Seven Mates

“Move it, everyone!” The manager yelled, his enormous belly bouncing as his loud voice filled the air. His white beard made him look like an angry Santa. “Stop gossiping and get to work! Move those damn bags!” he shouted. We all froze, then giggled quietly as we quickly got back to work. I picked up one bag and dragged it to the truck. It was heavy, but I didn’t stop. This was my job, after all. If I slack off, the manager will fire me in a heartbeat. And I need this job. Really need this damn job. It’s hard enough finding work, and I’ve got bills to pay. No work means no pay and no food. “Hey, wolf.” I knew that voice. I didn’t even have to look. “Hey, Mike,” I smiled, already feeling a little better. Mike always calls me “wolf” when I’m outside, just to tease me. It annoys me, but also cheers me up. He smiled and tapped my shoulder. “You’re working so hard, sweetie.” Mike’s my best friend. He’s the one who stood by me when everything went to hell. When I got kicked out of the clan and became a rogue, he was the only one who didn’t turn his back on me. He’s an Alpha, six feet tall, muscular, and handsome as hell. Blond hair, blue eyes, soft pink lips, and this perfect face that makes girls go crazy. Seriously, wherever he goes, girls swarm him like bees. I remember once, one of his fangirls nearly beat me up because she thought I was his girlfriend. He’s that hot. Yeah, he is. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up with him as a friend when I’m not even close to his league. “Oh my god, he’s so hot,” one girl whispered nearby. “I want him,” another one added. Losers. Do they think I can’t hear them? I just smiled and focused on Mike. “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, nudging him playfully. “I thought you hated seeing me doing this kind of work.” “I came to check on you,” he said. “How do you work under this scorching sun without your skin burning?” His palm covered his forehead. “As you can see, I’m busy as hell. No work, no money, no food. A girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do,” I said proudly, smirking. He rolled his eyes. “There she goes again. Feminist wolf. You need AC, good food, and a spa. Life’s too short for this crap.” “Not for us wolves. And stop calling me a feminist wolf,” I muttered. He sighed. “That’s why you need a mate. Someone to love you, take care of you. You’re getting older. When are you going to settle down? I won’t stop bugging you until you find someone.” I suddenly felt how many years had passed. “I don’t need a mate,” I said firmly. “I’m only 24. Not some grandma.” My life is already a mess. Waking up every day just to work and survive is hard enough. I don’t need a mate adding more stress. Mates, just distract you. They say they love you, then break your heart and leave you in pieces. I don’t need an Alpha. I can survive on my own. “When was the last time you drank blood? You’re so pale, no wonder you can’t even lift a box,” he whispered. I glanced around, making sure no one heard. “I don’t need blood,” I said, shutting the truck door. “I can handle it.” He laughed. “You act so tough for a hybrid.” “I’m starving,” I said. “Let’s go eat before the manager catches me and skips my lunch break.” “Alright.” He agreed, and we headed to my favorite burger joint. As we sat down, the cold air hit my sweaty skin. I wanted to stay here forever and never go back. Today has been hell. “What do you want to eat?” he asked, flipping through the menu. I yawned, dragging my voice. “You already know—big hamburger, fries, and orange juice.” He nodded and got up. “I’ll order it for both of us,” he said. As he walked off, my thoughts drifted. Back to the past. To how bad things used to be. He made me who I am today, but the one thing I truly hate is depending on him. I’d rather work and earn what I have than let someone else carry my burdens. I want to handle things on my own. I know he’s tried over and over to help me, to make things easier, but it just doesn’t work. I always end up doing things myself, pushing through, working hard. I can’t sit back and be lazy just because he’s rich. I have to respect myself. Mike is a caring Alpha. He knows everything about me—my past, my pain. I know he could give me anything I need, but I don’t want to take advantage of him just because he has money. I want to learn, grow, face my own struggles, and understand more about werewolves... and about where I truly came from. After a lot of digging, Mike and I found out something huge: I’m not even the actual child of the parents who raised me. Mike realized it first. He said I looked nothing like them after seeing their old pictures. Then he started investigating where I was born in the clan, after I got banished. He asked me why I was so loyal to people who never loved me. Who feared me because I’m a hybrid. That’s also why I couldn’t connect with my wolf—because I was the one holding her back. Mike returned and placed my food on the table, while I got lost in thought. “Hey, I’ve got an emergency. I’m really sorry, but I won’t be able to eat with you,” he said quickly before hurrying away. “No problem,” I muttered. He probably had something to handle at his firm. I figured I’d walk around and get some fresh air. Sitting here alone was boring, anyway. I stepped outside the glass door of KCC BURGERS, humming to myself, taking a bite of the burger. Damn, it tasted amazing. The best in the world. The smell alone could make anyone hungry. I bumped into someone hard. “Ow,” I winced, rubbing my forehead. I looked up—and froze. In front of me stood several men dressed in all black with dark sunglasses. They looked like bodyguards... or something worse. They wore massive black suits, giving off an intimidating presence. From their scent, I could tell they were werewolves. Alphas and Betas from a strong, elite clan. I looked around. Were they guarding someone important? Their eyes bore into me like they could see into my soul. Suddenly, I remembered Mike saying earlier that he’d seen some strange people lurking nearby... but I hadn’t taken him seriously. Before I could react or run, one man grabbed me and pressed a white cloth to my nose. I struggled, but everything went black. When I woke up, I was in a room with six young guys in suits, all of them radiating wealth and alpha power. They sitted me in the center, tied to the chair with chains. I could barely breathe. The air was heavy. Did these alphas kidnap me? Who are they?