The Clash of Mates

Lightning’s POV

“Damn the fucking bitch. She’s been here for five years and she knows better than to touch us!” Blaze raved.

“She dared call me by my name. Disrespectful brat,” I hissed as I walked down the stairs.

“She ruined the pleasure we were getting. Let’s throw her out.”

“Not yet.”

“I don’t see what you see in that whore,” he snarled.

“And the slave? Do you see anything in her?” I shot back.

“She’s…”

“What?”

“Just a slave,” he said quietly.

I got to the living room and went straight to the liquor bar. I poured myself a glass of whiskey. The burn did little to calm my temper.

Ace walked in just as I raised the glass to my lips. “Your father sends his greetings.”

“Well received,” I said flatly.

He chuckled, pouring himself a shot before sitting down. “You can’t keep hiding from the old man forever, you know.”

“Who says I’m hiding?” I drained my glass and reached for the bottle again.

“Then why are his calls unanswered?”

“I have better things to do than sit by the landline.”

“And his letters?”

“Did he send you here to interrogate me?” I narrowed my eyes at him as I poured another glass.

“Far from it,” he said with a smirk. “I came because it’s been a while.”

Ace was my best friend- Ripper’s son. Our fathers had fought together, bled together, conquered together. We’d grown up as brothers, along with Hunter, Stealth’s son; Echo, Rage’s son; and Zane, Kill’s son.

When I left the Nightwing pack, Zane had found me after I conquered my first pack. He’d sworn loyalty to me, just as his father had to mine.

I patted Ace’s back. “Good to see you, brother.” I drank from my glass and stood to leave.

“And my mate?” he asked.

I paused. “What about her?”

“Where is she? I want to see her.”

I exhaled sharply. “The moon goddess will find you another mate.” I turned to walk away.

“You’ve got to be fucking joking,” he said, following me. “I let last night slide because it was late. Not this time.”

I turned and looked at him, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. I didn’t want to unleash it on my best friend.

“She’s my slave, Ace,” I reminded him.

“She’s my mate,” he said firmly, holding my gaze as if daring me to deny it.

“Oh, look at us,” Blaze sneered inside my head. “The one who hasn’t found a mate in seven years!”

Back then, I used to wonder why I couldn’t find a mate. Now I’d made peace with my soul that I was never meant to have one.

“I don’t care if the moon goddess herself delivered her to you,” I said coldly. “She’s mine.”

“She’s not your mate. Why are you holding on to her?” he demanded. He was angry now. Too angry.

Why was I holding on to her?

“Because she’s ours,” Blaze growled.

I straightened. “What I have made mine is mine. I don’t let go of what’s mine.”

I turned to leave.

“I won’t leave this pack unless I take her with me,” Ace said.

I glared at him, and he met my gaze with equal fire.

“Ace, don’t make me treat you like a stranger.”

“You’ll become one if you don’t let me have what’s mine.”

“She’s mine, you fucking bastard!” I snapped.

“You don’t love her, Lightning.”

I sneered. “And you do?”

“Yes,” he said simply. “She’s my mate.”

“Here we fucking go again. If she wasn’t your mate, would you still love her?”

“Yes. Because I feel the bond. Something you’ll never understand.”

My jaw tightened. “And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what you heard. You just want to fuck her. Nothing more.”

I straightened my shoulders, my temper spilling over. “Then you can have her after I’m done fucking her.”

That hit him hard. He charged at me. I activated my vampire mode, moving aside just before his punch landed. I’d always been faster, always sharper.

But Ace was light on his feet. He landed a jab from behind that sent me stumbling forward.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” I said darkly.

My Lycan eyes flared red. My fangs extended. Before he could blink, I grabbed him and flung him across the room. He crashed into the wall, shattering two paintings. Still, he got up and charged again. I didn’t want to hurt him, but my patience was wearing thin. I grabbed him and threw him over the couch.

“Lightning!” My mother’s voice sliced through the tension as she hurried down the stairs, horror on her face. Roselia was right behind her.

“What do you think you’re doing? Why are you fighting your best friend?” she demanded. I didn’t respond.

Ace rose to his feet, breathing heavily. “He won’t let me take my mate back to our pack,”

“What?” Mother’s eyes darted to me.

“She’s my slave,” I said finally. “He can’t just come here and claim her.”

“You’ve been best friends for twenty-three years,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ll let a woman come between you two?”

“Luna,” Ace said calmly, “the girl in question is my mate.”

Mother frowned. “I understand. And who is this woman?”

“Stay out of this, Mother,” I warned.

“No,” she said firmly. “I will not watch my sons fight because of a woman.” She turned to Roselia. “Do you know who she is?”

“Ginger curls?” Roselia asked Ace. He nodded.

“I know her, my lady,” Roselia said softly.

“Send for her,” Mother ordered.

Roselia left, and I felt my patience slipping. Minutes later, she returned, Raven following hesitantly behind.

The moment Mother saw her, her expression softened. I had never seen her look at anyone so tender.

“My dear,” Mother said gently, “these two men are at each other’s throats because of you. Tell me, which of them will you follow?”

Raven’s eyes darted between me and Ace. She swallowed hard and looked down. “I don’t know.”

“Why?” Mother asked. “The alpha claims you as a slave, and Ace claims you as his mate. Your choice should be obvious.”

“That’s because the alpha doesn’t understand,” Raven said softly.

Was she about to spew her nonsense again?

“Understand what, my dear?” Mother pressed curiously.

Raven looked up at her, then at me. “That he’s my mate.”

The room fell silent.

Shock rippled through everyone except me.

Because whenever anyone claimed to be my mate… it only irritated my soul.