You're Not My Mate

What's Going On?

Aurelia POV

I wake up the next morning feeling exhausted. Halloween had been fun, and I’m sure it’s going to quickly become one of my favourite holidays here. It was relaxed, we all had a chance to sit around and talk to each other, and it was nice to be a normal, happy pack. I roll over to Liam’s side of the bed in search of his usual morning note and find it just under his pillow.

Morning sweetheart,

My favourite part of the day is coming back from training to see you.

I’ll be back soon.

All my love,

Liam

I smile and stroke my fingers over the note, feeling the butterflies in my stomach. How does this man melt my insides every damn day? I flit over to the box I keep hidden away and add the note to my collection. The pile of notes was continuously growing and soon enough I’d probably have to get a bigger box. But I’d keep them all, forever. They were special parts of him that he gave to me everyday and I never wanted to throw them away. 

I pull my hair up into a messy bun and pull on one of Liam’s shirts and a pair of cycling shorts. I jump back onto the bed, laying on my front and pull out my phone. My family back home were being too weird the last few weeks and I still wasn’t having much contact from any of them. And the last few days I knew what I needed to do, I have to get to the bottom of it. Because my thoughts were running wild with possible scenarios about what could be going on.

I scroll through my phonebook and hover over the different numbers. Who to call. Felix is too protective. Caesar won’t have time.. My mother.. Hm. No. Junus? But then, I haven’t spoken to him for so long.. Lucia. It has to be Lucia. She’ll tell me, now I just have to get hold of her. I end up having to hit re-dial over and over. Finally, after the 8th attempt, she answers the FaceTime call, looking rather flustered. 

I huff and shake my head at her. “Finally! I was about to jump on a plane and come see you in person.” She lets out a small chuckle, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “Hey, how are you?” She asks. I roll my eyes and bat her words away with my hand. “Cut it out, Lucia. What’s going on? I’m fed up of you all ghosting me. Something is going on.” She huffs and shakes her head. “You’re imagining things! We’re just really busy here, lately.” I scowl at her and I can feel my temper starting to take over me. “Don’t treat me like an i***t, Lucia. Something is going on. Either you tell me, or I swear I will fly home myself and get it sorted in -” “No! Don’t do that.” She cuts me off, waving her hands. I narrow my eyes, I’m even more suspicious now.

“You know what. I’ll just go speak to Liam. We can be on a flight tonight.” “STOP! I’ll tell you.” She shouts at me. I clamp my lips together and nod with my head at her to start talking. She sighs but starts to walk around, and soon enough she’s in her bedroom, sat on her bed and sighing to herself. “It’s.. Honestly, I don’t even know how to tell you this.  This should be Junus telling you. I don’t even know why he hasn’t yet.” She grumbles. My heart rate quickens. “Is he ok? Has something happened?” Had something happened to Junus? Was it the side effects after what my father did to him? I try to swallow the lump forming in my throat but she shakes her head.

“Junus is fine. He met his mate.” I blink. “Ok? That’s great news... Isn’t it?” I ask, analysing her face. Her lips are pursed and she doesn’t look overly happy at this news. But.. This is what we’ve all been waiting for - Junus to find his mate. So why is it being kept a huge secret? And why didn’t Junus phone me to tell me? In fact.. Why has he been ignoring me and staying away for so long? “Junus is.. Struggling with the whole mate thing.” She says, breaking through our silence and my thoughts. “What?” I ask, confused. She takes a deep breath and before she can start talking, I suddenly burst into a series of word vomit as it all sinks in.

“Who is she? What’s she like? What pack is she from? Is she there now? How did they meet? Why’s Junus struggling? Why hasn’t he told me?” “STOP!” Lucia growls but her eyes soften and I can see her trying to hold in her chuckle. “You know what.. Just wait there.” I nod patiently at her, waiting for her. Her eyes cloud over and a few moments later I can hear someone walk into her room. “Come here, you need to see this.” She says to someone sweetly. And then a face appears in front of Lucia. “Juno!” I squeal in excitement at seeing him again. His face drops and then he manages to recover himself quickly. “Hey, Boo. How are you?” “Right, I’m out.” I hear Lucia mutter and she pushes the phone at Junus. Junus takes the phone and looks at me. I try to analyse his face, he seemed shocked.. Frustrated.. Upset.. But now he’s composed himself and he just looks torn between uncomfortable and marginally happy.

“So...” I say, waiting for him to start gushing about his mate. “So..” He throws back at me. I roll my eyes. “Juno. I know. So, tell me all about her!” He bites the side of his lips and shrugs. “Her name is Sasha.” I roll my eyes. “Juno, come on! Tell me about her. What’s she like? Where did you meet her? What pack is she from? What does she look like? Can I see her? Is she there now?” He groans, shakes his head and leans back against Lucia’s headboard.

“She has brown hair and blue eyes hair. She’s.. Nice.” He shrugs and I roll my eyes. “Come on, you can be honest with me. I gush about Liam all the time, and vice versa. Gush away!” He smiles and nods. “She’s funny.. She likes the beach.. Speaks a few different languages.” I nod, grinning at him. I end up managing to get Junus to spill some more about his mate and he seems happy. “So, I guess we won’t be Juno and Boo anymore, huh?” I say, chuckling lightly. His brows furrow and he shakes his head. “No.. We’ll always be Juno and Boo.” I let out a small laugh. “Yeah ok. But one day, we’re both going to be married with our own families.. We can’t be Juno and Boo then!” 

Before he can say anything back to me Liam walks in the room. My head shoots up and I grin at him, my heart swelling at the sight of him. “Morning, baby girl.” I can feel my eyes going all lovey dovey at him as he walks over to kiss my forehead. I look into his brown eyes, and then take in his sweaty post-workout appearance. His skin is practically glowing with all of the sweat. He looks so good and I can’t help but bite my bottom lip. “Who are you chatting to?” I break my eyes away from him again and nod at the phone. “Juno. He’s found his mate.” Liam flashes a smile at me and comes to lay down on the bed next to me, looking into the camera. “Congratulations Junus. Where’s the lovely lady?” “Uh, Sasha is outside right now. Listen, I have to go guys, sorry. Sasha is calling. Catch up with you both soon.” 

The phone goes dead and I throw it across the bed. Liam turns onto his side and starts to kiss up and down my shoulder and arms. “What’s up, baby?” I sigh and roll over to lean into him. He wraps his arms around me, holding me close to his chest. “Apparently Junus is struggling with the whole mate thing. He kept it a secret from me, and that’s why everyone has been avoiding me. Don’t you think that’s weird?” I can feel Liam tense behind me and then starts to kiss my neck gently. 

“Maybe he’s just getting used to all of the changes. It’s a lot to take in. And don’t forget it wasn’t long ago with all of the issues.. He’s probably feeling overwhelmed.” I nod at him, he’s right. I turn around to face him and grin. “What?” He asks, chuckling and I just shake my head. “You always know what to say.” He flashes me his heart-stopping grin and snuggles into me. “And you are the best mate in the world.” He starts to sloppily kiss my neck, making me giggle. I try and escape but he holds me tight. In the end, when I start gasping for air, Liam releases me and we both roll apart. “You are evil.” I say, glaring at him while trying to recover from my laughter. He just chuckles and heads into the bathroom for a shower. 

“Lola is looking for you. She wants a catch up with you.” He calls over his shoulder. I nod at him, appreciating the fine angles of his naked upper body and the way the sweat makes his whole body glow. He turns around and catches me staring, making me blush. He winks at me and blows me a kiss before closing the door. I shake my head, get changed quickly and head out to find Lola.

Liam POV

“Don’t read too much into it, Liam.” I huff at Marcus who is sat opposite my desk with Cruz. I’d filled them in on Junus and the mate situation. Something wasn’t sitting right with me. The fact that he had kept finding his mate a secret.. Especially from Aurelia. If they really are as close as Aurelia believes them to be, she should have been the first one he told. 

“Maybe he’s just still a bit messed up from recent events, Liam.” Cruz says, and Marcus nods in agreement. “That kid has been through a lot the last couple of years. Don’t forget he thought him and Aurelia would be mates, then she found you - her mate - and moved packs. Then everything with her father. He’s probably just stressing about digesting everything.

I nod at them both and try to listen to their advice. Where Aurelia’s concerned, I’m always more over the top - and protective. Probably more so after everything with her father. Maybe I truly was reading too much into this. Before I can carry on talking with them there’s a knock on the door. I glare at them both and they nod in understanding. A few seconds later and Aurelia floats into the room, skipping next to me.

“Hi Marcus, Cruz. Liam, can we go swimming? Please?” I chuckle at her innocent face, batting her eyelashes at me. I look around my desk and try to work out if anything is on a deadline, but I think I’m good. “Of course, baby.” She grins as I open my legs for her to take a seat on my knee. She sits on my right knee sideways, wrapping her arms around my neck. “You guys coming? And Clara-Jane! It’s been FOREVER since we hung out.” Cruz nods. “She’s real sorry. She’s been busy completing an online degree, as well as usual pack work.” Aurelia nods in understanding and then turns her gaze back to me. “Meet you down at the pool?” I nod, kissing her nose gently before she floats back out of the room.

I glare at both of them, warning them silently to not speak about what we discussed. They both nod in understanding and we head down to the pool, ready for a day of just hanging out as a group of friends and putting work and everything else to the back of our minds.