Chapter Three

It took him two weeks to decide to meet her again, not because he didn’t want to, but amidst the couple of meetings he had, he couldn’t overcome the sense of guilt of not being able to protect his mate.

He waited by the roadside, he knew from his sources that she always headed home this way.

He had waited over two hours after school closure before he saw her walking toward him. She had shades on, with an ear pod, the sun kissed her hair making it shine.  Even in her school uniform, he could tell that she was beautiful.  

********

Aramina had and seen him from afar, her heart had started beating fast again, but she maintained a calm demeanor. From school, she had heard the girls drooling over the guy that was on the road as they passed him, damn, he was fit to drool over, but what the hell did he want? 

“Hello, mina”, he greeted, totally unaware of the stir he was causing.

 She paused, no one had ever called her that, it sounded so soothing and sexy, and ….what the hell was she thinking. “It’s Aramina, call me Aramina” 

“I will call you what I feel suits you. Mina suits you mate”, he said nonchalantly

“And what the hell is mate, why do you keep calling me that?”

Karen had already informed him that she was clueless about being a wolf talk less of the mate bond. So he had expected her question.

“Will you like to find out under this hot sun or do you want to go somewhere”,

 Her stomach growled, she was hungry.

“that answers it, get in” He ordered as he opened his car door, 

She didn’t like that this man was taking charge of her, she had grown up learning to fend for herself, without depending on anybody, but she was hungry and won’t say no to a free meal, not when she knew that the only thing she can eat when she gets home will be the expired canned tuna and bread. She obliged the man. 

As he came in, he adjusted her sit belt. “I thought you will put up some resistance. Thank you”, he said, looking intently into her eyes again.

“It is nothing, I guess I am really hungry”. 

He smiled, a genuine one, and her eyes widened as she saw the dimple form on his cheeks. Nature couldn’t be more unfair. How can someone be this beautiful and masculine? She blinked twice and turned her face. 

Zach helped her to lock her seatbelt, it was just an excuse to breathe in her scent closely.

He started the car and drove off.

The restaurant was so cozy, she knew that not everybody had its exclusive card. 

“Eat up mina, you need to add more flesh he said as he sliced the meat into smaller chunks”. 

She couldn’t resist the feast in front of her so she dug in. 

“What is a mate?” she asked after an hour of eating, gauging, and eating again. 

She had never had such a meal before.

“I think I will start with the basics, apart from humans, there is another specie of creatures called werewolves, and they can shift from human to wolves and vice versa. When they shift, they can lose consciousness of their human reasoning, but that is during the initial stage of transformation, as time goes on, the wolf and the human body gets in sync and can easily communicate with each other.

Wow, Aramina was shocked, she had paid little or no attention to fantasies, but she knew that werewolves were fantastical beings. “So you are a werewolf?” She asked.

“Yes, and so are you”.

“I'm not, I don’t shift to an animal”

Zach couldn't explain why she had not manifested symptoms of being a werewolf, the only logical reason was that she is a late bloomer. 

“We are not animals, Mina, we can control our wolf side…well…basically. Everything around us makes us distinct: sight, hearing, speed, and sense of smell are all completely normal for a werewolf.

“Naturally, werewolves are fast, strong, and can heal easily and quickly. We often move in packs.  We have a special way of communicating with each other known as a mind link. 

Mind link enables us to know what a member of the pack needs, and allows the pack members to communicate to each other without actually talking with the mouth, it’s more like our wolves are communicating with each other but we are aware of it”.

“You said I was your mate?”, Aramina asked gulping down a glass of yogurt, she didn’t know what to make of all this but it was interesting, she had always known that she was different from the other kids, this weirdo’s explanation was the only logical explanation to her strange personality.

He looked at her intensely as he handed her a napkin to wipe her mouth. 

“For humans, a man and a woman meet, fall in love, and get married, for werewolves, it is more like a bond. The man and woman realize that they are meant to be, they feel a special type of attraction for each other the moment they are of age”.

Aramina was fascinated, “your world…is not my world; I know I’m not normal, but I can’t say I belong to your world”

“It’s your world too mina”, Zach said, he was frustrated enough that she knew nothing about her origin, but he was willing to teach his fiery mate.  

“Your wolf scent fills my nose; like lily and lavender perfumes mixed, I could tell instantly that you were my mate”.

“I really can’t say the same, I mean, you smell wonderful too but I can’t say I’m attracted to you”.

“I know, you feel the connection but you can’t feel the attraction because you are not of age yet. To recognize your mate, you must be up to eighteen and above,

Mina, I need you to be open-minded to the things I tell you, it might sound strange and weird but believe me, I’m willing to teach you everything with regards to being a werewolf. Karen and Caleb too, I would like you to meet Caleb”. 

Caleb strolled in after a few minutes, “how did he know you wanted to see him”, Aramina asked, shocked. 

“I mind linked him”, 

Caleb couldn’t hold back the excitement on his face as he looked at Aramina, “you are beautiful” he burst out and Zach growled.

Aramina smiled at the compliment. Caleb had an aura that one could be easily comfortable with. He looked so boyish with his raven hair combed to one side, he had the perfect set of white teeth and his eye color was steel blue. He was boyishly handsome.

“I’m Caleb and I know that we are going to be best of friends” Aramina smiled again, what was with all of Zach’s friends and their need to be friends with her? 

Caleb soon got her talking with his inquisitive questions and puppy eyes. 

Zach leaned back and looked at her with a complicated look on his face, he didn’t know what to do with this mate of his at the moment. His whole instinct wanted her to move into the pack with him but he didn’t want to scare her. She knew nothing about the life of werewolves, sure they mingled with humans but that was it, they had their separate rules of societal values, their special schools, and trainings. 

Every werewolf must be a fighter, his mate was fiery but can she adjust to such a life?

Another thing was the issue with the council, he didn’t care about them, but he knew that they will have a hard time accepting her. She didn’t cower when looking at him nor had he seen her wolf to determine whether she was a beta or omega she was. 

“Can I have your number” Caleb suddenly asked, “I really have to go back for evening training but we can continue this conversation over the phone, what do you say”. 

Aramina shifted uncomfortably, this was the second time she had been asked for her number and she couldn’t give them any.

“I’m sorry, I don’t have a phone but I can give you…”

“No”, Zach suddenly said, he looked at Caleb, and after what seemed like a few seconds, Caleb threw his hands up, “yup” let’s go mina”, he practically dragged her out of the seat. And walked to the other side of the restaurant where there was a mall. They stopped in front of a phone booth.” Here, choose any phone you like”

“What… no…, I mean, I can’t…why are you getting me a phone?”

 “I told you we needed to continue our chitchat, I need to know how your stepsister reacted when she realized it was green dye you put on her shampoo…come on, just talk it, I thought we are now besties”. 

Aramina gave up and selected the cheapest phone she could see. 

As she was admiring it, someone yanked it from her hands, 

“Can you give me the limited model of this phone, with a personalized card please?” Zach said from behind her.

She turned, “what are you doing, I liked that,” she said, glaring at him

The saleswoman brought out the phone Zach requested, it was beautiful and so feminine, Aramina soon forgot her anger and gaped at the phone. 

“Is this really for me”, she was going to kick this weirdo at a place where the sun does not shine if he was making a joke out of her poverty.

“Yes,” Zach said looking calmly at her

Caleb immediately took the phone and inputted his number “see, I’m your first contact”

And Zach growled…for the sixth time in two hours

********

The cloaked figure walked down the wet, slippery cave. He hated coming here, but he did it nevertheless, as he got closer to the middle of the cave, he saw the witch. 

“They’ve met, I tried to keep them apart, but they still met, what should I do”, 

“You should have killed her when you had the chance”, the witched accused looking at the fire.

 “I can’t lose her”. 

The cloaked figure hunched and broke down, “all I had done for over eighteen years now seem to be for nothing”.