The Jaguar's Mate

FIVE

Degrees Fahrenheit to Celcius

80 F is 26.6 C

Killari ran at top speed, enjoying the light warm breeze grazing her face as she passed the vibrant greens and the sporadic outbursts of color of the forest floor. The canopy stood high and the startling reaction of every being around her was expected. Everything scurried to hide as the top predator, the jungle’s most avid and ruthless hunter, ran through the forest with precise care. 

Killari halted to a stop with silent ease as she reached the ground nearing the river, where she saw an adult crocodile lying in the sun. 

Don’t even think about it Killari, I hate the taste of crocodile!

Go away then.

Killari blocked Olivia out right away, she would not be distracted or waste this opportunity as she happened upon an easy prey. She walked unhurriedly behind the shrubbery and bushy vegetation sprouting along the trees, approaching the other animal without making a single twig snap under her large paws. She reined in her stalking and stopped just feet away from the crocodile, crouching even lower.

Without a single breath of hesitation, Killari sprang into the air using her powerful hind legs, landing on top of the crocodile. The animal panicked, shifting its body towards the water. But the jaguar was faster, spreading its jaws and crushing the crocodile’s skull with a single monumental bite. 

Killari shook the crocodile from side to side to make sure the animal had passed. When she heard the absence of heartbeat and the animal's strain became limp, she relaxed and began to eat by the edge of the river.

Why couldn’t you choose something different...you literally will eat anything.

I was starving, I haven’t hunted in forever.

It’s only been a few weeks geez.

A sudden rustling behind Killari startled them both. The jaguar instantly turned, backing into the river. 

Another jaguar

I can’t smell them, it's not Rio or Perla.

Killari didn’t feel like fighting or harming a wild jaguar, much less mating with one, their lack of human counterpart made them too unpredictable and unruly.

Ok I’m pretty sure it's a wild jaguar, I’ll just return to camp through the east by crossing the river.

Ok, I have clothes stashed there too.

Kilari backed into the river fully, leaving only her head out as she threaded the easy-going water. She watched the rustling leaves, and when she didn’t see movement, she turned and swam with ease. Jaguars loved the water, avid swimmers that often hunted fish and stalked for prey from it. 

Though nothing followed her, she had the eerie feeling that something watched her swim away.

…

Olivia arranged everything in the wolves’ cabin, she had to go get them soon and she was worried they would laugh at the humble cabin. It was no 5-star hotel, more like a make-shift shack for visitors planning to go into the deep of the jungle. At least it was better than the tents set up for the rest of the protesters, plus the outdoor latrine was closer to their shacks. 

She smiled. She wasn’t that worried. Instead, she anticipated the hilarious reaction of the American wolves, who she assumed were used to comfort and excess at their pack houses. 

“Why is your hair wet?” Tamara wondered out loud, entering the small shack. 

Olivia turned to face her sister and saw she was ready to go.

“Killari decided she wanted to bathe, so we did. I should ask you why are you so dressed up? It’s 80 degrees Tamara you should tone it down a notch.” Olivia looked at her sister up and down and pursed her lips.

“Dressed up?? Jeans and a cute blouse is not dressed up Ms. yoga pants-shorty shorts! You should try harder, you would look stunning.” Tamara frowned and looked at Olivia up and down in the same way her sister had.

“I don’t need additives to look stunning and neither do you. Our beauty is natural, not all the added stuff culture sells you.” Olivia pulled her hair up in a ponytail, more so to annoy Tamara who insisted her hair looked better down. 

“But it's cute to dress up and stuff! Besides, I’m not even wearing make-up.” Tamara huffed and played with her hair.  

“You don’t need make-up, you idiot." Olivia mumbled, looking around the shack one more time. "I think this place will be as ready as it can be. Let’s go.” She walked out, but then stopped in her tracks. Tamara bumped into her. 

“Wait..did you dress up for the Alpha?” Olivia turned slowly, annoyed at the thought for some reason. 

“Maybe? If not the Alpha, the Beta!” Tamara giggled 

“I am warning you one last time Tami. We don’t have time for games, this is serious.” Olivia gave her sister one last hard look and walked out. 

They walked to the rental Olivia had picked up at Ramiro’s request. He insisted the Americans would be more comfortable riding in a private car. Olivia was low-key annoyed that they couldn't just use public transportation, which was cheaper and better for the air.  

The drive there was not very long, but it seemed eternal. Olivia couldn’t hear her own thoughts due to Tamara’s ceaseless chatter.

“What do you think they look like? Do you think they are like those typical hot white guys in movies?” Tamara bit her lip in excitement.

“I’m not sure Tami, but not everyone in America is white” Olivia's face never changed, she honestly could care less how they looked. 

“Mmm do you think they speak Spanish?” Tami asked, her voice climbing to a higher note.

“They don’t, that’s why they need a translator during the meeting with the elders.” Olivia took a fast turn and Tamara's body swayed.

“Oh right, well I can stay by their side too and translate” Tamara was unperturbed by the car's speed. She was too distracted with the other matter.

“Yes that would be helpful” Olivia nodded. She figured she’d need another translator at some point. 

“Wait... Olivia...they are not mated, are they??” 

At this point, the excessive whining in Tamara’s voice should have annoyed Olivia, but she was used to it. “I already told you they aren’t mated Tamara, will you quit with the 100 questions already?”

Tamara fussed some more, but Olivia mostly ignored her. Killari was becoming increasingly agitated in her mind. The jaguar stayed at the surface, constant pacing as they parked the car and walked inside the airport. 

Olivia took the piece of paper with the wolf’s name and stood at the edge of the lobby, it was too crowded near the baggage pick-up area. Tamara continued her small talk, standing next to Olivia. But Olivia wasn’t really listening, Killari constantly scanned the crowd, a cub expecting to see unicorns and fairies. 

Alright, what’s going on? We are in the airport for the Goddess's sake.

Olivia something is happening. I smell something unusual, someone. SOMETHING!!

STOP yelling! It hurts my brain crazy cat.

Olivia looked around, unsure why Killari was acting paranoid. She and the jaguar scanned the room, spotting the two men and recognizing one of them in a single blink. 

It had to be Aiden. He towered over everyone else. Olivia swallowed hard, he was well-built and a sight to her eyes. The sweaty white shirt he wore clung to his body, tracing every chest and arm muscle intricately. He was absolute perfection with his light brown hair and dazzling blue-green eyes, the shadow of facial hair made him ruggedly sexy. 

Olivia's nose flared as she noticed a funny smell, one completely out of place. The scent of rainfall at dawn, a fresh-sweet scent abruptly overwhelming. Olivia took a conscious deep breath, the scent filling her lungs. She savored it as it permeated through her skin and crawled to her soul. The feeling scared her to death. She was never scared.

OUR MATE! 

Killari roared with an ecstasy Olivia had not heard before. 

Do you want to mate with this guy?

NO! He is our mate! our SOUL-mate! 

We don’t have that.

We do now. He is our mate, the Goddess sent him, I know she did.

Stop it Killari, we don't mate for life.

Olivia shut Killari out with all the strength she could gather, even though the wolf's scent was making her feel dizzy. She shook her head at her jaguar’s nonsense. She was no one’s mate, much less that of some Alpha wolf. A WOLF! Olivia thought Killari was either insane, or shocked at the Alpha’s smoking sexiness. 

“Olie are you okay? You froze for a second.” Tamara glanced at her and then at the crowd again. “I see them over there Olie, look! Oh, the one is huge! He must be the Alpha. AWWW look at the other one he is so HOT! OH MY GODDESS LOOK AT HIM! He is adorable!” Tamara began to excitedly wave, hopping in place.

…

Aiden stood surrounded by strangers as he waited for his luggage. He felt completely out of place at the small-town airport. He felt deeply uncomfortable at the realization that the intense humidity would never go away, already filling his body with a thin layer of sweat. 

“I found my suitcase, are you still waiting?” Sam inquired, helping Aiden look for his stuff.

"Right there.” Aiden pulled the suitcase from the belt and faced Sam. “Alright let's head out”.

As they made their way through the airport and reached the arrivals lobby, Aiden began to look, unable to find anyone with a sign.

She’s here, I can feel her

Helios you can’t feel her you don’t even know her. 

She’s here.

“I see the sign. Right there Aiden, to your left across the room." Sam pointed with his chin "Two females, they are...wait WOW.” Sam lost his voice as he gaped at the two women across the room. They were breathtaking. One was quite short but her full legs looked powerful, made for running, an athlete's body. Her expression unfriendly, she was ready to knock someone out or start a fight. Her long wavy black hair was pulled in a ponytail, it matched her enormous black eyes. 

The other one was taller, her short hair was also black, but it was loose and not as wavy. She was slimmer than the other woman, a small delicate nose, caramel eyes, and a wide smile adorned her face. She seemed more approachable as she waved at them eagerly, cute little jumps that matched her swaying arm. Sam waved back with a smile. 

“I see them…” Aiden trailed off as he walked towards them, unsure as to why he was so nervous. Yes, the girls were beautiful, but they encountered beautiful females daily. 

Helios wouldn’t stop galloping like a f*****g horse in his mind

Smell her. Can you smell her yet? I can’t smell her, walk faster Aiden! I need to smell her scent, will you move?

We should be able to smell her now. I’m not sure why but I can’t. 

Sam had stopped talking, and he seemed in a trance as he looked at the women. 

Wait, who is he looking at? Is he looking at her? Why is he looking at her like that? Tell him to STOP!

With that, an uncontrolled growl escaped Aiden’s lips, making Sam turn to face him instantly.

“What’s wrong Alpha?” Sam looked around before realizing that the growl was directed at him. 

“Why are you looking at her like that?” Aiden said, iron in his voice.

“I-I think she is pretty”

Aiden stopped walking and grabbed Sam’s arm, jerking him closer to him.

“Who? She is MY translator Sam. MINE.” 

Sam looked at Aiden, astonished at the out-of-character reaction at something so trivial. They talked about pretty girls all the time.

When Aiden saw Sam’s shocked face, he came back down to earth and realized he was acting like a maniac. He cleared his throat and relaxed his straining face. 

“Sorry Sam, I am just tired. I mean yeah she’s pretty. She is like two heads shorter than me.” Aiden forced a chuckle, resuming his walking.

“Yea she is, but I was actually looking at the taller one, she’s more of my type,” Sam said with obvious relief in his voice, he was glad they weren’t staring at the same girl. That would’ve been a disaster for him. 

“AHHH okay. Yep, she seems more your type, bubbly and enthusiastic.” Aiden mocked him in a hushed tone as they approached the women. 

His eyes locked with the smaller woman, she seemed in charge. “Good afternoon, I am Aiden Conley. This is Samuel Moore my Beta. Are you Olivia?”

He extended his hand, expecting a handshake, but the tiny scary woman stared at him while the other one giggled. 

Why can’t I smell her scent? 

*FLASHBACK Olivia, 13 years old* 

Olivia sat on the toilet staring down at the dark bloodstain in her underwear. She knew it was her period, but she was not sure where she could find a proper pad or what to do with her underwear. She pulled her pants up and walked out. 

She hated to do this, but she needed her mother. “Mami?? Maaaami???” she said softly as she approached her mother's room. 

“WHAT DO YOU WANT OLIVIA?” Olivia winced at the screech but still walked inside the bedroom. Her mother sat in bed, sowing a holed t-shirt. “Mami..I got my period…”. 

Olivia’s mom, Sandra, looked up and stared into Olivia’s eyes for what seemed like an eternity. “That’s just great isn’t it?" Sandra's sarcasm filled the room and her eyes went back to the t-shirt. "Grab the small round pills from the second drawer in my nightstand..." Sandra let a hissing breath out and talked in between clenched teeth "And DO NOT f**k around, do you understand me?” 

Olivia knew all about s*x, she heard it all the time when her mother brought a new guy to the house. She didn’t necessarily understand the way it fully worked, but she of course knew that’s how cubs were made. She opened the drawer and grabbed a small bottle full of pills 

“Mami what’s this? I just need a pad?”. 

Sandra was visibly annoyed. “Listen Olivia, with your menstruation comes the release of your scent, and we do not need any disgusting males buzzing around you. The male jaguars can now smell you a mile away. So please swallow the pill once a month to block your scent and DO NOT release it on purpose. There are pads in the last drawer of the bathroom’s wall cabinet” 

Olivia seemed confused, she thought her mother liked the males and she didn’t understand how she could release her scent if she was taking a pill to block it. 

“Okay mami.” she mumbled, staring at the floor and walking back to the bathroom. She swallowed the pill in a single gulp. 

*end FLASHBACK*

 When Olivia finally shook Aiden’s hand her own hand tingled all the way up to her elbow. She forced a polite smile and pulled her hand away from his quickly. He looked at her intently, his ocean-blue eyes tried to decipher something as his nostrils flared with every breath he took. 

"Yes, that will be me. This is my sister Tamara. It's nice to meet you."

Is he trying to smell me?!

Let him!!