One Way Bridge

Mates

I sit up and groan in pain . Everything hurts and by everything I mean everything . Even my ears but non the less , my eyes fly open and I spy Raphael leaning against the door. Seth is standing by the window starring into oblivion and Jean and Arthur are talking in low whispers a few inches from him.
"Uhm...hi?" I say awkwardly finding nothing better to say.
"Finally..now we can all go on and proceed with our lives." Julia speaks. I don't miss the anger and spit behind her words and I flinch. Seth doesn't turn to me forcing a pang of rejection to course through me .
The next thing I know she is out the door.
"Oh don't mind her ,Bella." Jean sighs smiling softly at me.
"How are you feeling?" She adds.
"Like I was smashed against the wall several times," I reply and Arthur chuckles .
"I get how you feel." She whispers but I can taste the tension in the air especially between Seth and Raphael. Is there something I missed?
"Sam?" Jean calls out to me.
"Hmm?" I answer trying to concentrate on anything besides the throbbing in my head.
"In your dream what did you see?" She asks and i t hits me. Was that why they were all so silent ?
I describe my dream and the three symbols.
"And what did you choose ?" Arthur chimes in .
"Rather who? " Raphael spits clenching his jaws.
"The lightening bolt with the crescent moon." J whisper and with that he is out the door . I look at Jean in confusion .Seth finally meets my gaze and I don't know why but I can see the pain behind his irises. Its almost as though he wants to know why ?
"We will leave you two to talk." Jean sighs standing up. The room begins to fill out until it is just him and I .
"What's going on ?" I ask . My throat is dry .
"Nothing you should be concerned about ." he swiftly dodges the question .
"But its my life."
"If you love it so much then you should worry about your recovery and not what others are doing with there s . " he snaps at me clenching his fits and it hurts . My chest hurts .
"Why do you hate me ?!" I scream at him.
"That's for me to know and you to stay out of . Its for your own good." The pain grows the more and I feel dejected . I clutch my chest and roll over so that my back is turned to him .
"There are things in this world Sam. Things that could kill you .But I would rather they killed me first before they even touched a strand of your hair ." he sighs and I look back but he is gone and the room is chilly as hell.

*    *   *   *  *  *
There is a soft knock on my door . I squint as the light flows into the room. I must have cried myself to sleep last night.
"Come in." I say and Sebastian steps into my room. He has a thin gray shirt on with black skinny jeans.
"How is the princess doing ?" I roll my eyes at him.
"Trying to survive the hate power in your house ." he laughs lowly.
"Hate power? Really?"
"What else would you call it? Julia..Seth.."
"Whoa. Hold your horses pretty girl. Seth does not hate you .He just isn't used to having a mate ."
"What?!!" I gape at him. "I thought Raphael was my ..."
"I know . We all did but as per yesterday . It all changed . You my friend are stuck with mr. Grumpy for life."
"How relieving ." I groan and he laughs.
"It won't be that bad."
"I think your optimism levels are off. "
"Is there something else you want off?" He winks and my eyes widen .
"You perv!" He laughs at my expression . Throwing his head back.
"Not funny."
"You don't say."
"So what are you doing here?" I ask smiling a little.
"Mr. Grumpy sent me to get you. You are going for archery lessons .Orders from above since you need to bond anyway. So get dressed and ready to tango."
I collapse into my pillow.
You have got to be kidding me. I sigh .
The door clicks shut and I swear I can still hear Sebastian laughing down the hall.

The hall is brightly lit up by the sun as I make my way to the balcony at the back of the house . The marble pillars are welcoming and refreshing . No one could have ever thought this place existed .I stand at the white balcony starring down into the field . The edge is lined by a brick wall but I can see the targets station neatly in a line . What I don't see is my trainer . I let my  eyes roam the surroundings until they land on a perfectly chiseled boy whose body is glittering in the light . I stand there frozen . I had seen hot boys . Don't get me wrong but Seth is a whole freaking dictionary above the word .At least to me . His attention is on the bow be is holding and before I know it the arrow is flying and lands straight at the target . My eyes sweep  over him once more. His  long hair  . His arbed abdomen. The v _line up sinking into those dark blue jeans .
What is wrong with me?
"We aren't going to stand here all day ." he snaps me back to reality.  Had he caught me starring ? Well of he had he wasn't showing any signs of it. Then again he probably was used to it. I roll my eyes and step down the stairs.
"Mind you I am starving ." I growl.
"Figured that much ." he smirked . What the ?
Oh my did he just make that stupid sexual comment ? So he had noticed . I frown at him.
"If your glare was fire I would be ashes right now. But its not and I am unfortunately still here so stop trying to annihilate me ."
And Sebastian was right . I am doomed because I smile  at his   comment and I instantly know I am  a goner .
"I only wish I could succeed in popping your ego first. May be I could save the male species from catching the Seth egotistic cold. You gotta admit I would have done mother nature a big favor ." he actually laughs at that and I don't think he is as bad as I thought anymore . One . because that smile steals my breath away and two because he is absolutely worth the argument .

* *   *  * *
Its mid day I am dripping with sweat . While Seth on the other hand only seems like he took a stroll in the park with his baby sister . He has taken me through two hours of intense workouts ranging from jogging to sit-ups and push ups and I just want to annihilate not only his ego but his entire existence as well as the smirk plastered on his face .
"Excuse me but is this some sort of requirement to be your mate because I can gladly drop out." I cry out in the middle of my last push up. I am panting like a dog.
"If there were auditions for this kind of stuff you wouldn't surface anywhere near the try out list ."
I drop on my tummy instantly . The jerk. He laughs . A full blown laugh and more anger bubbles with in .
"You didn't let me finish ." he adds .
"Well now you have my full attention ."
"Because  I would have to pick you anyway ." he says not meeting my gaze and I swear my cheeks flare up.
"Now get up and let's shoot some targets . Then you can go do the girly stuff you need to do." I watch him incredulously  but I obey . I notice Raphael watching us from the balcony as I walk over to Seth. His legs dangling over the railings.
Seth steps behind me and presses my body lightly against him and the word shivers is not enough to describe what runs through me. I inhale sharply and he tenses up but he doesn't push away .Trust him to keep up like nothing is wrong .
He helps me hold my arrow and bow in the right way.
"Your brother is watching us." I try to block the dirty    thoughts out .
"Aren't you afraid he will want me ?"
"He already does." He shrugs it off like it's no big deal.
"And you don't care?" I frown
"Its just that I have never lost Sam .So there is no need to worry ." I roll my eyes at that .We are silent for a while as he adjusts my shoulders .
" Do you think I am a cool mate?" I inquire.
"You are not bad. Bearable . What's not bearable is the fact that ..." His lips are pressed closer to my ear now and his tone drops dangerously.
"You have to feel whatever I feel and I have to feel what ever emotion that runs through your blood. Pain. Pleasure .Passion ." with each word he trails his finger down the length of my arm and then I can feel it. The desire coursing through him . I let go of the arrow and it lands in the target but the moment o turn around he is gone .