Stolen Soul

Chapter 17: The Truth About Mates

Lexi

Becca and Matt both looked at me, when she spoke first, “I tried to ignore the pull at first, but eventually you feel lost if you don’t go, and when you get where you belong you start to feel like yourself again.”

“Have you met your mate?” I feel like I know this answer, the mates I have seen all seem glued to one another, but she makes it seem like you go where you are supposed to go and you meet your mate. I met mine, and I have felt like I need to move north since I hit puberty, so I get what she means, it got stronger the older I got.

“No, the pack hosts a party for those wolves that are not mated and have come here. It’s next week,” Rebecca states as she looks towards the ground fiddling with her fingers.

Matt is still looking at her, when he finally asks his own question as I think about the idea of a party to bring together unmated wolves, and if its always the girl that is drawn to the boy, my mind is spinning with questions I barely catch his question, its barely above a whisper as is.

“Why did you ignore the pull?” When I look over at him he is staring at the ground, moving anxiously from foot to foot.

“My cousin was pulled here to meet her mate, she died within a year. Packs around the country have spoken about she-wolves being attacked at Crescent Moon over the last few years, it was one thing to hear about it, another to lose a family member.”

“Are you a Trinity wolf?”

“Yes, are you Nova’s Matt?” Rebecca asks, as tears well in her eyes.

My heart rate picks up as my eyes fix to Matt. His expression solemn, as his eyes refuse to look up, he slowly moves his head in confirmation, and I catch the sob escape from his mouth. My heart shatters for him, as my mind tries to process this new name.

My voice shakes as I ask the question, I am not sure my heart is ready to hear the answer to, “Who is Nova?”

Matt looks up with tears in his eyes, “My mate.”

As the words leave his lips my heart sinks, and I quickly avert his gaze, and look at Rebecca, she too has tears in her eyes, as she balls her hands into fists. In the blink of an eye she swings on Matt, landing a quick blow to his cheek. He staggers backwards, his cheek turning red instantly.

Tears stream from Rebecca’s eyes, as she moves forward towards Matt, when she begins to sob loudly. Matt holds his hands in a defensive position, as Rebecca falls to her knees wrapping her arms around her legs. I can barely make out anything she says through her sobs, but it sounds like “You were supposed to protect her.”

Matt looks defeated as he sinks down next to Rebecca, forcing her to look at him. As she looks up at him his own tears line his eyes, and he whispers, “I know, and I hate myself everyday for not being able to.”

“What do you mean not being able to, where is your mate, and how did you know her Rebecca?” My voice cracks as my confusion comes out in quick words, heart pounding in my chest as my friends sit on the ground silently sobbing to themselves.

Rebecca looks up first, choking back her sobs, and wiping her eyes. “She was my cousin. Her wolf as a beta, we always thought her mate would likely head to Oregon, but on her 18th birthday she felt the tug to the northeast.”

My brows furrow in confusion, “Why would you expect her mate to come to her? What is a beta wolf?”

The smile on her face is a facade, her eyes puffy and red as she inhales before answering, “A beta wolf is the second strongest wolf of our kind, only outranked by an alpha. The stronger wolf calls their mate to them, when they both come of age. Most mates come of age within the same year of each other.”

I digest that information, as Matt’s eyes meet mine, and his eyes change to black, “Your wolf is an Alpha, as am I, she is a delta.” He adds the last part with a nod in Rebecca’s direction. His voice sounds different, deeper almost menacing, goosebumps raising on my arms.

“What if your wolfs are the same rank?” I ask trying to follow along with all of the things I should already know.

Rebecca answers, with a much steadier voice now, “whoever comes of age first will feel the pull and go to their mate.”

“How long did have you been ignoring the mate pull?” Matt asks looking at Rebecca.

“Over a year, my wolf was becoming despondent, and the pull became to strong to resist, so I had to come, why do you ask?”

“My brother, Sam, still hasn’t met his mate, he is 20, that usually only happens if the mate is dead, but he was certain he could sense her near for the past few months.”

“Well he wouldn’t have had to wait much longer the lunar solstice party is next week, we will likely meet then,” she trails off as she looks at me packing a bag.

“Or you could come to the pack house and stay with me tonight. Meet my new friends, and help me learn all this crap I clearly know nothing about,” I say with my best puppy dog eyes.

She doesn’t hesitate when she answers with an emphatic, “Yes”. The mood lifts again, and while my anxiety swirls around in my stomach with more unanswered questions around mates, death, wolf history, and just everything I seem clueless about, I feel a little bit better than one part of my pre-wolf life is going to come back with me.

Rebecca grabs her duffle and starts shoving things in her bag, when she turns to me, “I know your birthday technically already passed, but are we going to do anything to celebrate tomorrow?” I know she is referring to our initial plans to go out with the cross country team and catch a movie. I have a feeling that those plans won’t happen my over protective bio parents will likely send some very obvious body guards, or maybe just Matt. I could do a dark movie, maybe snuggle up together. I realize Rebecca is snapping in front of my face trying to get my attention when I look up at her.

“Oh sorry, was just thinking. I don’t know, do you think everyone still wants to go to the movies?” I ask but turn my attention to Matt to see his reaction.

He immediately opens his mouth to respond, realizing my question was more about if my new parents would allow it, “Probably best we celebrate at the pack house, Rebecca can come sense she is a wolf, any other wolfs on the team could probably come to, we just need to talk to the Alpha.”

Rebecca giggles, and looks at Matt, “Almost everyone on the team is a wolf. Most of them are crescent moon wolf or mated to one. We could totally do a party or movie or whatever at the pack house. I am surprised Lexi hasn’t run into anyone she knows yet.”

“Besides breakfast I haven’t left my new room.” I say with a sigh.

“Are you being forced to stay in your room?” She asks shock evident in her expressions.

“Ha, no not really. I was doing an assignment for school. They do however want me to have a body guard with me at all times.” I dramatically roll my eyes so that both Matt and Rebecca could clearly see my annoyance.

“So that’s what he is doing here.” Rebecca says, winking at Matt.

“Oh, no, I’m not her body guard per se, the Luna just asked me to help her with anything she needs.” He sounds almost nervous telling us this tidbit of information.

I shrug my shoulders, and watch as the tension seems to release from his shoulders based on my non concern. “I like Matt around, so if he is my body guard at least I got a cute and funny one.” I throw out, and watch as Matt turns bright red.

Rebecca seems uneasy and confused by the light flirting going on in the room, and shakes her head before zipping her bag up and tossing it over her shoulder. I do the same, as we exit the room Rebecca loops her arm into mine. Matt heads out in front of us and Rebecca pulls me back to slowing out pace.

She lowers her voice and whispers so low that only a wolf could hear, “I know you grew up human, but mates are sacred, we mate for life. You will understand better when you meet your mate, but understand that Matt can never be yours. I just don’t want to see you confused and hurt. Your wolf will never agree.”

I nod my head, and try to absorb what she is telling me, what everyone seems to know and understand, but I just can not. I met my mate, and I do not feel a pull to anywhere. Does that mean his wolf is not an Alpha, or he is and he is older than me, that means he will come to me, right?

He is much older than you, he has always been older than us. Ela states with absolute certainty.

Will he then come to us. I ask.

I hope. She says, the sadness radiating throughout my mind, sending shivers down my spine.