The Mate He Couldn’t Control (complete)

Chapter 27

In the shower, Jaylon was trying to go over the important details of last night, but I was too mortified by what I said and even more at his reaction.

“Babe you're not listening,” Jaylon complained

“I’ve been listening the entire time.”

“Okay, what have I said?”

“Uhh. . .”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he demanded, placing a gentle hand on my lower stomach and pulling my back into his chest. “Is it because you confessed your love for me?” he whispered in my ear and my eyes widened.

“No,” I replied, trying to sound annoyed.

“It’s okay, everyone says things they don’t mean in the moment,” he reassured. That is not reassuring. At all. What if I did mean it? What does he say in the moment with other girls? Why didn’t he say anything in the moment with me? He just had plenty of ‘moments’. Not a word. Was I not good or something? Am I doing something wrong? Am I not doing enough?

“Mhm,” I mumbled, growing irritated with the thoughts attacking my mind. I felt my blood starting to boil and he turned me around.

“Your eyes. . .” he whispered. I closed them and breathed in and out slowly. I opened them when I got my thoughts to quiet and he smiled down at me. “Good girl.”

“Why didn’t you mate with me? You’ve been wanting to for months. . .”

“For the same reason I didn’t mate with you on our anniversary. I’ve been thinking of how I would mate with you since the day I figured out you were mine. With you, I’m going to be as gentle as I can. I promise you, that night I’m going to make sure you feel my love for you the most.”

“I didn’t take you as the gentle type.”

“I’m not.”

-

“I still don’t see why we missed school,” I complained as we walked into the old packhouse.

“I don’t see why you're upset. I took you to get pancakes instead,” Jaylon threw back.

“Yeah but this will be your third day out of school and we have a test on Monday! Plus, you know my parents don’t let me have sugar.”

“I don’t even understand how you eat on that weird diet,” Nick added once we got to my grandmother's office.

“Her parents say it's beneficial for your wolf,” Jaylon explained. “And why are you worried about my attendance?”

“Because you’re mine to worry about,” I glared over at Jaylon before grabbing crystals out of her drawers. They won’t say it but the only reason either of them agreed to this is to distract me. The pack's terrified of me at the moment but I don’t have time to care right now. I’m about to make this woman talk.

“So you have been practicing magic?” Jaylon asked as I placed the crystals in a circle.

“No,” I lied.

“Alison,” Jaylon warned.

“Stop worrying so much.” I closed my eyes and began chanting, opening my eyes when I could feel the crystals' light. A smile started to form on my face as each crystal lit up, but the last one didn’t and my smile dropped. “It’s not a phone call woman, you can’t just hit decline!” I yelled up at the ceiling.

Jaylon yanked me back. “Alison, do not piss off a house full of dead witches.”

“I’m not. I’m pissing off one dead witch that refuses to come out. See as I told you, she’s just like Bridget.”

“Look, you’re a tribrid and Jaylon has a witch repellent bracelet. If you start with them, they’re coming after me,” Nick explained.

“Fine then, if she won’t answer I’ll just ask her boyfriend.”

“Her what?”

“Shh!” I grabbed their hands and closed my eyes, focusing on the castle. When I opened them, we were standing in the front entryway.

“Where are we?” Jaylon asked worriedly.

“You’re not gonna like it,” I sang as students rushed around us. I smiled at the peace in the building because this morning I had to yell at Nick to put up his shield. They’re used to keeping their shields up here. Now I don’t have to touch people, I can hear the thoughts of everyone I’m in the room with. Except Jaylon’s. . . as per usual. And whatever my grandmother did last night, my necklace is now visible, regardless of any cloaking spell I cast. Guess it's time to show it off.

It didn’t take long before Elgar appeared around the corner. They pay close attention here. “Returning so soon?” His smile dropped the second he saw my concern and motioned for us to follow him. The entire walk Jaylon and Nick scolded me in the mindlink. On the way, I caught eyes with Noah before he looked at Jaylon and went off in another direction. Well then. . . “What’s so urgent?” Elgar asked after closing the door and warmly greeting my two bodyguards. They’re so prejudiced. This poor man is offering them drinks and they’re mind linking about how vampires are evil.

“I was curious to know if you talked to my grandmother recently. She’s refusing to let me summon her.”

“No, Juniper has been silent for about a month or two. Why is something wrong?” I looked into his eyes and the second he saw it his eyes widened. “She knew I’d give you blood.”

“What do you mean?” Jaylon questioned, now ignoring his reasonless hate for the man.

“Last night when I shook your hand, you felt so weak. I put a drop of vampire blood in your wine hoping that it would heal you. I guess it was her plan all along. There couldn’t have been any other reason for you to be so drained. I haven’t thought about it in years, but she used to talk about a tribrid. A true balance of nature. I’m so sorry it never once crossed my mind.”

“How do I contact her? I would like to know why this was important enough for her to do that.”

“If she’s avoiding you, there is no way to contact her.”

“Well, where did she hear about the prophecy?”

“She never tells me much too much. Sneaky woman. . .” he sighed.

“So what do we do about the mate situation?” Nick cut in, making us all look at him confused. “It’s not like they could have pups now. Vampires and Werewolves don’t reproduce.”

“Full-bloods maybe, but as long as she has her wolf, they're very capable of reproduction,” Elgar explained, making me smirk at Jaylon who sighed back in relief. “Now I must go before I miss assembly. Please feel free to stop by whenever you like. Oh and before I forget, I hope to see you all again Friday,” he smiled, handing me a letter and rushing out.

“Get us out of here!” Jaylon demanded through the link. I grabbed their hands and we popped into the empty pack hallways.

“What does it say?” Nick peeked over my shoulder.

“Shh, I’m reading!”

“What’s on Friday?” Jaylon questioned.

“Well if you would let me read. . . They’re throwing a ball as a celebration of the treaty. The entire pack has been invited.”

-

So, as thrilled as I was about the ball, it took three hours of me being a pain and arguing with my mother, father, Ingrid, Malachi, and my uncle to get an agreement. You’d think my determination was the selling point, but I eventually grew frustrated and admitted that Elgar was one of Grandmother’s original mates and they agreed out of interest in the subject. More specifically, my father and uncle did. These people love parties and this is one they don’t have to throw so I don’t see the problem.

The second I left the office, Jaylon took me upstairs and kept me hostage all day. At first, I thought he just needed to cuddle again, but when he didn’t go to alpha training, I realized that he was just trying to hide me from the pack. I was around him, his parents, my parents, Nick, and my uncle today and didn’t have a single issue. Not even the tiniest craving. He would occasionally ask me a few questions but I could tell from his tone that he didn’t believe me.

I had to beg and plead just to go to school the next morning. Jaylon can’t keep me in his room forever and he’s going to have to trust me. “See! I told you she would be fine!” Jacob beamed, walking up to Jaylon and me in the hallway. I smiled at him awkwardly as I looked at my friends behind him, giving me smiles.

Everyone in the hallway is giving me uneasy looks as I’m trying to appear as normal as possible. I’m about to go crazy. You would think it would be the blood or the sound of their heartbeats, but it wasn’t. It was the feeling of their emotions and their thoughts screaming in my mind and eating at my heart. I don’t want to drain them, I want them to shut up. Their obsessive thoughts are driving me insane. Their rising fear makes me want to scream. I was fighting the urge to turn around and leave when I turned to Jaylon to see on his face that same look. So much for comfort. They were all mind-linking. Jaylon is telling them to stay calm.

I sent him a glare as he smiled down at me pretending to be unaffected. His heartbeat said something else. I couldn’t stand it. Almost all I could hear in my mind were people debating if I was going to kill them or not. I felt my veins begin to boil. “If I wanted to hurt them, I would have by now!” I boomed and in a flash was in my first class, alone.

I sat in the peaceful silence, trying to push myself through. I breathed in and out slowly as I bounced my nails on the desk with closed eyes. “Calm Alison! Calm! You are okay. They are okay. Everyone is okay. This will be o-kay.” I could do this, I just need to learn to control my emotions, and apparently everyone else's and their thoughts. My hair started to move from a soft breeze and I turned to my left to see my guilty-looking mate.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought you here. I know the blood is probably driving you crazy, but you do have a lot of control,” Jaylon started.

“It’s not the blood! I don’t care about that.”

“Don’t lie to me,” he continued.

“I’M NOT! I can hear their thoughts and feel everything they feel! They’re all screaming in their mind that I’m going to hurt them and all I did was walk in the door!” I shouted, before calming down. “All I wanted was to come to class and see my friends, but that’s a problem. There’s always a problem,” I continued in a soft, quiet voice. Tears started sliding down my face and I sat in silence. Everything I feel is so much stronger now, and the fact I have everyone else's emotions to deal with was killing me.

“Ali-” he started but I was tired of it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go,” I interrupted, blinking into the middle of the forest. Why do I always have to be the one to leave? Okay yeah, it’s usually my fault but still. I need someone else to take a turn. I hate this so much. Not even the situation alone, but so many things. Jaylon is finally being kind and loving and I can’t even enjoy it because there is always something. There is never peace. There is never happiness. There is always a problem. Always a need for a new solution. All I wanted was to have a normal day. I haven’t had that in forever. I know it sounds stupid. Who wants to go to school? I DO! I want the distraction! I need the distraction! I want to go there and be the girl with all of the answers, the girl that gets everything right. I want to sit in class and listen and come home and tutor the twins. I want to talk to my parents about their days and what we did and discussed at school. I’m so tired of being the problem.

-

Jaylon was right, today was the day. Today was the day that I wished he was covering me with kisses. He told me I would, the night he got home after my birthday. Every time Jaylon has touched or kissed me has been replaying in my mind all day. Tormenting and painfully encouraging me to go beg him to mate. It would be so easy. But I refuse.

This morning I woke up to my skin burning like it was on fire and I had a painful urge to go back to Jaylon. I knew what it was, I had heard people talking about it, I’m in heat. The problem was that it wasn’t mating season, so I’m guessing it’s one of the many perks of being a tribrid.

I stayed home last night and asked no one to bother me but quickly blinked to the old packhouse when I realized my situation. Jaylon thinks I’m spending the day in HillCrest interviewing companies for the hotel, which is what I’m doing online. There’s still power and water here so it’s not like I’m suffering in the dark. Besides, I had a bunch of old magical ghosts to keep me company, but I was annoyed by their suggestions. Why wouldn’t I take my brief break to practice magic?

I read through the books but found nothing, none of the witches were werewolf hybrids so they never went into heat. The worst part, tonight was the night of the ball. The witches had begged me not to go, but I had no choice, the ball wouldn’t have been a thing had it not been for me. When my parents were gone, I snuck into the house and showered. I did my hair and makeup, put on a dress and my grandmother's crown I got for my birthday.

Ignoring them, I had to numb the effects, just for now. Only an hour, maybe two, it wouldn’t be that bad. Besides, if I didn’t, every wolf in the castle would smell it and be all over me. I spelled myself and drank some herb tea and I now felt perfectly fine. I popped up at the front double doors of St. Augustine’s Academy of the Dark Arts.

“Miss King, welcome,” the two guards greeted, opening the doors for me.

I walked down the dark hallway alone, listening to the music and voices coming from the ballroom. I breathed slowly to calm my nerves before walking in. I hated the sight. Jaylon dancing with Bridget. I don’t care how innocent it is for them. I don’t care if she has no friends here, it’s her own fault. She’s in my way and he’s breaking his promise. He isn’t supposed to be giving anyone the time of day. Two can play at that game.

One of the guards helped me down the stairs and another helped make sure I didn’t trip over my dress. The music continued, but the talking was silenced. I was annoyed to find that the attention had turned to me. I walked through the crowd until I saw my friends and a very separated Jaylon and Bridget. That’s what I thought. I rolled my eyes and walked past them to Elgar and Sebastian talking to Jaylon and I’s parents.

“Ah! There's our beautiful Tribrid,” Elgar announced. “We have been waiting for you.”

“I’m sorry, there were some technical difficulties,” I joked as someone handed me a glass of champagne.

“Oh no worry, fashionably late like Juniper,” he smirked. That kind of made my heart hurt. I felt bad for him, she rejected him and now he is surrounded by her family. Her children and grandchildren.

“Of course,” I smiled back at him. I could feel Jaylon at my side, but I ignored him as I joined in on the group's conversation that had resumed. I didn’t have time to deal with him. My heat is making me insanely jealous and I don’t want to rip my own cousin's head off. I want to behave. I want to be kind and gentle like I used to be.

My attention was torn away as I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. A chill ran down my spine, making me shiver. I turned to see Noah was standing behind me with his arms behind his back. My eyes met his and I felt trapped. “Hello Alison,” he greeted gently.

“Hi,” was the best thing I could get out at the moment. Oddly, I felt so drawn to him. “Will you dance with me?” I asked shyly. It’s like I have no control or care in the world. When I see him, I don’t care where I am or why I’m here. I want to dance with him. I want to be close to him. It’s almost like I’ve missed him. I don’t even know him.

He smiled and glanced down at the ground before looking back up into my eyes. “Of course, I will dance with you,” he replied, surprised that I would be shy about it. I felt Jaylon death grip my wrist, but I shook it off as Noah walked me to the center of the floor. His touch sent vibrations through my body and I couldn’t seem to look away.“You look very beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you."

His gentle smirk made me want to melt. I was lost in his brown eyes, completely unable to look away. I would have never known people were surrounding us if their screaming thoughts didn’t remind me. “I was sorry to hear of your accident, I know that becoming a tribrid wasn’t exactly your intention,” Noah started.

“It wasn’t the best of times, but there are some perks,” I offered. He gave me a fake nod and I felt like I had disappointed him. “I’m sorry, did I say something?”

“No, of course not. I’m only upset that the choice was taken from you,” he replied, spinning me around. This felt so natural, so familiar.

“Maybe it was meant to be?”

Noah sighed, “Maybe.” I didn’t want to keep talking about me dying so I danced with him in silence. For someone I didn’t know, he seemed upset, but the other day he would barely look in my direction. I couldn’t explain us, our connection, why I was drawn to him, anything. I’m completely clueless. All I knew was that his smell made me dizzy, his eyes looking into mine made me want to faint, his touch sent vibrations through my body, his skin made mine light on fire, and the darkness around him consumed me. Something about him scared me, but I loved it and I craved his attention. I feel so at home.

“Why are you dancing with me?” I questioned. “You didn’t seem too interested before.”

“I struggle to control myself around you. But when I saw you in that dress, I couldn’t stay away. I’m always going to take the opportunity to dance with you.” The last part he whispered in my ear. Images of us dancing flashed in my mind quickly. My breath caught in my throat as my eyes slowly moved to his.

“What was that?” I asked quietly as a single tear slipped from my eye. It’s like my brains trying to remember something but then it stops.

“What was what?” he grinned down at me. His eyes held hope for a second.

“May I cut in?” I heard from beside us.

“Of course, I’ll see you after?” Noah asked.

“I hope so,” I beamed m before turning to glare at my new dance partner.

“What are you doing?” Dalton questioned in my head as he spun me around.

“Dancing.”

“No, what were you doing with him? You two looked very lost.”

“We were just dancing, Dalton.”

“I’d keep it that way before your mate over there loses it,” he replied, nodding at a furious Jaylon who was about to break the champagne glass in his hand. Oh. . . “You two agreed to work things out.”

“I know I know, but he was dancing with Bridget and I got jealous.”

“Then say something to him, don't entertain someone else. You’re starting to act like him,” Dalton commented before I walked away from him as he turned his attention back to Angelina. I decided to step out for a minute to catch my breath. I went into a nearby classroom to distance myself from the party and music. I just needed a few minutes to calm down and cast another spell. I was starting to feel hot and dizzy like I had before. I sat against a wall breathing slowly when I heard someone walk in. I looked up to see Nick walking toward me with an expression that said I had some explaining to do. Not now.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes.”

“With?”

He’s freaking me out. He stopped inches from my face and put his arm on the wall beside my head. He leaned into my ear and whispered, “How is it that you are already in heat?”

My eyes widened in realization before I blinked to the other side of the room. He began following me around the room as I warned him to stay back. My body felt like it was in flames and he is not helping! “Nick if you will just stay still for one minute everything will be fine!”

“If you’d just stay still I could end this now,” Nick tempted with an evil smirk and glowing eyes.

“No.”

A deep growl sounded behind Nick before he went flying across the room and a very pissed-off Jaylon made his way to me. He was fuming and selfishly I loved it. “Get us out of here now!” he demanded through his teeth. I instantly grabbed onto him and blinked us into his room. I felt like I couldn’t breathe being this close to him. I tried to grab his face and pull him down to me but he stayed stiff. “Let’s just breathe for a minute and everything will be fine,” he mumbled, removing my hands from his face. Of course. I used my hand to gently push him away as I tried to breathe. The look on his face said he was fighting. He was fighting as hard as he could.

Fine if Jaylon wants to wait, we’ll wait but I’m about to suffocate in this dress. I tried to unzip the back but my damp fingers wouldn’t grasp the zipper, so I tried to rip it. I turned to face away from him, but tight arms grabbed and held my waist, pulling me into his chest.

“Mine.” I spun around in his arms and attacked his lips as my nails dug through his shirt and into his skin. He ripped my dress off and threw me on the bed.

Immediately, he grabbed my thighs and pulled me to him. I gasped in shock and pain when I felt it. He actually did it. “Baby-” he breathed out lightly and brought his face down to mine. I dug into the skin on his back as I went for his neck and lips with mine.

Suddenly my skin cooled and our bodies began to calm. He breathed out with relief and pressed gentle kisses on my skin. This was the best thing I have ever felt in my life. I flipped him over on his back and held his neck down on the bed with my hand. “I want more,” I demanded, causing his eyes to darken as he looked up at me, mesmerized. It’s my turn.

-

I rolled over on my stomach finally tapping out m. He said lots of things the past few hours. . . That caused a satisfied smile to come to my lips. I closed my eyes as I heard Jaylon breathing hard beside me on his back. My hips were sore and my body felt numb. He wasn’t kidding this morning. He did not go gentle, but that was a good thing, I didn’t want him to. My lower stomach felt weird and I wondered if that was a normal thing. I think it has something to do with the pressure.

I almost fell asleep until he yanked me over to him. I readjusted, laying my head on his chest and wrapping one of my legs around his. “How dare you try to sleep without cuddling with me!”

“I’m sorry.”

He ran his thumb over my lips as I tried to fight my eyes from closing. “You know, I wouldn’t have believed you were a virgin if I didn’t know how stubborn you are.”

I leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. “Maybe the moon goddess thought you needed a run for your money,” I whispered. Amusement filled his eyes and he bit my bottom lip.

“Maybe.” The look in both of our eyes almost sent us back over the edge, until his face turned gentle. “I was worried you would hate me after, but I couldn’t stop myself. You smelt amazing and you looked so beautiful.”

“Looked?” I questioned jokingly.

“Don’t start. You know exactly what I mean,” Jaylon laughed.

“I can’t believe your mine,” I watched him in awe, tracing the left side of his jaw with my thumb. Jaylon looked so confused by my words. All I feel for him is love. All I want is to make him happy. He’s mine. All mine.