Bloody Mate

Chapter Eighteen - Winona -

 "-happy birthday to you!" Everyone screamed, cheering when Rain blew out her eighteen candles. I clapped, smiling as a couple of her friends dipped their fingers in the cake to smear it on Rain's face. She looked so happy as she laughed and smiled. But no one saw the dying light when her eyes landed on Lucas. Or the way her eyes shined with unshed tears when he put his arm around Miranda. No one but me noticed. 

"Where did you go?" Angelo's husky voice filled my ears, slightly startling me. I felt his chest on my back, as he pressed his head into my shoulder blade. I licked my lips as I turned to face him. 

"I talked with Lucas." I stated, cautiously. He smiled, pulling me into his chest. 

"Oh yeah? What were you guys talking about?" The gleam in his dark eyes made me feel uneasy. He was hopeful. He wanted his mate and best friend to get along, be friends. I wanted to fulfill his hope just to make him happy but I still had mixed feelings on Lucas. He has insulted me, back stabbed me and not to mention that he is the cause of Rain's misery. But I'm not one to hold grudges. 

"We were just clearing the air." I told him as I wrapped my arms around his neck, looking over his shoulder. I was shocked to see that the pink haired teen was still staring at me. Surprisingly, it didn't creep me out. She looked through the strands of her hair that covered her face, her gaze filled with curiosity. "Who is that girl?" 

Angelo turned and followed my gaze. He furrowed his eyebrows. When the girl saw Angelo, something flashed through her eyes. And I immediately didn't like it. "What is she doing here?" He murmured softly, talking to himself. Is she not supposed to be here? According to her scent, she is a werewolf but there something odd about her, other than her staring problems. 

"Jewels!" Rain's yell made me turn around, startled, thinking something was wrong. But I was met by a flash of a camera and her obnoxious giggle. Before I could make a move, Angelo pulled me back into his chest. That caused Rain to take several pictures like if she was the paparazzi. I put my hands over my face, covering my eyes. 

"What's wrong, Red? It's just a picture." Angelo whispered in my ear, as he kept posing for the camera. My eyes is what is wrong. They are going to show up white in the picture. My irises and the flash in the camera are not really friends. 

"Rain, stop." I said, whining a little when she didn't listen.

"Oh come on, Jewels! Stop being a party pooper!" I rolled my eyes, remembering it's her birthday and I couldn't say no to her. I dropped my hands and gave her a small smile. "OH! Yes! Sexy! Give me more!" She yelled playfully, causing me to chuckle. I stuck my tongue out at her. After a few seconds of endless flashes of the camera, I noticed that Angelo was no longer by my side. 

I was turning my head so fast that if I was human, I would have given myself whiplash. I tried tracking his scent but the smell of wolves was clogging my nose. He was near, I knew that much. Rain grabbed my arm and practically dragged me to a group of dancing teens. "Come on! Have fun with me." But there was a double meaning to that. To me, what she said meant "help me have fun". I didn't know what her meaning of fun was. Because if it was modern 21st century dancing, then we were going to have some issues. 

The fast beat, techno music made me cringe as it kept echoing in my head. The teens were jumping, whipping their hair. This isn't my scene. "Just dance, Jewels!" Rain yelled as she moved her hips and pumped her fists to the ceiling. Dance? Oh god, someone save me. 

~

I walked into the kitchen, annoyed and a bit tired. But before I could grab a water bottle, I saw something in the corner of my eye. It was Angelo and the pink haired girl. They were talking in the corner quietly, but it looked intense, as if they were arguing. 

But before I could detect what they were saying, Angelo's eyes shifted to mine. I inhaled. I felt like if I was intruding. I quickly grabbed my drink and turned away. I was extremely curious but I wasn't jealous. I mean, the girl was really pretty, pink hair and nice eyes. But Angelo was my mate. I kind of trusted him. 

As I walked back into the living room, where everyone was drinking and dancing, I was stopped by Angelo's dad. I was trying to avoid him all say. I felt his glare on me throughout the whole night. My breath haltered when he gripped my arm hard. 

"What game are you playing at?" He hissed as his eyes darkened. Now I see who Angelo got his eyes from. His dad was almost the exact replica of him; dark hair, high cheek bones, strong jaw. I yanked my arm back like if I was touched by fire. 

"What are you talking about?" 

His gaze narrowed. "I allowed you on my territory because you're my son's mate." I uncapped the water bottle and took a sip. "But the rest of you are not welcomed." I raised an eyebrow. Rest of me? What? 

"Excuse me? Elaborate, please." I gritted out as I closed the water bottle. 

He chuckled, his smile not matching his eyes. "Oh, don't play the innocent oblivious teen because it doesn't fit you at all." He glared. "I'm giving you an opportunity to get your friends off my land. But if they aren't gone in the next 24 hours, I won't be held responsible for my actions." And with that said, he stormed away. Confusion wasn't even close to how I felt. What the hell was he talking about? But like if on cue, I heard the sound of running miles away. It was distant but I know that sound well.

My breathing accelerated as I made my way to the front door. The scents were foreign to me. I didn't know whether I should run toward them or away from them. But I needed to think fast because they would be here in less than two minutes tops. They must have already crossed the border if the Alpha already knew about them. Why were they here? Better yet, why are they coming toward this direction?

"Jewels!" Angelo yelled behind me. I guess Angelo made my decision. I ran to the direction where their scents were more prominent. I felt my insides turn cold the farther away I got from Angelo. "Jewels!" He yelled, worried. I ran and ran, my heels coming off in the process. I didn't know who I was going to face. I didn't know if it was one vampire or several. I didn't know their rank or their age. I simply didn't know what I was up against. But I knew one thing. I wasn't going to let them tear down the small insignificant relationship I was starting to build with the werewolves. 

I heard the running of feet stop, but now they were close enough that I could smell them more clearly. By the sound of water, I knew they were near a river. When I arrived, I didn't expect there to be such a great number of people. They stood their, unmoving as their eyes wandered up and down my body. They inhaled my scent, memorizing it. 

A tall muscular man stepped forward. "Winona" My breath stopped. I haven't heard that named since death. Who were these people?