The Destined Mates of Blu Pearl

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I am almost to my car when my phone beeps. I take it out and see a message from Brad. Brad is my boyfriend. We've been going steady now for almost 6 months. I haven't had much luck in the love department at my pack. Nobody wants anything to do with the outsider mother killer. So, I stick to dating strictly in the human realm. It has not been good to me. Humans, I’ve noticed take a different mate. Well, you can't call it that here, I guess, every other week. They break up over the smallest of things, and almost never stay together. Even after marriage, they still can divorce and leave for another. That is so uncommon from my world. Once a mate has been found they will never leave on purpose.

"Hey babe. When are you coming in to work?" asks Brad.

I guess I should respond back. I’m normally never late to work, he's probably worried.

"Hey! So sorry I got caught up in breakfast. I am on my way now. Are you stopping by today?"

" Yeah''

Yeah??? One word? That is so unlike him, he is normally the one to send me paragraphs as I’m the one to keep it short and sweet.

I pull up to the Reach High building, it needs work done so bad. The R is falling off and doesn't light up anymore. The owner said the donations are coming fewer and fewer now days. It makes me sad to think about all these kids with nowhere to go and nobody to help with out. I try so hard to get foster families to take some of them, but everyone is just booked up. There are no beds here for them to stay, so all of them must go to the homeless shelter to sleep. Luckily, Ashley has enough donations to provide breakfast and lunches.

As I walk in there were about 10 kids ranging from ages 6-17 all eating breakfast at our long table in the back. I spot Tori bringing out trays of orange slices for the kids. I go over to her and help her hand them out. The smaller kids are always making smileys with their slices and think it’s the funniest thing on the planet. I can't help but laugh and sometimes join in. Tori has got to be one of my best friends here. She knows most about me, like me losing my mom and Grammy. I can’t tell her about me being a werewolf. I don't know how she would take it and I don't want to scare one of the few people that like me off.

"Brad has been here 3 times looking for you." she states while looking at me like she is annoyed that he is even coming in here.

"'Yeah, he wrote me and asked when I was coming in today." I glanced at her as I go to put my things up in the office.

"He gives off F**k boy vibes aph. I just want you to be careful around him." She clearly doesn't like him and is not afraid to tell me all about it.

"I've been dating him 6 months Tori; I don't think he would go out of his way to hurt me."

"My Fiancé saw him at the bar the other night, he wouldn't stop yapping about how he needed to get his life right. How he needs to surround himself with 'good-willed people', whatever that means. He was also openly flirting with the bartender even after he spotted Jack."

To my surprise I don’t see her lying about this, she has always just been 100% honest with me which is why I like her so much. She respects me enough to be honest but not harsh. I know Tori wants the best for me, and maybe she is right. Brad might not be it for me, but he is all I have right now. I can't believe I don't feel all the jealousy or rage, like I would see if a mate in my pack found out that their mate was openly flirting with anyone. Oh yeah, it would cause a whole war! I am, however, upset because I thought Brad and I were going well.

Brad walks in as I am coming out of the office and asks Ashley if he could speak with me. It's about lunchtime, so I have a few minutes to spare. He greets me with a hug and asks how my days is going. Great small talk, which means he is either about to break up with me or he is about to tell me something life-changing. You can never tell with this boy. I get straight to the point.

“Were you at the bar yesterday?” He looks confused as to why I am even asking him this. Then it’s like his brain registers that Tori was there as he glances at her. “Brad, I know for a fact you were there, so why didn’t you just tell me yourself instead of having other people tell me? Is it because you were openly flirting with another girl in front of everyone’s eyes?” I’m starting to get a little pissed because he doesn’t even look phased at all by what I’m saying. “Aphro, you know you mean the world to me, but sometime a man has needs.” He just looks at me blankly. “She was cute, and she was giving me free drinks. It’s not like you are putting out after 6months or anything.”

Did he just try to justify this because I’m not f**king him???

Currently, someone walks in and asks to speak to the building owner. Tori is behind the desk listening to our conversation. Hesitation takes over her as she doesn’t want to leave me alone with Brad, but she has no choice. She runs to get Ashley.

“Look, we all knew this day was coming baby.” He grabs my hand and I just stare at them. “It’s not you, it’s me. I have needs that need met and you just won’t do that. We are just not a good match and I’ve found somebody else. I met her last night.”

Willow sneers in my head “He’s not even our mate, this is why I told you dating was a bad idea!!”

She’s not wrong, I shouldn’t be out here dating so close to the mating ceremony anyway. Willow always has our better judgement at best. She is the more levelheaded of us both and I’m just the joke with a name like Aphrodite. I can never seem to find love. My birthday is on February 14th for crying out loud. If this is the moon goddess’s way of punishing me for my mom’s death, consider it learned. I didn’t even look up at him. I felt someone staring at me intensely though. I just assumed it was Brad but when I finally looked up, Brad wasn’t even looking at me anymore. He was looking out the window at some girl in a mini-dress handing out flyers. Her dress was so short if the breeze blew the right way, I’m sure you would get a good look at all she has to offer, as it seems she’s not wearing any underwear. Ugh the f****ng nerve of this guy!!!

“Well Brad, jokes on you. I only dated you for free coffee, and since you haven’t been bringing it to the office lately, you are kind of pointless. Don’t let Tori hit you with the door on the way out!” I sneer at him and walk past the man standing at the counter. Brad gets up and walks towards the door. Tori is standing there holding it open. He pauses then continues. As soon as he gets past, Tori catches his heel in the door and slams it shut, making him fall on his a**. She screams “Get out of here f**k boy, I heard your c*** is just as short as your relationships, almost non-existent!” She storms off into the room.

I did smile proudly as I saw the scene in front of me unfold. F**k brad, and all the Brad-like dudes I have dated. If I don’t find my mate on the full moon after my birthday at the mating ceremony, I will accept my fate of forever being alone. I look up and find the eyes that were staring at me. As soon as our eyes locked he looked away instantly.

I stared at this man in awe. He is tall, maybe 6’3, his shirt clings to his muscles on his arms. His caramel skin so beautifully complimented by the blue suit and tie. I looked up and saw majestic blue eyes, he has a scar on his right eye. As I get ready to ask if I can help him, Ashley walks out and introduces herself and I take that as my queue to leave. I feel him staring at me as I leave to go back and help with lunch. Willow is so curious about this man she keeps racing in my head. Who is this man, and why is he staring at me like I’m the last piece of his favorite cake?

After lunch Tori asks me if I’m ok. I can say honestly that I am 100% A-Okay. She looks at me as if testing to see if I am lying. When she feels content, she asks me if I have seen Lisa today. Lisa is an older kid that is staying with us, I am so close to finding her a family I can taste it! I point at the study table. Lisa is over there studying hard for her last English final for school. She is always a study bug. Tori walks over and starts talking to her about something. I hear the phone ring in the office, knowing Ashley is busy, I get up so I can answer it before the machine gets it.

“Hello, Reach High, Aphrodite speaking how may I direct your call?”

"Hello dear, this is Samantha. You have contacted me about possibly adopting Lisa?"

"Samantha, yes I did call you. I've noticed that you have been on the waiting list for a while now with no placements. Lisa has been in our program for a fe years now and I would love if I could send her off for her birthday to a good home." silence is all I hear on the other end of this phone call and my heart just drops. When there is a long pause after I propose a placement it normally means that they are declining, and trying to find the words to say it without sounding heartless. Lisa is such a special girl, and her story has been one that haunts my dreams at night. I would love nothing more than to bring happiness to her heart.

"Can we set up a time to come visit her? I would like to see if she likes us before we make a decision that could affect the rest of her life." she replies.

Pure relief takes over my erratic heartbeat. "Would you be willing to come in today? I'm off the next few days and I would love to be here to help with Lisa. She is one that has grown on me here, and I know she would be most comfortable if I were here as well. As long as you are okay with that."

She laughs, a sign of, what is that relief as well? "I would love it if you could be there. If she is more comfortable with that, then that is alright with us. We do not want to be the cause of stress for her. I have read what you sent over and her growing up was a hardship, and I would love nothing more than to be able to meet this wonderful lady and show her that we will be there for her if she would allow us to."

I'm in tears right now. This is something I have hoped for ever since she came here. I set up the time and get off the phone and rush out of the room. I am moving so fast that I totally didn’t see the giant standing there and smash right into him. He catches me with one arm, and I give a quick ‘sorry, excuse me’ and continue my trek to the study table where Lisa is. He mumbles something but I’m so focused on telling her this amazing news I don't even hear what he is saying.

I run into the big area and see Lisa still at the table studying with her lunch sitting next to her. Her long blonde hair stretching down her back, she has it in a French braid today. She says it’s the easiest style to keep it out of her face. I call her name and she turn to look at me with the most beautiful green eyes. They look so dull and defeated, I hope I can bring the sparkle back in them. She can see the urgency in my step. Her eyes go wide. She meets me half way and I grab onto her and practically yell, “We have a meeting for you today!!” This is not her first meeting, but she is still so excited that maybe this time they will choose her. It always seems to be the younger ones that get put into foster homes. This, however, is not foster home. This could be her very own home, one she can have all to herself.

Lisa looks at me with teary eyes and says,

“What if they choose someone else again? Aphrodite, I don’t think I can handle another rejection. My whole life I was made to be less than I am. I’m almost 17 which means I only have one more year before I can fully be an adult. What if I’m too old like they always say to you when they don’t think I can hear them anymore?”

I’m a little taken back because she has never had this much doubt. Her last meeting to be placed in a foster home went very well, she was her brightest self. In the end a 3-month-old came in last minute and we had to put her in the home instead. I almost took Lisa home with me that night. I went and talked to Luna Remi about it and told her the predicament I was in. I felt responsible for her let downs. It was always me setting up these meetings, and to have one of my favorite girls go through the what ifs killed me. We almost went through with the adoption for myself until the questions asked where I live, they needed and address. I can’t put Dark moon pack, they don’t even know what I am. So I had to make up some sob story as to why I couldn’t go through with it. It broke my heart. I cried myself to sleep that night. Ever since then I have been hounding everyone I could think of to just consider giving her a bed to sleep in. She has to sleep at the shelter, and nobody should have to do that. I responded to her, “Lisa, this isn’t a foster placement, this is an adoption placement. They have read everything in your file and still they want to meet you. They know your age; they know the hardship you have been through. Samantha and Tyler have been on out waitlist for a long time. Samantha’s husband recently passed and it was really hard for her and Tyler to get back on their feet. When she finally reached back out to me a few months ago to let me know she wanted back on the list, I called her that day and told her about you. I didn’t hear anything back for a few months, so I called her again today, and she is so excited to meet you, Lisa! I really think there is a good chance this one could be it for you. We will have to go over some things in your past. I know that is not your favorite topic to talk about so if you want to practice with me first, we can go into the conference room.

She looks so vulnerable and broken inside. I close the distance between us and give her the biggest smile I could and hugged her. I felt warmth on my shoulder, I move back a little and see her tears. I wiped the coming tears with my hand. “You are going to be alright. I am here with you through this until the very end. I will not leave that room until you tell me to. I know you are scared of hoping, I know how many times before you have been let down and I am truly sorry for that. Samantha is a very nice lady, her son Tyler is also amazing. He is about 21 now and on his way to college. He has always raved about wanting a younger sister. I think you guys will get along nicely. Try not to worry so much about the what ifs ok? Either way you have me, and I am not leaving you behind.” I squeezed her one last time and heard her sigh. “What time is the meeting?”

I laugh a little and wipe her face one more time, “It’s in 30 mins.” She shakes her head and says “Okay, well better sooner than later I guess.” She smiles up at me and turns to pack up her bags.

The clock moves slower with every tick I swear. 30 minutes have never felt so long in my life. I see Ashley and that man she is with talking outside. I feel eyes on me again. I look up to meet very blue piercing eyes staring at me. The look he is giving me is sending chills down my back. A tingling feeling I have never felt before starts to pile in my stomach, like butterflies flying around with no path of where to go. The moments over as quick as it started. I’m pretty sure my face is red as I feel my palms are covered in a layer of sweat. What was that? I shake my head to clear my thoughts, when I manage to control myself again, I look up and Ashley is walking in. Right behind her is Samantha and Tyler.

“We must keep our composure, Aphrodite. This is for Lisa. We have to make this happen for her, she deserves this.” Willow says matter of fact. I nod to acknowledge that she is right and make my way to Ashley. She looks like she just landed a million-dollar deal. I wonder if that man was the contractor she’s been talking about.

“Aphrodite, it looks like we have a family here for you and Ms. Lisa. I will go grab her if you will take them to the conference room?” I nod “This way, Mrs. Moon.” She stops and takes my hand, “Please dear, call me Sam.” I smile and nod. “Well Sam, I think we have picked a great time to do this. Lisa has just finished studying for her last test and she is thrilled to meet you. I have told her all about you two.”