Free mate

Running

"What the f**k", I wake up to Oscar's voice coming behind me. I stay still as Sera swifts back to human and sits up next to me, turning to look at her mate over the couch back. Oscar is standing there, his hands crossed over his broad chest and staring at us with a blank expression.

"So what, she's not even scared of us anymore, just refuses to talk to her mate?" I didn't understand why he was so angry at me for not being with Daniel. Besides, I was scared, just because Sera could shift near me didn't mean that his voice didn't make my heartbeat and blood rush in my head.

"Oscar, she just needs time", Sera says gently.

"She's had time", he says. He's not yelling or even raising his voice but I can still feel the anger in his words.

She's right here. I hated how they both talked like I wasn't right next to them, as if I didn't hear them. Oscar had ignored me most of the time and I'd preferred it over the fear of violence. It seemed like a small price to pay for the friendliness of everyone else.

"We've talked about this", Sera said. I feel hot and claustrophobic, the living room that's usually so big feels small and suffocating.

"If she would just talk be could-", he stops when I stand up. Despite just sitting down I'm breathing strangely fast but I don't feel scared anymore, just empty. Sera is saying something but I can't hear anything or focus on her words. Oscar frowns and moves closer.

I run out of the door.

There are more stairs than I imagined but I sprinted down, ignoring everything happening behind me. After what felt like an hour I reached the bottom and darted out of the big glass doors into the street where I kept running blindly. Other people and cars seemed unimportant and soon the only thing I felt was the pounding of my feet against the hard ground and burning in my lungs.

It was eerily similar to the time I ran from Jason but when the beat of my heart started to feel like it would burst from my chest there was something satisfying in the feeling. This place was unfamiliar and I didn't have a destination but this I could do. The muscles in my legs were burning but it was surprisingly easy to push aside and just continue forward.

There was a loud sound and flashing light on my right but before I could stop something hit me hard, throwing me to the ground where I slid painfully. A brown mass rolled almost over me, I barely comprehend the wolf rolling on the ground and gracefully rising back up, facing me. I'm frozen on the ground, laying on my back and gasping for air. The wolf hops closer and sniffs at me but not flashing teeth or growling.

When I blink and start to see clearer I realize who it must be.

"Matt?" My voice is strangled and I'm still breathing hard but I'm starting to calm down.

I only saw Matt briefly in the dark but this wolf is young and his dark brown fur looks just as soft as Seras. His bright eyes are icy and I can feel him scolding me when he nods. Letting my head back down I stare at the blue sky, marveling the grey buildings rising high above me. This was the first time I've been outside in weeks and the air smells different from what I'm used to, the sounds are so much louder and I realize there are people walking around us, staring at me.

Matt nudges me and I reluctantly sit up. The good news is that my ankle is apparently healed enough to survive this abrupt sprint and I'm not seriously hurt from falling.

"Ouch", I mutter when I move my arm and look at the way my skin has peeled off from my shoulder and arm. Matt makes a sound that I translate more or less as That's what you get for running away like that. Looking around I realize that the reason Matt tackled me must have been because I was running over a road where cars were moving. In hindsight a very stupid move but in my defense I've never seen roads like this.

"Thanks", I say staring at the cars. My arm was hurting but it would hurt a lot more to be run over. I've never seen this many cars at once and there were people all around us, everyone moving in harmony and avoiding running into each other.

Now that I'm calmer I feel bad for running like that, Sera must be worried. I don't regret it though, I needed to get away from them and I wasn't looking forward to seeing Oscar again. Matt pushes me again and I get up, legs shaking. I follow him as he starts to walk forward, checking to see that I follow.

It's hard not to stop and stare at everything now that I can actually see where I am. There are a few trees lining the road but most of the street are buildings and there are all kinds of things in the windows. I stop to stare at a window that had a big picture of a sandy beach with clear blue water. Matt barks and I jog to catch him. I don't ask where his going since he couldn't answer anyway so I follow him without complaints. I don't think we're going back to the apartment but I would never recognize it even if we did.

Matt leads me to a pale blue building that had a few tables outside. The door is propped open and he walks inside, sitting down in front of a counter. There are white tables and lots of plants around and inside a glass case there were loads of different cakes and pastries. My mouth watered at the sight, I've grown to love all the sweet treats Sera brings home. A girl that's probably my age walks up to us and ruffles Matt's head with a smile.

"Hi kid", she greets him. Matt growls and his ears move against his head in a comical way as he lowers his head to avoid the petting. The blond girl laughs at him before stopping to listen. She must be part of the pack too as she stayed quiet while Matt stares at her and raises her brows.

"Yeah, no worries, I'll text her", she says. Matt grins showing his sharp teeth before jogging out of the door, leaving me to stand there.

"Hi, you're Kate right?" The girl offers her hand and I hesitantly take it. Her shake is firm and fast, she pulls away to wave at me to follow. She's a lot taller than I am and I admire her long legs as I follow her up the stairs to an empty corner of the place.

"I'm Lina, nice to finally meet you. We've all waited to see you, I love your hair."

"Uhh thanks. Nice to meet you too", I say. Whose we and what have they heard of me? It makes sense that the pack would know I'm supposed to be the mate of their alpha but what could anyone have told them besides that I'm a freak from the forest and refuse to talk to anyone?

"What do you want to drink? Tea or coffee or?" she asks.

"Oh, tea is fine thanks, but I don't have money?" Lina laughs at me but it's kind laughter, not mocking me.

"That's fine, this is one of Daniels businesses. You don't have to pay. I'll tell Sera you're here so she doesn't get a heart attack but you can stay as long as you want." Lina tells me before disappearing back down and leaving me on the sofa alone.