The Protector

Chapter 11

After what seemed like hours of dancing, I pulled Hunter outside to the back of the house, wanting to get some fresh air. I didn’t notice it before, but the party included the pack yard that was covered with the occasional lantern to light the dark yard. A few drunk guys were kicking a glowing ball around, a group of girls were laughing and taking selfies, and others were just milling around with solo cups in hand.

The air from outside hit me like a ton of bricks, making me realize just how much I was bound to be sweating. But I didn’t care at the moment because it was my birthday and I was with one of my favorite people. That’s all that mattered at that moment. Hunter and I began walking towards the side of the house to be away from all the prying eyes that were bound to follow our movement, something you got used to when you were set to be a future leader of a pack. Once we were alone, I pulled Hunter to me, surprising him a little. I looked into his beautiful blue eyes and felt a warmth spread through my chest from the thought of being able to look at the for the rest of our lives.

“Eager, aren’t we?” He mocked. I smiled, falling victim to his lust filled gaze.

“Shut up and kiss me,” I demanded before pulling him closer to me. Usually Hunter was the more eager one in our kisses, me being the one who liked to savor the moments and therefore take it slow. But this wasn’t one of those times. Before I could stop myself, I turned and pushed Hunter against the wall and started to kiss him. His hands were at my waist, gentle yet firm at the same time. I, in turn, wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me if that was even possible at the moment.

I was a little stunned that Hunter was the one to pull way for air first. His lust glazed eyes were on my own, a dark blue that reminded me of the large lake only minutes away from our town that we often visited. His clouded eyes encouraged me to pick up where we had left off before, wanting more than anything to win this ongoing debate between us.

“Hunter,” I purred, looking up at him through my eyelashes. I moved my mouth to his and kissed him a lot slower than before, knowing that he was slowly slipping around my finger. “Hunter,” I called again, even lower than before. I heard him moan as I moved my lips to his neck, resisting the urge to laugh at his obvious arousal. “I want you,” I whispered against his ear. I let my hands move from behind his neck to down his chest. “All of you,” I whispered as my hands stopped just above his waistline. I felt him shiver against my body, causing me to smile as I peppered his jaw with more light kisses. Hunter grabbed my wrists and I frowned, thinking that my plan wasn’t working. Instead, he switched our places so that I was the one pressed again the wall. I responded by grabbing his shirt and pulling him even tighter against me.

“Helena,” he growled lowly against my lips before moving to my nuzzle at the sweet spot between my jaw and shoulder.

“Yes?” I smiled.

“Why do you torture me?” He asked before returning to my mouth to pepper my lips with soft kisses. I pulled away after a few seconds, looking into his beautiful, dark blue eyes. 

“What if I don’t want you to stop?” I challenged, biting my bottom lip. I knew then, that I had won. Hunter groaned before kissing me again, which I returned without hesitation. After a few moments, I pulled back for air and realized we weren’t outside anymore. We were in an empty bedroom in the pack house. How had I not felt him carrying me, let alone pick me up? But I didn’t think about it too much as Hunter kicked the door shut, locking it behind him. He carried me to the bed before setting me down and leaning over me.

“Helena, if you aren’t sure, you need to tell me now,” Hunter said, using the last restraint he had left. I shook my head, and smiled at him even as a small voice in the back of my head tried to fill me with doubt.

“We’re going to be mates, Hunter,” I smiled, hoping that I sounded as convinced as everyone else was.

“But what if we’re not,” he said as though reading my thoughts. It shocked me for a moment that he had spoken this aloud. It was the first time since I had been with Hunter that he had ever suggested that we were anything but mates..

“We are,” I reassured him, suddenly worried that he too felt that this was wrong. Before he could argue anymore, I pulled him back onto the bed with me, our lips crashing together for the millionth time. 

“Helena,” he called to me, pulling away despite my frown. 

“Yes?” I breathed out, out of breath from our time together.

“What if we’re not?” I couldn’t help but notice the hesitation in his voice. I sat up and and pushed Hunter away from me, my short fuse lighting instantly. I didn’t realize, even as Hunter had voiced his doubt a few moments ago, that he wasn’t sure about us. 

“Hunter, why do you keep saying that?” I huffed. “Do you not want me to be your mate?” 

“You know it’s not that, Helena.” I could see the sadness in his eyes and I hated being the reason for it, but I couldn’t help but go on.

“Then what is it?” I scowled.

“Helena, everyone suspects that we’ll be mates but…” I couldn’t contain my anger anymore. After all, Alphas usually had bad tempers and being the Alpha’s daughter was no exception.

“But what? Do you think they’d lie to us?” I practically shouted. Hunter smiled sadly at me, something that probably hurt me more than if he would have gotten angry with me.

“Helena, we’re old enough to be mated. Hell, we should have seen it when we were knee high.” I knew what he was saying made sense, despite the fact that I didn’t want it to think about it. Why weren’t we realizing each other as our mate when we had known each other since birth? There was no specific age when mates found each other but it was obvious that Hunter and I were out of time.

“We’re just late,” I argued even as defeat crept into my voice.

“Helena, we have to consider that maybe we’re not mates. We should have felt the bond when we were young or at least freshman year.” Hunter sighed and shook his head, his expression showing how he felt. “I can’t take away your virginity, Helena. If there’s any possibility you're not meant to be mine. I love you and I want you to be my mate more than anything in the world, but I don’t want to risk anything when it comes to you. You mean too much to me to be careless with.” As much as I disagreed with the whole being a virgin until you meet your mate hysteria that most of the elders in our pack preached about, I understood where his views were coming from. Werewolves were only blessed with one mate. One person that completed- no- one person that made their world. One person that was supposed to fit your exact existence and it only made sense that most wolves wouldn’t even consider anyone else. And though I loved Hunter and cherished our relationship, it was becoming all too obvious that we were not made for each other.

But if Hunter wasn’t my mate, did I even have one? Hunter and I were pretty similar-practically cut from the same piece of fabric you could say. Maybe I would be one of those wolves that never found their true mate and had to settle with someone who was in the same situation. I shuddered at the thought of being with someone aside from Hunter, even if it was my blessed mate.

“Hunter,” I smiled sadly, taking one of his hands between both of mine. He looked up at me with such longing that my heart felt ready to burst into two pieces. One piece for him, and one piece for my true mate… whoever he might be. “Just because we’re not mates, doesn’t mean we can’t love each other.” When he started to protest I went on, cutting him off. “We don’t have to have s*x, Hunter. But I do still love you. I guess, what happens… happens. If we’re meant to be, we should know soon.” Hunter gave me a sad smile before leaning forward and kissing my forehead with such gentleness that I felt he thought he might break me at any moment.

“I know, princess” he said, his voice almost cracking at the end. He cleared his throat to cover it up, though I still saw through him. This was breaking him just like it was breaking me. Pretending we believed in what everyone said and pretending to believe it ourselves seemed as though we were lying. And if we were lying, does that mean everything between us was fake? Just an image of what we wanted to be instead of who we actually were? Before I could ask Hunter about it, he spoke with a gentle voice.

“I have something for you,” he said before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a black case that made my heart speed at the thought of its contents. I took the box gently, rubbing a finger over the black velvet, before looking back up at Hunter. He shrugged and gave me a sheepish smile before nodding to the box. I opened it and quickly gasped, unable to hide my shock at the beautiful object before me. In the box rested a beautiful gold necklace with a beautiful diamond moon pendant on it. I smiled as tears filled my eyes, making it hard to see. 

“I had something engraved on the back,” Hunter started as I turned it over, “so you’ll remember… us.” 

HW   &  HK

Helena Wilson and Hunter Kings. Our initials. I couldn’t help the tears that fell from my eyes from both the happiness and sorrow in my heart. Happiness at having Hunter in my life and sadness that we were torn between this whole mate situation. For a moment I wished that we lived regular human lives. That we could love who we wanted without the worry that there was someone else better fit for us. Werewolves are pretty selfish creatures if you asked me.

“Can you put it on me?” I asked, looking back up at Hunter. I couldn’t tell the emotion on his face but I was sure it was similar to what I was feeling during that moment.

“Of course,” he nodded. I turned around on the bed so that my back was facing him before handing him the box. A few seconds later, Hunters arms moved around me with the necklace in his hands. I lifted my hair up so he could clasp the necklacing easily, his hands moving across my skin and staying there even after the necklace rested on my chest. It hung around my neck perfectly. I turned to Hunter to tell him that, but stopped when I found his lips were on mine. It wasn’t needy or urgent like before but instead it was slow and kind. I didn’t know what was to become of Hunter and me, but I didn’t want to worry about it at the moment.

“Come on,” he said before standing and holding a hand out for me to take. I smiled and stood up, happy that we had come out of all of this alive and happy. “Let’s enjoy your party,” he smiled before leading me downstairs. 

And just like that, the night continued on as though nothing had happened. Hunter and I never left each other’s side, despite our now spoken doubt about our relationship. I wasn’t sure what the future held for us but I hoped it was something wonderful, including Hunter and I mating. 

Sadly, the Universe didn’t care what I wanted or who I loved.