Beautiful Mate

* First Impression *

Today, Brayden had football practice so he wouldn't be home til late. "Please, our mate might be here today, I have a feeling they will be", Malice, his wolf said in his head with a whine. "We can't buddy, we have promises to keep to our team, we can't let them down over someone that might show up" Brayden said slightly annoyed. He had waited for this person for 5 days now, and it was starting to make him mad. "Don't give me that tone! You'll make OUR mate go away for being mean." The wolf growled, which made Brayden growl, "You haven't even met her yet, and you seem to like her more than you like me." Brayden sighed going outside as a busted up Dodge Neon that was neon green, red, black, and white pulled up, and the lavender scent hit right away as a short chubby girl got out of the driver side with a Ram 1500 pulling in behind her. As his mouth dropped "She's..." Brayden didn't finish seeing the man get out of the truck and hug her "taken." He said with a growl and stomped off to his motorcycle and started it. As he zoomed close to them as they were talking, "Hey, we don't park on the side of the road here. You have a damn garage, use it!" He barked with a growl as Ashley looked up at her brother as they both nodded "Sir, yes sir" she said, holding back a laugh which made Brayden even angrier and he drove off.

"Are you okay?" Paul asked as Ashley began laughing, and she nodded "Well, if my first day here didn't start out like that. I think I would be offended. Given how our lives have always been" She said sarcastically, laughing more as Paul chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He nodded as she sighed, "Are you sure you will be okay here tonight?" Paul asked as Ashley smiled. "Of course I will. You need to go to Kat. She misses you. Tell her I love her and I will see you guys soon." She hugged her brother once more. As she sighed, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She wasn't just letting her brother go. She was losing her best friend, her father figure, her coach, her teacher, her protector. Everything all at once.

"At least let me walk you in." Paul said, just trying to keep his calm and wanting more time with his sister. "Uh, yeah you can." Ashley nodded as she went inside, putting her key in the door and opening it. She gasped and jumped, seeing a tall young guy leaning on her wall. "Who are you?!" Paul basically barked, pulling Ashley behind him. "Oh me? I'm Jaden Oliver." He said smugly. "That's nice. Why are you in my sister's apartment?" Paul asked keeping a hand on Ashley behind him. "Sister?" Jaden said slightly shocked." Yes, sister. Can you leave?" Paul asked as Ashley touched his arm and Jaden nodded "My apology". He said, holding up his hands and walking out the door as Ashley looked confused. "Well, the good feeling is now gone." She said, shaking her head. "I'm going to check and make sure there aren't any more weirdos in here." Paul said, leaving Ashley standing in her new living room looking around taking a deep breath.

Ashley began looking out her bay window as Paul did his inspection, and she noticed at least 10 guys standing outside along with the guy that had yelled at her earlier. The one putting up the motorcycle was walking back to the group, and he caught her eye and she sucked in a breath with a faint smile as their eyes met. For a split second she felt her whole world spin and all she saw was him. She had a urge to run to him and just hold on for dear life. "Ash." She had to be dreaming was that his voice it was calling her name. She needed to hear him say again "Earth to Ash." She went to touch the window as Paul yelled "Ashley Marie!" She turned, jumping and closing the blinds, and she smiled "Yes?" She said sweetly "Your drooling." He said, rolling his eyes as she looked down wiping her lips, he wasn't wrong sadly. "Look, everything is good in here I will talk to you when I get to Kat's okay?" Ashley hugged her brother once more and nodded "I love you Teddy Bear" She said as a tear fell. "I love you too Sunflower" He said letting go and walking away as Ashley didn't dare turn around as tears fell from her blue eyes as she heard the door shut behind her which made her break completely.

Paul nodded, seeing the group of guys almost like he was paying respect as he got into his Ram 1500 buckling up and taking off to his new life. As the group of guys watched, Jaden finally spoke "He is her brother, dude. Why are you so worried about it? She's also human." Brayden could still see through the crack of the blinds that Ashley was now sitting on her couch crying. "I don't care that she is human, she is our mate" He said in his alpha tone "And you made an ass out of us" Malice said with a growl as Brayden sighed "I need to apologize to her" Jaden touched his arm "Not right now alpha, she's losing what seems to be like her best friend." Brayden growled looking at the hand touching his arm as Jaden pulled away and sighed and mind linked the alpha "I promise, they don't smell like each other. I know for a fact they are siblings. Just give her time" He said as everyone went their own ways.

Brayden kept looking at the now sleeping Ashley as she laid on the couch curled up. Tears still stained her cheeks as he couldn't bare to look at her like that. He turned away and went back inside the pack house with his head down. "Son, where have you been? You have your first class tomorrow. You need to get some sleep." The alpha said, sending everyone's heads down. "Yes alpha." The pack said as Brayden sighed "yes sir." He said, walking to his room, which overlooked the small apartment and laid in his bed cuddling his pillow hoping to be able to see his mate again and apologize for how he acted. As he thought about it, it began to worry him. He had never apologized to anyone before, for anything. As his father said, "Alpha never did anything wrong, people were just in the way." Brayden rolled over with a huff. " Since we are keeping her, she needs our patience. She's not from around here." Malice said sleepy "Get rest young alpha. You're going to need it tomorrow morning." Malice said almost with a warning, but Brayden didn't understand why.

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Poem by N.R. Hart

When night falls, the moon

knows all your secrets

The wolf in you howls

only for me