Children of the Goddesses (completed)

Mates

Ethan’s POV

            We have been on the road for four nights and with each night, my heart became more and more torn between my fated mate and my chosen mate. I tried my best to keep my distance from Laila but the sound of her laughs would never fail to draw me towards her. She was a good sport and didn’t shy away from laughing at herself, even when Dillon made jokes about vampires. Many times, I’d be sitting right beside her in the car and keeping my eyes on the sights outside but in fact, I was listening eagerly to the banter between Laila and Dillon. It didn’t sit well with Gower that our mate was paying so much attention to another male while being so distant and polite towards us.

            As much as I tried to hold myself back, I couldn’t help but feel more and more drawn to Laila. She was the only vampire in our midst but it didn’t make her fearful. Instead, she seemed to be quite familiar with werewolves and was curious to learn more about us. Despite not having much of her memories, she spoke with confidence and betrayed no insecurities. I never had the chance to get to know a vampire up close and personal the same way I did with Laila, and she was nothing like I had expected. Since I was a pup, vampires had tried to attack the werewolf packs in our State and the only way that our pack had managed to survive was because of our alliance with the other packs in our State and the witches among our midst who were friendly and sympathetic to our plight. Even in our bedtime stories, the villains would always be vampires. Yet, here we were with a female vampire who was nothing like the vampires we had known all our lives. 

            The fact that Laila could win Dillon over to her side spoke volumes about her. Dillon was the youngest among us but the most prejudiced against vampires. His parents were our pack’s patrol guards and had many years of experience with fighting against vampires. Years of fighting had cemented the image of vampires in their minds as bloodthirsty murderers and this prejudice entered their home with them. Both Dillon and his brother, Corin, grew up hating vampires and their minds did not change with time, not even two years ago, after a female vampire had supposedly helped to end the Battle at Wallace Bay in our favor. Only the Alliance Army bore witness to her heroic act but Corin and I knew many of the werewolves who had fought in the battle, and we trusted them. For me at least, I could finally put down my grudges against vampires after that battle. Dillon, on the other hand, was not so easily convinced. His stubborn nature made it difficult for him to see past his parents’ prejudices, which had become his own, until Laila came along. 

            My heart swelled with pride when I thought about how Laila was able to break down such deep-rooted prejudice in the short amount of time that she had been with us, and she didn’t even seem to be aware of the effect that she had on those around her. 

            She isn’t aware, but we sure are! Tell her and claim her, Ethan! She belongs to us! Our silly jokes should be making her laugh! Not Dillon’s!

            Gower’s jealousy was going off the charts as time passed to the point that I wouldn’t be surprised if my wolf actually turned green when I shifted again. I hated that Laila was getting closer to Dillon but kept me at arm’s length. I hated seeing her smiling at other men but I knew that I had no right to feel this way. She was only 18, based on what she could remember, and the last I checked, vampires didn’t have fated mates because they were not the children of the Moon Goddess. If anything, I was probably the only one between the two of us feeling the mate bond. Not to mention, there was Betti. A pang of guilt hit me as I thought about my chosen mate. 

            Betti and I had grown up together and she knew me very well. She didn’t complain about the lack of romantic gestures when I asked her to be my chosen mate. Neither did she demand any declarations of love or a grand Claiming Ceremony like some she-wolves would. She knew that I didn’t like pomp and elaborate ceremonies, and I didn’t believe in romantic words or gestures, mostly because I wasn’t really good with words. Our relationship was always cordial and I appreciated her good nature. She was caring and patient, qualities which made her perfect as a Gamma female. 

            But you don’t love her! You’re not attracted to her! She’s not the first thought on your mind when you wake up nor your last thought before going to bed at night. 

            “Ethan? You alright?” Betti nudged me gently and I plastered a smile on my face before turning to her. 

            “Yeah, I’m ok, just a little tired, I guess,” I said as convincingly as I could. Suddenly, a wave of guilt and sadness washed over me and I looked towards the passenger seat at my fated mate. I was sitting right behind the driver’s seat and could see her side profile clearly. She was staring down at her hands and her normally jovial face was missing her beautiful smile. 

            A warm hand covered mine before Betti’s voice made me avert my eyes from Laila. “Why don’t you take a short nap? I could take your driving shift later tonight,” Betti said thoughtfully. Her words made me feel like the worst person in this world and in that moment, I knew with certainty that I would never be truly happy with her, nor she with me. Before Laila came along, I had no idea what the mate bond was and how perfect my fated mate was for me. She was like a fresh breeze on a hot summer day, like a ray of sunshine on a gloomy winter morning and most importantly, she made me want to do things that I had never cared for before. I wanted to crack silly jokes to make her laugh and I wanted to sit beside her as she gazed into the starry night sky. If she had wanted to count the stars, I would gladly count them together with her and if she wanted to hear an earth moving love declaration, I would memorize love sonnets for her. 

            She had awakened a side of me that I didn’t know existed until her entrance into my life. For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to abide by what was right and honorable. I wanted to let down the she-wolf who had stood by my side as my chosen mate despite the lack of a Claiming Ceremony. I wanted to convince my pack that Laila was worthy of being our Gamma female despite being a vampire and hell, if they didn’t accept her, I would go to the ends of the earth with her, to wherever her heart desired. I wanted to hold her in my arms and ravish her, claim her and never let her out of my sight again. This impulsiveness was strange and new to me, but I could no longer fight against it and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to Betti to drag this out any longer. 

            I wanted Laila but I didn’t want to rush her, especially if she couldn’t feel the mate bond. Before I could win over my fated mate, if I could win over my fated mate, I knew that I had to break things off with Betti. It was cruel but not being honest to her and to myself would be an even more cruel act. 

            Finally! Seriously, it took you long enough. 

            Gower’s mocking was mixed with some relief this time, and I had to say, I was thankful for my sarcastic wolf. If not for him, I had no idea if I would have done something regretful.