Us Against the World

Chapter 9

Luke

Next day at morning training I decided to go back to my old self with Ava, having fun but training hard. Mr. Leland has asked us all to start our running laps. I spotted Ava and Tobias jogging next to each other and I picked up my pace to get to them.

-What’s up ladies? Too much alcohol last night? - I said to the two of them while passing them.

-Who are you referring to? It better be the koala bear next to me. – Tobias says signaling Ava next to him and taking some speed to catch up with me.

- Koala bear really? I seriously don’t know how is it that you think these nicknames are funny? – Ava shouted at him.

- That’s where you are mistaken Ava, they are not meant to be funny but to describe how slow you are! – Tobias said back to her.

This right here felt more normal, natural. Not that I was looking to be best friends with Ava but in order to figure out what was going on between us, I needed to be closed to her in a not so awkward way. When we finished our running laps, I decided to take my shirt off. Ava gave me a quick look and straighten her back and looked away, but I was not going to make this easy for her.

-Ava! One on one with me – I called at her. She looks hesitant but she would never disobey me.

- You asked for it Luke – She said to me, making a playful come back as old times and getting on fighting formation.

- So did you- I whispered getting closer to her. She blushed. She looked so damn hot today. While we were wrestling, I couldn’t stop my hands from going to the wrong places, I placed her in the most uncomfortable and s****l positions a fighting match would allow. I was having so much fun, but she didn’t look as happy. She was also losing and that never sat down well with Ava. Too bad because this fight I will win it.  

-Luke! – I heard Mila calling me. If at least I get a reaction from Ava after this, I will have more clarity into what my next step should be.

-Hey Mila- I give her a bigger smile than the situation called for. She seems way too happy with my reaction but Ava, she can’t hide it. She rolled her eyes. Now I am genuinely happy but not for the reasons they think.

- I was wondering if you would like to go to the movies tonight? – She asks as she gets closer to me.

- That would be cool – I replied and looked at Ava from the corner of my eye. Mila caught me looking and immediately added.

- Ava, would you like to invite Carter? Maybe we could go on a double date. – Ava looks up to the two of us, she was in the floor grabbing her belongings. I gave her a menacing look; she better not agree with this.

-I will have to check if Carter is available but knowing him, I’m pretty sure he will make it happen. What time you guys want to meet? – She said to Mila, ignoring me completely. She really didn’t care. I don’t know what else I need to get the hint.  She is not interested in me and in what I have to offer. Who would prefer to be a pack warrior and beta above being a pack’s Luna? I really needed to think less of what I wanted and more of what the pack needed and what my pack needed is someone that would embrace the position as Mila would.

- We will text you the details later today- I replied to Ava, grabbed my backpack and crossed my arm on Mila’s shoulders and started walking towards the pack house with her.

Ava

My heart is hurting and that is the reason I’m doing this. He will never stop insisting if I keep showing him interest. A double date was going to be painful but it will help me understand what my place was. I’ve decided I wanted to be beta and I needed to behave like it and one of my job is to protect my Alpha, even if he needs to be protected from me. In about 3 weeks some of us will turn 21, including Luke, Mila, Tobias and myself. We will find our mates and for the look of things, Luke’s mate is Mila and I can’t jeopardize that even if I don’t like her. A strong Alpha needed his destined mate and if it was Mila, her safety was my responsibility too.

-Those two are taking things more seriously lately or what? – Tobias said next to me interrupting my train of thoughts.

- It’s probably the mate calling, it’s only 3 weeks from now after all. – I replied.

- I don’t think Mila is Luke’s mate. Are you kidding me? – Tobias said give me a questioning look. Oh God, does he know something? I needed to make sure.

- What makes you say that? – I asked him.

- Where do I start. First of, she is always chasing him, if it wasn’t because of that they wouldn’t even be together. Second, I don’t think he feels as attracted to her and in her case, I think she likes the position she will have with him.

- Nah, you are mistaken. You can tell she really likes him.

- Anyone would like my boy Luke, Ava but I’m telling you man to man, he has more s****l chemistry with you in the training field than with her and that’s a lot to say. I mean, you are you, if you know what I mean.

- Asshole – I shot back at him. What if he was right? What if I was giving up Luke to someone that wasn’t even his mate. 

Tobias kept talking about how he thought he wasn’t going to find a mate. The whole ritual was a little too much. A bunch of us will turn 21 in the following weeks then on the night of the full moon all unmated wolves had to shift and run to the forest to find each other. There will be a celebration afterwards to announce all the new pairs. Brad and Laura found each other on the night of the haze because Brad was already 22 and Laura turned 21 that night. The s****l attraction in between them was instant. That’s another way to find your mate, through heat, if you were old enough. Something else that changes once you turn 21 is your connection with your wolf. All of us can shift, fight and feel our wolves but the final connection will happen then. We would be able to listen to our wolf and talk to them and for once, I can’t wait for that to happen.