A Warriors Charmed Mate

Ch. 2 The Meeting

-EMMETT

“That was the longest strategy meeting on my life!” I complained to Beta John as we were driving home from the 3rd meeting this month.

“Emmett, you know why Alpha wants these meetings, its best not to complain about them.” Beta John scolded me.

He is not wrong; I get Alpha Reeds point about why he wants to make sure all of the surrounding packs are well equipped and prepared in case of a rouge attack. The rouge sightings have grown astronomically in the last 6 months, and people need to be prepared. Of course, alpha has his reasons for wanting everyone prepared. He hated rogues, deep hatred. His little sister was killed by rogues when he was a kid. He never fully recovered from that.

Our warriors are faster, stronger, and extensively trained to make sure that no rogue harms our people again. After making sure that our pack was one of the strongest in the NW region, Alpha began to branch out, to make sure that those around us were safe as well. I guess I should be happy our alpha is so kind hearted and determined. However, being his top warrior, I find my time should be better served training, not attending these blasted meetings. My skin crawls the longer I sit still.

“Anyone hungry, wanna stop and get food before we get home? We have about another hour before we get home, and I know this corky café just up here that you guys will get a kick out of.” I don’t even think it was a question needing answering, because as Beta John asked, he was already pulling off of the road to home and headed towards whatever café he was purposing.

“Great, humans, yay” I commented under my breath sarcastically.

“Don’t start Emmett, I’m hungry and the food is great.” Beta John demanded.

Its not that I have anything against humans per-say. But I just find them a very simple-minded species. Being a werewolf comes with much more than speed, strength and the ability to turn into a gumbo-sized wolf. We also age much slower than humans, giving us more time to expand our minds. The average human only goes to the 12 years of required education. In our culture, required education lasts 25 years. Some of the smartest scientists, doctors, and lawyers in the human world are actually werewolves. I bet they would s**t bricks if they knew 75% of their leaders were supernatural. But of course, the secret must remain, as they cannot handle the fact that something other than them exists. They become far too wild and violent. So, we keep our secret, even if humans were to disappear tomorrow, I really couldn’t care less. Its not like they really have given anything of value to the world.

As we pulled up to the café, my control of the beast side of me began to slip, my wolf was pacing in my head. Something was going to happen, I just knew it.

“UH, I don’t really think I want to eat here,” I tried to deter everyone from going in.

“Don’t be like that Em, we are hungry and you are the only one with a weird resentment for humans. Now come on.” Gamma Eric joked, pushing me in front of him. Just as we got to the door, Alpha pulls up on his motorcycle, always preferring not to be contained by a vehicle.

“Why are we coming here fellas?” Alpha asks just as my stomach lets out a loud growl.

“OH, makes sense, proceed, I'm hungry too.” And with that we piled into the the weirdest café I had ever seen. It looked like the supernatural show and the Harry Potter books had a baby and it exploded inside that building. Nothing on the walls that were trying to seem supernatural were correct, everything was so Hollywood. It was the biggest oxymoron I've ever seen, considering it's an hour outside of an actual werewolf pack. Who would think any of this was accurate? See, simple-minded humans.

““Welcome to ‘Ritas mystical café’. Go ahead and take a seat anywhere and I’ll be right with you.” My head turned to the source of that voice so fast I could have broken my neck. The voice was angelic and had me wanting to swoop up the source and hide it from everyone else. As I found her, my skin began to ich. Every part of me was trying to go to her, to make her turn around and look at me. But I couldn’t do that, this was a human establishment and if I allowed my body the control it was seeking, it would be my wolf side that reacted.

“Coming Em?” Beta John asked from a booth just off to my left.

“Oh, uh yea, my bad, I thought I saw something.” I tried to cover up the fact that I was barely in control of myself.

I was watching her back, the owner of the angelic voice, as she was waiting on the family at the other end of the café. Hoping that when she turned around, I could look her in her face and maybe get the answer I think I’m going to find. But as she turned around, she kept her head down, looking at her pad she took orders from.

As she got closer, the smell coming off her was intoxicating. It smelled like jasmine and pine, the perfect mixture that had my head spinning and my wolf wanting to emerge and grab on to the source of the smell. She stopped in front of our table and finally looked up and everything I was or would think left my mind. She was beautiful, long brown hair with long curls, bright grey eyes that looked like diamonds and a mouth that needed to be licked. It's her, the woman meant for me, the one created specifically for me by the moon goddess, my mate.

“Mine,” I growled under my breath, hoping not to spook her, because she was clearly human. But surprisingly, she heard me. Or I think she did, because she looked at me, head titled to the side, full of curiosity.

“Hierium.. um, I'm sorry, that wasn’t English, let me try that again.” There was her angelic voice again, low and soft. And that comment, cute as hell. I couldn’t find my words, I just kept watching her, fascinated by her every movement. Knowing all to well that I may be coming off as a creep but I couldn’t stop myself. Beta John asked for a minute, and coffee for us all, and even though I wanted to input something else, I couldn’t find my words.

After she walked away, the guys all faced me with a knowing look on their faces. I just knew I was about to get an earful, because, of course, I had to find my mate in a human. Me, of all people, would find their one true love to be a freaking human. But even though I used to say I would reject my mate if she were ever human, I knew damn well I was eating my words now. Because she is and will always be MINE.

“Well well well, look who found his mate,” Gamma Eric teased. Out of the four of us, I was the only one to have not found my mate. Alpha has known his mate Luna Cynthia since they were kids. We all knew they were mates, even before their 18th birthday. Beta John and Gamma Eric’s mates are twin sisters from the neighboring pack to the far east. We attended their new Alphas' ceremony, and that’s where we met Sasha and Sandra. So, out of the hierarchy of our pack, I was the only one who had not found their mate, until now that is.

“Don’t tease him Eric, you know this must be hard for him, she’s a human, you know how he feels about humans, he’s going to end up rejecting her.” Alpha commented with a shrug of his shoulders. Without hesitation, I let out the deepest growl I could. Of course, only gamma Eric flinched. Noticing my mistake, I quickly turned and bowed my head to Alpha, “ I am sorry alpha, I meant no disrespect.”

“It is ok Emmett, I understand, given the circumstances, but do not let it happen again.” Alpha plainly stated.

“Yes alpha, but to clarify, I do not see myself rejecting her. I understand she is human, but there is something more. Can you not smell it?” I asked, sniffing the air. She smelled beautiful. Apart from the smell of jasmine and pine, there was a faint smell of spice. Humans never smell spicy; they smell muggy usually. It is faint but it is there. At the same time, I smelled the air. My three closest friends began to sniff as well.

“Spicey!” They all stated in unison.

“But it is faint,” stated the Alpha.

“It is still there, she must not know of her gifts,” Beta John thought as he looked off in the direction she walked. I knew he was trying to access the situation, see if he could sense any unknown supernatural’s in the area. His father was part fae and had the strongest tracking skills because he could sense all the supernaturals in a 150-mile radius. Beta John inherited this gift; however, it was diluted a little, he could only sense up to 75 miles out, give or take. “HMMM.”

“What is it John?” Alpha Reed asked, leaning in so we could discuss quietly.

“There is something there, but it is very faint, almost like it’s been concealed,” Beta John replied with a frown. “But I have not come across a concealed creature in years, she may not even know her powers are hidden away, from the vibe I’m getting.”

“Concealed?” I asked, leaning in closer, but before Beta John could respond, another woman approached us.

"Here are your drinks gentleman, are we ready to order?” she asked with a sticky sweet smile.

“What happened to our original waitress?” I asked a little too abruptly.

“Oh, I apologize, Amelia was due for her break before y’all came in here, but I can take over, so what can I do for ya?” She asked again with a little more authority in her voice.

“We are fine with waiting for our original waitress if you do not mind.” I was hoping she would take the hint and walk away, but it did not work.

“That seems a little inconvenient, I am more than capable of taking your order, I do own the place,” she stated, slightly offended.

“Well, we are not ready, and prefer our original waitress,” Alpha spoke, his aura coming off strongly for a moment, and even though she was human, it still caused her to bow her head slightly.

“If you insist,” she mumbled as she walked away.

“Humans,” I said quietly, shaking my head.

“Really?” they all say in unison.

“What?” I asked, but it took one look at their identical expressions to understand. “Shut up, we just established she’s not fully human, give me a break, this is new for me.” I slouched down a little, ignoring the looks.

I didn’t say anything after that, just listened to the Alpha and Beta discuss minor things about the meeting we just left. Just as my stomach growled loudly, I caught that mouth watering sent which could only mean one thing.

“Sorry for the wait, what can I get for you?” Came her heavenly voice as she walked up to our table. I wanted to look into those beautiful grey eyes again, but it was as if she was avoiding my gaze. I had to keep reminding myself that she did not understand our bond, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t try.

“I waited this long, I figured a couple minutes more wouldn’t hurt,” I said before I could stop myself, earning a kick under the table from Beta John.

“I am so sorry, but I was due for my break, and had to make an important call, but Rita was more then willing to take your orders.” She said with a slight attitude in her voice. MMmm what I could do to punish that smart mouth. My wolf started playing scenes in my head of just that. Luckily, Alpha spoke before I could fit my foot even further in my mouth.

“That is definitely not what he meant. Now, I think we will all just take the burger meals, all rare, and an extra basket of fries for the table please.”

“I will have that right out for you,” She said through clenched teeth and spun on her heels to leave, but I could not let this conversation end this way, especially if I wanted another. So I stood up and reached out for her wrist, turning her towards me. Unfortunately, she flinched at my touch, but I saw it in her eyes, she felt something.

“I am sorry, I just wanted to apologize,” I said softly, releasing my hold on her wrist. “ I think I came off as rude, and it was not my intention. My name is Emmett, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I introduced myself, offering my head out to shake hers. Any reason to touch her again, hoping to get another glimpse that she felt that spark. The bond snapped into place the second we made eye contact. She was mine, just as much as I was now hers.

Instead of taking my hand as I had hoped, she just looked at it, then at me before quickly turning and leaving behind that retched door. Leaving me there stunned, this woman has some serious spunk. Goddess that’s hot. But leave it to my 3 best friends to ruin it for me.

“I… cannot…believe…this,” Gamma Eric said between fits of laughter. “Mr. I don’t take crap from no one but Alpha, was just silenced by a girl, a HUMAN girl.” They were all laughing, even Alpha let out a chuckle or two at my expense.

“Don’t make me call your mates and tell them what your making fun of me for and see how you fair out.” This, of course, got them all to stop laughing instantly, shaking their heads in unison. “You had better not do no such thing, or ill kick your ass,” Alpha growled. There is nothing on this planet I have seen Alpha fear, except for his Luna.