Mate me - 8. The Big Bad Wolf

I knew she was gone and I didn’t have to watch her drive away.I could feel how far away she was. The pull was incredibly strong. I knew she was disappointed and confused. I felt like scum. I hurt my mate. I needed to talk to Darren. I needed advice. I texted him asking him where he was. I got dressed while I waited for his response. I opted to put on clean clothes that didn’t smell like her. No use torturing myself. He was at Sky’s. It didn’t take me long to get there. He was waiting for me outside. I parked the car and walked up to him. His smile faltered when he saw my face. I sat down beside him. He sniffed the air.

“Holy shit you’re mated you’ve started the bond.”

“Yep.” I said glumly.

“What’s the problem I thought you wanted her.”

“I do. I just haven’t told her about my wolf and she doesn’t want a relationship. She wants more of a friends with benefits kinda thing. I can’t give her that.”

“Obviously not, your wolf is mating her.”

“Fuck Darren I’m so screwed.” Just then the door opened and Sky joined us.

“Yeah you are, congratulations on your mating!” Sky slapped me on the back. Sky had blue eyes and blonde surfer hair like his brother Dylan. Unlike his brother he was much taller and broader. “Why aren’t you happy bro. I hear your mate is something else, one fine piece of omega ass.” Darren and I both threw him death glares. He held up his hands in surrender. “Babe you’re the only one for me. Besides I’m just repeating what Jack told me.” The Beta that was watching us in the diner a few hours ago. My wolf wasn’t placated. I stood up and paced while Darren filled him in. “If you ask me,” I didn’t, but there was no reason to point that out. Sky was sitting on the stoop with his arm around Darren’s shoulder. Sky continued. “you should just tell her the truth. You can’t keep lying to her you're bonding now she’ll know.” He was right. Sky might’ve talked like a frat boy but he was very insightful. I turned to him.

“If she denies me again…I just don’t know.”

“You have the support of the pack Alpha.” Darren replied. They wore matching smiles.

“Don’t let Alpha Chris hear you call me that.”

“Dude I’m sure he would encourage it. Your dominance is kinda hard to ignore.” Sky

chimed in. “Look go find your mate, tell her the truth. The sooner the better.”

 ***

My family decided not to comment on the scarlet bite marks on my neck. That was fine by me. The hickey was two puncture marks above the base of my neck. Similar to two identical mosquito bites except they weren’t raised. My mom occasionally threw small smiles my way and my brother looked completely grossed out. I just pushed my food around on my plate. Then the doorbell rang. I jumped up and ran to the door. I knew it wasn’t him but I still hoped that maybe I was wrong. I opened the door surprised by the person on the other side. I didn't know him. I had seen him around town before. He had bright orange hair and pale green eyes.

“Hi Jacs is it, can I talk to you for a minute? It's about your mate.” I must have looked confused. His toothy grin widened, he reminded me of a predator. I suddenly felt unsafe.

“Riley, I see he didn’t tell you.” Now I was curious.

“Jacqueline Who is it?” My dad called from the kitchen.

“Just a friend, I’ll be back in a few.” I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.

“Why did you call him my mate? What do you mean by that?” His smile didn’t falter. But his pale eyes gleamed. Something didn’t feel right.

“I’ll let Riley fill you in on that.” He sneered. “The reason why I’m here is to warn you. Riley isn’t who he seems.” He paused for effect. “There’s a presence in this town, it’s supernatural and I’m afraid Riley is one of us.”

“One of us?” My heart hammered in my chest.

“He’s not human Jacs, and now you're his.”

“What! How do you know we…Is this a sick joke?” He jeered.

“Jacs I’m just a concerned stranger who happens to be the big bad wolf.” Then his face contorted his nose grew long like a snout. Fur sprouted over his smooth face. And his teeth, they morphed into sharp incisors. He was a wolf. I wanted to scream but nothing came out. And then slowly his features reverted to normal. “You’re his now Jacs. You smell like him.” He ran his finger along my jaw. I slapped his hand away and took a step back. He took a menacing step forward. “Careful Jacs I love to bite.” He was suddenly bigger than he seemed. He licked his lips. “They're right about you. Human omega, so hard to resist.” His pale eyes grew dark. My back hit the hard wood. I had nowhere else to go. Instinctively I knew not to run. Something in his eyes dared me to. He rested his palm on the door and loomed over me. “Beautiful. Like porcelain.” He murmured reaching for my face. I shrank, activating my fight or flight response. He laughed derisively. “He’s dangerous Jacqueline just like me. Enjoy your dinner.” Then he backed up. My body sagged in relief. When he got to the end of the driveway, he changed into a mottled orange wolf ripping his clothes in the process, and disappeared in the distance.

*** 

Something was wrong. She wasn't just scared she was terrified. I called her and sent her message after message and she still didn’t respond. The only logical thing was to go to her house and make sure she was okay. My wolf was panicking. I could feel the terror through the connection. My mate was in danger. I drove recklessly and five minutes later I was pounding on her door. An older man a little taller than me yanked opened the door. He immediately frowned.

“May I help you?” His clipped voice was deep, deeper than the Alpha’s.

“Is Jacs around?” His frowned intensified when I opened my mouth.

“And your name is?” He scrutinized me.

“I’m Riley.” He said nothing for a full minute before opening the door and motioning for me to come in.

“Wait here. Jacqueline! Riley’s here to see you.” There was a long pause.

“Send him up.” I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Leave the door open.” He walked into the kitchen. I realized the rest of the family had been eating dinner. I knocked on her door. She didn’t open it so I did. Every time I saw her I was struck by her insane beauty. Images of this afternoon flashed before me. Her body, her moans, her taste. I licked my lips.

“Don’t look at me like that.” She was laying on her bed her head turned in my direction. A cloud of fear surrounded her.

“I can’t help it.” I sat gingerly on edge of the bed. I wanted to touch her, reassure her, ease her fears. She looked at the door. “Your dad told me to leave it open.” She huffed, got up and closed the door. Instead of coming back she leaned against it and sank down to the floor.

“I thought you had to work.” Her voice had an edge to it.

“I lied.”

“Awesome. What else are you lying about?” I opened my mouth and closed it. “Did you tell anyone about us?”

“I didn’t have to.”

“Because I’m yours?” She quipped.

“What?”

“Why did you lie?” Her voice was strangled. I wanted to go to her. “Stay there.”

“What’s going on Jacs?” I sat back down.

“Answer the question.”

“I needed to talk to Darren. For advice I felt I had deceived you after we-hooked up.”

“So it’s true then you mated me.” Her voice was flat. My heart sped up.

“How do you-?”

“What are you Riley?” I said nothing. “Can you change...are you?”

“Yes. Who told you?” I sighed.

“It doesn’t matter, but you should’ve before you mated me.” She raised her voice touching the mark on her neck and shivered.

“I can’t apologize for what I did. I’m sorry I lied. But I’m not sorry about the mating. I want to be, I hate hurting you.” I paused briefly. My voice dropped. “In that moment we were one. It was beautiful, it was instincts. I lost control and I don’t regret it. I wanted you to be mine and for everyone to know it.” She shuddered then frowned. “Besides we aren’t completely mated yet.”

“No?” She paused. “In that cause can it be reversed.” I felt a stab in my chest. I managed to shrug. She sighed. “What about what I need?” Her voice was low.

“What do you need?” I scanned her face remembering the way her body felt under my palms. She blushed.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“I can’t.”

“Your eyes, they get so dark. They go from blue to almost black.” She mused.

“It’s not natural. I can’t believe...I’m so stupid.” My heart twisted. She frowned. “So what does this mean?” I sighed deciding to tell her the truth.

“You're my true mate Jacs even before the mating. I knew since the moment I first scented you. We were destined to be.”

“But I’m not a…”

“Wolf. You’re not bound by the same rules. I guess.”

“Like a werewolf.”

“Wolf is fine.” I bit my lip.

“What does this mean for you?”

“I’ll either go feral or my soul will die...if things don’t um work out.”

“Feral?”

“Wild, uncivilized, completely ruled by my animal.”

“Your soul will die?”

“Yep.” I shrugged.

“What about me.”

“You're human so you’ll be okay.” I smiled; it was a sad smile.

“Fuck.” She swallowed.

“Look no pressure,” she snorted.

“That is the ultimate pressure.”

“I just want a chance with you that’s all.” She looked away. “You make me feel things I’ve never felt before. Forget about the wolf thing. Can’t we just try?” There was a loud pounding on the door.

“Jacqueline I told your friend not to close the door.” Her father grunted. She stood up.

“I’ll get going.” I walked over to her. Her clear eyes locked with mine. “Give me a chance.” I pleaded before gently kissing her soft lips. I slid my tongue into her mouth and she trembled, clinging to me. I nipped her bottom lip she moaned softly. We both jumped when another round of knocks sounded on the door. “Text me.” I said before slipping out.

 ***

A glint of light caught my eye as I was walking to my car. It looked like a belt buckle. Shredded clothes were strewn along the road. It was...odd. I picked up the belt buckle. It felt familiar. It was bronze and heavy, solid. I sniffed it. Peter’s bitter scent sliced through me. Fucking asshole. My vision tunneled, I saw only red.

 ***

“Is that the guy you’ve been moping over?” Mom asked they called me back to the kitchen to finish eating. My brother escaped and went upstairs to his room as soon as he could. Suddenly I was ravenous.

“Is this why you won’t reapply to school? Because of that distraction?” his tone wasn’t as harsh this time. My Dad stared at me. He meant well he was trying to understand me.

“Dad I quit school because I hated it. I was depressed my grades were suffering and I couldn’t spend one more second in that program. How am I supposed to go back?” He blinked surprised by my candor. “Furthermore, Riley is trans. “

“As in transgendered.”

“Just transgender.” He was wide eyed.

“What is he to you? Does he go by he?” He asked tentatively. I took a sip of water. I could’ve answered many things, my boyfriend, my lover, my mate.

“I don’t know.” I answered truthfully. I reached for the mark on my neck. When I touched it I could feel his presence it was like he was near me. I had an inkling that this was a wolf thing. My dad gaped at me, and my mom smiled fondly. My face heated up.

“I’m going to my room.” I blushed suddenly embarrassed. I brought my empty plate to the sink before heading back upstairs.

 ***

I waited two days before calling her and then I caved. I needed to touch her, nuzzle her but I would settle for just hearing her voice. There was no doubt, I was obsessed.

“Hey.” She sounded tired. Answering on the fourth ring, I tested the connection, she didn’t seem sad, or happy for that matter. Over the past two days she’d been up and down but mostly down. I felt shame, I had caused my mate pain.

“Hey have you given our conversation any thought?” She sighed.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She was going to make this difficult. I smiled. “Do you want to give this a shot?”

“I don’t want your soul to die. I just wish we could have taken it slow.” She spoke in a hushed tone.

“Forget about the wolf stuff, we can go slow.”

“You practically married me. I’m yours remember.” My stomach flipped.

“I’m also yours.” I murmured. She was silent for a moment.

“I can feel you…” she whispered. “When I touch the mark. Is it a wolf thing?”

“Yes, it’s a mating mark it connects us…

“In what way?”

“Can you...can you feel me my emotions?”

“Yes, and thoughts that aren’t my own.” I had to strain to hear her.

“I can feel you too.” My body pulsated with nervous energy.

“I trust you Riley…I feel safe when you're around. I know you won’t hurt me.”

“I won’t.” I gave a weighty whisper.

“We can still go slow.” I sighed. I could’ve fallen over. My legs were like jelly.

“I’ll court you, buy you flowers ask your dad permission to date you whatever you

want.” She giggled, it was sublime. My body buzzed with anticpation.

“You don’t need to do all that.”

“When can I see you?”

“Soon...I’m apartment hunting today.” I didn’t ask where.

“You know the person who told you about me...what did they look like?” I focused on keeping calm, on keeping my tone light and nonchalant.

“Red hair, green eyes not super tall.”

“What did they say to you?”

“He said I smelled like you, that you and I were mated, that you were a wolf. He um… said some other stuff.”

“Like what?” I ground my teeth. She didn’t say anything more. I closed my eyes and focused. His finger grazed her jaw. Him leaning over her, telling her she was beautiful calling her an omega. Threatening her. Her gripping fear. Her thoughts were crystal clear. He touched my mate. He threatened my mate. A loud whooshing sound filled my ears.

“Ry come back to me.” Despite her voice being soft it was firm, commanding. “Is he in your um group?”

“Yes.” I let out a measured breath. “He’s pack. I have to go, maybe we can meet up tonight?”

“Looking forward to it. Please don’t do anything stupid.”

“I probably will...there are protocols.”

“I don’t care about protocols I just want you to be safe.”

“I will be.” I promised. It was a promise I might not be able to keep.