Warrior's human mate

Chapter 21

James

We wandered through Red Rocks Park until a winding path led us up a hill. At the top, we had a view of the amphitheater nestled between two massive, red cliffs. Laila took in the sight, her eyes scanning the unique rock formations.

"This is… quite unique," she murmured, nodding in approval.

Then, after a brief pause, she added, "And a very clever idea to build an amphitheater here."

She turned her head, studying the rugged cliffs as if trying to decode their story.

"So, what’s the history behind this?" she asked, tilting her head. "It looks like… an earthquake split the land apart?"

Her gaze shifted to me, eyes filled with curiosity, waiting for an answer.

"Well…" I began, leaning slightly toward her. "A long, long time ago, there was a sea here. When it dried up, it left behind a mountain, which was eventually eroded. Then, tectonic activity—specifically orogeny—caused the land to uplift and tilt the rocks into this angle."

She turned back to the view, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"That’s fascinating," she said, nodding appreciatively.

Something inside me swelled with pride—my wolf and I both stood a little taller. Laila rarely handed out compliments, so even this small acknowledgment made me feel like I’d just conquered the world.

"And I’m impressed that you actually know that," she added, looking at me pointedly.

I grinned. "What? You think I’m d.umb?"

She chuckled, shaking her head.

"Honestly?" she teased. "I just wasn’t expecting a geology lesson."

I shrugged, trying to play it cool, though inwardly, I was relieved I’d paid attention to at least some of my school lessons.

"We covered it in school," I admitted.

"Yeah, but you could’ve just as easily ignored that lesson or forgotten it," she countered, her serious expression betraying just a hint of amusement.

I shrugged again, keeping my face neutral, but inside, I felt like I’d passed some sort of secret test. No matter what our situation was, Laila was my girl. And I was ready to do anything to impress her.

"Did you have good grades?" she asked.

"Average," I admitted. Then, with a smirk, I added, "But I excelled in sports." I made sure to drop my voice just enough to suggest… other areas of expertise.

"Of course, you did."

She rolled her eyes playfully, but her smile was bright.

I decided to keep the momentum going. "Wanna know another fun fact about this place?"

She turned to me, intrigued. "Shoot!"

I grinned. " Under our feet is an active volcano."

Her head snapped toward me, eyes wide.

" For real?" she gasped. In her rush to face me, her hair whipped across her face, and she quickly pushed it back.

"Yup," I confirmed, exaggerating the ‘p’ for dramatic effect. The pure shock on her face sent a rush of satisfaction through me. If I hadn’t known better, I would’ve believed I personally created the damn volcano just for this moment.

"No way!"

She glanced down at the ground beneath her, then did a full 360-degree turn, scanning the area as if expecting to see smoke rising from cracks in the earth. When she looked back at me, her eyes were practically glowing with excitement.

"So, you’re telling me if an earthquake hit, then lava would start spewing everywhere?"

The pure, childlike joy in her expression made my chest tighten.

"Well… technically, yeah," I said with a shrug. "But no one knows when it’ll wake up again."

"This is so cool!" she practically squealed. "I’ve always wanted to see a volcano, and now I’m standing on one! So cool!"

If my chest had been a balloon, I would’ve burst right then and there. Da.mn. I needed more facts—any facts—just to get that reaction from her again.

But, of course, my knowledge had run dry.

Should’ve studied more. Should’ve prepared for this moment. How was I supposed to know I’d need to impress my mate with volcano trivia? All my life, I thought my mate would be a werewolf. Someone who instinctively knew what we were, who felt the pull of the bond just as strongly as I did.

Instead, for the past month, I’d been blindsided over and over again, learning something new about her every day.

Laila turned toward the amphitheater stage, her steps slow as she descended over the massive stone steps. I walked beside her. At the lower end, she stopped and sat down, leaning her elbows against the step behind her.

I sat beside her, shifting to face her instead of the view. She met my gaze with a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Sooo…" she dragged out the word, her eyes dancing with something unreadable.

I squinted slightly, trying to anticipate her next move. She always caught me off guard.

"So?" I prompted.

She tilted her head, mischief flickering in her eyes.

"I heard there’s a performance happening here today," she said, that teasing lilt in her voice making me instantly suspicious.

"You did?" I asked, genuinely surprised. I hadn’t checked any schedules. Would she want to stay for a concert?

"Yeah," she continued, struggling to keep a straight face. "I saw a poster at the entrance."

Something about her expression told me there was more.

"It said James Montgomery would be performing."

She wiggled her eyebrows theatrically. I chuckled, shaking my head and looking at my hands. This girl…

"Unfortunately," I sighed dramatically looking her in the eyes again, "the performance has been canceled."

She gasped. "Oh, come on! This is a perfect stage!"

I smirked. "Well… the crew got stuck on the road. Some kind of… engine malfunction. Very unfortunate night for the band."

She narrowed her eyes. "I think James is talented enough to give a solo performance."

Was she mocking me?

"Maybe another night," I dodged her pressure smoothly.

"I challenge you, James!"

She threw it down like a gauntlet, and I immediately knew I was screwed. She knew how to get me to react, knew exactly what buttons to press to make me move. Meanwhile, I couldn’t even predict what she’d say next.

"If you perform, then I’ll perform," she added, raising the stakes.

"The winner gets… something."

I straightened. "If I win, I get to kiss you." Of course, I will always accept a challenge. Even if I have a slim chance of winning.

"No."

She shot me down instantly, frowning. "Everything can’t be about that."

"Fine," I countered. "Then I get to sleep at your place."

Her frown deepened, taken aback. There were so many things I wanted to do with her that I could easily make a long list and go through them one by one. Maybe I should challenge her to check something off the list every day.

"Relax," I added before she could protest. "I’ll sleep on your couch."

I wasn’t about to explain how torturous it was to sleep without her scent near me. How the mate bond made nights the worst part of my day.

Laila squinted at me. "Just sleep on my couch? Is this your way of sneaking into my bedroom?"

I chuckled. "No. I just haven’t slept well in weeks. I'm sure that sleeping at your place would help me get some rest," I said honestly. She studied me, clearly confused, but didn’t argue.

"Big guy like you, sleeping on a small couch like mine? Is that really the trick to improving your sleep quality? That doesn't make sense!" she exclaimed, surprised. Yes, to her, it didn’t. She didn’t understand the bond. Hell, she didn’t know anything about it yet.

"Don't worry, just trust me," I tried to brush her off.

"What happens if you win?" I asked, trying to shift her focus. Her face softened.

"Hmm..." she hummed while thinking.

"I get to spend a week without you," she said with a grin.

"Come on, why does that sound like a punishment to me?" I asked grumpily. That didn’t seem fair.

"Okay... then you..." She looked at me, pondering.

"You cook dinner for me."

I considered it.

"Deal."

I could handle that, right? I hadn’t spent much time in the kitchen unless I was eating, but cooking wasn’t that hard, all I needed was a solid recipe. I could even watch some cooking shows and pick up a few tricks for better flavor. Great, I had a plan B. Now, I just needed to make sure I was the one winning.

"So who decides the winner?" I asked.

She glanced around. " Well, here are some people, so whoever gets the most cheers wins."

"Alright. Let’s do this."

I jumped to my feet. This was probably a great moment to give myself a pep talk. Slowly, I started making my way toward the stage, thinking fast. Okay, so what could I do? Should I claim to be a magician and transform into a wolf? Well, there were people here, someone might film it, post it on You.Tube, and then the werewolf community would get exposed. No, I couldn’t risk that.

Okay, what else? Singing? No. Dancing? Maybe but I wasn’t a solo guy. All my life, I had focused on training my body. Should I show off some fighting moves? Call a volunteer? I considered it until an idea struck me. Well, that could work! I needed to get loads of cheers!

I pulled out my phone and started searching for a background song to add to my performance. Reaching the stage, I stepped into the center and faced the small crowd, meeting their curious gazes. I locked eyes with Laila, who had a small smile tugging at the left corner of her lips.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!" I announced. "A beautiful lady challenged me to perform tonight on this stage, so tonight, you get a once-in-a-lifetime, free performance from me. My name is James, and I hope to hear a lot of cheers!"

Some girls cheered and clapped instantly. My looks are coming in handy again.

"So enjoy the show!" I added with a bright smile.

"But please… don’t call the cops." Laughter rippled through the crowd. Time to put on a show.

Laila

I knew exactly what he was about to do the moment the first notes blared from his phone speakers. My cheeks flushed—internally. I don’t blush, remember? But a heatwave surged from my chest all the way to the top of my head. Oh. My. God! I felt a mix of embarrassment for him, and yet, I was way too excited to see what kind of show he was about to put on.

Keep a poker face, girl! I forced a half-smile as he locked eyes with me, making me feel like I was watching a private show. The rest of the theater, the people—they all faded from my peripheral vision. I began to experience tunnel vision. And at the other end of that tunnel, stood one hell of a se.xy specimen. D.amn! Why do I already feel like my joke is backfiring on me? Again!

I wasn’t the only one who immediately understood what he was about to do when the song started. Other girls were already cheering, some even screaming. He swayed his hips and shoulders, slowly unzipping his leather jacket to the beat of "You Can Leave Your Hat On." He peeled it off his arms, never breaking eye contact with me.

It was a chilly yet sunny day, but I guess this guy was never cold. He always wore just a t-shirt under that jacket, which was usually open. Sometimes it just lay on the back of his seat, untouched, while he hopped out of the car in nothing but a tee.

As the jacket dropped to the ground, his bulky arms came into full view. I had the perfect opportunity to take in every detail, though I usually tried to avoid staring at him. I’d always quickly checked him out, focusing only on his face. Why? If I had the chance to be near someone as hot as James, I should enjoy it fully, right? Feast my eyes on that body. But I was too much of a chicken. I was afraid that if I looked too long, my body would betray me, and I’d jump him before he even said "hi." So, I did my best to pretend not to notice his body. But now? Now, he couldn’t tell whether I was looking into his eyes or at his ripped muscles.

As I constantly dodged his advances, I couldn’t let him know that I was the least bit attracted to him. Even if we went on a date. Even if we kissed. Butterflies erupted in my stomach, and I grew more turned on just recalling that kiss.

He se.xily tugged his shirt up to his chest, teasing and revealing just his abs. The other girls were loving it, their desperate screams filling the air. He grabbed the sides of his shirt and slowly pulled it up, swaying to the rhythm. Then, with one swift motion, he whipped it off and swung it overhead. The screams and cheers grew louder, echoing through the acoustics of the place.

My eyes trailed from his arms over his chest, finally resting on his Adonis belt. What impressive muscles he had! Oh boy, the heat in my body stirred. Just looking at this guy is making me cream. What the hell is wrong with me? I haven't had s**x for way too long, right? Who am I kidding? I’ve never been with a guy who had such a ripped body. I get that he trains a lot, but is this even normal? All I remember is hearing guys talk about how a body like this only happens if you eat lettuce for two weeks and stop drinking water for almost a week. Only then would muscles pop out like this.

He turned his back and rolled his ass. Then he placed his hands behind his head, and all the muscles in his back were on full display. The girls kept cheering and screaming. He looked d.amn incredible. But how much do you have to train to have your entire back covered in muscles like that? My lady bits started to pulsate. And all of this was happening while I was just watching him from afar. How am I ever going to forget these images?

He kicked off his shoes with his feet, holding his pants up with his arms in a se.xy cowboy-style manner. Then, he began to slowly lower them, bending his body in half to cover his boxers. Saving the "good stuff" for later? I mused.

I couldn’t help but wonder how many times he’d done this in front of a girl. His moves were deliberate, calculated. He stood tall and rolled his hips, and by now, the girls were practically losing their voices. Then, with slow, deliberate steps, he eased out of his trousers. My eyes trailed over his legs—how much training did it take to have legs like that? His body was insanely muscular. My gaze drifted lower, settling on his manhood. His boxers didn’t leave much to the imagination. His pe.nis wasn't erect, but it was visibly big. Maan, most of the guys have this big co.ck only with an er.ection. I can just wonder how big...

I cut my thoughts short and pressed my thighs together, trying to stop the pulse of heat, but who was I kidding? I was so turned on by his performance. I absolutely loved his body. I couldn't help but imagine those muscular arms lifting me up by my a.ss and press me against a wall and take me hard!

What? I shook my head inwardly. Where were these thoughts even coming from? Did I even like it rough? My boyfriends had never been strong enough to pull off something like that, but James definitely was. And here I was, sitting there, suddenly craving it like a madwoman.

Why did I challenge him again if it's all backfiring on me? Am I stu.pid? Am I just provoking this instead of cooling things down? I mentally shook my head, feeling lost and confused. Why couldn’t he be ugly? I tried to imagine him with a fat, hairy body, but my mind betrayed me. All I could see was a handsome, strong guy with perfectly sculpted muscles. My primitive instincts found him so irresistible, I swear my brain wanted to make babies with him. What is it about our ancient instincts that drives us to choose the strongest, the best from the gene pool, and just go for it?

He did all the se.xy moves and rolls of the hips. Then he turned his back again and peeled off the boxers from one of the a.ss cheeks like a sneak peek. The high-pitched scream from one girl was annoying me. But I had to agree - that was one fine booty. He pulled the boxer back up and did the same with the other cheek. Even his butt was one big muscle. It wasn't soft, I bet it was rock hard. I wanted to bite that bum real hard, then lick him north to south. And then have a wild and crazy s**x with him as a cherry on the top. I shook my head mentally again, but my brain was a frizzy mess that only wanted one thing at this point.

The song ended with him swaying se.xily to the beat. He flashed a smile and gave an exaggerated bow as several women jumped up, clapping, cheering, and screaming in response to his performance.

James

I wanted to be like Magic Mike, but who was I kidding? I’d never done anything like this before. If my pack members saw this, I'd never hear the end of it. But some girls screamed like crazy. Still, all I cared about was putting on a great show for my mate. Laila watched me with that half-smile, as though I was performing some silly dance. She didn’t cheer for me or show any approval. I wanted to see lust and hunger in her eyes, but I didn’t. Maybe I was too far from her to notice those subtle details.

When I finished and started walking up the steps toward Laila, she suddenly stood up and descended the stairs. As we passed each other, she saluted me and rushed toward the stage.

Her fresh scent whooshed by me, but there was something sweeter added to it. I slowly sat down where she had been, pulling on my t-shirt and savoring her scent, now laced with something nectar-like. It took me a moment before I realized that sweet smell was her aro.usal. A grin spread across my face, and I nearly fist-bumped the air with a loud "YES!"

Kaboom! I affect my sweet little mate. She does want me. Victory! You’re all mine, little minx! I smirked inwardly. No matter how much you push me away, you're attracted to me. I was on cloud nine. This was fantastic. Thank you, Moon Goddess. And thanks to her challenge as well.

"Hello everyone!" Laila greeted, drawing the crowd's attention.

I cut off my inner cheering and focused on her.

"As I see tonight's audience is mostly female, I believe it will be hard to top the previous performance. But, nevertheless, I will do my piece."

She flashed a smile.

"You go, girl!" shouted one of the women in the crowd. I clapped and smiled. She didn’t need to worry. I would be her biggest fan.

I cupped my hands around my mouth and cheered for her. She looked at me with a soft smile before becoming more serious and gazing straight ahead, likely preparing for her piece. She took a deep breath.

"Ooooo soooole Mio..."

Her opera-like voice filled the space. My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened. Can she actually sing this? But then she laughed and waved her hands.

"No, I’m just kidding. I won’t be performing an opera song."

I was surprised. That was a twist. Someone chuckled in the crowd.

"But this place has great acoustics, so I’ll sing a folk song in my mother tongue. It’s called Sasala Jūrīna. I hope you enjoy it, though you won’t understand it. In short, it’s about the sea freezing to the bottom, so it’s a good time to head to the amber land to find brides for yourself and your brothers."

I co.cked my head. Interesting... She sang the song, and her voice was powerful and captivating, even though I couldn’t understand a word. The song had a fast pace, and she held the music perfectly. Her voice was strong and smooth, especially with the acoustics amplifying her sound. I wasn’t a music expert, but it sounded amazing—and my beautiful mate was performing it.

The song ended quite soon, I cheered and whistled, joining the others. She was really good.

"Thank you! You’re a great crowd, and I truly enjoy how the song sounds here. Let me sing you one more. It’s a slow one, but you might have heard it. It’s partly in English, so it might be more interesting for you to listen to. It’s The Dragonborn Comes from Skyrim, but I’m going to sing a cover by... I think her name is Malukah."

Her ability to engage with the crowd impressed me. She was poised and completely at ease. Wasn’t she nervous? I couldn’t detect any signs of anxiety. She seemed joyful and completely relaxed.

She started humming the melody, and her voice echoed beautifully through the amphitheater. She sang about Dragonborn—something closer to my world. The lyrics weren’t familiar, but her voice was captivating. She not only sang the words beautifully, but her tone in the spaces between the verses added a lot to the atmosphere. I shook my head mentally. Maybe it was just the bond, but I couldn’t stop thinking she was amazing.

I was so mesmerized by her that I missed the end of the song. The crowd’s applause snapped me back, and I joined in. I had to be the loudest because I was her biggest fan, right?

"Thank you!" she said, laughing.

"Thank you very much." She smiled brightly as I continued to clap.

"Okay, if you want, I can sing one more. Do you want a fast one or a slow one?"

Without much thought, I shouted "slow," hoping for a love song. I wanted to imagine she was singing it to me. But others responded with a mix of both, and she laughed.

"Okay, I didn’t quite catch which one is preferred, so raise one finger for a fast song and two fingers for a slow one."

Her quick thinking was impressive. People raised their hands, and I held up both hands, showing two fingers.

"Okay, so the fast one wins," she said, looking at the results. I slumped slightly, disappointed.

"Alright, I’ll sing one more in my mother tongue. It’s another folk song called Witch Night."

Her words caught my attention immediately.

"It’s about the summer solstice when young girls go out for witchcraft and to become werewolves."

I leaned forward. Her country had folk songs about witches and werewolves? Was this a coincidence? I crossed my fingers and rested my chin in them, eager to hear more.

"It would be great if I had some musical instrument, but oh well... I hope it still sounds good."

She started moving to the rhythm, swaying her hips and singing in a way that felt almost like a witch’s chant. She was always sweet and lovely, but there was something wicked about her now. Like she had dark secrets lurking beneath the surface of her personality.

The song was fast, and though I didn’t understand it, it sounded incredible. I couldn’t wait to ask her about the werewolf part later. The crowd cheered, and she finished with a bright smile.

"Thank you! You’ve been amazing. I think I’ve just warmed up!"

She laughed with her head thrown back, full of energy.

"Let me sing you one more. Stand up and follow my movements."

People jumped to their feet, and of course, I did the same. Laila had that magnetic energy that captivated the crowd. I could only imagine how amazing it would be if there were more people here to hear her. I bet they would love her.

"I’ll sing In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company by The Dead South, so sing along."

She announced. I frowned—didn’t know this song either. Looks like I’d be adding it to my playlist. She started with a whistle and then did a funny little dance, moving her hands and snapping her fingers. It was an upbeat song, and everyone got into it—laughing, clapping, singing along. I tried to sing, but the lyrics were too fast for me. Between the verses, she just whistled the music and changed the movement to an even sillier one where she bent her knees and put up both hands to shoulders while she snapped her fingers in the rhythm.

When the song ended, she bowed deeply, raising her hands in the air. The crowd went wild. I whistled, clapped, and cheered. She was incredible! And I loved her even more now.

"Thank you so much!" she said, beaming.

"You’re a great crowd. Thank you!" she repeated, still smiling.

"But now, I have to go home and let the winner of the challenge enjoy his prize." She gestured toward me, making everyone chuckle.

I wasn’t sure if I had gotten more cheers than she did, it felt pretty close. At this point, I was willing to let her win. She had true talent, after all. My performance had been cheap in comparison.

She waved at me, and without thinking, I rushed down to join her.