The Nerd Is My Mate

CHAPTER 1

The old red truck, a veteran of countless moves, rumbled to a stop in front of a lonely-looking building. This building, small and a bit worn around the edges, was the Lincoln family's newest address. It was hard to keep count, but this was their tenth house since Amber, Mr. Lincoln's sweet daughter, had turned sixteen.

Mr. Lincoln sighed as he got out, the familiar weight of wrapped boxes in his hands. "Amber," he began, his voice carrying a familiar note of worry, "I really hope you'll try to be careful in this city. The werewolf hunters here... they won't show any mercy if they discover who you truly are.”

Amber, already wrestling a box from the back of the truck, bristled slightly. "Dad," she retorted, her grip tightening on the cardboard, "I've told you a hundred times, those humans need to learn a lesson sometimes." A flicker of something wild flashed in her eyes.

From the truck's passenger seat, a soft voice spoke in her head, tinged with a comforting warmth. "You know your dad only wants what's best for you, Amber," Brenda, her wolf, murmured reassuringly.

"Amber?" Mr. Lincoln's voice cut through her thoughts. He had finished unloading the boxes and was now gesturing towards her phone, which lay on the dashboard. He needed her to grab it so he could finally lock the car.

His gaze was intense, a silent plea in his eyes. Anyone else might have flinched under such scrutiny, but Amber stood her ground. "I'll behave, Dad," she mumbled, the words feeling a little hollow even to her own ears. Arguing with him was usually a fruitless endeavor.

"I certainly hope I don't get a call from your new school about another student ending up in the hospital," he said, a hint of sternness creeping into his tone. This made a low growl rumble in Amber's chest, though she kept it to herself.

"I trained you for a better purpose, Amber, not for you to use your abilities against innocent people," he continued as she joined him, picking up a stack of lighter boxes. She knew this speech by heart; he must have repeated it a thousand times since her wolf side had become more prominent.

Her "pa," as she affectionately called him, had once been part of a pack. That was before he met her mother, Lilian, who was human. Amber was a hybrid, a half-blooded wolf, a fact that her father sometimes seemed to carry like a burden. He felt he had betrayed his own kind by choosing a human, and that guilt had been compounded by Lilian's death during Amber's birth.

Her father hailed from the Midnight Howler pack, a powerful group from the northern territories. Since her mother's passing, her pa had insisted they live a quiet, isolated life, trying their best to blend into the human world.

"But you know I won't just stand by and let those humans walk all over me," Amber muttered, hefting the boxes towards the house. Inside the spacious but somewhat dusty parlor, she dropped her load and wandered around, her movements quick and efficient as she assessed their new surroundings.

"Dad, I found my room!" she called out, a genuine note of delight in her voice as he came to stand beside her.

His expression clouded over. "I hope you stay safe here, Amber. My father... he hasn't stopped searching for me. He sees my life with your mother and you as a betrayal." Guilt weighed heavily in his eyes.

Amber moved closer and wrapped her small arms around his waist, though they didn't quite reach all the way. "I promise to behave, Pa," she said, squeezing him tightly, even though a rebellious part of her knew the promise wasn't entirely sincere.

"Amber, please don't go against me! I just... I can't lose you too, not like your mother," he said, his voice thin with emotion as he rubbed her back.

"Dad," she began, a sudden change in topic, "I'm turning eighteen next week. Do you think... Do you think I'll find my mate then?”

A flicker of relief crossed her father's face at the shift in conversation. "Can't you just wait until that day, sweetheart? I honestly don't know how it works for hybrids." Despite his words, a hopeful look shone in Amber's eyes. The thought of meeting her mate filled her with anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, her mate would understand her in a way that these humans never could.

"I've already enrolled you in high school. Please, Amber, be on your best behavior," he pleaded, his eyes searching hers for reassurance.

"Dad, I already promised, didn't I?" she said with a small sigh, and he nodded slowly.

"I'm going to my room to get settled. I don't want to be late for my first day tomorrow," she announced, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before heading for the stairs. Halfway up, she paused and looked back at her pa. He looked so tired, she realized, the weight of responsibility etched on his face. He was trying so hard to be a good father, and she truly did want to make things easier for him.

One last lingering look before she disappeared into her room. She pushed the unpacked boxes to one side, changed into her pajamas, and slipped into bed.

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The next morning, Amber woke up before dawn. She chose a comfortable top, a warm jacket, and her trusty black sneakers. A chill permeated the air, making her shiver even indoors. Deciding she needed an extra layer, she pulled out a thick, well-worn sweater.

She held the sweater for a moment, a soft smile touching her lips. It had belonged to her mother, and she cherished every item that had once been hers. She picked up her phone, the screen blank. No messages, no notifications. The only entries in her message log were from the emergency number and her phone network.

Making friends had always been a challenge, and it wasn't entirely her fault. Humans were often too curious, too quick to judge. Her own mother had loved her father deeply, even after discovering his true nature. Sometimes, Amber wondered if there were any humans left with that kind of open heart.

She went downstairs and glanced at the basket of fruit on the kitchen counter. She picked up a banana, then put it back. "Dad, I might be late for my first day if I wait for you to finish cooking," she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"Good morning, Pa," she added, heading towards the door before he could protest. She knew he would try to insist she eat breakfast, but she wasn't one for forced human routines. Thankfully, her dad had arranged for Carlos to drive her to school. Carlos was her dad's cousin, a twenty-two year-old werewolf who also lived in the human world, searching for his own mate in a small apartment nearby.

Carlos's car was waiting outside. She opened the front passenger door and slid inside. After her pa, Carlos was probably her favorite person. She glanced over at him, a small smile playing on her lips. A comfortable silence settled between them before they both chuckled softly.

"Well, look who's looking bright and early this morning," Carlos said, their hands meeting in a familiar, playful gesture.

"I hear your eighteenth birthday is coming up soon," he added, starting the engine.

"Carlos," Amber began, a hint of frustration in her voice, "why did Pa train me so thoroughly if he always acts like my abilities are a bad thing?" She was growing weary of her father's constant warnings about misusing her powers.

She noticed a faint smirk on Carlos's face as they pulled out onto the road. "That training will be useful someday, Amber. Trust your dad. He knows more than you think." He was trying to be diplomatic, to see things from her father's perspective.

But if she was being honest, Amber hated the feeling that neither of them truly understood her.