Five

Memory/Flashback: 4 years ago

[Meeting the first mate]

'Mate' I hear it almost like a bell in my head.

fuck, I look like hot garbage. This was not how I wanted to meet my mate.

A common misconception about my type is that people tend to think our 'wolves' are separate from us, or like another person or animal I should say inside us. This is not the case, there's no one in our bodies but us, we just so happen to be able to shape shift into very large wolves.

We do however have extra 'senses' if you will. For instance meeting our mate, our subconscious will immediately recognize them and be drawn to them. They are the other half of our soul after all. So that's how we hear the word mate go off like a bell in our minds.

"Oh, Nova baby, there you are! Come say hello to my friend Lane."

My mom gives my her signature smile. Signature for 'do what I say now or else'. Then she walks off.

Of course. Lane, my mates name is Lane.

He's now staring at me like I'm the only other person in the bar, a smile forming on his gorgeous face. His intoxicating ocean blue eyes have a mischievous twinkle in them, and I forget how to breathe.

Breathe dumb ass! Suck air into your lungs, blow it out, repeat!

"I won't bite, not yet at least."

He grins at me and pulls the bar stool next to him out a little. Gesturing for me to come sit beside him. I decide I should at least get to know him before I assume the worst.

He's probably about 6' with a great build, he has muscles but not too much. His hair is a medium brown with a slight red tint, it's just long enough to run your fingers through and grab. With a nice cleaned up beard to match.

Goddess, he so gorgeous.

I owe it to myself to see if he could be a decent guy. Maybe everyone was wrong, and my mate will accept me.

Here goes nothing.

"Hi, I'm Nova."

I hold my breath because I'm terrified if I smell him, I'll jump his bones right now.

"Hello Nova, I'm Lane. Lane Carter."

He smiles and offers out his hand, I take it. Feeling those 'Mate sparks' the moment we touched, the sensation makes me jump a little. I immediately yank my hand back, I don't need to get attached.

"So, you are my mate?"

I nod my head yes, unable to find my voice.

"I didn't know Ava had a Shifter daughter. Does she have a mate or a mark? I've never noticed a mark on her, but I haven't paid much attention if I'm honest."

He chuckles a little and looks curiously at me, and I just shrug. I don't want to talk about this yet, but I know I have to eventually. I'm not sure if he likes me or if he's still analyzing me.

Goddess, please be happy and please don't be a total asshole.

"Okay, we'll drop it for now. You are honestly the most stunning woman I have ever seen."

His voice alone is giving me butterflies everywhere, and I feel like his eyes are looking right into my soul. A blush creeps over my cheeks and I can't help but fidget with the hem of my dress, which suddenly became very interesting to look at.

I shake my head slightly and let out a shaky breath. I'm not sure what to say, I have a million things going through my mind and honestly I'm expecting him to just reject me.

Everyone says I'm worthless and don't deserve love, so why doesn't he reject me already? Why is he being so... so sweet?

"Why won't you look at me? Have I done or said something to offend you?"

His voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I hear a sadness in his voice, and that's the last thing I wanted. I quickly lift my head and shake it, finally looking him straight in his gorgeous blue eyes.

"N-no, not at all. It's just that... well."

I fumble with my words unsure of how to tell him I feel like he's going to reject me. I look down again, but I feel his hand under my chin sending sparks all along my jaw. He pulls my chin up to look at him again.

"It's just what?"

He rubs his thumb across my jaw and gives me a crooked smile that instantly gives me butterflies beyond this world, and made me feel like I could simply melt into him.

"It's just... I figured you'd reject me."

I try to sound brave but it comes out as a whisper.

"Now what on earth would make you think I'd ever do something like that?"

He furrows his brows and shakes his head like he can't believe what I'm saying, but I guess it's just something embedded in me.

"My mom doesn't have a mark on her because she doesn't have a mate. I'm the product of a drunken night at a bar, the half-breed bastard offspring of Alpha Blaze Storms. By the way, does my mom know you're a Shifter?"

Because if she did, I wonder if she did this on purpose? But if she didn't then I guess there can be such things as 'happy accidents'.

"No, she doesn't. I wasn't aware she had any knowledge of our kind. But wait, so you're the daughter of Alpha Storms? The Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack?"

He cocks his head to the side with a shocked, yet puzzled expression.

"Yes."

I look down again from, I don't know what. Embarrassment or shame perhaps, shame for not being what a 'Storms Alpha should be.'

"Oh."

He straightens up and from the look on his face I can't tell if he's really nervous or just surprised. I can definitely tell he wasn't expecting that though.

"So why would that make me reject you?"

His brows furrow at me, how do I explain this?

"Most people wouldn't want an unwanted half-breed bastard freak as their mate."

It's the truth, I don't know how many times I've heard it growing up.

"Well I'm not most people Nova, and I have no interest in rejecting you. Unless you're wanting to reject me?" As he said those words, the thought of rejecting him physically hurt me.

"N-no! Of course not! I'd never reject someone like you."

The words came out of my mouth so fast I'm not to sure he understood me. The grin appearing on his face tells me he did though.

"Someone like me?"

He raises a brow and smirks at me and I hope he didn't take me the wrong way, or that I haven't offended him in some way.

"I-It's just... you're so hot, you seem so kind, a-and sweet, even though I haven't known you long. Goddess, I know that I sound so stupid right now. I just never thought I'd even get the chance to have a mate, much less one as amazing as you."

I can't help the blush that's probably making my entire face red.

"And I never thought I'd be so lucky as to have such a beautiful and sexy mate like you."

His smile widens as he brushes some of my hair behind my ear, and he places his other hand on my knee. Slowly he moves his hand up and down my leg. Spreading the sparks and tingles all over them, but never going to far up. He goes up just enough to make me want so much more as the sparks explode across my body.

Oh, he is going to be the death of me.