The Red Wolf's Mate

I awaken before 6 AM, slightly disappointed that no dreams about Nathan found their way to me during my slumber. Probably for the best anyway. Stretching and getting out of bed, I didn't bother changing as I sat down at my desk to continue to work. I had three projects left to finish and I was hopeful to get them done this morning. After that, only finals would remain for my last three classes.

I closed my laptop after finishing the last of my three projects. I stretched and rubbed my eyes. Looking at my phone, I realize I had been working for nearly six hours.

“Your school work is so boring.” Lela whined.

“I know, but you know how important it is for me to get this done.” I stand and stretch again, feeling a bit sore from the activities from last night. I shake my head, trying to get the thoughts out of my head.

“Didn’t you invite Nathan to come back over?” Lela asked, sending images of the things that she wanted Nathan to do to me. Never images of sex — she had never sent me any of those, but she sure did send me plenty of other explicit images.

“Lela, that is enough! No more!” I moaned, knowing I am dangerously close to becoming overwhelmed again. “And you are right, I did invite him to stop by. I have no idea if he will, but I should get out of these pajamas.”

I quickly went into the bathroom and got myself ready. Not sure what I was going to wear yet, I decided to put my hair in a braid that cascaded down the side. Several strands fell loosely around my face. This was one of my favorite ways to style my hair. I decided to do just some mascara and a nude lip gloss.

I went to my closet and tried to decide what to wear. Not knowing if Nathan was even going to come over, I decided to go for cute comfortable, picking out a navy color thigh length skirt and a pink V-neck t-shirt. Deciding I really did want a level of comfort, I picked out my navy Converse to finish off my outfit. Satisfied that I have met my cute but comfortable requirements, I headed downstairs and got some lunch.

"Hey Lizzie! Did you enjoy the bonfire? I am not sure how much of it you actually saw.” I jabbed at Lizzie as I entered into the kitchen.

She looked at me, turning a bright shade of red. “Yeah, I had a good time.” She looked flustered but smiled as she clearly remembered details from last night. “How about you? Someone told me that you walked home with someone. Who was it?” She stated, clearly trying to change the topic.

“I had a good time. Joy filled me in on a bunch of things about the pack. Beta Jack told me that Alpha Callan had been “more than patient’ and I am supposed to me with him tomorrow.” I was sarcastic as I make air quotes.

“Yeah, yeah, but who did you walk home with?" Lizzie clearly wasn't going to let that slide. “Nathan.” I said as I looked at her for a reaction.

Lizzie seemed surprised. “He is hot. I remember him from when he was younger, but I don’t know much about him now. Did, um, anything happen?”

I sigh and shook my head. Lizzie was aware that I felt emotions more intensely than others. Lizzie and I shared almost everything, and I had told her about my experiences with my few other boyfriends because, even if I didn’t want to, Lizzie would have nagged it out of me.

"He wanted to hug. I wanted more and I kissed him. Totally took him by surprise.” I smiled at Lizzie as I recanted what happened. I pulled some leftovers out of the fridge and threw them in the microwave. Anne's food was too good to not eat a second day.

"Hmmm" was Lizzie's response.

"What is that hmm for?” I asked as I pulled my food out of the microwave, grabbing a fork, and sitting down next to her to eat.

I took a few bites of my food, waiting for Lizzie to respond.

She chuckled. “I just thought I heard you enjoying yourself.” She eyed me as she ate her lunch. While most people would probably be embarrassed, I was not. While I was slightly embarrassed that my voice carried and I did greatly hope that Lizzie was the only one who heard, I was not embarrassed by what I did.

"I did, thank you.” I stated in a matter-of-fact manner. Switching topics, I asked, “What can I expect from meeting with Alpha Callan? Beta Jack said he wanted to talk about me joining the pack.” Lizzie shook her head in confirmation. “All new wolves go through a brief ceremony to join the pack. It basically severs your ties with your old pack, which you don’t have anyway, and allows you to fully join this pack. You can then mind-I**k with any of the members. He usually likes to do it pretty quickly after we have a new wolf, so I wouldn't be surprised if he does it when you meet with him tomorrow.”

“Is he nice? I don't have any idea what to expect.” Having successfully avoided the Alpha for the few months, I was nervous about meeting him. Most Alphas were somewhat stern and commanded respect. They have to. They have a large pack to run and have little time for niceties. They were also fiercely loyal to the pack and would die defending it. And they were typically gorgeous. Alphas were stronger, faster, and bigger than any other wolf.

“My interactions with him have been fine. He is straightforward but has been known to spend time during pack functions interacting with pack members. Some people describe him as friendly, and I am sure he can be, but he is all business most of the time. And I already told you he is gorgeous.” Smiling, she looked up at me and she raised her eyebrows at me.

"What is wrong with you?” I joked with her, finishing up the leftovers and putting the bowl in the dishwasher.

I turned back to ask Lizzie about her night at the bonfire when there was a knock at the door.

"Alex is supposed to be coming over. Can you get the door? I am so hungry and want to finish eating.” She stuffed more of her sandwich in her mouth, flashing me a smile.

“I'll get the door.” I shook my head and headed to the door. That girl could eat. Her appetite was huge at times. Wolves could eat a lot, but she puts even male wolves to shame with how much she can eat.

Walking down the hall, I pulled open the door, expecting to see Alex. While Alex was standing there, so was Nathan. My breathing hitched slightly as I remember how friggin’ good looking he was. “Hey Raina. Is Lizzie here?” Alex asked as he walked past me. He didn’t wait for my response and started heading to the kitchen. I could hear Lizzie push the chair across the floor as she called his name, clearly running up to him.

Turning back to the door, I caught Nathan staring at me. Not that I minded, but it surprised me. “Damn, he is gorgeous. Lela spoke quietly in my head, sending me an image of him shirtless.

“Yes he is.” I shook the thoughts that Lela was putting in my mind away and moved towards Nathan. “l am glad that you stopped by." I said as I reached out and touched his arm. I saw him shiver slightly as he smiled back at me.

“I had a good time last night. You said to stop by.” He seemed to trail off a bit, almost like he was nervous. “You look nice today,” he said.

Giving him a cute smirk, I pushed one of the loose strands of hair out of my face. “Thanks. Let's go for a walk.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him with me to the open field behind the house. There was a small group of trees along the edge of the field that I visited often. There were a few rocks that I liked to sit on that would make the perfect spot to sit and talk with Nathan.

I could have let go of his hand while we walked, but I decided that I like the contact and he didn't pull away.

The ten-minute walk to the trees was filled with friendly conversation. I asked Nathan about his family, and he told me about his parents, brother, and sister. His brother found his mate last year and lived with her in the pack. His sister was a year younger than Nathan and just found her mate. Nathan just turned 19. He has obviously not yet found his mate. He knew his mate wasn't in this pack, but he wasn't very eager to go looking for her just yet. He was one of the top warriors in the pack and was trying to establish himself as the Lead Warrior.

I enjoyed listening to him talk about himself. It made the walk go quickly. I paused as we arrived at the small grouping of trees. The spring had filled out the small grouping, making the clearing denser than it was when I first found the little hidden cove a few months ago.

I pulled Nathan through the trees. “I found this place shortly after I moved in with Lizzie. It wasn't as lush when I first came here, but I still liked it. It is a good place to come and think. It is far enough away from the forest line that most wolves don’t come out this way.”

I moved through the brush and we came upon a small clearing. There were two large rocks perfect for sitting. Moving to sit down, I chose the rock that was being covered in sunlight, determined to enjoy some of the warmth of the late Spring day.

"So, I talked the whole way here. How about you tell me more about you?” Nathan sat next to me. I enjoyed sitting so close to him.

I told him about my family and what happened when they died. I explained the rogue attack to him and how they seemed to be so organized, much different than typical rogue attacks. He seemed very worried about this.

“I have never heard of anything like that. I have never heard of them attacking in such a way. Was anyone able to determine why they attacked?” He looked worried as he spoke, and I couldn't blame him. In the time after the attack, Alpha Thomas had spent many hours meeting with surrounding packs, trying to gather information about the attack. He has previously asked me this, and I could only imagine that the details I provided had him even more worried about the attack.

"Ultimately, Alpha Thomas was not able to find out anything else about the attacks. The rogues seemed to be looking for something or someone, but he could never figure out what it was. A few wolves, including my brother, seemed to be missing after the attack but no one saw them taken by the rogues, so we aren't sure what happened.” They are painful memories that I didn't talk about often.

We spent the next few hours talking about much lighter topics, including favorite music, favorite foods, and plans for the future. It was nice to have such a seemingly simple conversation with someone.

As the day wore on and the sun begins to set, a chill set in the air. I shivered slightly. Nathan noticed my shiver and put his arm around me, pulling me in close to warm me.

“Thanks. We have been out here all day. It is getting chilly.” I said as I snuggled into his chest. I could feel him breathe in deeply as he placed his chin on my head.

"What do you think about the mate bond?” He asked, surprising me with his question. While I was not quite old enough to find my mate, Nathan was. Surely, he would have told me if we were mates. Pulling back slightly, but staying close enough to enjoy his warmth, I gave him a puzzled look. "What do you mean?”

“My mom and dad are not mates. My mom's mate was abusive. My dad was her brother's best friend and was there when her mate came back to “bring her back home’ after she had left him. A huge fight happened. My uncle was almost killed and my dad ended up killing my mom's mate. Although she was obviously heartbroken at first, she loved my dad for saving her.” He looked down as he spoke.

"What about your dad? He never found his mate?” I asked, somewhat confused as to where this conversation was going.

Nathan shook his head, keeping his eyes down. “No, he never found his mate, at least not that I was ever told about. I think that this is partly why my dad doesn't travel. He came with us when my grandparents needed help, but he never travels with us. He is the pack accountant and typically only interacts with the Alpha and Beta. I think he was afraid to find his mate. He loves my mom so much — more than I have seen some mates love each other.” He looked up and stared me in the eye as he spoke.

I had just met Nathan, but I got the sense that he was feeling a much stronger pull than I was. I enjoyed his company, but I knew really nothing about him, outside of the hours we have spent talking. I felt nervous suddenly, and I tried to pinpoint what was making me feel this way.

Deciding that it is best to be honest, I took a deep breath. “I believe in the mate bond. My wolf and I have been waiting for my 18th birthday so I can find my mate. My mom and dad were mates and the love that they felt for one another continues until the moment both died.” I spoke sincerely.

He shook his head and I could see that he was a bit disappointed.

“Nathan, you still have plenty of time to find your mate and I won't be old enough to even try to find my mate for a couple of weeks. I doubt I will find my mate as soon as I turn 18. We can still see each other in the meantime.” I placed my hand on his thigh and looked at him, trying to convey comforting feelings through my touch and my eyes

“But what happens if you find your mate?” He asked. Wolves tended to feel much more quickly and deeply than humans, but I was still a bit surprised by how deeply he seemed to care about me in a short period of time.

“I doubt I will find my mate quickly. You could also find yours, you know.” I playful jabbed him, hoping it will lighten the mood. Realizing that the words still need to be said, I returned to my soft but serious tone.

“Look, we are both of the age where relationships can end suddenly. My cousin was dating someone for nearly two years. Three weeks after he turned 18, he found his mate. She was devastated but understood. Two days later, she found her own mate.” I hoped that the words will help to soften the reality of dating as a teenage werewolf. “As long as we both know this can happen, we can at least be somewhat prepared.”

Lizzie and I had actually already had this conversation. Lizzie knew that either her or Alex could find their mate at any time. She had cried for hours when Alex turned 18, so afraid of him finding his mate. Helping Lizzie see that she will one day find her own mate helped to ease her pain.

“I know.” He said, but he still appeared a bit sad.

“Look, Nathan, I like you. Today has been the best day I have had in a long time. Let's just have some fun, enjoy each other's company, and worry about mate stuff when it happens.”

He pulled me in even closer and brought his head down to mine. I could feel his breathing increase. He hesitated for a moment and then finally leaned in to kiss me. I felt his mouth open slightly and I took that as an opportunity to explore his lips with my tongue. I placed my hand on his chest, enjoying the feeling of his muscles through his shirt. He touched his tongue to mine and deepens the kiss. I moved my hand to the back of his head, pulling him closer to me. He pulled back suddenly. The kiss seemed to end much too soon for my liking.

I saw his eyes slightly grey and I realized that he was mind-linking with someone.

“The Beta needs me. There was a random rogue attack in a neighboring pack and we need to set up some additional patrols.” He stood up and pulled me in for a hug. Before he completely pulled away, he kissed me gently again. “Is it okay if I don’t walk you home? The Beta wants me there as quickly as possible.”

"Of course, I understand.” I smiled up at him. Damn he was good looking. I watched him run away quickly back through the open field.

“Well, that was a fun day.’ Lela chimes in. For once, she is not being sarcastic.

“I agree.’ Despite having just kissed Nathan, I was able to control my desires. Last night must have helped reset my emotions.

"Want to know what a good end to the day would be?” Lela asked, walking circles in my mind. “A run.”