The true mate

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Matthew'S POV

I wake up with the best feeling coursing through my veins. My mate is laying next to me, in the same bed, she's in my arms, our legs tangled together after we fell asleep exhausted. Yesterday was even better than I thought it could be. We had fun watching the movie and cuddling, but the best part was hearing my mate in pleasure I was giving her. She's silently sleeping, while I look at her. She's so cute, calm and looking so innocent, but yesterday proved the opposite. Just a memory of it makes me hard again, but now it's not the time nor place for it. I can hear people in the kitchen, we should get ready and head to the cottage.

I shake Liz's shoulder and talk to her in my intention of waking her up. She moves a bit and snuggles closer to me. „Baby, wake up. We should get ready.“

„No.“

I chuckle and kiss her forehead. She only hides her head between my shoulder and neck. „Come on, I can hear someone in the kitchen and really should get ready.“

My mate turns her head to look at me with a grumpy face and pout on her lips. I kiss her and she literally throws her head back on the pillow. I shake my head and get out of bed and put some clothes on. I go to the kitchen to greet whoever's there. I see the twins with Kris who's taking care of them today.

„Good morning, how did you sleep?“ Kris is standing at the stove making breakfast. We make small talk and he gives me coffee and tells me to take some food and be like at home.

„Are you guys ready to head north?“

„Liz is probably still sleeping, when I left her room she fell back asleep.“

„You'd be surprised. She is gonna be here in like 10 minutes ready to go. She hates waiting for people, but what she hates even more is people waiting for her. It's gonna go like this. She'll come here, go hug the twins and give them what she calls a good morning kiss, even if Robin doesn't want one, then she comes here, drinks her first coffee, makes quick breakfast, drinks second coffee and tells you she's ready.“

I eat my breakfast, Kris makes grilled cheese, and I hear Liz coming up the stairs. She wishes us good morning and does exactly all the things Kris said.

„Ok, I'm ready.“ I look at Kris and he only laughs. „Can we stop at Tim Hortons?“

„That is a bad habit, you know. That is gonna be your death, you're gonna die of coffee.“ Kris is scolding Liz, she just shrugs her shoulders and giggles.

„I'm gonna die anyway, it's coming for all of us. At least I'm gonna die of something I love.“

*growl*

I know she meant it as a joke, but the thought is not going well with my wolf. I have to tell him to calm down, that she's not going anywhere.

„Did you already forget about the rogue that attacked her? We haven't heard of him since then and he followed us that day to the park.“

„Stop, of course I haven't forgotten something like that, but now we should focus on her and the time we're gonna spend with her. I told Brendan everything and he alarmed all the Alphas. Apparently there were some attack around our territory after we left, but nothing serious.“

After some arrangements we're leaving the house and heading north. The way is great so far, we're talking about random stuff, when Liz asks me more about me and my connection to magic.

„Matt? You've never told me about your.. you know. How did you get in my dream?“

I take a breath and think how to answer that. „You remember when I said I'm gonna call my father's partner after our date? His friend is a witch, I had a suspicion you might be one too. She was able to connect to you through me and find memories with magical imprints on them. That's how. Listen, there's more to it, but you should talk to someone who is like you. I am not an expert when it comes to witches, but I'll help you however I can.“

She is quiet, only looking in front of her. Did I say too much?

„A witch? No... it's one thing to feel this stuff, energy, but witches?“

„Soon I'll show you everything that is there to see.“ I'm gonna show her my pack, my wolf and more.

„Well while we're in it, there is something I should tell you.“ she looks at me with a very serious face and tells me about the day she was attacked by the rogue. „I don't know what that thing was, but I hope I'll never see it again. There was another wolf that helped me, he even got me out of the forest. I saw him the other day in my mind, he said your name. Sometimes I have these visions in my head, it's like I'm in a different world.“

I knew she's gonna want an explanation one day. „I'll tell you everything, don't worry... Do you want another coffee? Also we should go buy some food. There is a grocery store in a town near the cottage.“

We still have an hour of our drive. It's a beautiful autumn morning. It's a bit colder than I expected, but it's refreshing. When I look at Liz she's humming to a song playing on the radio, then she starts singing, she has a nice voice.

„You sing?“

She frowns and gives me an uneasy look. „Yeah, I don't talk about it, my father's family, all of them are musicians. It's kind of a family business.“

I frown at her, I remember telling me about her father on our first date, the day we met. After fifteen more minutes we stop at a grocery store and buy some vegetables, meet for barbeque, wine and other food and drinks. When we arrive at the cottage it's time for lunch, so we take our bags and groceries and go inside. The cottage is at a lake, it has a big garden that leads to the lake and is fenced with trees and forest around. It's a nice hideout.

I unlock the front door and let Liz go first. She stops at the hallway and looks around her in astonishment. The hallway is roomy with two chairs in it and a little table, there is a tall wall going to the other level of the house with a staircase behind it, to the right there is a big kitchen with an island in the middle. The furniture is dark brown, with dark metal details and a big dining table. To the left from the hallway there is a living room with a fireplace in a rocky wall, large couch facing a TV and coffee table. On the left wall there is a place under a window with blankets and pillows for sitting. On the back side of the house there is a big garden, there is a french door leading there from the living room. Outside there is a terrace with a barbeque, garden wooden furniture and outside bar. The view from the terrace to the lake is amazing. The terrace is on the same level as the rest of the garden and is gradually connected to the grass. In the basement there is a theatre room and two bedrooms with connected bathrooms. Our bedroom is on the second floor on the other side than my brother's master bedroom. It's supposed to by my room when I come here. My brother didn't want me to have one of the rooms downstairs, because he knows I love to look out of the windows at a forest. Even in our pack house, my room is facing a forest and is on the highest level.

We leave our baggages in the hallway and take all the food to the kitchen and put everything in fridge and cabinets.

„How about I make some lasagna?“

„You can cook?“

Liz looks at me with a giggle on her lips and gives me a sheepish smile. „Well, of course. My grandma taught me how to cook when I was 15.“

After that she gets into work right away. I offer her to help, but she pushes me out of the kitchen and tells me to unpack.

„Alright, alright. I'm going. I'll be back tho.“

Liz's POV

It's been sometime since I cooked like this. I used to cook every weekend big family dinners, because my father required it, especially on Sundays. I notice that there is Alexa on the counter and tell her to play music. I start to prepare all the ingredients I need, I cut onions, prepare the meat.

„It's beautiful, it's bittersweet

You're like a broken home to me

I take a shot of memories

And black out like an empty street“.

I sway my hips slowly to the rhythm and my head too. Last layer of cheese and it's done, now I need to put it in the oven. I take a step back to open the oven and my back runs into a wall, or a chest build like a wall. I turn around and see Matthew with a smile on his face, that makes me smile too. I put my hands behind his neck and sway my hips to the music like we're dancing. He puts his hands on my hips and moves with me. When did I fall in love with this man? When have I ever fallen in love? I can't tell I've even loved anyone, not even when I got almost tied with a guy forever. I'm glad I said no. How would everything be different if I said yes that day. I knew I couldn't spend my life with him when he talked about babies and then showed the ring. That was when I realized that I don't love him.

But this, this with Matthew is different. I definitely feel some kind of a bond with him. I don't know if it's magic or just chemistry, but the thought of not being with him hurts, just thought of not meeting him that day in the forest... and he said he met me before, a year ago. Was our meeting only pure luck or fate? Stop overthinking and enjoy the time with him you have. Don't mess things up, not again.

„Matty? I need to put the lasagne in the oven.“ I look up at him, his eyes are so full of affection. I could look into them all day and never get bored. Or when he nervously smiles when I say something witty and he doesn't have a comeback, his interest in hockey even though he has no idea, but asks because I love it, or how he gets protective of me around other guys. I do love him, all of him. This time I'm not just a bridge for someone to get over someone else, or just because he wants to get settled. No this is real.

He takes his hands off me and let's me put the pan in the oven. We still have 50 minutes before it's done. He decides to give me a tour of the house. It's really open, light, spacious, but at the same time it has a cottage feeling, it's not as big as some mansion or a normal house, it's really cute. After our tour is done we come back to the kitchen and eat our late lunch. For the rest of the day we go for walks and stay inside the house or at the garden.

It's already evening, Matthew is making some beef on the barbeque, I'm making Caesar salad on the outside bar counter, sipping my second glass of red wine and we're just talking about the movie we're gonna watch. It's a really beautiful evening, autumn is my favourite season right after winter. The sky is already dark, we have fairy lights and some garden torches as a source of light. Stars are flickering in the sky and it's full moon, I can hear crickets around us and even some birds are still singing. The water on the lake is shining from the moon light, its small waves splash lazily and make the perfect atmosphere.

„I need some seasoning, I think I left a bag from the store in the car. I'll be right back.“ Matthew kisses my cheek and goes inside the house to get car keys. I shake my head slightly and keep making the Caesar dressing.

I realize that everything is silent when I hear a branch snapping. I look up and around. The birds and crickets are silent, it's like the whole nature just hushed up. I can see something moving at the lake, but it's too dark. I blink a few times and look again. It looks like someone is walking here. I put everything down and make my way a bit closer to the lake.

„Hello?“

Nothing, but that person is still coming closer.

„Hello! This is private property. You shouldn't be here.“

I only hear a whimper and bone crashing. It's so loud.

„Hey... are you ok? Do you need help?“

Instead of an answer I hear a growl which makes me stop in my tracks. No, no it can't be. I look at that person, but I can only see a wolf. A big black wolf with those terrifying red eyes. It's coming slowly closer to me, while I walk slowly to the house backwards. If I start to run now, will I make it inside the house without being killed? And what are the chances that the same wolf is here?! Right now?! Matthew is not here, and even if he was he wouldn't be able to fight this thing. It's now or never, I have to at least try. I look at the wolf with a determined look, turn around and start running to the house. I hear an angry growl behind me which makes me run even faster. I look at the house and see Matthew already running towards me.

„Matthew, don't! Go back!“ but he keeps running and when he gets close enough I can see that his eyes are black and his face is full of anger and something else. It's like he's ready to kill, he wants blood. I've never seen him like that. He's always nice, effectioned, but now, he could kill just with the look in his eyes.

And then everything happens so quickly, but I'm sure I wouldn't be able to erase this from my memory. Matthew's eyes land on the wolf behind me, he jumps up in the air, over my head, but instead of him landing on the grass it's a black wolf, even bigger one.

„Matthew?“ he turns to me and growls angrily. I take a step back and start to shiver with fear. „No.“ I only shake my head while looking at him. He growls again at me and turns his attention to the other wolf who stopped running. Matthew or the wolf howls loudly and jumps on the red eyed wolf. I keep looking at them fighting, but when I hear a painful whine, I turn and run inside the house. I can still hear growls and snarls even inside the house. I run in the basement, sit down on the floor in the theater room in the corner and cover my ears. „No, this cannot be happening. No... it's not real no... no... it's just inside my head, it's one of my visions... it's not real... it's not real.“ I keep repeating this as my mantra until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I try to get rid of anyone who's touching me, but now two hand hold me tight on my shoulders. Someone is talking to me, but I don't listen. I throw my hands around me in attend to get rid of the touch.

„LOOK AT ME!“

I snap my eyes open. It's Matthew, my Matthew, he's kneeling in front of me, looking at me intensely. When he sees that I'm paying attention to him he caresses my hair and leans closer to kiss my forehead. But I won't let him. I push him in his chest and stand up.

„Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me!“

Matthew's POV

If there was a way to hurt me, it's this. My mate refusing my touch. I try to get closer to her, but she only gets around me and goes upstairs. I follow her in the living room, where she's walking from one side of the room to another, hands in her hair, eyes closed. She can hear me coming to her, because she opens her eyes, points her finger at me and steps back.

„Don't! Don't come near me.“

I just stand on the spot, giving her time.

„When were you going to tell me that you are that thing? The same thing I told you about earlier today? That thing you saved me from a week ago? The same thing that tried to kill me!“ with every sentence her voice gets louder until she's screaming at me. She's looking at me with nothing but hurt and anger. I can see a flicker of purple in her eyes.

My wolf is restless, he's getting angry and unpationed.

„I don't like her talking to us, about us like this.“

„We need to calm her down.“

I take a careful step to her, when I see she's not backing away from me I try to reason with her.

„Honey, I.. I didn't know if you would handle all of that, I wanted to tell and show you everything slowly.“

She scoffs at me and raises her voice once again. „You didn't know if I could handle it?! You f**k*ng saw in my dream what I've been dealing with most of my life! I can handle giant wolves!“ she starts to walk over the room again and puts her arms around her body. „But even when I told you in the car, you still pretended that it surprised you. You should have told me. You made an i***t out of me, you lied to me. Even in the forest! You saved me and then pretended as if nothing happened and lied to me!“

„And what was I supposed to do? Come to you and say hey, I am the wolf that just saved you, by the way, you are my soulmate and the love of my life?!“ I know it's just the adrenaline, fear and alcohol making her behave like this, but it still makes me angry. I should try to calm her down and talk to her, before one of us says something nasty.

„Honey please, let me help you. You need to calm down.“ I take a few steps to her, but her low and silent voice stops me.

„I said don't come near me.“

„Honey, it's me. It's still me.“ I reach my arm to her and touch her hand, but she hits my hand and starts to walk away.

My wolf had enough at this point and made his presence known. My eyes are pitch black, my wolf is growling a bit and he took over my body fully.

„Where do you think you're going! Come here!“

Liz stops walking and turns to face us and her look hurts both of us. In her eyes there is nothing but fear, fear of us and tears.

„You are not the Matthew I know. He would never talk to me like this.“

With that she leaves us and goes upstairs. My wolf gives me back my body and whines a bit in my mind. I go sit on the terrace and pour myself a glass of whisky. What if I wouldn't be able to fix this? No, don't think like this. It was just the adrenaline from earlier, she needs to cool down. After she does, I'll promise her to never have any secrets from her. I'll tell her anything she wants to know, about myself, about werewolves, anything she thinks of. I stay outside until I drink two more glasses and go back inside. I go straight to our room, hoping that Liz didn't lock the door and will want to talk to me.

When I get in the room it's dark, she's probably sleeping. I také of my clothes and change into my pyjama pants and lay down. I think for some time if I should try to touch her, hug her, to how her I'm here for her and that I'm sorry. I touch her side of bed, but it's empty. I sit up quickly and turn on the bed site light. She's not here! No, where is she? She didn't leave, did she? I run to the walk in closet, her clothes and all the things are here. So where is she? I go out of our room and search the house. She's not in the kitchen, living room, garden. Maybe she decided to sleep in one of the guest rooms, I go downstairs to check them out, but she's not there.

I go to the theatre room and my eyes lay on her, laying there on the couch with a blanket over her small body. I go to her and kneel down. I touch her hair and caress her cheek. She lets me touch her and moves her head closer to my hand. I smile to myself and look at her closely, I notice she's hugging something. A book? She's hugging the book still open, she must have fallen asleep while reading it. I should have thought that she would read something to calm down, my brother has a nice collection of books. I look at the book closely. Origin of Lycans? Where did she find that? I take the book from her carefully and look at it. She must have walked into my brother's office by accident and found this. It makes me a bit happier that she's trying to find information about us. But when I look at the page she was reading, my heart stops for a second, fear and pain goes through me and my body gets covered in cold sweat. On the page I see in big letters written one word that has been haunting me, the fear of it has been with me since I first met my second mate, my true love. The word is staring at me from the middle of the page, laughing.

„Rejection“