A Tale of His Spy Mate

Chapter Four: Aftermath

Anna (Alana) POV

I could smell him as he came closer, my mate.

Please go away, please go away.

My prayers to Selene went unanswered as he continued to come closer. I didn’t dare turn around.

I don't know what I was thinking: that he would just turn around and ignore me. Carry on with his day. Ignore the fact that we were fated mates.

Instead, I felt his smell become stronger faster, almost like he was running.

The evergreen and vanilla was overwhelming. It made me want to crumple and fall into his arms.

Stay strong, Alana. I can do this.

Then I felt his hands turning me around. I stared up into his mesmerizing green eyes that hungered only for me.

Mate, Mate, Mate! Avery was screaming at me.

In that split second, he cupped my face, sending tingles down my body and quickening my breath.

He kissed me, gently at first, then becoming more greedy, more desperate, as if I was a well in which he needed to draw all of the water.

I lost myself, embracing his touch, the feeling of just being with him.

Then I remembered my pack and my mission. This cannot happen. This cannot be.

I broke apart and saw his confused expression.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything but couldn't find the words. How could I find the words "I can't be with you" when I wanted it more than anything else?

Instead, I slapped his face, feeling the sting on my hand and in my heart. He looked even more confused.

Why?!? Why did you hurt, mate?

You know we can’t get close. You know we can’t have a mate from the Crescent Moon.

I saw Jacob and Ellie out of the corner of my eyes, mouths dropped at what I had just done.

Oh, Selene! I had forgotten I was a slave. Harming a full pack member was bound to bring punishment.

I ran out of the barn. It was the only thing I could do. I needed to be away from him, from all of it. How could this happen?

I was confused; why would the goddess give me a mate who I couldn't have? The wounds from our two packs were too deep.

At the same time, I wished I was back in the barn, still in his arms, allowing his hands to roam over my body.

I ached for it even though it had only been less than a minute since he had touched me. I ran to the corner of the fields as fast as I could until I was out of breath.

I needed to think of a way out. Perhaps I could just deny that I felt anything for myself? This way, I wouldn't have to reject him.

At the thought of rejecting him, I got sick to my stomach. No, I couldn't do that; I could never do that.

I was always taught that your ordained mate was perfect for you, that you were meant to be. Finding a chosen mate was only done after many years of searching.

I just sat down and cried. There really was no good way out of this.

***

Justin POV

She felt warm and supple in my embrace, like she was putty and I was the sculptor. I could find her arousal as I deepened our kiss, her mouth opened, and I let my tongue roam in the inside of her mouth.

It was a surprise when she pulled away, her eyes wide in shock as if she didn’t understand what had happened.

Then she slapped me, the sting going deeper than just the skin. Why would my mate slap me? I instantly felt angry and rejected.

Who would reject me? A little slave girl?

She then just ran away. I thought about following her when Jacob yelled, "Don't."

I noticed then that Ellie and Jacob had watched from afar and seen her rejection of me.

“She needs some time. Give her some space, and she'll come around.” Jacob said, cautiously approaching me.

You made Mate run. Ajax accused me. You moved too fast, and now she ran.

I didn’t see you stopping me. I retorted back.

"She looked scared of me. I would never hurt her." I responded, still confused about why she would run. Her body told me that she wanted me. It made no sense.

“Justin, she came running away from an abusive relationship. It takes time to get over those events. You will need to take it a bit slow. You could have brought on a flashback.” Ellie tried to reason with me.

I took a deep breath. It made sense. I didn't even consider it. I always thought that as soon as I found my mate, we would instantly connect. I have never given thought that my mate might have trauma and that I would need to take it slow.

“Take it slow? I don’t even know where to start.”

“I'll go talk to her. I'll let you know when she is ready, and you can try again. Maybe start with some words this time?" Ellie teased me a little at the end. Yeah, I did just come up to her and started kissing her.

"Thank you, Ellie. That would be appreciated. Umm, well, I’m going to head back to the pack house then.”

I felt unsure of myself, a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time.

This wasn't how I imagined meeting my mate, and I was still trying to process what happened.

“Justin, it might be much later today. Try to keep your mind off it until then.” Jacob rang out behind me.

I turned. “I just met my mate, who is supposed to be my perfect partner, and she turned and ran. It will be hard not to think about it." I was angry about. I've waited for years and she ran.

Everyone started avoiding me as soon as I walked into the pack house. It was like they could feel my anger and confusion.

My mother saw me in the hallway and gave me a thoughtful look. I hoped she would turn and walk away like the others.

“Justin? Are you alright? You look a bit out of it?” My mother was constantly meddling in my affairs, trying to set me up with women. She had been a strong Luna, an excellent fighter, but more importantly, she could keep my father grounded.

As much as I hated my mother being involved in my affairs, I knew she was doing it because she thought it would help.

"I found my mate," I grumbled. I didn't really want to talk about it. I knew if I didn't give her something, she would pester me until she figured it out.

Her eyes went wide at the proclamation I had found my mate. I was sure she was already planning the luna ceremony in her mind.

"That's fantastic, darling! I'm so happy for you! Where is she?" She looked around me, trying to find the mate I had just mentioned.

“She’s… struggling to process that I’m her mate.”

"Struggling to process? What on earth does that mean, and who is she to think about you as a mate?” My mother asked in a rare state of anger.

“She is the new slave girl, the one who came a few days ago. She was running from an abusive relationship. I think I triggered her.”

“Triggered her? How could you trigger her?”

Ah goddess. She is going to get mad.

“I just started kissing her, mom. I saw her; she was beautiful. I lost control, and I just started kissing her." Saying it out loud made me feel a bit ashamed. It wasn’t how I was taught to treat women.

“You didn’t even acknowledge her first? Who did I bring you up to be?”

I didn’t need this right now. I know I screwed it up.

“You need to fix this.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

Eric cut into my thoughts. Justin, we have a problem. There has been another attack in town. This time, the attack was against one of our own.

I’ll head out now. I cut the mind link.

"I need to go, mom. There has been an attack on one of our pack members in town.”