The Unexpected Mate

Part 6

Thankfully the rest of the morning past without any more incidents, well unless you consider me getting a board question wrong in math as embarrassing. However, considering how horrible I am at math it's not that shocking. I can do math if I can take my time and give me a calculator, but rush me and put pressure on me? 2 + 2 equals.... 6? No, 8? It's just annoying! And if numbers weren't hard enough let's add letters and shapes to it too! My math teacher has a poster hanging in his room stating "Math is fun!" I quietly growl at it every time I enter and leave his class room.

As I walk into the lunch room I'm the first to arrive at our table which is normal. I'm the only non-social one in our little group, so I always make a beeline for the lunch room not bothering to speak to anyone along the way. Whereas my friends say hi to everyone and everything along the way. Besides Renee, my friends list is short. Don't get me wrong, lots of people talk to me, but I have to wonder if that's because they want to talk to me or just because my dad is their Alpha. Most of the humans ignore me, so I have to think that the werewolves would also if it weren't for my dad. Both of my parents are constantly reminding me that I need to be friendlier, a good Luna is friends with her whole pack. It's not that I'm rude, I'm honestly the farthest thing from it, I'm just shy and I would rather not talk to people. I know one day as Luna that will have to change and I will have to speak to everyone and in front of crowds, so why not enjoy being shy now?

"I swear that human better keep her distance from him, I will rip her to shreds if she even THINKS of trying to get with him or even look at him!" Lily slammed her tray down on the table scaring me out of my thoughts.

"Lily, you know Eddie would never even consider another girl. Once you two discovered you were mates, no other girl existed." Scarlet told her calmly and reasonably as she quietly sat her tray down shooting me a smile.

"Yeah but if you want to take Joy out let me know, I've got your back and plenty of ideas on how to teach her a lesson." Ellie offered as she sat next to Lily.

"Lily are you honestly still going on about? It was just a brush on his shoulder, it's not like she was making out with him." I looked at Renee who was sitting down next to me with raised eyebrows silently questioning if I wanted to ask details about the incident. Her answering eye roll gave me my answer.

Our group of five is made up of me and Renee obviously, then there is Ellie, Lily, and Scarlet. Ellie Winters is best described as loyal, she would be there no matter what, no questions asked! Literally, if you told her we were going to be robbing a bank she would just say "Okay let's do it!". Lily Jones is a take the bull by the horns, don't take crap, blunt to the point girl. She didn't care who she offended with the truth, and stood up to anyone that was doing wrong. Thankfully she was a little gentler with the truth giving to us than she was most people, but it still was a little brutal sometimes. We all knew it came from her heart though. Scarlet Manges is the glue that holds us all together, she's my favorite after Renee. Scarlet is supportive and logical, if she knows one of our ideas or plans is crazy she will be the one to calmly talk everyone down.

"Still. She needs to learn her place. And I have no problem showing her where that place is." Lily started taking her anger out by stabbing at her peas.

I'm assuming it's safe to guess that the 'she' Lily is referring to is Joy and Eddie would be Lily's mate. Joy would be a human girl who doesn't care if a guy is single, taken, or mated. You know the type, knows she's pretty and flaunts it. She is the female version of Sam is a good way I would explain her. This isn't the first time that Joy has "flirted", as Lily calls it, with Eddie. If another girl even looks at Eddie wrong Lily is ready to tear their heads off, got to love the jealousy of the mate bond. Mated wolves are very jealous of their mates, especially when they first find each other. Lily and Eddie have only been mates for six months so the jealousy is still strong. I remember when they first found each other, Lily would growl at any girl that would stand close to Eddie, including us. We didn't take any offense to it, that's just how it is. She's gotten a lot better where we are concerned, she knows we would never do anything to try to come in between their bond but when it comes to others? All bets are off. Joy being a human wouldn't know anything about mates or the bond. If she did she wouldn't be stupid enough to try to come near another's mate, let alone touch another's mate.

"So, Annie. Are you all ready for tomorrow? Ready to sweep Jeremy off his feet?" Scarlet asked me changing the subject. Did I mention Scarlet is my favorite? She's pro Jeremy unlike the rest of my friends that think Sam would make a better mate.

"Ugh, do not encourage her. We all know that Sam is the better mate. He strong and will make an excellent Alpha someday! Have you seen how he handles drills? And he's not horrible to look at either, but don't tell Eddie I said that." Lily's dad is also a warrior so she has known Sam and his family her whole life.

"Don't get us wrong Annie, we all know you love Jeremy. And he is a great guy, but we just want better for you. We also our thinking about who would possibly lead us someday. Sam seems the better choice." Renee said giving me a sheepish look.

"Renee is right Annie, we do know how you feel about Jeremy. We also know how you feel about Sam. However what everyone seems to be forgetting is that it's not up Annie to pick her mate! The moon goddess already has her mate picked out for her. For all we know it may not be Sam or Jeremy. It could be a complete stranger! Whoever you end up with Annie will be amazing and perfect for you. And, we will support you no matter what. Right ladies?" Ellie looked at all the other girls who nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, I know you guys have my back no matter what and I appreciate it." I looked at them all and smiled. I didn't want to tell them about my encounter with Sam that morning, I would just pray as hard as I could that he would not be my mate and everyone would get of the Sam band wagon.

I looked down at the plate of food Renee had grabbed for me while I guarded our table and couldn't help the smile that crept on my face when I saw a fish sandwich. It reminded me of my new nick name.

"Crap sorry. I gave you the wrong plate." Renee said switching our plates and putting a ham and cheese sandwich in front of me. I couldn't help the smile falling from my face. "I can't believe you didn't say something right away, you hate fish!"

"Oh yeah. I do." I said shaking my head. What was wrong with me, she's right, I hate fish! Normally I would have thrown a fit to even have it in front of me. This whole nick name thing was messing with my head, I had enough to worry about. Still, Troy had peeked my interest this morning.

"What do you know about that Troy kid?" I whispered to Renee, the other girls were engrossed in the latest gossip of West Grove High.

"Troy? That tall kid with the long hair?" Renee asked me and I nodded yes. "That kid is just weird. I would just steer clear of that one."

"What do you mean he's weird?" I asked her.

"I don't know, he just is. I mean you never see him talking to anyone, and he walks around all mopey like. He's just odd." She explained. I didn't think her reasons really qualified him as being weird but who was I to question it. "Why do you want to know about him?"

"Uh... no reason." I said hoping she would drop it. I peeked over at her to see her staring at me with one eyebrow raised meaning she wasn't letting this go. "Fine. Well this morning he called me his little fish."

"His little fish?" Renee asked loudly.

"Who's got a little fish?" Ellie asked.

"Troy! He called Annie 'his little fish' this morning." Renee said turning to the girls, so much for just keeping this between the two of us.

"Ugh that kid is just strange! Mister high and mighty and too good for anyone in this school! A girl in my Spanish class told me that Joy asked him to the homecoming dance and he laughed in her face, and walked away! I mean don't get me wrong I'm glad she got turned down and embarrassed, but rude much? Also, he has like zero friends. Who doesn't have at least one friend?" You can always count on Lily to know the gossip in the school. The 5 min bell rang just then signaling the end of lunch. As we all stood up and walked to the waste bins I couldn't help feeling a little bit bad for Troy not having any friends, I don't know what I would do without my girls.