neck or wrist, depending on gender, to claim them. After Marking, the pair can communicate telepathically like wolves can with their Pack." Her eyes are wide. I grin. "I forgot to mention that I can communicate with my Pack telepathically? And you can, too, but with your pack?" She nods, narrowing her eyes to look at me. "Well. I don't want to Mark you yet. And if you don't stop, my instincts will make me."

A slight blush crawls up her neck to her cheeks.

She kisses my jaw again.

"Nicole..." I feel my wolf try and take over my body. Nicole senses this and nods.

"Okay."

I thought I had more self-control. I mean, I've been fine this whole year that I've known her. I never had the thought or urge to Mark her.

This is only going to get harder. I'm going to need my dad around at all times. As soon as I start loosing control, I'll need my dad to take Nicole out of the room before I loose it and do something stupid.

I'll need to stop myself from kissing Nicole and her from kissing me. Which is going to be both easy and hard. Easy because that was the first time she had kissed me since my mum died. Hard because I don't have the best control.

--

While eating breakfast, Nicole looks much healthier. She isn't as drowsy.

"I had another vision." She says, interrupting the silence between everyone. I look up from my bowl of cereal.

"Wha-?" I mumble, cereal spilling from my mouth. I quickly chew and swallow. "What was it about?"

My father and I listen intently as she starts explaining.

"It was about.... Carter." My father and I visibly flinch. How does Nicole know my brother's name?

"It was of when he was alive and playing with Dallas. He was about ten and Dallas was eight. Both of them were playing in the woods pretending to be wolves. Carter was the Alpha and Dallas was the Beta." I nod my head. One of the best memories I have of him and I.

"I remember that."

"I like that vision." She says quietly. "Dallas had a smile as big as the sun and Carter looked at him as if he were the best thing that ever happened to him. I've never seen a sibling relationship so close." She says quietly. This memory makes me ache. I miss my brother. It's been five years and I still miss him.

"Yeah." My dad looks at me and reaches out a hand to rest it on my shoulder. I smile at him. A sad, missing-someone smile. A smile very unlike me.

"Well. Your brother was a great person." She tells me. I can tell she's sorry she brought it up.

"Thank you, Nicole." She smiles confused. "Thank you for reminding me that good things do happen." I stand and go to sit next to her. I pull her into a hug, burying my face in her hair. Her honey smell comforts me. A lot.

I feel a desire. I should know to go against it, especially when it's this strong. But I can't help myself.

I kiss her. I feel tears staining my cheeks. I feel my father watching us. But I don't care. I kiss her. I know I should stop. But I can't when all I can focus on is her hands holding onto my sides, her lips against mine. I can't stop. I can't. Kissing her makes the lingering pain of my mother's and brother's death go away. I need that. But I know if I don't stop, things aren't going to be good.

She moves her hands under my shirt slightly, feeling the old scars on my stomach. She pushes gently at me, trying to get me to stop but not really wanting to. She knows that I'm trying to forget the pain.

And that's when I snap back to reality. I don't want her to see this animalistic side of me. I don't want her to see this desperate, needy side. I don't want her to see me like this. I know my canines are about ready to show themselves and pierce the skin on her neck. I can't let that happen. It hurts to stop, but I don't want her to see this side of me. Not while I've tried so hard to keep it hidden.

I pull away from her, my breathing fast.

"D-Dad. Get her out of here. She needs to - I can't -" I start speaking fast, standing up to step away. Nicole looks at me with worry.

"Dallas, are you -" my dad starts speaking but I cut him off by knocking over a stool.

"She need to get out. She need to leave. I can't - I'm loosing -" my father understands and he nods, gently grabbing Nicole and pulling her into the dining room as I burst into a run to the stairs. I need to get to my room.

"Dallas! Wait. Wait! What's -?" My father looses his grip on her as I reach the top of the stairs. I feel my senses sharpen, Nicole's intoxicating scent entering my nose. I curse loudly as I hear her running up the steps. With a burst, I reach my door at the end of the hallway.

"Nicole! Stop!" My dad shouts. "He needs to be alone!" She ignores him. Does she not understand?

I reach my room, racing inside and closing the door. I pace my room, running my hands through my hair as I feel the need rising in me. My instincts are too strong. My instincts. I'm loosing. Loosing the little control I had.

"I can't - I need - Loosing - No more -" I pant as I struggle to keep my canines regular.

And then my door bursts open, showing a frazzled Nicole.

"What's wrong?" She asks, taking a step towards me. I shake my head, moving back while holding my hands up defensively.

"Y-You need to leave. Right now Nicole.."

She sees my eyes in the middle of changing from green to blue and brown. One eye is green while the other is brown. Her own eyes widen.

"I told you.. I told you earlier about - about Marking. It's that. Nicole, get out of here." She doesn't move. "Nicole, now!" Why won't she listen. She walks closer and that's when I loose it completely. I lean against the edge of my bed with my head back, groaning as I feel my canines lengthen slightly. I probably look like a vampire.

I grip the comforters of my bed tightly, my knuckles turning white. I look at Nicole pleadingly.

She stares at my eyes, seeing Shock's. "Nicole... This is... This is the last.. Time. I can't - I'm loosing... Nicole, please leave... I don't want you to see me like this. Please..." I'm begging her. She doesn't move and I feel awful as Shock surges forward to take control at the same time my father grabs Nicole and pulls her out of the room. The door locks from the outside.

Smart.

I stand, breathing heavily. Nicole's scent hangs in the air. I curse.

My wolf moves me forward to claw at the door. Angry that our Mate was taken away from us before we could Mark her. Angry that she's right outside and we can't reach her.

I hear him screaming, his voice coming out of my mouth rather than my own.

I can sense Nicole's fear. I hate this.

I try to coax my wolf to back down, but he stays in control for a few more minutes.

Finally, I'm able to calm down. My canines shrink and I feel myself sigh from relief. I'm so tired. Ugh.

Thank goodness it's over. But I don't trust myself around her.

I stay locked in my room for a few days.