The Loneliest Mate

I didn't stop running until I saw the first specks of morning light. When Katya gave me back my form I looked around realizing I had literally no idea where I was. " You do realize we could be in any of our enemies territory." I said sternly to her and she chuckled. " We discussed this. You can't just run anywhere you'd like, your going to get us in trouble!" I said a bit more vehemently than before. The New Moon pack was currently on the low end of basically everything. We had minimal members, who were mostly females. we fought for our basic rights within the community of shifters and were hardly doing well. " Katya, please tell me where we are, or at least point me in the right direction?" I asked as she chuckled in my mind. "bear left and avoid the puddles, I'm not sure it's water. " she said full on laughing at this point. I'm unsure why my wolf seems to hate me so much, but I know it isn't normal. Most shifters, of any kind, are usually really close with their spirit animal. In fact the only bond stronger is a mate bond. I did as she said and started walking left, mostly walking on branches to avoid the puddles of whatever was on the ground. As i walked I pondered on the topic of a mate. Our entire pack was dedicated to true mates and I deeply believed in our cause but I am deeply lonely. I long for a day when I know in my blood I have found the one. I know I'm supposed to have found him by now but for some reason I've been left to feel this desolate hole in my heart. Suddenly In the midst of my thoughts i heard the crack of tree branches and before I could process it thoroughly there was a woman in front of me, clad in leather armor and a wielding two small knives. she was prepared for battle and now I was her prey. As she readied her body into a fighting stance I asked Katya what to do."This is why we pay attention when we are running. I'd let you have control more if you stopped putting us in dangerous situations! What do I do now Kayta, because if we harm her we start a war we cannot win! " she chuckled and said slyly " Knock her out and let me have control, i will take us back home. " Something in her voice was different...was that excitement? I brushed it off and growled deeply, hoping to scare my opponent off. She lunged at me with her knives and actually managed to slice my cheek, drawing first blood. I felt my anger boil as I shouted "Stop! I simply got lost and I don't want a fight. I don't even know where I am. Who are you?!" She ignored me and let out a primal scream as she lurched forward again. This time I leapt out of the way just in time and grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides easily. the wind shifted her hair into my face exposing her neck and sending a beautiful honeysuckle scent in my direction. Katya howled inside me and happily danced as she smelled this wonderful thing I was still holding onto to avoid another slice. I stood confused, basking in the heavenly scent and trying to discern the second smell emanating from my captive. I shook my head and said to her "if I let you go, may we speak? I don't want to hurt you and I've already memorized your movements, I would win this fight girl." I felt a sudden release of tension in her arms and she just gave up and turned around slowly. As she looked up at me slowly I caught her eyes and they were black. Pure black, shining with menace and defeat. What WAS SHE. she blinked and her eyes we back to a normal shade of brown with gold flecks. as we stood there looking at each other she asked me "why do you smell like fall..and candy? You smell so sweet." As if we were magnets we were suddenly kissing, at first tentatively but then ferociously like our entire lives depended on intaking eachothers breath. I gasped as Katya brazenly forced me to growl, and unexpectedly shout "MATE" In between these beautiful delicious kisses. She froze, stepped away and looked at me like I was crazy before shifting into something I've never seen before. Her skin was black, her hair went from a deep curly red to perfectly straight long black locks that shone brilliantly in the morning sun. Before I could blink she was gone and Katya howled while I instantly shifted and gave her the control to get us home. After returning home and washing the forest off of me I was immediatly slapped in the face with the memories of that mystery woman. Who was she? why did Katya react so strange, and retreat when I hopped into the shower. She loved showers! My mind drifted and for a moment she was in my arms again. I'm so confused, I've never even looked at another woman that way, yet now she's my mate?! Did I scare her off? would I ever see her again? I sighed and settled into my modest bed trying to fall asleep despite hating naps.. I hate when my mind is like this and today's already got it spinning despite the still semi early hour. "Katya..why have I never heard of a wolf or any shifter for that matter being mated with someone of the same gender..?" I ask hesitantly, almost afraid of the answer. There was no response and I feared she was angry with me. The thought filled me with sorrow that I was given a spirit animal who hated me. I heard a faint whisper from inside my mind "I never hated you, Echo. You hated yourself." she spoke, so faintly I almost couldn't hear her. Exhausted from the nights run, I pulled myself out of bed and went to peruse the kitchen and pontificate on what my wolf had told me. I opened the cabinets and blankly stared at the food, wondering if it was true. Did I hate myself? I grabbed a glass of water, added some protein powder and slowly walked into the hallway while chugging it. I glanced up, catching sight of myself from many directions as the hall wall was completely made of mirrors. I looked into my brown eyes, and was upset they weren't blue. I ran my hand through my dark hair, over my face which was so pale I looked like a ghost. I was slender, but had no curves somehow despite being as fir as possible My immediate detrimental thoughts to my own self, even just physically, proved Katya was indeed right and I let out a deep sigh. I guess I wasn't ready until now to confront that fact. Regardless, I and met my mate and she had disappeared so even the idea of finding a way to love myself was currently off the table as I was still trying to figure out who and what she was. My cell phone rang suddenly, startling me out of the vortex of thoughts in my mind and I appreciated the distraction. Saved by the bell I said to Katya and answered the phone without looking at the caller ID. "Hello." I said and waited for a reply. 20 seconds passed and I checked my phone to see whoever it was hadn't hung up, they just weren't talking. " Look, I've had a long night, and a long morning, respond or i hang up." there was a slight gasp on the other end of the line, followed by a lilting voice " The median, 3 A.M. alone." before I could respond there was a sharp click as the line disconnected. I grabbed a lighter, my Marlboro's and walked outside with the rest of my protein shake. I peeked around the corner of my apartments balcony making sure nobody was around before I lit my cigarette and looked up at the sun while continuing to think about my mate. I was more than interested in what she was, and decided to call Alpha Morrigan to ask if she'd ever heard of these types of shifters. I dialed her number knowing she wouldn't answer and I'd need to leave a message that she probably wouldn't even get due to her hectic schedule. The phone didn't even ring, so I waited patiently as I heard "Alpha Morrigan, I'm currently busy please leave a message" Just to then hear " This mailbox is full. " I sighed and decided to try the beta next. I wasn't giving up until I knew more. I dialed Beta Davina hesitantly as she really hated be interrupted and chances are if Alpha Morrigan had her phone off that the Beta was with her and also busy. The phone rang twice before I heard in an irritated voice "Beta Davina, unless this is an emergency I don't have the time for you right now Echo." "somethings wrong." Katya said immediatly. " "Beta what's going on? where are you I'll be there in 10 minutes. " The Beta hesitated and then said " I'm at the median, come as fat as possible, and don't speak a word of this to anyone." The second she started talking I had started to garb myself in armor and was out the door as she hung up. even while not in wolf form I could run faster than a human and I headed towards the median while wondering what the odds would be of hearing about the meridian twice in one day, and also trying to think of what could possibly be happing that Beta wouldn't want people knowing. Before I knew it I was within hearing range of my Beta and I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard them pacing and discussing demons. They were too busy to be listening to the woods and she had gone unnoticed so far. "listen, child." Katya said and I hastily replied " Katya, we do not eavesdrop on our superiors." The last thing I wanted right now was to get in trouble when I needed information. "Just listen...." I sighed and walked a few steps closer listening again. "When she's here we can just say just rouges, we don't need to tell them about the demons. imagine the panic! Our pack would fall. " I ignored Katya demanding I continue to eavesdrop at this point and ran into the median clearing. " What's happening Beta Davina? " I asked panting from my run. She sighed deeply and took a big breath before saying "Our alpha has been kidnapped. Right now I am acting Alpha and I need your help to get her back. " " What do you need Alpha Davina? " I asked using the title to show respect. I looked at her as she thought before speaking. She was really good at thinking before speaking but she knew that they needed their Alpha back. She was vital to our pack as well, but not made to be Alpha. " I need you to find one other person and do an investigation on the meridian. This is where she vanished. We were here to plan the next summit and she vanished midsentence, when I turned away for a moment. I dont have a clue where she went or how. " I turned away, observing the meridian. it looked unchanged as always. it's been the same way since way before I was born. It reminded me of Eden, with its overgrown vines and flowers. The grass was tall, except in the center where the Packs congregate. Ever since shifters stopped fighting we've revered this place as almost holy ground. What was she actually expecting me to do.. I'm just an Omega and have no experience in crime scene analysis. However she is acting Alpha and i did need to follow her command. "Okay, I will find Jericka, she knows how to keep her mouth shut and used to be on the police force before she was rejected by her mate. She needs a project anyway." I immediatly shifted and began running to the last area I saw Jericka. She has stayed in wolf form to avoid the terrible feeling of loneliness but the longer you stay in wolf form the more you lose yourself and avoiding your emotions never got anyone anywhere good. I looked around me for signs of another wolf as I ran, sniffing the air intermittently trying to catch Jericka's woodsy scent which was not easy considering she'd taken up lodging in the woods. Suddenly I saw bits and pieces of some deer and thought I had found her. Until I smelled honeysuckle. I stopped dead In my tracks and tried to figure out the direction it was coming in. It seemed right on top of me.... I looked up and saw a cloud of black mist floating above me. "Katya do you smell that....?""MATE" She said while looking at the cloud of mist. "Our mate is fog?!" I said in a confused voice. Being confused in wolf form is not a fun experience because all is heightened and I have a hard time focusing to figure out things in wolf form. I shifted back into human form cursing myself for not just running in this form as I was now in the woods, naked, with a cloud of deliciously scented black mist above me. Talk about weird. Once I got my bearings, I looked up again and the mist was gone, but the scent remained. "HELLO." I shouted. "IS ANYONE THERE....I CAN SMELL YOU. DO NOT MAKE ME SEARCH FOR YOU. " I heard a thud behind me and turned to see the beautiful woman I had met the day prior, wearing similar yet different armor. Her hair was in a delicate bun, with French braids wrapped around her head like a crown. "Are we talking today, or making out..?" I asked in brusque tone, hoping she's pick the latter so I could feel her soft lips again and taste her tongue. Even with everything going on with her in front of me all I could think about was this tiny girl in leather leaping down from the trees and smelling like honeysuckle. I wanted to drown in her. " HI. I'm Sage. What is a mate and why are you following me. " " Sage what a stunning name. " I said to katya OK so she wasn't going to kiss me again. " Yes she will... give it time. Forget Jericka and recruit Sage, and maybe be gentler with her. She seems more confused than you. she doesn't even know what a mate is!!! start by explaining that if she is open to it." "Well I was actually looking for someone else..but im glad I found you instead." I said in a low calm tone as to not frighten her. "I can explain everything, but I'm sort of hungry, I've been so busy I haven't eaten anything substantial 2 days. Would you like to follow me to my home and I'll cook us some spaghetti or something and we can talk? I'll explain it all to you but with wine and food, doesn't that sound better than standing in the woods. I'm also naked...which is kinda awkward. " She looked behind her as if she were being watched and hesitantly looked me up and down. "I think she likes what she sees."Katya stated and glowed with pride that her human form was so beautiful. "Who could resist you? She asked followed by an immediate" Sorry Echo I spoke without thinking. I'm just so excited. " There was no need to specify as I knew she was apologizing due to my rejection. After 7 years my chosen mate, Elijah had cheated on me and kept his true mate a secret for a year, trying to have the best of both worlds. "It's ok Katya, the day he left was the best day of my life. Well until thise magical kisses with Sage yesterday." "Why are you blushing?" Sage asked me with a coy look in her eyes. I was getting cold and repeated "Can we PLEASE get me clothes and food. I'm cold in this form." "Then change forms, I can keep up she said looking at me every where but my eyes. I guess Katya was right. She liked what she saw. I let out a huge sigh, shifted and turned around. Katya was happy to have control for the 3rd time in two days and took off. "Slow down! she won't be able to keep up!" I really didn't want to lose track of my mate again, how would I keep her safe if she wasn't by my side. "Look up child. " Katya said. I obliged and saw my mate somehow keeping up with me, in human form. She leapt from branch to branch as if she was running on flat ground and it took my breathe away. Her hair was flying behind her and her face had a huge goofy smile plastered to it. "But...how is she able to DO THAT? " I asked Katya blown away by my mates abilities. " I...I don't actually know how, ask her when we're home." it would only take 10 minutes to get back to my house from here and I suddenly felt strange. I was worried about my house being too... well old? Katya howled loudly to say We're here and Sage and I stopped outside of my house. I walked up and went through the "doggy door" I had installed a few months ago to keep out anyone who wasn't a wolf. I unlocked my door slowly worrying Sage had left, but I opened the door to her looking at my house in awe. "Its..so big!" she said and laughed. her laugh was like music. I was struck silent by the fact that I found my mate and she was in my house. I was feeling suddenly shy and just as the silence was getting awkward Sage spoke. "Where is the kitchen. I'll cook for you instead, since your very hungry and obliging my conpany!" Once again she was surprising me with a sudden show of kindness. "It's to the left, I'll eat whatever you feel like making I guess. You may use anything I've got."