They reached the Garden Ville beyond the Galles and got settled. Their house was the only one at the top of the mountain top.
Ella loved the view, but couldn't help but remember Felix. She tried to ignore the ache in her to go back to him. She unpacked and cooked something for them to eat.
"Are you okay?" Harvey asked, sitting close to her.
Salvador had noticed her change in behavior ever since they'd left their house and got on the plane. He came close as well to hear what she had to say.
"I've been feeling differently, ever since we left the house. I feel agitated to do something. Optimistic and enthusiastic for something, but I don't know what." She replied.
"Does it have anything to do with the mate mark?" Harvey asked, looking at Salvador. He was directing the mark of Felix or Salvador's.
"From my side, no. From Felix's, yes." Salvador answered.
"She's changing?" Harvey asked. "I wonder to what." He continued quickly.
"Yes, she's changing to a werewolf." Salvador answered.
"I see. But what then?" She asked.
"Nothing, but you'll be fine. Come on, let's go to bed." Salvador replied as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her down.
The next morning, Ella woke early and went jogging. She hadn't jogged before, but was surprised at the distance at which she jogged. She returned back in time before the duo woke. She showered and prepared breakfast for them.
The duo came after taking a shower and gave her a kiss before they sat and had their dinner. They didn't say anything, but the silence was well welcomed.
"What should we do today?" Harvey asked all of a sudden.
"Sorry, but I went jogging earlier this morning. Can we go for a picnic later in the evening in the woods?" She asked.
"Sure, that's fine by me. But we'll have to be back before twilight." Salvador cautioned.
"Okay, any requests for the upcoming picnic?" She asked.
"Yes, I'd want a pizza and a burger. Don't forget hot sauce." Harvey said.
"I'll like to rather have you than the food." Salvador said.
All eyes returned to him and stayed.
Salvador was neither smiling or frowning. He himself wasn't sure what he felt like, but all he knows is that he had to
\be honest, starting with himself. So he took the chance to let them know what's on his mind. His eyes remained on his food and continued eating as if he hadn't said anything.
"Okay, then I'd better go start preparing." She said with a smile and vanished into the kitchen.
Harvey came closer to Salvador but didn't say anything. They continue eating for a long while.
"You want to talk about it?" Harvey asked.
"Talk about what?" Salvador asked.
"About what?" Salvador asked as he took the last bite of his food.
"About what's going on in your head. Salvador you can't kill yourself in silence and expect the world to change." Harvey replied.
"That's deep!" Salvador exclaimed. "What that's going on in my head is quite trivial to what you're insinuating." He said and began to leave, when he stopped. "I'm just thinking about Felix, I miss him a little though. But I guess he never cared enough to share his problems with us, what can we do, except to wait for him to come around."
Getting married is beginning to be a life changing thing, Salvador thought. He had never listened to anyone before, so to say, he did as he was told. He remembers all the fights he had had with his dad, all on doing what he was told.
"It looks like someone is learning just fine." Harvey commented and watched Salvador grin shyly. He guess Salvador is new at doing what he was told to do, his shyness is unique. At least, just the fact of him being an all grown man in that respect.
"I guess so. Wait, is that a bad thing to learn?" He asked.
"No, but being shy at this age of yours, is. Want a kiss?" Harvey asked not knowing what to do.
"Sure, I'd love that." Salvador said and returned back to Harvey.
When their lips meet, he doesn't try to be dominant. He allowed himself to learn, that is to trust. He trusted Harvey to kiss him and trusted himself to kiss Harvey back.
"Ahhhh." They were interrupted by an abrupt cry. They ran to the kitchen and found Ella sitting on the ground.
"What happened? Are you already?" They asked as they neared her.
But she didn't say a word. She just remained with her head down.
"Ella, what's up?" Salvador asked, in the tone of 'you can trust.'
"My eyes look weird." She said but didn't sound like herself.
"Okay, why don't you turn around so we can be the judge of that?" Harvey asked where Salvador stopped.
"It's of no use." She answered, still not lifting her head.
"I know, but look at me, please." Salvador said as he squatted down.
When she turned around, she looked different. Already she sounds different and her eyes are different. The colour suits her skin tone and made her a bit mature for her age. Not older, but just matured.
"It's different, and it looks good on you. Fits your skin tone."
"Don't flatter me. I look horrible with them." She cried.
"But do you also know that your voice has changed as well?" Harvey asked.
"Oh, yes, when I was singing. My head hurts, in fact_" Thinking about the headache, "I have been having this headache since yesternight." She said.
"Did it start from the mark?" Salvador asked.
"Yes, from there, it slowly went up to my head. Why?" She replied.
"Since I'm here and alright, then it's Felix." Salvador said.
"Are you saying he's ill?" She asked disturbed.
"No, not at all." Salvador laughed.
"Then?" She asked.
"It means, there is someone with him that the mark felt inappropriate and not safe for you as his mate." Salvador replied.
"I don't understand." She said, confused.
"Felix is or was with someone." He replied.
"Of course, he's always surrounded by people." She said.
"This close, very okay." Taking a step closer to her, he said "this close, somehow okay." He took another step, "This close, maybe okay." He took another step bringing him an inch away from her. "This close, warning but not enough to alarm you." He took another and kissed her. "That close, a mild warning to you." Encircling his hands around her waist, he put his hands underneath her shirt, touching her bare skin and kissed her deeply this time, "this close, a definite warning." He pulled away.
"Are you saying Felix cheated on me with another yesterday?" She asked curiously. She doesn't want to be termed possessive.
When Salvador didn't answer, she almost fainted with fury. How could he do that to her? He's going to pay for that, she decided.
"But what I don't understand is how you are affected. It'll take two or three days for you to be totally turned into a werewolf. All these signs and symptoms are too soon and abnormal." Salvador said.
"I don't understand." She said, trying to calm herself.
"You are human, that's not how the mark works." He said.
"Do you mean the mark is malfunctioning?" Harvey asked.
"Yes, no. I'm not sure. But it's not normal. Your eyes, not normal. Your voice, still not normal. Everything is not normal_" Salvador remembered something, looking at her, he said "Are you pregnant?" He asked.
"I don't know and even if I were, it's too soon to tell." She answered.
"Okay, this is what we're going to do, we'll wait till we return back home, to go ask for help. For now, we'll be fine. Let's pray. Werewolves, I'm not sure I know much to pinpoint the actual problem and to proffer a possible solution to it." Salvador answered.
They returned back from the picnic before twilight and took a hot shower. The weather seemed cold all of sudden. They returned and sat at the parlor and played games till bedtime.
They returned back to bed and slept off.
It wasn't midnight yet, when Ella started shivering.
Salvador and Harvey woke up and got worried. They wondered what was making her feverish all of a sudden.
"Ella, are you feeling alright?" Harvey tapped her.
"I'm cold." She said, shivering.
She was lying on the part of her neck where Salvador had bitten her, while showing the mark Felix had bitten her.
The mark was burning red hot. Salvador and Harvey saw it and tried to console her. They looked at each other, Harvey gave Salvador a questioning look and Salvador shook his head.
Whatever it is that was bothering her, making her shiver this much, won't be far away from Felix making out with another woman.
The thought of it sounded bizarre and unlikely. Telling her seemed much worse, but not telling her, is killing her.
"Ella, I'm sorry." Salvador said, resting his head on hers.
"Why are you apologizing?" She asked.
"Felix is at it again." Salvador answered.