Fated Mates: My Twin Wolves

Meredith Standing in front of my floor length mirror, I rapidly fixed the curls in my hair and adjusted my makeup. I fixed my rib knit, black halter top and adjusted my skirt so that it laid low on my waist. If I met my mate tonight , I wanted to make sure he had easier access. It was the night before my eighteenth birthday and my girlfriends wanted to celebrate with me, male-free, just in case I found my mate sooner rather than later. I preferred much sooner so the burning question I've had for most of my life would be answered finally. "Meredith! Your friends are here!" My dad called from downstairs. I rolled my eyes sighed. I could already hear him complaining about what I was wearing out. He was worried about me because of my 'issue'. Especially tonight. He was unsure that I should even go out. If it were up to my father, I'd be locked up in my bedroom with padded walls, just to make sure I was safe. Since my mom died giving birth to me, he was overprotective to the max. It was only because he had to have a job to take care of us that he wasn't on my case twenty-four seven. I stepped out of my bedroom door just as he was on the top step. My dad was a lumberjack of a man. He had a long, salt and pepper beard and long dark hair to rival my own. His large bushy eyebrows furrowed over his grey eyes as he took in my outfit. "No. Absolutely not, Meredith Anne. Go put something on that actually covers you!" "Dad! I'm not going out tonight in a damn t-shirt and jeans! This isn't even showing cleavage. Relax!" "I would probably be able to relax if I didn't have to worry about you tonight." He whispered to me, glancing down the stairs. "Don't worry, dad. I won't do anything stupid. And I doubt that my 'issue' will stir anything up. I'll try to be home before midnight just to soothe your sensitive soul." I pet his beard and his grey eyes pierced me. He let out a small growl and I winked him. "I'm not joking, Meredith." He gruffed. "You make sure to be home before midnight. If not, five minutes before midnight hits, I will hunt you down and I will make sure you get extra work tomorrow in the shop." I stuck my tongue out at him and he did the same. I grinned and kissed his cheek then scooted past him and bounded down the stairs where Priscilla was waiting for me. She bounced around excitedly, her platinum hair swishing around her lithe body. Priscilla was a few years older than me, but we became friends at my first job, flipping burgers at the diner. She went on to train to be a warrior and I began a job as my dad's receptionist at his auto body shop. She was also my dad's worst nightmare. He didn't know it, but she was the worst possible influence anyone could possibly have. She was daring and loved to get into things she wasn't supposed to. We had snuck into bars when we were younger because of her and I lost my virginity at one of her parties that she threw. My dad either didn't know about any of this stuff we did, or ignored it because I hadn't heard him b*tch about her yet. She had charmed her way into his good graces before she revealed what a trouble maker she was. She took my arm and led me out to her car. We took off, speeding around my neighborhood and screaming at the top of our lungs. With Priscilla I felt free. I didn't feel the need to hide myself like I did with everyone else. She didn't know about my situation. No one knew about it except for me and my father. But she never seemed to notice if I acted weird all of a sudden or maybe she just didn't care. And that's the reason why she was my best friend. She drove us to a house party being held by a guy I went to school with and glanced over at me. "So are you going to forget about me if you find your mate tonight?" "Never! You're my best friend! I could never!" "Good. Now let's go get f*cked up!" *** Everything felt hazy. I tripped and giggled as I stumbled to the ground. Next to me, Priscilla grabbed onto my wrist and tried pulling me up, her head tilted back in laughter. "Get up! We have to go!" "I can't! Take my shoes off!" "MERIDITH ANNE! Get your ass out here right now!" My dad stood in the front yard of the house party, his voice thundering over the bumping music. Priscilla worked on my heels and I watched as my dad parted a sea of people as he charged towards the stairs where I had been heading towards. I kicked at Priscilla's hands, fear trickling down my spine as he spotted me. My eyes widened as he converged on me and hefted me over his wide, muscular shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I should have known that he would make good on his promise. I should have actually gone home, but I was so drunk I didn't think I could manage it. Truth be told, I was nervous. It wasn't even midnight yet and I could already feel the pacing in my head. I had begun drinking to try to drown it out, but as the time started to get close to midnight, the anxiety grew within me and I began throwing the drinks back and doing anything to make it stop. I watched Priscilla follow us behind my dad looking peeved but truth be told, I was about relieved that he had come for me. He set me down in the cab of his pickup truck and we booked it home as quickly as possible. My dad drove in stony silence. He glared ahead and didn't look at me once. I felt a little ashamed of myself for not listening to him, but he just held on too tight. If he would loosen the shackles a little, give me room to breathe, then maybe I wouldn't try to defy him as much. I'm sorry," I apologized to him. He pursed his lips and continued glaring at the road ahead. "It's dangerous, Meredith. There is no written history of your condition. It's never been heard of. We don't know what will happen. We don't know if they will take you to study you or imprison you or anything like that. You are officially and adult and I need you to start acting like it. You are not normal. Get that through your head now. I can't lose you. I will not lose you." I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and nodded. "I understand. I just..I want to be normal. I don't want to be different. And you treat me like some delicate flower. I know what I should or shouldn't do. You've drilled that into me since I turned twelve." "If you know, then why do you defy every single word I say? I am begging you, for the life of me, to just f*cking listen for once." I crossed my arms over my chest and stared ahead. There was no doubt in my mind that my dad was doing this for my own good, but I hated the hovering. I gave him a curt nod then bolted out of his truck as soon as he parked. I ran upstairs to my bedroom and slammed my door shut, pissed. All my life it was a constant 'Be careful' 'Don't do that' 'You can't do this'. I was sick and tired of it. I knew that I was special. But honestly, how bad could it be? I flipped onto my bed and closed my eyes. A headache was starting to form right behind my eyes and I wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol or because of the pacing that was being done in my head. I looked at the time and sighed. The only difference now that I was eighteen was the restlessness that was happening to my body and in my head. I didn't feel special. Not at all. Just tired. *** I slogged through paperwork, feeling my eyes droop every now and then. My head throbbed and I felt my eyes tear up from the pain. I squeezed my eyes closed and took a steadying breath. It was mid-day through work and I couldn't rid myself of this debilitating headache. I tossed and turned all night, my headache growing steadily. I took some over the counter medication, but nothing was helping. It was so bad I felt nauseous. I knew that this couldn't be a hangover. I would never take another drink again if it was. I rubbed my temples and groaned as my dad slammed his office door. "What's going on? You haven't gotten even half of what I gave you done. You're not getting away with this, Mer. You face your consequences head on. I didn't raise a quitter." "I'm not quitting, dad." I whined. I looked up at him, his cheek grease stained and felt a sharp sting. " My head is killing me." "Hangover?" "I don't know. It's never been this bad." "Well how many times have you gotten drunk to know this?" I glared up at him and scowled. "Dad, not the point. " "Seems pretty relevant to me. Finish up your work and the take the rest of the afternoon off. Head straight home. And no... Priscilla can't come over. I rolled my eyes at him and shrugged. "Whatever, I don't care. I just want to lay down." When I got home, I laid in bed with a warm towel on my head and let myself cry. The pain was horrendous. The constant pacing and the anxiety and everything working together was making me feel so imbalanced that a part of me wanted to just scream. If I had known that turning eighteen was going to make me this miserable, I wouldn't have celebrated so hard last night. Later that night when Dad came home, he found me in the same position with puffy red eyes and a puddle of vomit on the floor next to me. I felt like I couldn't move without causing more pain in my head. I glanced at him and he looked at me worriedly. He sat next to me on my bed and placed his giant hand delicately on my head. "How bad is it?" "I think it's because of my birthday." I winced because even just talking made my entire face hurt. "Ask." "Mate." I whispered to him. He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "That's it?" "Yeah." "Did you scent him?" "No. But he's near." "Can you move? Maybe we can drive around and see if we can find him." I shook my head, crying out as my head felt like it was being split open. I watched my dad's face twist with anguish and he took a long deep breath. "The pack run will be in a few days. Maybe we should take you to a Healer until then?" "No. Maybe some food?" "Yeah. Okay. Anything in particular?" "Bloody. Raw. Maybe it will help." He nodded, kissing my forehead before leaving. I took a deep, shaky breath and hoped beyond hope that I would find him sooner rather than later or else this headache would kill me. (These events are occurring concurrently with the events in Fated Mates: The Alpha's Choice. This is a stand-alone. You do not need to read Alpha's Choice to understand this one. Please enjoy!)