What should I call you Mate

Episode 4

Rik's P. O. V

At last. It's lunch break. I need to find them. I'm dying to see my mate. So, I hurried to the canteen breaking through the crowded corridor and there she is. They are both sitting together with their lunch as always. So a grabbed my lunch and hurried to their table to join them.

"Hey girls. What's up? " I pulled the chair and sat down.

"What happened? Am I missing something? " I couldn't help myself from asking as I saw their faces fuming with anger. As if they want to kill. "What is it? " I asked further.

"Well, after you went to your class today, we found Ashton. So Emm asked him out on a date. Which was supposed to be today evening? But... " Lex stopped midway and looked at Emm. Well now, this is freaking me out.

"But what? " I couldn't hold my patience. I looked at both of them. This time Emm answered.

" But nothing you dumb ass. I found myself only as a mere bet to that freak." Emm blurted out the words with tremendous hatred and pain.

"Wooaaa. Slow down. I don't understand. How can it be? I mean.. " Before I could finish Lex said " Don't you get it, Rik? All boys are freaks. "

" What do you mean Lex? Does that mean I am a freak too? " I retorted.

"Yes, you are. Don't you remember how you were chasing a girl last year but dumped her when she started to fall for you? Don't you think that was something freaks usually do? And where was your conscience back then? I mean all your 'waiting for mate' nonsense? " Lex blurted out with rage. I don't know why she is mad at me about that. I mean I never played with that girl's feeling. Yes I know I liked her back then and I wanted her to be my girlfriend but she never responded and we never started. And then I found my mate. After that, I never thought of any other girls except my mate. Then how did I become a freak in her eyes?

"But we were never a thing Lex. I ---" I couldn't say further.

"Would you guys stop fighting? " Emm stopped us.

"Sorry." I quickly added " But tell us. What happened? "

"I asked Ashton out, and I was so happy that he agreed. I always knew that he likes me too. But until I heard him this afternoon with his friends. I was going to the washroom when I heard my name. So I followed the source of the voice and there I saw Ashton with his friends and some girls. At first, I couldn't believe what I just heard. But I witnessed all the conversation, though they didn't know I was there listening to them. Ashton was getting his money for some bet from his friends and then I heard him. I heard him saying to his friends that he never knew I was that easy and dumb that I walked straight to him to submit myself so that he can win the bet. You know Rik, he didn't stop there. Ashton is more vicious than one could imagine, as I heard him say that he would let his friends share me but he will violate me first as if the winner gets the trophy. How could he Lex? " Emm didn't cry, she is strong, she is not like some other fragile girl, but I struggled with my anger as I wanted to rip Ashton's head off of his body for hurting Emm.

"Told you. Boys are freaks. Anyway, now you know that he is not the one. And what will you do about the date? " Lex queried.

"What?? " I growled " Don't you get that Lex? There would be no date now. Emm is not going anywhere. "

"Rik is right" Emm said to Lex.

"But Ashton doesn't know that you know about the bet and all. There is still a date due, for him at least. " Lex pointed out.

" I don't care. " Emm replied.

Emm's P. O. V

I returned home and never bothered myself to text that bastard Ashton about the cancellation of our date. I went straight up to my room, switched off my phone and jumped on my bed. It was a long day for me. I was frustrated with myself more than anyone at the thought that how naive I was. Being alone isn't helping me to calm down, so I went to Nate's room to check if he had returned already or not.

"Nate. Are you busy? " I asked as I saw him in his room working on his laptop.

"Umm.. No. " He looked at me and then kept aside his laptop.

I wanted to say him all about today but it won't help me to soothe myself for now so I thought of an idea.

"Meet me at the lake then. " I saw him getting worried about something but before he could say anything I went out of his room and ran downstairs , got on my bike and headed towards the lake.

The lake is the discovery of Nate and me when we were kids and it had been our secret spot since then. Except us, I never saw anyone there till now, maybe nobody knows about this place yet. The lake is in between the forest on the way to the cliff and it is magical to me as the moonlight reflects from the lake stream and makes every darkness go away. This place never failed to soothe us. We often come here whenever we are down with something. And Nate knows that very well. And when I asked him to come here, obviously he knew instantly that something is bothering me. Even though he didn't say that he will come, I know that he will. He is always there when I need him.

I was thinking all these sitting by the lake when I suddenly saw something huge moving close to me from the woods. A wolf. Huge. As black as night. Eyes were sparkling with emerald green. Even before I realise it pounced on me which made fall on my back and the wolf licked my face.

"Ewww... Nate." Yes, it's my brother. He always likes to show off as he has his wolf but I don't. Whatever. But his wolf is the biggest and most beautiful one I have ever seen. Of course, because he is the next Alpha of our pack and this always made me proud and I adore his wolf as he always takes my worries away. Looking at him I often wonder how my wolf will look like.

'Like no one can ever imagine' a voice spoke in my mind making me stunned for a moment.

"Do you want to speak about that 'nothing'"? I realized that Nate already shifted into his human form and into his boxer and sat down beside me.

" Have you ever tried to find your mate, Nate? I mean don't you want to know how she is? Who she is? Don't you need her? " I asked him, looking at the lake. I felt him stiffened for a second. But then..

"I want to, more than ever Emm. But things are not that easy. Not all the wolfs are lucky enough to find their mates. I know she is there somewhere and I know how to wait for her. " He looked at me with those sad eyes.

I made him sad for some reason so I had to change the atmosphere so I asked him the stupidest question ever.

"So you mean you are not experienced? " I winked at him with a wide grin. Now he looks mad. Yeah. Well done Emerald.

"No, Emm. I like my inexperienced self better. I don't want to take risks as you do. " Nate retorted to me. Yes, he is right, I am always like that.

" I decided to wait. " I said in a low voice.

"What? " He asked as he couldn't hear me for the first time.

"I will never take risks, Nate. And I will wait for my mate until I find him." As I said with the guilty tone in my voice Nate realised that this was the 'nothing' I didn't want to talk about so he sighed knowing that something happened that made me take this decision.

"Good. Now come and join me, Emm. Oh... How long I missed swimming in this lake. " He jumped into the lake and I followed.

We swam for a long time tonight, we played, we fought and then we went home.

We had dinner and went to our rooms.

" Can I sleep here tonight, brother? " I gave Nate my puppy eyes.

"Ughh. Okay." Nate made some space for me on the bed and we went to sleep forgetting all the worries in our lives.