My Mate

Chapter Sixteen

Jesper didn't show up to school today. Why would the Goddess make me suffer for so long? Eight long hours of obsessively thinking about finding my Mate. It was torture. Although I was a little happy that no one else in the school turned out to be my Mate. I don't like any of them. See, it's Fate. He's telling me Jesper is my one True Mate and we'll live a long and happy life together. It's going to be great. I just know it.

Fidgeting with my backpack straps, I thought of what his reaction will be. Maybe a smile. Hopefully a kiss. Sadly, my first had been stolen by a big stupid male I'd rather not think about.

What gave him the right to do such a thing?! I don't care who he is! He could be one of the gods for all I care and that still wouldn't have given him the right to attack me in such a way. It didn't matter how much I enjoyed the feel of his slightly chapped lips moving roughly against mine. No, it didn't matter at all. Maybe I was still drunk from all the alcohol I had consumed the night before. Yeah, that's what I'm going with because there's no way I would actually enjoy kissing him!

My thoughts are getting sidetracked. Jesper. That's who I want to think about. Him and his pretty smile and perfect hair. Not his older brother who had the audacity to steal from me my first kiss! I had plans for it and he ruined it. I wanted gentle and sweet and he forced his nasty tongue in my mouth!

I growled in anger despite my face warming at the memory. He wasn't supposed to taste good. Or smell good.

"By the Goddess!" I shouted out loud, wanting desperately to stop thinking about him.

Embarrassed, I glanced around to make sure I was alone on the steeet. Thankfully no one had witnessed my outburst. That stupid Alpha just gets on my nerves so much! Like he has a special ability to get under my skin and annoy me.

Whatever, soon I'll have my Mate who will wipe my mind of him.

Determined and newly motivated, I didn't turn down the road that led to my house and instead continued on to the pack house. I did remember mom telling me to stay away but finding my Mate was worth the risk. I'll just walk in and snatch my Mate. She won't even know I was there.

It sounded logical enough.

Besides, mom probably wouldn't even care given that her mind was distracted with Calvin. She hadn't talked to him since dinner last night. Not that she could have, he left not much longer and hadn't come back home. I know it was a really messed up situation, but I'm going to be an uncle and I love pups!

When the pack house came into view, my heart started beating a little faster. My Mate's in there, I know he is.

Gripping the straps of my backpack tightly, I paused in front of the big house and looked up at it.

I've been waiting for this day since I learned about Mates. Mom told me I'll know immediately. They'll smell like the most amazing thing in the world. I had argued with her that nothing smelled as good as freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. She couldn't describe what a brush of contact felt like but she did say that it's something that can't be ignored. My soul will guide me to its other half and my whole being will crave them. When I was little, that all sounded hilarious to me. Now, I was a little scared. It's scary knowing another person had that much control over you. They could either make you the happiest wolf in the world, or completely ruin you with only a few words. But I had that same control over them, we were equal in this.

Biting my lip nervously, I walked up to the front door. It wasn't a question if my Mate was here. I could already feel him. It was like I was being pulled forward by an invisible rope. My heart was going crazy, beating so fast it was starting to hurt a little. Hopefully I won't have a heart attack and die in my Mate's arms.

I shivered after opening the door, my hands sweating and my breathing becoming shallow. I could feel them, their presence almost suffocating. I'm not sure I would have continued if my instinct to go to my Mate hadn't taken over. Already I had lost control of myself.

My steps grew faster the closer I got. Others in the pack house seemed to realize what was going on with me and a crowd grew. It only made me nervous. Why did they all have to be such nosey assholes? Any other day they would have ignored me as if I wasn't there.

I paused long enough to glare at the wolves closest to me before stomping down the hall. I wasn't sure where I was going but I had a new spike of determination.

Pushing open the double doors, I froze as realization dawned and eyes turned towards me.

Mom's going to kill me. Not only had she told me to stay away, but I've done the very thing she didn't want me to.

The Alpha stood from his seat at the head of the table, his eyes on me like everyone else's.

"Torin, is there a reason you're interrupting?"

My mouth opened but no words came out. I risked a glance at the tables occupants as I grew dizzy, my heart hammering against my ribs. Two pairs of brown eyes stuck out amongst the others. But only one pair made the hair on my arms stand and made it difficult to breathe properly.

"Torin."

I stumbled forward, the sound of his voice making my ears ring. Darkness clouded my vision as I chuckled slightly. How strange, I thought before tipping over.

****

Groaning, I rolled over and buried my head into the pillow that smelled really good. I wanted to go back to sleep but something had woken me up and sleep seemed far out of reach now.

Cracking open my eyes, I looked at the wall the bed was pressed up against. The poster of a half dressed woman right in my face. What the fuck?

Shooting up, I looked around the room that obviously wasn't mine. It was messy, with clothes on the floor and a desk littered with junk.

Crawling to the edge of the bed, I was eager to sneak out of the room and run home. It didn't matter that everything smelt so good. It wasn't until I was standing that I realized my shoes and jeans were missing. Looking down at my bare feet and my lucky green Hulk boxers, I knew I was going to kill the pervert that undressed me.

It was either run home in my underwear or shift.

I had just finished shifting and was fighting my way out of my shirt when the bedroom door opened. I shivered at the closeness of him and I dreaded the realization of what had happened. Why had I been so excited about my birthday?

I didn't have a heart attack in front of my Mate but I did pass out. It didn't matter though, it was only Robby.

Finally getting out of my shirt, I bared my teeth and growled at the huge male standing in the doorway. My attempt to frighten him only made him coo at me as if I was a cute pup.

Robby shut the door behind him and scooped me up off the floor, cuddling me close to him.

I purred like a stupid cat, rubbing my head against the side of his face.

What the crap is wrong with me?!

I knew the answer to that though. There was no denying it and I'd never reject him, no matter who he is. Even if he's my brother's best friend.

I'd finally found him. My Mate.