Chapter 6 - Mated to Him?? Not a Chance!

I was ready to make a snark comment when he let go of me suddenly and walked in the opposite direction, leaving me fuming.

“About your friend,” he said as he bent to pick up a brown satchel which lay at the bottom of a tree. He pulled out a pair of trousers from the bag and began putting it on before he continued, “He caught up to me and we fought but I knocked him out…”

I gasped.

He turned to look at me. “I didn’t KILL him,” he deadpanned. “I just made him unconscious and mind-linked my beta to come take him to the infirmary and bring me a change of clothes.”

I sighed, relaxing.

He shrugged on a white shirt and began buttoning the cuffs. My eyes wandered to the black ink of the tattoo that spread along his forearm. I couldn’t help watching him. I noticed the dimple below his chin, the stubborn point of his nose and finally I looked up to find him staring at me. I looked away quickly.

Why had my throat suddenly gone dry?

Now fully dressed, he bent and picked up the satchel, ready to go.

“Wait.”

He stared blankly at me.

“You haven’t told me why you attacked me and my friend.”

He was expressionless as he said, “That was an accident.”

“An accident?” I spat.

“Yes.”

I stared at him, convinced that he was definitely sick in the head. He just stared back at me unblinkingly.

“Who are you?” I asked.

He smiled.

“I’m your mate,” he said matter-of-factly.

What?

I felt like the world was spinning and I desperately needed to sit down and puke.

“What?” I glared at him with disgust. “There is NO WAY IN…” I paused, staring at him again as the reality of his words sunk in. “Ew!”

His smile faded immediately. He narrowed his eyes dangerously as he said, “Did you just say… ew?”

I didn’t respond, my mind already trying to process what he had just said.

The voice.

I had heard a voice calling him my mate when we had first met. I had overlooked it, thinking that I was just imagining things but, could that have been my wolf confirming that it was him? But… I didn’t even have a wolf.

I shook my head rigorously, as though the action would fix the muddled thoughts in my head.

His voice brought my attention to him again.

“Use your words.” He said.

“How is that even possible? It takes at least a year for a rejected wolf to find their second-chance mate. Are you being honest?” I asked

He just stared at me for a moment before saying, “Your questions aren’t for me to answer. You should just ask the Moon Goddess herself since you’re so curious.” He slung the satchel across his torso, turned around and began walking away.

By the goddess, he was so annoying!

“Hey! Stranger!”

I ran forward and overtook him, coming to a stop right in front of him.

 I placed my hands on my hips. “Would you please stop trying to act all mysterious and enigmatic? It really doesn’t suit you.”

He cocked his head to the side slightly. “And how would you know what suits me?” With that, he flung me to the side, so forcefully that I fell into the nearby bushes, and he continued on his way.

I quickly sprang out of the bushes, glaring daggers at his retreating figure.

Scumbag!

I heard him release a low chuckle. “How lady-like!” He called back to me, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

I gasped. “Did you just read my mind!?” I yelled back as I tried to catch up with him.

He turned to look at me, walking backwards now. “Maybe?” He said with a shrug, a boyish smirk on his face. He was obviously enjoying himself. He faced forward again.

I picked up a rock and hauled it at him. It flew straight for the back of his head and shot clean past him.

A chuckle escaped his lips. He stopped walking now and turned to look at me.

“You know, for a measly slave, you’re quite entertaining.”

“Call me a slave again and I promise I won’t miss this time,” I said through gritted teeth as I came to stand before him.

He had a smirk on his face as he looked at me.

He leaned his face closer, closing the small distance between us. The sudden close proximity startled me, making me to stumble backwards slightly.

A warm, strong hand encircled my waist drawing me closer to him. With his voice, a soft seductive slur, he whispered into my ear, “Running away so soon?”

I stomped hard on his feet.

“Ow!” He exclaimed as he let me go.

The crunching sound of twigs breaking interrupted us.. The stranger pulled away and quickly faced the direction of the sound, placing a protective arm in front of me.

A tall, well-built man emerged from behind the trees in front of us.

“Alpha. It’s me.”

The stranger relaxed.

“Nolan.”

The man bowed his head slightly, a show of respect.

“Luna Amaya has requested your presence during breakfast. Everyone is present and you are the only one absent,” Nolan said.

I looked between the two men. I knew that the annoying stranger had to be of alpha blood because of his special ability. However, with the way Nolan reverenced him, I wondered if he was actually an Alpha of a pack.

The stranger nodded and Nolan turned to leave but I stopped him.

“Wait.”

He looked at me, confusion evident on his features.

“Is… Is James alright? My friend who was attacked.”

Nolan’s face was completely void of emotion as he replied, “He is perfectly fine.”

I nodded.

The stranger walked ahead, while Nolan and I followed behind.

He had walked a good way ahead of us when Nolan grabbed my hand firmly. I looked up at him, startled.

“No one will hear about what you saw here this morning.” His voice was a cold, dangerous whisper. “If not, I cannot guarantee that you would live to see the next light of day. Is that understood?”

His icy tone and glare sent a shiver down my spine.

“No need to threaten her Nolan.”

We looked up to find that the stranger had stopped walking and was staring disapprovingly at him. Nolan let go of my hand and walked past him.

“Forgive my beta. He has the tendency to be grossly overprotective.” He said the last word louder earning him a scoff from Nolan who had gone ahead.

I shrugged as he fell into step beside me. “I wasn’t going to broadcast the news that we have a manic werewolf on the loose anyway, especially because no one would possibly take me seriously. A maid against a high-ranked werewolf? Not a chance.”

“I guess you’re right. You are afterall, nothing but a slave in their eyes. Your words would mean nothing.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. He glanced at me and chuckled.

“Calm down, soldier. I wouldn’t want you to kick me in the balls again.”

The memory of him screaming in pain brought a smile to my lips.