My Innocent Mate

XXI

I just hurt one of my mate's pack members. I just got here too.

"Ella, you're so freaking stupid," I muttered to myself. "You just had to get pissed at the wrong time."

My scolding stopped when I was faced with Will and Riley, holding hands.

Gathering up the courage, I looked Riley in the eye and asked, "What's happening? Are you... gay?"

He nodded sheepishly. "Yeah... bisexual actually. Look, I was going to tell you, but I was scared you were going to be like Claire. After I told her, she got mad at me for some reason and I don't even know what I did."

It was then that I realized why the four of us were so off. It wasn't because we met each other in real life for the first time, but everyone has their own secrets that others didn't even think about.

"Riley... you're so stupid," I said. "Although, I guess Claire is too... for falling for you."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

I closed my mouth. "Nope, nope. Nevermind. Did I mention that I just beat up one of your pack members, Will?"

Will raised his eyebrow. "Wait, what?"

"No Ella," Riley said. "Don't change the subject."

The numbness of the wound that was inflicted on my leg finally took its effect. My knees buckled to the ground and a sense of dread overcame the anxious heart that possessed me.

"Ella!" Riley shouted, bending down to pick up my arms as I just slowly sagged to the ground with every attempt to get up. "

"I'm fine. Everything is fine," I said, trying to reassure Riley and Will, but ultimately failing in the end. Their faces were stretched with worry and confusion.

"How did this happen?" Riley faltered, realizing I wasn't kidding about the fight.

Will reacted quickly and rushed to the backyard, Riley following him slowly with my arm clinging onto his neck.

"We get uncle!" Lucy and Jane said and scrambled into the mansion.

"Geez Ella, I never knew you could get broken so easily," Riley joked while setting me down against the wall that was facing the training grounds.

He sat next to me and watched Will stomping toward Ashley who was still being supported by two of her friends.

"What the hell Ashley?" he shouted. "You just hurt one of our guests. Alpha Asher isn't going to like this."

Ashley looked up at Will with a vicious glare. "What about me huh? I can't even walk right now! And do you know who caused this? Our so-called 'guest' kicked me, a member of your own pack. Perhaps you should put pack members in front of one of Asher's flings huh? Especially this one. She looks like an absolute dork!"

I was just going to pretend I didn't hear that insult. Instead, I was more worried about the "flings" Ashley was talking about. Did Asher have very many of them? Was he having them now? Was I just one of them? I mean, I couldn't be, right? I'm his mate.

We just made up too, so I shouldn't dwell on it too much. Ashley just wants to get to me. For some reason, she already hates me.

"Shut your snout," Will snarled. "You will be punished."

She scoffed. "What did I do wrong? It's definite she's not leader material. I think everyone else here will agree with me."

A soft muttering went around the group. Now it was my turn to defend myself.

"I- I never said I was leader material," I interjected, having all eyes turn to me who sitting helplessly against a wall. "Also, might I add, it's quite rude to judge someone before you even get to know them. What are we? In kindergarten?"

Riley nudged me. "Ella, I get you're trying to speak out more... but I don't think this is the time. Let Will handle his pack."

A damp feeling washed my heart, hearing Riley telling me to basically shut up. I was just trying to convey my opinions and feelings. 

The pack stared at us, slowly creeping closer toward us. Some were snarling, while others were curious.

Riley put his arm out in front of me and pushed my body behind his back in a protective manner. He was ready to pounce if necessary.

"As your beta, I command you all to stop!" Will thundered. He was becoming furious, something I thought I would never see from him.

It was, in all honesty, kind of scary to see him with dark eyes and a loud voice.

The pack immediately stopped and Will commenced in establishing his authority.

"What the hell guys? You can't just team up on our guests. Apologize. Now."

There was a reluctance mutter of apologies that was followed after an awkward silence. People started to return to their training. The only group who dared to defy Will was Ashley and her group of friends, no surprise there.

"No," Ashley prompted. "I will not let this... this snake walk around our grounds, acting as if she owns the place."

Her fellow girlfriends nodded furiously, agreeing with their friend.

As I was about to interject a loud and thunderous roar came from behind me.

"What did you just call my mate, Ashley? Want to repeat that again?"

It was Asher's silky voice. I turned around and craned my neck to get a better look at him. And, oh boy, did he look angry.

"Alpha," Ashley curtsied, making sure to add in a bit of cleavage when she did. "I believe your... mate has no purpose here. She is not fit to be Luna, supported by her just running away in the middle of the night because she couldn't get what she wanted."

Asher crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. He was trembling with rage.

"And how did you get such information praytell?" he asked Ashley, walking toward her.

Ashley's friends dropped their leader down and rushed to get out of their alpha's way.

"Hey!" she shouted at them. "Come back!"

All of a sudden, I could see her confidence faltering as she saw Asher approaching her weak figure. A dread came over me. I didn't know what he was going to pull.

"I'll ask you again, how did you get that information?" Asher commanded. "As your alpha, I demand you tell me. Now!"

I could feel the ground trembling with fear. All eyes were on Asher and Ashley.

He began to raise his hand and that was when I felt obligated to intervene. With a painstaking spurt, I sprinted as quickly as I could to grab onto my mate's raised hand.

A gasp circled throughout the crowd. Asher looked at me with a deathly glare.

"What do you think you're doing?" he seethed.

I looked at him with my soft eyes, loosening my grip on his wrist. "You are allowed to do a lot of things as alpha. I know that. But, hitting a girl is not one of them."

Asher's eyes were stone cold while looking at mine, but the more he stared into them, the less there was of hard rock. He came to his senses and put his raised hand down and looked down at Ashley's trembling figure.

I, trying to be the bigger person, offered Ashley my hand. "Are you okay?"

There was silence.

Ashley looked at me with a confused face but reluctantly took it. "Yeah... I'm fine."

This whole fiasco was supposed to end in a joyous reunion or something happy, but then I realized how much strain I put on my injured calf. So, pulling Ashley up caused my body to topple.

Luckily, Asher was there to scoop me right up into his arms. He looked at me with a worried but intrigued expression.

"Let's get you bandaged up."