Mate?

Wren

It’s official.

I’ve gone insane.

How else would you explain why I agreed to follow a stranger out of a party to God knows where in the middle of the night?

Okay, so maybe not a total stranger.

I was fairly familiar with Ryan McAllister.

I mean, who wasn’t?

Not only was he the captain of our school’s hockey team, but he was also the Alpha of one of the most feared packs in the world.

“You’re quiet.”

His eyes were fixed on the road, but I noticed the way his fingers flexed around the wheel.

“Yes, well…” I paused, not sure how to finish that statement.

What was I even supposed to say to him?

Hey, sorry I kissed you back there. I just caught my asshole ex screwing my best friend, and instead of apologising, he called me an unlovable, heartless bitch in front of everyone, so I kissed you to prove him wrong. I promise it won’t happen again, so please don’t report me for sexual assault; my father would kill me.

No, definitely not that.

“I’m sorry about the party.” He said.

“You don’t have to apologise,” I said, then paused. “Actually, I have no idea what you’re apologising for.”

“I’m apologising for my outburst.” He said it like it was a fact.

Oh.

“Well, you don’t need to apologise for that.”

“I thought I scared you.”

“Scared me? Fuck no. I’m actually quite grateful.”

“Grateful?”

I had to remind myself that he wasn’t there during the shit show that led me to kiss him. He probably wouldn’t understand that, in that moment, letting me kiss him was the kindest thing anyone could’ve done for me.

I nodded. “I caught Shane with my best friend,” I told him.

I thought I saw a vein bulge in his temple. “He cheated on you?”

Again, I nodded, and right on cue, the unwanted memory of the way he’d been thrusting into my best friend resurfaced.

I grimaced. It would take either a forgetting spell, a miracle, or both for me to forget what I saw.

“I—“ I paused, inhaling slowly, “I kissed you because instead of apologising, my douche bag of an ex decided it was better to blame me for his mistakes rather than take any responsibility. He said I was an unfeeling, heartless ice queen and that no man would ever want me because I’m hollow. So… when you walked out of that kitchen, I just wanted to prove him wrong. I used you, and for that I think I’m the one who should be apologising.”

The last sentence tumbled out in a rush.

I finally risked a glance at him, expecting to see annoyance; instead, I was met with the sight of the most feared Alpha in the city looking… displeased.

“He called you that?”

I nodded. “Yes, but I guess I should have expected it.”

“Why?”

I arched a brow. “C’mon, don’t tell me you haven’t heard what they call me around campus.”

“No, I haven’t.”

Oh.

That was unexpected.

“You really haven’t heard them call me an ice queen?”

He shrugged. “I don’t pay much attention to campus gossip.”

I guess that made sense. “Let me guess: your alpha duties don’t allow you to socialise with us mortals.” I joked, and I thought I saw him smile.

“Something like that.” He scratched his jaw with his finger and threw me a glance. “Can I ask you something?”

“Considering that I just had my tongue in your mouth barely ten minutes ago, I don’t see why not.”

Okay, that time I definitely saw him smile.

“What do you know about werewolves?”

“Unexpected change of topic, but I’ll bite.” I lifted a hand to my chin. “Let me see. You’re part man, part wolf. You’re a social creature, so you run in packs, which an Alpha typically leads. You also believe in some planet goddess.”

Not to mention you’re all incredibly hot. Well, all supernaturals were hot, but werewolves were a different kind of hot, and Ryan was the most different of them all.

He made a thoughtful sound. “That’s it?”

I wasn’t by any means an expert on supernaturals, but something about the way he asked the question made me wonder if I was missing something.

“Should there be more?”

“Yes. No,” He cursed and ran a hand through his blonde waves, muttering something that sounded a lot like, ‘goddess help me’

If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought he was nervous.

“Which is it?” I asked, leaning slightly closer, my curiosity completely overriding my sense of distance.

He swallowed. “There’s one detail you left out of the list.”

“Which is?”

“Mates.”

Oh right.

I had heard of those.

Though I wasn’t particularly sure of the mechanics that went into a mate bond with a werewolf, nor did I ever care to look into it.

“The soulmate thing?”

“Yes. The soulmate thing, or a mate bond as we call it, is a gift from the moon goddess. As you said, werewolves weren’t built for loneliness, so the moon goddess gave every werewolf a partner meant just for them,” he explained, his voice low and steady. “A mate bond is a connection wired straight into our souls. Once a werewolf found their mate, there was no letting go.”

“That sounds intense.”

He nodded. “It is, especially if a werewolf’s mate turns out to be a human. The mate bond might feel like a trap to them.”

I made a thoughtful sound, still not sure what this had to do with me.

“Why are you telling me all this?”

Ryan pulled his car off the road and turned onto the driveway of a building I did not recognise.

He shifted the gear into park and unbuckled his seatbelt before turning to face me.

“I need to tell you something, but first I’m going to ask you not to freak out. Can you do that for me?”

“Depending on the next words that are about to leave your lips, that request is under consideration.”

His next smile revealed a set of perfect white teeth. “Fuck, you’re funny.” He reached towards me, hesitating for a brief moment before something flashed in his eyes and he dropped his hand.

His expression turned contemplative as he let out a slow, deliberate breath, then met my gaze.

I stunned.

I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before now, but his eyes were blue.

Not just any blue.

They reminded me of the colour of the sky after it rained, and I sank into them, not realising until he cleared his throat.

“But I still need you to promise me that you won’t freak out.”

“Fine.” I sighed, “I won’t freak out.”

“Okay then.” he rubbed the back of his neck, rolling his bottom lip between his teeth, and I have to admit, that little lip bite was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen a man do.

I wanted to kiss him again.

My gaze lowered to his hands. They were big, and I wondered how they’d feel against my bare skin.

How he’d feel bare and against me.

I obviously wasn’t ready for another relationship, but a one-night stand didn’t sound too bad.

But then, the next words he said shattered whatever bit of illusion I might’ve held for the night, and all I’m left with is questions.

“You’re my mate, Wren.”