Her chosen mate (The change series 2)

Chapter 17: I know who I want

Natasha

Charlie took me to a nice restaurant, we were talking how we always did, and it was comfortable, like hanging with a friend, he must have felt the same way because he glanced at my low cut red blouse and said, “you look good in red.”

“Thank you,” I laughed shyly.

“I mean it, you look pretty.”

I blushed hard and was glad he couldn’t see it.

By the end of the night I understood now what everyone meant about Charlie and his treatment of women. More than once I caught him checking out the pretty blonde waitress, and then he couldn’t keep his eyes off the brunettes a.ss as she bent over to pick up the fork she dropped, I could literally see him trying to see if he could see up her tight black pencil skirt.

Did I have to dress like that to get a male’s attention? I’d worn my jeans, maybe I should have tried harder, but I couldn’t have pulled it off with my weight. I tried to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut, if I couldn’t keep Charlie’s attention on me, then it would be the same with Kai too.

Our waitress was a timid young girl who was overweight like me, she wore black glasses and had mousy brown hair with a fringe, and was wearing trousers instead of a skirt like the other waitresses, she accidentally spilt some of Charlie’s drink on him. “F.ucking watch it you stupid b.itch!” He snapped.

“I—I’m s—sorry,” she whispered and grabbed a napkin to clean it off his shirt, but he snatched it from her hands and did it himself.

“How’d you even get the f.ucking job? You’re stupid and—”

“Charlie!” I glared at him.

The poor girl began to cry and went over to a corner to try and compose herself.

“That was horrible!” I hissed at him.

He looked like he was going to argue, but then he saw my face and swallowed whatever he’d been about to say. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“Don’t apologise to me.”

Sighing, he got up and went over to the girl, I didn’t need to be next to them to be able to hear.

“I’m sorry I snapped, it just startled me,” he said.

She nodded meekly, and he wiped her tears from her face and grinned, “don’t cry babe, you’re too cute to cry.”

I rolled my eyes as he flirted with her acting like nothing had happened. Worst date ever.

Maybe I was being too unrealistic because I wanted that perfect love that I’d grown up seeing mum and dad have, but dad was a rare man indeed, with his more wolflike mind he didn’t think like other men, one mate was all he ever wanted and nothing less, didn’t even sleep around or date, he’d saved himself for his mate.

I wanted that, but I also knew it was like asking for that fairy tale love story, it didn’t exist, well, except when it came to dad. I knew Charlie definitely was not someone I was interested in though, it was disrespectful to be flirting with other women and checking them out the whole time while on a date with one, I didn’t have to have any experience to know that.

After dinner Charlie drove us back to the pack, but when he parked up, he leaned over and tried to kiss me. “I told you guys no physical stuff until I know how I feel.”

“Come on, it’s just a kiss.” He tried again and put his hand on my leg.

“Charlie stop!” I pushed his hand away.

“Fine, be boring, it won’t interest Kai much though, he’s even hornier than I am.”

Feeling angry and hurt I got out off the car and slammed the door shut.

“F.ucking careful!” He jumped out and checked over his car like it was his baby or something.

I felt so hurt that he called me boring for not being more s.exual or for kissing him, I knew I wasn’t like the confident and experienced women him and Kai went for, but he knew I was a virgin, I wanted my first kiss to be special too, I wasn’t just going to w.hore myself out.

I went to storm inside, but Charlie caught my wrist. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you feel like s.hit.”

“It’s fine, but I think it’s safe to say we are not right for one another.”

“Don’t say that, we can—”

“Charlie.” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he sighed. “Alright, yeah, you’re right, but I do like you.”

“You like me as a pack mate, and you’re only interested romance wise because I’m the only available female werewolf.”

He knew I was right so he didn’t say anything.

“You should try and see if Ellie is interested, she wants a mate.”

“She doesn’t even live in this country.”

“That might change if you two worked out, plus she’s much more your type, still a good girl, but maybe not quite as innocent as me,” I teased lightly at the end.

“Maybe.” He gave a small nod, and then he pulled me into a hug. He kept his arm draped over my shoulders as we walked inside. Kai looked up, and I smiled at him, but he didn’t smile back, that was odd for Kai and I wondered what was up with him.

Dad was sat down with Kai at the table with Amber and Leo.

Charlie dropped his arm and went to look for food in the fridge.

I was looking through the pre cooked meats laid out on the kitchen side.

“Good time?”

I jumped at the sound of the voice behind me and spun to see Kai standing there. “Uh, not really,” I breathed through my racing heart.

“Why not?”

I frowned at him, he was looking at me so intensely like the next words out of my mouth were the most important thing ever.

“He spent most of the time flirting and checking out other women there, then…” I trailed off not sure how much to share.

“Then what?” He asked, sounding more relaxed.

I felt myself growing emotional, felt my eyes water, but couldn’t control it. “I wouldn’t kiss him, he said I was boring. Is that true? Am I boring and prude?”

His jaw twitched with anger, but he kept himself calm and softly said, “no, you’re not boring or a prude, you’re a virgin what the f***k did he expect? The f.ucking d.ickhead.”

“We made up, it’s fine now, but we both agreed we don’t make a good match.”

“All that in just one date? How bad was it?” He laughed.

“Don’t ask,” I laughed back, and then he seemed happier after that.

I stepped outside for a moment to breathe in the fresh air, I felt better, even if Kai was only being polite about me not being boring.

I was still glad I went on the date with Charlie, I already knew he wasn’t who I wanted, but both for his sake and for peace of mind I’m glad we did it, if only to make him realise I wasn’t who he wanted either and for me to confirm to myself what I already knew, just like dad, I’d already chosen who I wanted as a lifetime mate, Kai.

That didn’t mean he would feel the same way back, there was no magic involved, it was no different than humans dating, well, other than like dad the wolf in me longed for a lifetime mate and nothing less, I would never be like Kai or Charlie, sleeping around or having casual dates, it just wasn’t for me.

I was in love with Kai, and for a wolf that love would always be there, it would never go away, so if he didn’t feel the same in return I knew I’d live my life alone without a mate, ok, maybe I was more like dad then I knew, most werewolves could date and if it didn’t work out they could move on, dads mind didn’t work like that, and apparently, neither did mine.