The Mate Inside Me

Chapter 3

Unedited.

"It's because we share souls, just as mates do."

My fingers that had been lightly grazing his inky fur paused their movement as I heard him say those words in my head. My eyes were locked on the wolf's golden irises. They were staring back at me with equal intimation.

"Are you my mate then?"

I didn't know whether it was his gaze or the fact that we were both standing in that legendary lake meant to strengthen a mate's bond that had caused my voice to come out huskier than I had intended.

The wolf who had been swiftly answering my questions since he had appeared before me paused for the first time after hearing this query of mine. He hadn't broken eye contact with me but a blank look settled in his gaze. After a minute or two, he proceeded to answer me.

"A king can never have a mate, Thea."

I was aware of that. This was no new information to me yet I couldn't help the way my heart sank upon hearing those words.

In our world, Werewolves were granted soulmates chosen by nature. Mates were two creatures born out of a single soul, and it didn't take long for one to recognize the other when they first met. The calming effect that their scent held, the sparks as they touched, the comfort that their presence offered to one another, nothing could even come close to stirring those feelings in a werewolf's heart.

Mates lived, mated and died together. Every wolf was given one mate at in their life except for those who died at birth or those who were granted a king's crest.

Those two didn't have a mate and ironically, from what King Erebus had told me, I belonged to both these categories.

"Were you not aware of it?"

I blinked back as the King's voice resounded in my head.

"I knew that Kings weren't allowed to have mates but I didn't know about all this other information that you shared with me, about my near death experience at birth and you wanting to grant me the king's crest. You living inside of me, it is all just very overwhelming. I mean, we weren't even aware that something had happened to you."

A thoughtful look covered the wolf's eyes as he tilted his head to the side, "Lucas must've hidden my body from the public eye."

"Beta Lucas?"

We were taught about the great war in our history class. All Alphas beside my father had taken a part in it alongside the king to defeat the rogues. Betas on the other hand were left behind to protect the packs in their alphas' absence. Beta Lucas was King Erebus's beta.

"Have you met Lucas?"

"No. I haven't."

There was a long pause following my reply. The huge wolf seemed to be in deep thought. He was standing deathly still among his dark surroundings, looking almost like he had dropped straight out of a painting.

Suddenly a cold wind blew past me, scattering my hair all over my shoulders. The thin white dress I was wearing had done nothing to shield my body from its effect. As my teeth started chattering, I realized how cold my feet had gotten from standing in the cold water for the past half an hour.

This didn't go unnoticed by the wolf as out of nowhere I found myself the black wolf nudging me with its muzzle to step out of the water.

Pressing my lips, I let it drag me out of the lake. As soon as my feet touched the grass, I grabbed my bag to grab my shirt and pat my legs dry with it.