HER Young Mate (Completed)

Part Eighteen: The Gift

"Owen-" I laughed and shook him again. "Owen please!" I laughed again, shaking him. He groaned awake.

"Cora- what the- it's four in the morning- aren't you supposed to be at Winny's?" Owen grumbled as he tried to wake up all the way, checking his alarm clock. I laughed again.

"Forget about that right now- I need your help-"

"Dad just went to bed, we got in half an hour ago from scouting-"

"Good! He'll be asleep for a few hours, I need your help-"

"Cora I have school in a few hours, and the bonfire tonight, I can't-"

"Look I need help, it's about Danny-"

"Is he okay?" Owen asked urgently. I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yes, and even if he wasn't, why would you suddenly care?" I asked.

"He's part of the pack, I'm supposed to protect and help anyone in the pack."

"Good, then I'm part of the pack still... Kinda. Help me." I laughed. I went across the room to grab his shoes.

"You're stumbling drunk Cora-"

"Look are you gonna help me get my birthday present, for my mate, to him or not?"

"Yes... But only because you're admitting he's your mate again."

"Well was."

"Is". Owen said seriously, as he looked at me, finally sitting up in bed.

"Was. And why do you care, you hated the idea the first six months..." I stood, holding his shoes, staring at him, drunk and on the verge of crying, but somehow still laughing.

"Because, I've learned a lot about mates Cora. You can't fight it, that overwhelming feeling to protect and love them, it is consuming and sometimes down right painful. You may be a shit, and it may be weird and gross that he's only nine now, but you two are mates. And I know, now, you can't help it. So -yeah- I was an ass, but I do care about you, both of you, more than you think. I think what you're doing now is worse too. Not having him around... I mean it's obvious you miss him, why else would you come home drunk, smelling like a Pink Floyd concert." He joked, but his little monologue had sobered me up a bit. I was upset and furious that he had changed his mind so quickly, after ruining all of my friendships and hassling me daily.

"Are you helping me or not!?" I asked after rolling my eyes.

"I said yes, didn't I? Give me the gift and I'll make sure he gets it tomorrow-"

"No can do, I have to deliver it, that's why I need you and your truck..."

"My truck? What did you get him? A couch?" He laughed.

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"Holy sh*t!" My brother said after I had opened the shed doors. "Do you know how much these cost?" My brother asked, circling the gift.

"Yeah... I should, I bought it!" I giggled, having regained my bubbly drunkenness from having to make it down the stairs without falling, and finding it hilarious.

"I mean, this is top of the line brands on all these parts and everything. It's never even been ridden, couldn't you have found one used-"

"No!" I laughed. "Not for Danny..." I added quietly.

"He's a kid, you could have gotten him a bike from the outlet and he would have been stoked."

"No, he wanted a mountain bike, and I wanted it to be a real one..."

"These are Fox shocks Cora! These parts alone cost hundreds..."

"Okay Owen, if you could stop drooling, and start driving this glorious thing to his house before sunrise..."

"Oh yeah! This kid better be grateful, I mean..." He made a sigh and shook his head. "You're right, let's go." He chuckled, picking it up with his wolf like ease and loading it into his truck bed.

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"This is it?" I asked, looking up at the house. We were smack dab in what was considered suburbia, at the end of a coldesaq to be precise. It was a decent house, with two stories, and a white picket fence, and a Subaru in the driveway. I don't know what I was expecting... A house I hated? One that wasn't the perfect color green with a tire swing in the front yard? One that wasn't pristine but decrepit? One that I could say wasn't good enough for him, so I could make him come home with me? Was I expecting not to feel him? Not to miss him suddenly as I saw his little bike in the front yard and his window right there. And I knew it was his... Because I could sense him, hear his little heart beat, even though it had been six months since I've changed or seen him.

"This is it..." My brother sighed. "The kid won't even be able to ride it-"

"Shut up he'll grow fast." I snapped. I gulped suddenly, my wolf had made me snap, and it was a shock to me after months of not feeling like that. "I'm sorry- my wolf-"

"No- don't worry- I get it." He chuckled. He was still holding the steering wheel, looking up to where my eyes were fixed. He nodded quietly. "I totally get it... You wanna stay here?" He asked. I nodded quickly. My heart hurt, and I feared if I got closer I would break through the front door and run up to him, at any given moment. "Okay I'll make this quick." He nodded. And then he hopped out of the truck and untied the bike. As I watched him I grew anxious and nervous. Nervous Danny would come out, or know I'm here, or cry when he found the bike in the morning, instead of being happy.

I opened my purse and grabbed a pen and my notepad. I started writing quickly as I glanced up to see Owen crossing the street with the bike, hiding in shadows and behind cars.

I hope you like the bike, please do better in school, and listen to your parents, they know what's best for you- more than I ever could. I want to wish you the Happiest of Happy Birthday's Danny. I love you so much.

-To my Mate,
Love Coralie <3

As Owen lifted the bike onto it's stand I ran from the truck. I crossed the street and ran up to the fence that Owen had jumped and lifted the bike over.

"What are you doing?!" He whispered loudly in anger as he checked to see if anyone had seen me.

"Put... Put this under the bow." I said. The big red bow tied to the handlebars. He took the note I had folded in half and written his name across.

"Okay." He whispered, going back to the bike. He looked up quickly as he finished getting it to stick. His eyes grew wide and he rushed back to me, hopping the fence immediately. "Someone's waking up." He said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me away. I suddenly regretted not having that special hearing anymore, but I could hear Danny's heart, and the rhythm had picked up a few beats.

"Wait- who-"

"Cora come on-" he urged, pulling me now.

"Owen is it him!"'I almost yelled, and Owen covered my mouth and ducked me behind the truck. I glared at him.

"Get in the truck Coralie. You know you don't want to confuse him anymore. I was wrong... For now...You made the right decision not to see him, look at you, if you did you'd tear the world down to stay with him. And you can't. So... So get in the truck and let him have this..." He said in a whisper. He had changed his mind so quickly, back to the idea that me not seeing Danny was best, it made my head spin. My eyes watered, and I cried against his hand, and he held it there until I nodded. He was right. I couldn't change my mind in a split second decision, and my wolf wasn't in control anymore, I was. I had to do the right thing. I slowly stood up, got in the truck, and Owen ran around to get in his seat and drive.

My breath hitched when I saw his window light up.

It was him.

His heartbeat raced.

Then I saw a silhouette walk in, and then he calmed down. And I cried, knowing I wasn't there for him, knowing he probably senses me and was freaking out, and maybe his new mom was telling him it was all a nightmare... and maybe he'd be fine. I wasn't though, and I wasn't sure I ever could be...