Chapter 17: Mates and Drama

Ares:

Yo, never mind that sucks so I decided to do this even though I'll gladly castrate that werido or floating dick with legs. He's an asshole.

I bolted into the woods, my legs pumping as tears fell as I wiped them. The cool wind in my face and my hair whipped as I zipped and turned. It felt as my skin prickled, my heart squished and my wolf flickering from my conscious as I felt an ear-splitting headache. I panted and trot as the setting sun shone. I was lost. A tear trickled down as I wiped it with my elbow and straightened my spine." I'm not weak. "I chanted. Yes, you are. My subconscious gave a painful reminder. Our mate rejected us, Alina, my wolf whimpered and sighed. That bitch. She barked angrily as I forced a smile and giggled.

Rejection was rare but not unheard off. Twelve out a thousand could be rejected and sometimes it kills you, drives you crazy or go rogue. Luckily, is not always the case. You might even lose your wolf and become human or delusional but you have to be strong but am I? I wobbled as the dry bristles of grass prickled my skin. I dropped to the ground on all fours and pleaded my wolf to shift as I discarded my clothes on the gritty soul. My nails grew, my teeth sharpened as my face morphed painlessly into a snout and I hunched as tawny fur sprouted my bare back and grew bigger. I blinked as Alina's conscious my eyes turned blood red and our souls moulded.

We trotted deeper into the woodlands and twisted our paws stomping and thundering as we picked up speed and zipped as we felt the cool breeze ruffling our dark tail. She yipped happily, strings of salvia as our eyes twinkled .I felt so alive and free as I smiled at the back of my mind. I snatched my clothes as it billowed In the sky like a flag. The dry leaves crunch and the twigs snapped as birds circled, slowing as I approached a clearing, as the woods seem to stop. A monarch butterfly fluttered and landed on my cold nose as Alina switched and tried to jump, chase her tail and lick it. My laugh came out as inaudible as she had the audacity to roll her eyes.

Honestly, my eyes were weird and unusual  even in the werewolf world. I know it's absurd. Red eyes were associated with rogues and hybrids. Demons and so on. So I'm quite the sight since I'm a stunt wolf. But no one utters a word or questions me why? My rank.

My snout darted to the bright yellow light beams filtered through the sky as I sniffed the woodsy scent, the squishy moss, and the gurgling and rippling of the clear creek as it meandered across the flat grassy land. It bubbled as small fish darted then I saw my distorted creek and drank the cool, refreshing water .I tensed. Looked at the sky and felt rustling and strong gust of wind. I stared at the shadows and the trees and my blood ran cold as I froze.

My ears perked as I heard heavy breathing from the shifting as goose bumps formed on my arms and back as I shuddered. I was being watched. I picked up my clothes, dusted them, and groaned. I felt uneasy as I squared my shoulders. Wolves could walk around naked because we don't care but if is within the pack but not outsiders. I used my tee to cover my chest and changed fast. I prayed to the moon goddess hoping what I did not want. If it were a stranger or a human male, I would be concerned, very concerned.

I slipped on my clothes faster than the speed of light. And I whirled, sniffing the air. My shoulders ached and joints were stiff and my mouth hurt. I balled my fist and unclenched them as my teeth grew into canines and my nails sharpened. I closed my eyes as my eyes flashed.

I stalked closer as a strong scent burned my nostrils, "Who's there? "I hissed and stared at the canopies of towering trees. Shrouded in the darkness came leaning, huffing and appeared was a silhouette of a man crawling through the thick foliage. I growled lowly, took a long stride, and bared my teeth.

The smell of smoke and pine trees as it lurched forward. A pair of pale yellow eyes gave an eerie glow from a curtain of leaves. It could be a shapeshifting demon or an incubus as it mouth pulled out into a smirk, exposing sharp teeth. "You know I should be asking you? "And slowly a man appeared leaning on a huge branch as he swung his long legs and stared at me. "Werewolf? "He inquired .I dug my foot deeper bracing for defence as he rolled his hazel eyes. Creepy.

" She-wolf, you're in my territory. "He snapped, pulled himself up with his muscular arms and dropped to the tree casually. The oak tree was huge and arched over the creek creating shade.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, "How? This is the border between packs. It's neutral land. "

He shrugged and pointed to the setting sun making the leaves glow. "I've lived in this pack of woodlands so no." He retorted.

 He towered over me and padded around barefoot on the long blades of grass. I stared at him and gaped. He was pale, had long jet-black hair tied in a man bun and hazel eyes with specks of gold and amber. He was dressed like a biker or a Goth like me .The man wore a white V-neck shirt, a black leather jacket, leather black pants with zips on it .He placed his muscular arms on his hips, dropped to a crouch and brought out his combat boots. He fixed his black fingerless gloves and chuckled.

"What are looking at? "He asked, narrowing his eyes as he buckled his boots. 

My cheeks burned as I shrugged." Nothing."I said. Then it hit me like a wrecking ball as I balled my fist and breathed heavily.

"You. Saw .Me. Naked. "I screamed angrily, He froze, tensed his shoulders and arch a black brow. He laughed nervously. 

I crossed my arms and shrugged and he threw his head back. "Fine. I admitted smelt your scent and checked, then I paused, "He cleared his throat and blushed, "I promise you on Gaia that I turned my head."

"Yeah, a pervert. "I said bitterly, poison and anger as I rolled my eyes. Yes, wolves roam around naked but only with pack member you know and...mating season. Anyway, a she-wolf being seen nude outside her pack is considered an offence and seeing other wolves without their consent is a crime. Overall wolves are content with their bodies. Honestly, I was angry, bitter and annoyed. I screamed into my hands as he winced. "You creep. "I spat, stomping my foot on the grass then I sank onto the grass and crossed my legs and tried not to cry. What the hell? My heart and my breathe hitched and I panted heavily. Rejection is like a virus eating and killing you up inside.

I wheezed breathing hard and fast as he crawled to me and whispered softly, "Are you okay? "He asked, I bit my lip, swallowed my questions and shook my head as he held my arm and urged me to breathe and calmed down. He was a stranger and creep lodging deep in the woods, a guy I just met was now calming me and I let him. I forced a smile and sprawled on the grass, looked at the sky. He rolled down on the ground and smiled, placed his arm on his back and stared at the twilight.

"Um, thanks." I muttered sheepishly,

"No problem. "He said, and grinned.

"I'm Eli or Elias. "He said, nervously. Honestly, in my mind I expected a cooler name or something. I know stupid, right ?

"Oh,"

"Sorry."

"I'm Ares."

"Oh my Goddess, that's nice. No, offence I've never heard a girl with that. "He said, staring at me, squirmed as I tried to not to sniffle a laugh. He rolled his eyes. As we turned opposite directions. The air was becoming cold, the wind picked up speed as I decided to fuck it. Let me at least make a friend.

"Twenty questions. "I blurted as he stared at wide-eyed. I jolted upright and slowly  crossed my arms and shuddered and looked sideways avoiding his gaze.

"Sure."

"Ok," I drawled, he blinked. What the hell, Ares. Alina bared her teeth and hissed. Yep, he's a wolf but he screams a high rank but not enough to make me bow or crane my neck in submission but it was strong like a magnetic pole and he seemed to be assessing me with his calm and calculative look and checked. It was too obvious; painfully obvious our ranks were like a beacon.

"Which pack are you from. I'll start I'm from the-"

"Oh, so you're from the south. "He clarified as I nodded. He grabbed a stone and played with it with his quick hands. He seemed distracted and thoughtful as he furrowed his eyebrows. Reading people was quite a quirk, we share with it  vampires too. He sat up and smiled wickedly as he clasped his lean fingers together. "Rank? "He asked.

 I sighed,"Ok, my rank is Alpha. I am from the Silver Moon Pack one of the pack to further to west. "I answered coolly; He stared wide-eyed and stared at me, intently as I froze. He stared at creek, measured the distance and threw it with deadly accuracy as it bounced creating huge ripples and bounced twice. Damn, show off. I huffed inwardly.   

"Oh, I'm the from the north then. "He answered softly, rubbing his long neck sheepishly and avoided my gaze and ...question then rocked. "Sorry," He huffed, "I kind of live quite isolated so I ...how do I put this. I don't socialize, really. I'm sorry. "He muttered. 

"Hmm, Is ok," I muttered, honestly.

I froze. Wait the north is one of the biggest most populated war packs. A gasp came out of my lips as I clamped my mouth shut and he uttered,"Yeah. I'm the gamma actually. "He shrugged, 

"A gamma, that's amazingly hard to get at the pack. "I said shocked, surprised and in awe. I stared at him confused and narrowed my eyes. Wow, I wasn't really expecting having a chat with their wolves their as tough as diamonds and as blunt as sailors. "It's nothing really, is lots of work and barely free time. "Then blood rushed through my ears and rage washed over me as I faced my back to him and he arch a brow. Hot tears welled my eyes, as I blinked them out my body weakened just the thought of it. Alina whimpered and burrowed herself as it flickered. I hate him. She said softly.

Sometimes, your mates die, they aren't born yet or they are not of age. That is why we favour and care for our mates for life but if they die and if you're not lucky you want live alone and you might have a second but is very rare or even that is bull or wishful thinking.

"Ranks don't matter unless you deserve it or everyone favours you. "He said bitterly, taken back by his words and crawled over as I recoiled. "Did...I say something wrong? "He asked, "You know beta Aaron. "I screeched, "Yes. I know him. He's a manwhore."He said causally.

"Well...Well. He rejected me." I whispered, burying my face in my hands. "What? "He looked taken back as he stared wide-eyed and gaped at me. "What. That's sacrilege .A mortal sin An insult to goddess will and power. No, that's bad. He'll lose his rank for this. "He screamed, he was itching and giddy as he clench his fist. Yep, it's that important.

"I'm going to kill him. "He huffed, stomping away, howling mad. Then he vanished in the darkness leaving me alone to my thoughts.

Aaron:

I sat hunched on the lonely hospital bed as I heard the intervals of constant beeping of the machine and the drip flowing through my thin hands and into my veins. My bony hands and my throat was as dry as a bone. I licked my champed and peeled lips with my dry tongue. My flimsy hospital gown moulded with my skinny frame and sank to my concave stomach. I counted my ribs as I tried not to cry or wince. The whitewashed walls glared at me and the white limonem tiled floors smelled heavily of loduform and antiseptic .The hallways filled with a bustle of activity. Doctors and nurses halter and swelter around and about. The nurses were blurring through the opaque glass in their distinctive blue scrubs and blue crocs slapping against the tiles. Squeaky wheelchairs and people muttered in low soothing voices as the stenches move and the constant wailing of the siren and the paramedics hauling stretchers of moaning or groaning patients. I wished I were attacking me with smells and overwhelm but it was faint. I sighed heavily and rubbed my baldhead and a least hoped that chemotherapy side effects weren't this broad and bad. All this for my groin. But you're lucky to pay for treatment so shut up. True, I straightened my spine and darted my head to my uneaten tray of food. Jell-O, baked potatoes and a cup of orange juice.

But I'm dying anyway because is the will of the moon goddess and my stupidity. Adrian had passed and died long ago and now I'm a useless human shell .It I was surprised to see her alive-she grew beautifully and healthy into a beautiful woman and I rejected her, again and again but she still kept those striking doll-like features. The crisp white sheet moulded to my long legs as I suppressed an itch from my thin legs poking out of the covers only to be chilled by the cold. I ran my hands through the cold metal rails and cringed with the sharp coldness. It turns out I have developed an STDS long ago and something worse now. Even the T.V seemed to make me wish of a peaceful associated death. My face had lost all its killer looks and now it's sunken.

I grabbed my journal from the stand and wrote a documented detail of my ward and my worst sins.

***

I needed to know how much wolves and humans lived in mainland Maine's and the state. There were five or six packs but were smaller than ours. In the mainland, there were ten packs and three sub packs and shelters. Luckily was at one of the tourist's attractions or the dock as I sipped on a strawberry smoothie as I strolled causally through the mid-afternoon sun. Knocked and hit like an eight ball. Girls gawked me when I flashed my killer smile. My nose was attacked with a million different odours at once that I struggled to control but the most dominant one were human and Were's scent intermingled and it smelt horrible. Like rotten eggs and the smell of rain combined on a hot summer day. I gagged and I could almost taste it. Well, my census wasn't that hard to do and tracked lands humans are selling illegally to report for rangers.

The odours and scents had a distinct trail and colours based on what is it and their personality so when I close my eyes and it to make to identify and taste. Anyway, my wolf, Adrian howled in happiness and wagged his tail with joy as I stopped. I turned my head sideways and froze, I locked eyes with two girls, the other looked crazy, and energetic .Then another scent hit me .It smelt like roses, lemons and oddly of copper. Weird. No, moon goddess how dare you give me a mate now. She had a brown bob with streaks of dark red .I relaxed and waved a hand just to confuse my scent as my eyes glowed green. Adrian whimpered in protest. Now ,that's a good diversion then I vanished and rubbed my self simontasly with the crowd and then I smoothed my shirt and hid in the alleyway as Adrian soul slipped away from my consciousness for a quick moment. Which to any other wolf if not properly trained or practiced well could turn you mortal. He was dormant, as you would say as her scent vanished or was faint and she stopped. I sighed and returned from the alleyway as I blinked back my wolf. A.K.A known as Masking and Mundane.

Before all this, I caught her flirting or dating with some foreigner and I shrugged but then he was restless and snappy then. Stop it .I snapped and breathed as anger welled inside me. Then she poured her hot chocolate on the guy as I blinked. Well damn, that escalated quickly but that made Adrian smile. 'What about her? 'Adrian asked me, 'why moon goddess did you curse me with a savage and a goth girl. Why? But that was hot. 'I demanded then groaned. Stupid mate bond. After my census and my outstanding hate of humans. I jogged to the clearing then used my wolf speed; Adrian started pacing around my head but he knelt down, covered his snout with his paws, tucked his tail, and growled angrily. I checked for humans, sniffed the air then leaped into the air and shifted into my dark brown wolf with jackal like features, blinked my bark brown eyes. I bolted deeper into the woods in a flash, twisted, and arrived in less than fifty minutes.

I arrived at the pack and flaunted my naked body till I was forced to wear my clothes. It was by an old woman who was at least a hundred years so I did. I arrived at Alpha Ryan's office and told him about the census as he nodded curtly then he scowled and lectured me about my choice and called me a 'bastard pup', 'immature brat' and' underserving of the beta rank'. 'Everyone knew he favoured his adopted son, Elias my only friend about the rank. Favouritism at it's finest. "You may or may not regret it." He warned, narrowing his brown eyes at me as I shrugged innocently. I was eighteen. I was arrogant, naïve and had a lot of pride.

"Wolves these days. "He muttered, shaking his head as he organized his files. Think of a pack like an office .He's the CEO or chairman, I'm the co-manager and lastly the gamma is either the assistant or whatever. Or think of it as a court of kings and royals and you get the gist. Ryan thought as Finances, business, accounting and politics since we were pups and as we grew and explored into fieldwork. I inherited the rank because of my parents but Elia's did not.

"Are you sure ...sure about this? "He asked from the rare view mirror. I leaned on the leather black seat and crossed my arms. "Yes." I meant and I stated my reasons as he shook his head and sighed.

He looked over his shoulder and frowned. "Wolves mate for life and only once. "He stared. I nodded. I practiced and rehearsed what I was going to say, I rephrased and even stared my reasons after I tracked her while Elias shot daggers at me and Ryan looked like a dissapointed father. The pack smelt heavily of lone rank wolves and compared to our pack they lived in a cheap excuse for a village and prone to vampire attacks, lone wolf helpers and rogue hoardings. I spat on the grass as he scrunched his face at my attitude. Wolves froze in their tracks to stop and gawk at us from their cabins or duties as they whispered amongst themselves as I strolled forward and alerted the enforcers and warriors and demanded who is their Alpha and Alpha female. My mate was an Alpha so double homicide. One warrior asked as questioned then their expression softened as they bowed in respect to Alpha less and she nodded to me.

Few minutes later, my mate, her friend-a human and the Alpha who looked awkward and confused. Ryan and I exchanged worried looks. To summarise we exchanged names as my wolf whimpered and trotted excitedly on my mind. Turns out her name is Ares, her brother and Alpha male, Zale and lastly the human-lunar, Heather. She acted out of character, too childish and playful like a happy puppy. I checked her out as she tensed. She was tall and lean but very athletic but damn her long legs and her slim hips was a turn on. No, stop.

I stared in the best way possible, "I don't like you."

"But we're mates. "She spluttered.

"I don't want you. "Anger laced my voice as pure disgust slipped in. Adrian tensed and clawed, growled and bared his teeth at me as it resulted in a headache but the stupid wolf had to understand that she 'd ruin everything and destroy the pack. "Goth girl, hippie and innocent. I don't want you. "I paced closer with every word as she took massive steps backwards. She pissed me off as my eyes glowed green and won, I passed Adrian away and placed my hand on my pecs and waved my hands. "I beta, Aaron of the Obsidian War pack, reject you Alpha Ares Silver of the Silver Moon pack. "I screamed, as everything wavered and pierced into my chest as I winced. It felt like a cord was being plucked out of me forcedly and cut as I gripped my chest. Her eyes flashed as she bolted into the woods as her scent vanished. Her brother growled at me and I hissed back as Adrian vanished too. Ryan stepped back, hands on his back and glared at us then the human almost left but he caught her as she struggled. Cute.