Fighting For My Mate (18+)

Chapter 3

Christa POV

     As I looked into his eyes, I started feeling things that I have never felt before, and I just couldn’t explain it. It scared me so much that I ran away from him! I ran back into the back room that I was working in that is closed off to the library and shut the door. 

     Why did I run away? “Ugh, I’m such an i***t. Why would I do something like that? I didn’t even get his name, and now I’ll never see him again! I’m so stupid, stupid, stupid!” I said while repeatedly facepalming my forehead. I stood in the room pacing, reprimanding myself for being a coward. 

     I don’t understand what happened, though. These feelings I have are intense, and I just bumped into him for a second that can’t be healthy? NO, it isn’t normal, it can’t be. Susan comes over and quietly knocks on the door,

“Christa? Are you doing ok in there? It sounded like you were talking to someone.” 

”I’m ok; I was just talking out loud.” I say, embarrassed.  

     After I was able to calm down, I went back to work for the rest of the day. Once my shift was over, Pete waited out front to pick me up to take me home. As I got into the car, Pete asked, 

”How was your first day of work?” 

”It was fun, I really enjoyed being able to work with books! I can’t wait until I can start doing more, though!” 

”Did you meet anyone new?” 

     As soon as he asked me that my mind immediately went to the guy I ran into outside, and my heart began racing; I got nervous that my brother knew about it! 

”Uhhh, what do you mean?” 

”Did you meet anyone new at the library on your first day?” 

I start fidgeting and stare out the window straight ahead. 

”Hey, are you ok?” 

”Oh yeah, I’m good! It was just a new experience with a lot to learn, so I’m just a bit tired, but I met Susan. She was the one who trained me today but I really just stayed in the back and didn’t interact with anyone at the library. Hopefully, once I’m done training, I’ll be able to interact more with customers!” 

”Well Good. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself on your first day!” 

I felt relieved he didn’t somehow know about the incident. 

     When we pulled into the driveway, I saw a familiar car parked in front of the house, and my stomach dropped. I felt a sense of dread immediately! 

”When did Monika get home?” 

“She got home earlier this afternoon.” 

“I thought she wasn’t supposed to be back until next month?” 

“She was able to finish much earlier than planned and got to come home early!” 

“Oh, great.” 

    I faked being excited to my brother so he wouldn’t figure out how I really felt! In reality, I knew she hated me, and she merely tolerated me because I was her mate's sister, so she was stuck with me! She pretended that we were besties around my brothers, but when it’s just the two of us, she becomes horrid to me! She will call me names; if I’m in her way in the kitchen, she will shove me out of the way or grab my arm hard and jerk me around, sometimes leaving bruises I have to hide. So, when I am alone in the house with her, I reside in my room and just stick to myself and stay out of her way! It’s just easier that way. I don’t want Pete to know what she does and how she treats me because she’s his mate and for werewolves you only have one true mate, and that’s it. And for those who lose their mates, there is a chance their wolves can go out of control, and they can become Rogues, which is the last thing I wish for my brother. If he found out what she does to me, he wouldn’t tolerate it, and he would get rid of her, mate or not. It would hurt him deeply and I can’t even imagine hurting him that way, so I put up with her and avoid her the best I can. 

     When we walk into the house, I see Monika in the kitchen making dinner. When Pete isn’t looking she glares at me and when Pete turns around, she all of a sudden has the perfect smile!

“Hi honey, I’m so happy you’re home! And look at you looking so handsome!” She says as she walks over to Pete putting her perfectly manicured nails over his chest rubbing on him. He takes her by the waist, brings her close to him, and practically starts making out with her. I took that as my cue to run upstairs to my room and set my stuff down. I got dressed into my pajamas for the evening and grabbed one of my favorite books, walked over to my window seat, and curled up into it to start reading. About an hour later Pete calls to let me know dinner is ready. I hate eating dinner with them while Monika is around, so I opt to take my food back to my room. When I walk into the kitchen, Monika immediately stops me. She pulls me aside so that my Pete can’t hear, 

“Hey, so I heard you’re finally carrying your weight around here and have decided to stop being a lazy little human!” 

”I’m not lazy and Pete didn’t give me much of a choice, you know that.”   

     Monika got so angry she began to lift her hand to slap my face until Pete walked in and instead caught herself and quickly pulled me into a rough hug, playing it off. 

“I’m so thrilled to see my little sister! Why don’t you have supper with us instead of staying cooped up in that room of yours! We have so much to catch up on!”

“No, thanks, I’m perfectly happy being in my room. Plus, I’m sure you two want some alone time.”

“Nonsense, Christa, you can join us for dinner tonight! You can tell Monika all about your new job!” Pete said. I silently cringe and wish I never came back down to grab my food in the first place.

“Ok, I guess I’ll eat dinner with you guys tonight.” 

     We all sat down at the table to eat, and Monika immediately began talking about her work when she was in Europe and how successful she had made the company by getting these new big clients on board and how she is up for a promotion blah blah blah! I try hard not to roll my eyes because it’s a regular thing with her over and over! 

”Oh did you hear that Alpha Eli’s father has chosen a mate for him! He went behind his back to ally with the Blood Moon pack. He’s going to mate with Eliza, Alpha Michael’s daughter. Apparently, her reputation precedes her! She begged her “daddy” to set her up with Alpha Eli, and she always gets what she wants! So make sure you stay away from her because she will try and seduce every good looking guy, mated or not.”

”Don’t worry sweetheart, no one else could ever catch my eye like you do.” 

I do my best not to gag. 

     After she finishes talking about things I couldn’t care less about, she gets quiet and looks over at me, and I do my best to keep my eyes down and continue eating, so I don’t draw attention to myself, but no such luck. She gives me her fake smile. Suddenly, she clears her throat, forcing me to raise my eyes to her to make eye contact, and she asks, 

”So, I heard you got a job at the library and today was your first day! How did it go?” 

”It went fine. What can I say? It was my first day!” 

“I’m surprised you didn’t have one of your little freakouts and quit on the spot!” 

     My heart stops at that because I did, in fact, freak out, but not for the reason she thinks. But it still pisses me off when she tries to talk down to me. 

”I can handle myself, Monika; I’m not going to panic on my first day! I’m not as pathetic as you think I am!” 

”Now, now girls, let’s not get into it tonight, will you? Monika just got home; why don’t we enjoy ourselves?” Pete says in order to keep things from escalating. 

”You know what. I think I’ve lost my appetite. You two enjoy yourselves. I’m going to bed.” 

     I quickly grab my plate and take it to the kitchen before heading upstairs to my room without another word! I know Monika says crap on purpose just to piss me off to get a rise out of me and make me look bad, and I try my best not to fall into her traps, but there’s only so much of her crap I can take! And anyway, I have another early day tomorrow, and I have to get ready for my second day of work at the library.    

     After I take my shower, I get into my favorite pajamas and climb into bed. As I lie there trying to fall asleep, my head races about the guy I ran into today. I can’t seem to stop thinking about him and I can still smell him! He smelled like Pinewood and fresh rain! And his voice! His deep, chocolaty voice gave me chills up and down my spine. I have never in my life seen anyone as handsome as him! He looked like a GQ model. 

     My mind began going to places that make my stomach grow warm, I feel like I have a bunch of butterflies fluttering deep in my belly. Feeling his hard chest, he was definitely in fantastic shape if I had to guess he definitely had an eight pack and his arms were huge! It felt amazing when he wrapped his arms around my waist; my body started tingling in places I didn’t realize could tingle. I couldn't stop thinking about him. I kept thinking about how his lips would feel against mine. How his fingers felt when he caressed my arms. My thoughts began to go further, and I caught myself! What the heck am I doing? I immediately stop what I’m thinking. What in the world is wrong with me? I don’t even know who this guy is, and I’m thinking about him in inappropriate ways! I take a deep breath and try to clear my mind and fall asleep! 

    The next morning, I felt a little less nervous, and I was hoping I would get to do more today at work. After I get ready for the day, I hop into Pete’s car; he drives me to work. 

”I won’t be able to pick you up today after you get off. Will you be ok, walking home today?” 

”Of course! It’s only a mile! It’s no big deal!” 

“Ok, if you have any issues, just call me, and I’ll get someone to come to pick you up. Chase won’t be home from his tour until next week.” 

“Ok, will do! Love you.” I give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Love you too.” 

     I get out of the car and head inside the library. As I walk further into the library, I see Susan sitting at the desk on the computer. 

”Hi Susan, how are you this morning?” 

“Oh honey, I’m doing just fine! Are you ready to start your second day? How are you feeling about everything so far?” 

“I’m feeling great. I can’t wait to be able to do more today!” 

“Good because today you’ll be going around the library and putting the books you organized yesterday and put them in their assigned areas.” 

“Ok great! I’m ready.”

     Susan took me around the isles for the first few books and showed me how to find the assigned areas and how to move the ladders over to get to the higher shelves! I have to admit I am a bit nervous about having to climb ladders! If Pete ever found out, he would absolutely not let me work here just for that reason! But it’s part of the job, and I have agreed to do it, so there is no turning back now. After Susan is done showing me what to do, she leaves me alone to go on by myself and gets back to doing her own work. 

     I start getting into my groove and I find it really relaxing to be putting the books in their rightful places. 

     Later in the day, I am almost done with putting the books away, and the last few books are on the higher shelves where I have to climb the ladder. I have a few books in my arm as I start going up to put them away. Once I finish I start climbing down the ladder when my foot catches, and I start falling off. I squeeze my eyes closed knowing that it’s going to hurt really bad when I hit the ground and that I am definitely going to have some broken bones, and Pete will never let me work ever again after this! But the pain never comes! 

     I never even reach the ground! I slowly open one eye and the other, and I find myself in the arms of the handsome stranger I had accidentally run into yesterday. He caught me from my fall and saved me! And now here I am in his arms! Oh my goodness, I’m in his arms! 

     Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever see him again, and now here I am in his arms, but where in the world did he come from? What was he doing here?  Wait, how did he know I was here?