Human mate
1167 Words
Chapter 8 - human mate
Orion pov
"The elders are calling an emergency meeting."
As Rook's voice filtered through my head, an irritated growl wanted to follow but I stopped myself before standing up and dropped the spoon.
"I'll be back," I said, forcing my voice to stay levelled despite the irritation brewing in me, and turned to the door.
Angry would be an understatement. What the f**k did they want again? It wasn't even time for the regular council meeting. They had cut short my first real moment of peace with my mate, the precious moment I was supposed to be bonding with her.
My beautiful mate. Aurora.
I never prayed or hoped for a mate because I thought someone like me didn't deserve it, but seeing Aurora changed everything. She was everything to be grateful for. She was beautiful. The day I saw her at the woods I had stood there shocked and enchanted, and the moment she opened those blue-grey eyes I was long gone.
It took every restraint known to a bear to stop myself from pouncing on her, to claim what was finally ours.
But I had promised I would give her all the time she needed. I didn't want to pry into her past until she was ready, but I knew she had been hurt. Not thought — knew. The scars on her arm and back the first time I saw them were proof enough.
I still remembered that day I brought her home and Roland came in to change her tattered dress, and I entered thinking Roland was done when I saw those nasty scars. Who the hell gave her those? A deep territorial roar that rattled the windows escaped from me and I saw red, and if not for Rook and Liam pulling me back I didn't know what I would have done.
Someone had hurt my female. Just the mere thought made my vision red.
I clenched my jaw, breathing deeply to stop myself from entering raging mode, but I was already there because of the elders' message. I hoped the reason for this meeting was that one of them was dying or had been attacked, and if not I would be glad to do the attacking.
I couldn't look at her expression when I walked out. I couldn't. Because I could smell the disappointment in her scent and it was like a punch to the gut. I gritted my jaw and mindlinked Liam to meet at the council hall — at least he and Rook would be able to rein me back before I crashed out.
As I walked the pathway, townspeople immediately dipped their heads, murmuring alpha, alpha, alpha as I passed, and I nodded back absentmindedly. I couldn't wait for the day I would introduce my mate to them, walk around and check on them while holding Aurora. A movement caught my eyes and that was when I noticed one of the townspeople staring at me dumbfounded. I blinked, realising I had a grin on my face.
Fuck. I hardened my expression immediately and the person scurried away. I quickened my pace to the hall, needed to finish this godforsaken meeting and rush back to my mate.
The moment I entered the hall the elders were already seated around the large table and they chorused out a formal greeting. I grunted, quickly scanning my gaze through them to see if one of them had actually been attacked, but nothing.
I took my seat at the head of the table. Rook and Liam took their places directly behind me.
"Why the hell am I here before the next scheduled meeting?" I demanded immediately, not in the mood for formalities. I didn't have the time. My mate was waiting for me at home with her heavenly scent and the food she had prepared, and a smile wanted to show itself and I reined it in.
Elder Sam looked at the other council members, received collective nods, and cleared his throat. "We heard you found your mate, Alpha," he began, skimming his fingers through his goatee.
I raised a brow in question, waiting.
"Congratulations," he bowed slightly and I gave a curt nod.
"Talk and stop beating around the bush, Sam," I said dryly when I saw him hesitating.
"The council of elders has come to a conclusion," his voice taking a pompous tone, "we cannot have a weak pathetic human as the luna—"
I didn't let him finish before I lunged at him. My eyes flashed golden as my bear pushed to the surface.
A wave of suffocating dominant pheromone oozed out of me instantly, filling the room and choking the air out of everyone. The elders clutched their necks, gasping as they collapsed, unable to withstand my aura, while my hand locked around Elder Sam's neck and lifted his body off the ground.
"What the f**k did you just say?" The words came out as a deep guttural growl.
Elder Sam's eyes bulged in panic as his hands clawed desperately at my wrist to loosen my grip. "I— I," he spluttered, his face turning.
"You dare call my mate pathetic?" I growled, whipping my head to the others groaning on the floor. "You old bastards came to a conclusion about my female?"
They all shook their heads frantically as I tightened my grip around Elder Sam's neck. My bear was screaming for blood.
I might kill him.
Yes. I should.
"Alpha." A strained voice came from behind.
Rook came to my side with difficulty and bowed his neck, craning it as a sign of total respect. "Alpha, you need to calm down."
"Calm down?" I snarled and turned my eyes to him and he winced from the offensive pheromone hitting him. He quickly fell to his knees.
"Your mate is waiting at home," he choked out. "And I doubt she would like the sight of a blood stain on your clothes."
Oh. That was true.
I blinked, clearing the red haze from my eyes. With a harsh grunt I threw Sam across the room. His body hit the wall with a loud thud.
I turned and stood upright. "Aurora is my mate and she is human. You are going to accept her, respect her and treat her as your leader because she is mine," I barked. "Any disrespect to her is an absolute disrespect to me and that means you are challenging my authority."
I paused, letting the threat sink in. "Anyone who says otherwise has to pass through me. And remember — it is the human that saved your pathetic lives from my wrath today."
Without waiting for a response I stormed out of the council hall. The moment my boots hit the dirt outside my bones began to crack, shifting mid-stride into my bear, and I sprinted straight into the dense tree line, running back home to my solace.
Because I had someone precious waiting for me.
- Writer
