"Ok done" Gray said as he finished tying the bandage, Erza looked down at his handiwork

"Thanks" Erza said as she was about to sit up but Gray pushed her back down "what" she asked but he just pointed at her neck "don't worry about that"

"Too late" he replied with a smirk that ass hole scratched her so I best get it cleaned up he thought as he grabbed another wipe as he moved closer he could smell the other wolfs scent on her and he growled

"What's up?" she asked as she looked around "is someone here?"

"No, no were safe, it's just I can smell him off you" Gray said with a slightly red face and Erza looked at him with confusion "that other wolf the one you were fighting, I can smell his scent on you and it's really annoying me"

"Why?" Erza asked and once again Gray looked away because I don't want you smelling like other male wolves he thought wait what? That shouldn't bother me

"Erm because he's the enemy and it's messing with my nose, plus he has a nasty scent" he joked and she laughed

"Ah that makes sense, well I bet you smell of Juvia then seeing as you were basically on top of her" Gray looked down at himself

"Nah not as bad as you" he laughed

"Well that's a surprise seeing as you were on top of her" Erza said darkly and Gray looked over at her

"She tripped me up and I fell on her and well she wouldn't let go" he explained

"You weren't complaining" Erza muttered

"I was!" Gray shot back jeez what's her problem I was the one that was trapped not her!

"Anyway what's it to you, you can't smell her scent but I can't smell his all on you!"

"It shouldn't matter" she stated and looked away

"Well it does to me" Gray shot back "urgh whatever though it doesn't matter now" he leaned over to get a closer look at the scratches that were along her thin neck I'll just have to block out that other scent he thought but as soon as he pressed the cloth on her neck she jumped

"Hey! Give me some warning next time" she shouted and Gray stopped

"Does it hurt?"

"No, it's just you startled me being so close" she looked away as he carried on and he smirked immediately forgetting there little argument

"What's wrong with me being close?" he asked as he leaned even closer pretending to be looking at her neck

"Maybe I don't want you close to me" she said with her eyes closed

"You sound annoyed with me" Gray stated as he leaned back once he was happy that the scratches were clean no point bandaging it shell just complain and at least they aren't deep

"Why would I be annoyed with you Gray" Erza said as she rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck

"You called me Gray not mutt so it must be serious" Gray said "so what have I done this time?"

"Totomaru said Juvia's found her mate and that's you what does that mean?" Erza suddenly asked as she stared at him intently

"Is that the name of that wolf you were fighting?" he asked

"Don't change the subject Gray" she stared at him with her brown eyes narrowed

"Well it means she found herself a mate what more is there too it" he said casually

"How does it work?"

"Why are you suddenly interested in this?" Gray shot back and this time it was his turn to stare at her "I mean sure you asked me a lot of questions when we first met but never about this, why do you care all of a sudden"

"No particular reason" she said looking away but Gray narrowed his eyes sure he thought

"Well it's pretty similar to how it works with you humans, you find someone get to know them fall in love ect but there is another way which only happens to wolves" at this Erza looked back at him her face showed her curiosity

"Is it something to do with scents?" she asked and Gray looked at her with a surprised expression

"How did you know?"

"I would say lucky guess" she laughed "but Totomaru said something about scents"

"Hmm that jerk seems to be giving away all our secrets" Gray said and Erza laughed

"Yea and you aren't"

"Tch whatever this is different, and hmm you suddenly seem happier" he pointed out and on queue she pulled a face

"Anyways wolves can fall in love and then fall out of love or just have simple crushes like humans. But they can also find a mate and that only ever happens once for every wolf"

"So if you make a mistake you're screwed?" Erza asked and Gray chuckled

"You don't have a choice you don't choose your mate, you just fall for them. It's their scent that gets you"

"What's so special about they're scent?"

"God you're really nosey red"

"Just shut up and explain to me" Erza said in a ratty tone

"Fine" Gray said dramatically and she leaned forward and hit him "ow! Ok look when you find a mate it's their scent that attracts you to them which is like the best thing in the world to that wolf, it makes you want to stay with that person forever and do anything for them"

"Like love at first sight" Erza suggested and Gray snorted

"No not that crap, you get attracted to that person. Drawn to them and then when you find them you want to stay and over time the bond deepens and when you do find a mate you will never leave them or cheat on them"

"Oh so it's permanent but is it only a one way thing?" she asked

"Not really, most of the time both wolves fall for each other rarely it's just one but when that does ever happen the other comes around too eventually. It's kind of a fool proof plan" he laughed expecting Erza to as well but when he looked over he sensed her mood change

"I see" she said quietly "so your Juvia's mate"

"What?!" Gray shouted out loud with wide eyes "why the hell would I be her mate!"

"Because she's fallen for you, that was pretty obvious and even Totomaru said it"

"You shouldn't believe everything that jerks says" he said as he crawled over and sat next to her

"He has been right about everything so far and I'm no wolf but I could tell that the she wolf is infatuated with you and like you said it's only a matter of time till you do that as well. You said it's not a one way thing, congratulations on finding a mate" she said quickly before standing up

"No! She isn't my mate!" Gray said I definitely don't want her to be!

"But like you said you can't help it"

Gray stood up and held her arm "she is not my mate, and I don't think I'm hers. No need to freak out over it" he laughed but she shook his hand off her

"It's not funny Gray and I'm not freaking out I don't care if she is your mate"

"well then let's stop talking about it" Gray suggested as he sat on the grass and then laid on his back "we should probably rest here so get some sleep we'll free the others tomorrow" reluctantly Erza sat back down on the floor and just like last time she kept her distance from him she lay down so that her back was facing him.

Why is she annoyed about all this mate business, it's not like its happened he looked over at the red head I know in my heart there is no way Juvia is my mate he rolled over so that he wasn't facing her and mentally laughed how can I go round trying to find a mate when your bloody scent stops me he laughed before closing his eyes.

It was pitch black when Gray's eyes shot open what the hell woke me up he thought as he sat up he sniffed the air as he looked around nope can't smell anything else except Erza he turned over to look at the red head. He squinted his eyes what the hell is she doing

All he could make out was quick movements she was making, he crawled over and once he was closer he realised what was going on oh she's cold I forgot about the weather, damn she's probably freezing and won't admit it

He leaned on his knees and thought about what to do maybe I could just-nah shed kill me he thought but when he saw her shaking and holding herself he felt something tighten around his heart ah crap he thought and sighed before slowly lying down beside her so far so good he thought as he realised she hadn't noticed him.

He shuffled so that he was leaning on his side behind her and then cautiously he lifted his arm above her please don't let her freak out he thought as he wrapped his arm around her. She immediately stiffened and he heard her gasp in shock "relax it's just me" he said softly against her ear but she remained the same

"W-what are y-you doing" she asked as her voice shook most likely because she started to shiver again

"You're cold and I'm acting as a heat source so just go with it" he said before moving closer so that her back was touching him. She was about to say something but stopped when she must have realised how warm he was.

Slowly she relaxed against his form and moved slightly so that she was comfortable Gray sighed in content as he heard her breathing even out and she drifted off to sleep wow she must have been really tired to just fall asleep so quickly he thought as he tilted his head to the side which turned out to be a really bad idea because now his face was right above her hair and he inhaled her scent. Oh crap he groaned as he felt something stir in his stomach and chest what the hell was that he wanted to move his head away so he would catch too much of her scent but for some reason he never moved well it's not like its bad he thought as he suddenly became sleepy its actually addictive those were his last thoughts before sleep took over the male wolf