The Hunted (LGBT+)

Chapter 6: The Mate

Parker

"What happened?!" Alpha Gaius asks as Jasar rushes past him with Kohl in his arms.

I watch in horror as they disappear around the corner of the infirmary. I stand very still and don't dare make a sound. I still don't understand what happened. It's like the words I said affected him on a larger level than I realized. They were almost lethal

I'm so confused right now.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Gaius asks. I nod. He sighs to himself before asking, "He didn't look injured."

"He wasn't." I confirm. I stare at him, "We argued. I said that I didn't want to be near him and—"

Gaius closes his eyes and runs his hands over his face.

"What?" I ask him. He opens his eyes. I chortle, "What does a mate mean?"

"A mate is another half. The love of one's life."

"No, what does it mean to wolves? Like how essential or important is it?" I inquire.

I am putting together what Viceres said in the clearing. He said something about a Mate. It's been clear that there's something so weird and connected about us. We nearly hate each other and yet we don't. I feel things for him that I don't understand and he seems positively possessive and dominant towards me.

I know little about Werewolves but there is one term I know from literature.

"Has Kohl found his Mate?"

"Yes."

"Did he find his Mate before last night?"

"No." Gaius says simply.

I knew it was coming. It doesn't hit me any softer. I'm befuddled but I feel like I already knew. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not sure how I feel about him, either.

"You are his Mate. You are his other half."

"Hence his reaction to my words." I say with a nod, "I hurt him."

"You didn't know." Gaius' tone strikes me as odd.

"But you did. He did, too." I look down at the floor, "Is this why I'm here?"

"Yes and no. You are essential to the continuation of this pack and the possible peace of all the packs."

"Don't give me that crap!" I yell. Gaius' calm demeanor falters for a second as his eyes glow. I am terrified but I'm not backing down. I hiss out, "No more secrets! This secret is killing your Son and I'm not ready to die."

Gaius takes a deep breath before speaking, "You are excruciatingly brave. You are going to be trouble." His eyes return to their normal hue, "You, to my knowledge, are witch. In truth, a demi-god of nature."

"No, I am not."

Gaius is clearly puzzled by my response. He's not used to people questioning him. Like father, like son.

"I'd have to be the Son of a God. My Parents are decidedly not Gods."

"Two weeks ago, a man appeared to us and explained that he was a protector of the last essence of a Demi-God. He explained that his order extracted powers from a Demi-God in the times before history. The monk spoke about turning the Demi-God into a mortal and the mortal's bloodline trickling into the present." Gaius seems more intent on the story than I am, "The Demi-God knew that one day her powers would be needed, after all Demi-Gods died off, and they kept her powers hidden. They sought to unleash them only when one was worthy enough to wield them and when they were needed the most. You are that person."

I get two surprises within the same conversation. I cannot believe what I'm hearing. It all sounds so fantastical and unbelievable. If I discount this information, I'd have to discount the last two days of my life entirely.

I agreed to come and there is no going back.

"So, what now? I fall into your Son's arms, we lead this pack and I go to war with the man in the woods?"

"Only one of those is not your choice." Gaius says with a tired tone, "My Son just had a shock to his system. He's just as stubborn as you and you're both going to make this harder than it should be. I don't know your life but you are my family now."

"We're going to have a long talk after this. A long talk." I say angrily, "How exactly do I help Kohl."

"As Mates," I shiver at his words. He continues, "You have the ability to heal each other, depending on how badly injured you are. You can heal this."

"No more secrets." I say as I pass him.

I round the corner and hear feral growling and screaming coming from the room ahead of me. I walk forward to see a woman with a long, grey platted ponytail hanging down the length of her back. I see a small, colorful bracelet on her wrist. It is hand weaved. She notices that I see the bracelet and beckons me over.

"He needs you." Her voice is soft like Gaius' voice.

I follow her into the room he's in. The room is small and non-descript; it is white and sterile, filled with a manner of medical equipment. I can't really notice anything but the large man writhing on the bed. I watch as two smaller men fly backwards and smash into the wall on both sides of us.

"He's all yours." The woman says pushing me forward.

A growl not unlike a lion causes me to pause in place. Kohl jumps out of the bed with red eyes and they center on me. Suddenly, I'm not scared anymore. Kohl is very still before finally snarling. I take a step forward and he growls yet again.

"Grey." I say calling his attention, "Can I speak with Kohl?"

"No!" He rasps.

"Why not?" I ask. Grey glares at me. I frown at him, "I hurt him...I hurt both of you. I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why?"

"Because you're my Mate."

Grey's aggressive posture drops. Grey's eyes dim and Kohl is staring at me. His shoulder drop as he looks around at the damage he's caused. His eyes land on me.

"What happened?" He asks.

"You don't remember?"

"I remember arguing with you in the forest and then...how'd I get here?" He asks, "What did I do?"

Kohl doesn't know that I know what he is to me. I could tell him but I'm not sure how I feel about any of this yet. I don't really understand everything going on. I understand what a Mate is and what it means but I do not understand where I go from here.

Am I supposed to be a Demi-God and stay in the forest and lead a pack of wolves?

With Kohl, who despises me.

Suddenly, the no secrets comment is fading from my memory.

"Kohl." Gaius says as he enters the room, "You're okay?"

"I was just about to tell Kohl how Grey had a little wolfy fit. And I talked him down with a joke." I say giving Gaius a stern look. Gaius raises his eyebrow at me, "You're good now, Kohl."

"Am I?" Kohl asks.

"I'm sorry for all the horrible things I said. I just need time to sort all of this." I say as I turn and leave the room.

I can't just jump into this life that was made for me. I don't want to be submissive to someone. I want to make my own life. I am not a pawn in fate's design. I design my own future, not some Monk. I'm confused and I can't exactly give myself to something I don't understand.

So, I need to understand.