The Alpha and His Irresistible Mate

The Nurse

Jack spent the rest of the night avoiding thinking about anything.  He avoided supper and spent hours in the exercise room going through his routine until his muscles were entirely spent, rock music playing in his headset to drown out his own mind, and his wolf’s.  Friends and girls dressed to impress joined him, but he couldn’t have told you who they were nor what they said.  No one seemed to be aware of the change in him or, if they were aware, they kept it to themselves, so he must having acted pretty well.

Utterly exhausted, he showered, changed into a pair of shorts and dropped onto his bed, finally ready for sleep.

When he opened his eyes a couple of hours later, he thought first it was a dream, racing through the trees in his wolf form, sniffing the air before racing again.  It was a beautiful night, the crescent moon peeking through some wispy clouds above.  But when the faint smell of apple cinnamon hit his nose, Jack realized he wasn’t dreaming at all.

What the hell are you doing? Jack demanded, but he was afraid he already knew.

[Finding our mate,] his wolf said matter-of-factly, confirming Jack’s fears.

We can’t just go to his house!

[Says you,] scoffed the wolf.

Jack attempted to take control of their body, but the wolf was stronger in this form and maintained control.  When his wolf stopped at a small house outlined by moonlight, Jack’s heart started racing despite himself.  It was old Mrs Bogdins’ board house.  Mrs. Bogdins was an old lady werewolf who rented out rooms in her house since her mate passed away.  Snow White must be a boarder inside.

What are you planning to do? Jack asked warily.  He’s human. You can’t just—

[I don’t know what you think I intend to do,] his wolf interrupted, [but I love our mate and would never hurt him.]  There was definitely some accusation in that comment.  His wolf was clearly still angry about the rejection idea.

[We’re just going to check on him, make sure his house is safe.]

His wolf was happy to be this close and his happiness was washing over Jack.

I want to see him too, Jack realized and winced at the happy vibes coming from his wolf.

That doesn't mean I won't be rejecting him the first chance I get once I know his full name.

[Yeah, yeah.]

Sniffing the air, they followed Snow White's scent around back of the house.  Spotting an overhanging balcony, his wolf climbed up onto the teacher’s car and took a great leap onto the balcony.  One of the windows on the balcony was open for fresh air and the scent coming from it was clearly their mate’s.

Jack and his wolf frowned.

We’re going to have to do something about that, Jack thought, and his wolf agreed.  It was far too easy for someone to get into his mate's home.

Feeling very much the intruder, Jack was silent as his wolf snuck in through the open window, right into his mate’s bedroom.  His mate’s scent was everywhere and his wolf’s mouth started watering.  It was so delicious.

Watch it, Jack warned.  We’ll only take a look.

His wolf ignored him as he approached the bed where his mate lay sleeping.  The room was in complete darkness except near the window where the moonlight shone in, but Jack’s werewolf eyes could pick everything out in detail.

It was a small room with little furnishings besides the bed, desk and drawers, and the desk had scattered papers and books on it.  It seems Snow White's extreme tidiness was reserved for when he was at school, Jack was surprised to see, as random books were about the floor and a shirt was draped carelessly over the chair at his desk.

His mate lay sleeping on a single bed against one wall, covered to his hips in a single sheet and wearing a loose undershirt.  Without his glasses and that stony expression, his mate looked much younger.  Delicate.  Vulnerable.

Jack frowned as a pang stung his heart.  The werewolf world was no place for Snow White.  He would be torn apart.

[He has no lover.] His wolf cut into his thoughts.

What? Lover?  The idea of a lover brought a growl to Jack's lips, despite himself.

[I smell only his and the old shewolf’s scent.  He has no lover.]  He stared down hungrily at our sleeping mate.

Let’s go! Jack urged impatiently.

The idea of a lover had sent a wave of possessiveness over Jack and he could feel his own resolve slipping.  He needed to get away from Snow White before he or his wolf did anything he would regret.

Speaking of doing regretful things, instead of leaving, his wolf put his front paws on the bed leaned over our mate.

[You’re MINE.] The wolf sent the thought into Snow White’s mind—yes, in our wolf form we can speak telepathically to humans.

And then he started lifting his leg.

HELL NO. Jack tore back control, raced out of the room and jumped from the balcony.  Stupid wolf!!

The next day, Jack managed to stay in his seat when Mr. Whyte arrived for homeroom.  He was still mortified that his wolf had nearly peed on his teacher’s bed so he kept avoiding looking at his mate, keeping his eyes on his work and being surprisingly quiet to his friends.  Not that anyone noticed his behaviour. And he soon figured out why.

As of this morning, random members of the pack would sneak up on Jack and try to beat him over the head with a newspaper or magazine.

When he caught the first magazine aiming for his head, he didn’t know who was more surprised, him or the audacious boy, at least 4 years younger, whom he’d caught by his wrist.  “What the hell are you doing?”  He let the boy go, but the young teen just stammered “Sorry-following-orders-sorrrryy!” and ran away, leaving Jack utterly confused.  Unfortunately, when the others saw that there’d been no punishment, they obviously felt more emboldened to try their hand at the game, too.

Seven newspapers, two magazines and a paperback textbook avoided later, Jack had a fairly good idea that his aunt Amelia was behind all of it.  He was never going to let her catch him by surprise again!  Which was probably her intention.

As such, Jack had not had much time to think about his mate, which he was grateful for.  The school day was nearly out, and he was feeling much better about himself. Not a single newspaper had landed.  He even thought he had grown accustomed to the pull of his mate’s scent wherever he went.

Perhaps he could get away with just avoiding his mate and not bothering to reject him.  Jack tried out the thought in his mind.  It seemed reasonable. It didn’t feel like a rationalization.

[Just be honest.  You want him, just like I do.]

He was arguing in this way with his wolf when he turned the corner and spotted Snow White in the hallway. Before he could escape back around the corner, his mate surprised him by beckoning him over.

His wolf happily wagged his tail in his head.

Silly dog.

[Pompous ape.]

His mate looked exceptional today as well.  Jack wondered miserably if he would always see him as exceptional now.  But to give the mate bond credit, his Snow White did dress well.  Clean, pressed clothing, an authoritative look behind his glinting spectacles, well kept hair, and clean-shaven face.  And such pretty hazel eyes…

“Mr. Lunar.” His mate’s voice was still as dead pan as ever though. “If you’re free, I need you after class.”

Jack’s heart sped up, but he refused to let that wording get to him. “Oh?” He managed.

“We have boxes of outdated textbooks that I plan to take to Harrisville,” Snow White began, referring to the town next to theirs, “And I need a hand getting them into the van in time so I can get there before their library closes.  Would you aid me in lifting them to the van?”

There was no way Jack could even contemplate being that close to his mate for who knows how long.

“Yeah, sure thing,” Jack said, smiling at him.

But it would be a real a**hole thing to do to turn him down for no good reason, he told himself.

Snow White’s eyes flickered down to Jack’s mouth before rising back up, his face still expressionless.  “Until then.” And he turned and walked into a nearby classroom.

Jack frowned after him even when he went out of sight. “Gee, what do you have to do to get him to smile?” he muttered.

“Get whom to smile?”

Jack just managed to keep himself from jumping in surprise.  He looked to his side.  The nurse shewolf, Bianca Matthews, was looking up at him, smiling expectantly.  She had a rolled up newspaper in her hand.  Jack glared at the offending weapon accusingly.

Bianca giggled, unabashed, tapping his shoulder lightly with the newspaper. “Hey, I could have totally had you if I wanted to, you were staring so intently down the hall.  What’s up?  Anything I can help you with?”

Bianca was one of the nicest people he knew.  Her role as school nurse—or werewolf nurse when needed—really suited her.  A strawberry blonde in her late twenties, with a little extra weight and baby cheeks, and of course wearing her go-to set of pink scrubs, she even looked the part of friendly nurse.

Jack looked at her smiling face, sorely tempted to confess his … predicament.. with her.

What could it hurt?

He started, “I…” He paused.

How would one word it?

 I want to mate with Mr. Whyte, the science teacher.

Jack’s face grew hot and he stepped away from Bianca. “I, umm, sorry, no, it’s nothing I can’t manage.  Thanks anyway!” He backed up as he spoke and then turned and walked quickly away, cursing at himself for yet again making a fool out of himself.

Bianca Matthews stared after the young Alpha as he hurried away.  Jack Lunar had really been making strides to be the best Alpha the pack had seen yet.  Strong, confident, intelligent, and quick-witted, he was the bees-knees for a female wolf, and she knew that many of the younger shewolves had tried to win his affections, though she didn’t think any succeeded for long, if at all.  Truthfully, she found him attractive herself, but she would never approach him, of course.  Not only was he far too young for her tastes, but she also preferred the less perfect kind of male, one that would need her.  Jack Lunar didn’t look like he needed anyone.

So it was quite a surprise to see Jack Lunar stumble for words and blush over something he clearly wasn’t ready to share.  What could possibly cause such a well-to-do man so much anxiety?  She thought again to their words she overheard him say. “What do you have to do to get him to smile?”

[Maybe he found his mate,] her wolf piped in.

Bianca gasped. “Do you think so?” She covered her mouth and looked around.  Thankfully, no one was in sight. Bianca always had the bad habit of speaking out loud to her wolf.  She started heading back to the infirmary.

I guess that would make sense!  Of course your mate would make you so adorably discombobulated, Bianca grinned.  In the infirmary, she sat and swung around on her chair.  “Oh, that would be great!  I know how much Gordon has wanted his grandson to find his mate.  What great news.”

Bianca paused.  “But shouldn’t we have heard of it by now?”

Werewolf adults in the pack were linked telepathically to other pack members, as well as to their mate once claimed, so any news travelled extremely fast in their circle.

[Maybe he just learned about it and hasn’t shared it yet,] her wolf shrugged then yawned, settling in her mind to sleep.  Her wolf found school work very boring.

Again, the words she heard him say replayed in her head.

“OH MY GODDESS!” Bianca clapped both hands over her mouth as she squealed at a wild thought.

[Bianca?]

[Bianca!]

[Bianca…]

Bianca blushed. Her pack members had called out to her in her mind.  She must have been too loud again.  There were other werewolves in the school—teachers, and the principal, Mr. Porter—so when she got too loud they could hear her, and she’d already had a warning this week to be more quiet.

[Sorry guys, it’s okay, I’m good, I’ll be quiet!]

Bianca grabbed a pillow and put it over her face, still sitting in her chair.

What if… his mate… is a man?!

[Oh no.] Her wolf grimaced.

Much to her wolf’s dismay, Bianca Matthews was an avid BL manga fan.  “BL” stood for Boys’ Love and it was a genre in Japanese comics where men would fall in love with other men.  It even had a subgenre that dealt with mates and their irresistible desire for one another. And Bianca loved every bit of it.

Bianca excitedly tapped her feet on the floor.  That has got to be it!  Jack was known to be straight as an arrow, was a proud male eagerly awaiting adulthood, and everyone knew by now that he had no real interest in a mate, much to his grandfather’s dismay.

“Oh my gosh, this is so perfect!  His mate is totally a guy!”  Bianca squealed with joy into her pillow.

[Your enjoyment of this is sickening, you know that?] Her wolf did not share her love of BL.

“Oh, don’t be silly.  The Moon Goddess picks our mate, right?”

Her wolf was silent.

“Right.  So it’s perfectly natural.” Bianca smiled.  “And the Moon Goddess made me the way I am, so it’s also perfectly natural for me to want to follow their relationship!” Bianca chuckled wickedly.

Her wolf started pretending to be asleep.

“Now, we just have to figure out who his mate is.” Bianca rubbed her hands together, smiling with glee.