Mating Season

To Be Expected

Cecilie approached her new high school with hesitation. It wasn't everyday she moved to a new town and found out werewolves existed, or that being some kind of mate forced you to have sex with a complete stranger. Honestly, Cecilie felt like going up to this chief werewolf ruler and installing a new set of laws. Whatever this stuff was, it was freaky.

"Have a nice day at school," her grandmother said with a smile when Cecilie didn't appear to be moving. Her granddaughter smiled back.

"I will." As long as no naked boys harass me.

She stepped onto campus and was quickly swallowed by the swarm of teenage boys and girls. Not many people paid attention to her, which she was awfully thankful for, but at some point during her walk she ran into one of the wolf brothers. A twin, maybe?

"Hey, it’s Asher's mate!" He quickly directed the attention on her, making all his friends stare. Most smiled knowing. They were in on the joke too, huh?

"I'm no one's mate," Cecilie growled, pushing passed them as the twin merely laughed. His friends all seemed bewildered by her behavior, but she didn't stick around to find out why.

"Hello." Some random girl with dark short hair gathered in low pigtails greeted her when she entered the school. "I'm Tanya. Are you-?"

"Someone who doesn't like awkward first encounters," Cecilie murmured back, continuing to push her way through the halls.

"So it’s true!" The girl rushed to her side, surprising since she was so small. "You're the mate that rejected Asher."

Cecilie groaned. Was her life ever going to be private? "Yes," she confirmed sharply. "Is everyone aware of the fact?"

Pigtails laughed. "Not everyone. This is a public high school, after all." Then, quicker than she would have thought possible, the girl did a one handed cartwheel and landed right in front of her. "But the majority of this place is a part of the pack. Nothing's a secret."

Cecilie stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Are you friends with Asher?"

The girl looked to the ceiling innocently and stuck an index finger to her lips. "Friends?" She paused. "He's a year older then me, so I respect him. If he's feeling grief, we all do."

"Then I'm guessing you're here to talk me into accepting Asher."

She giggled. "Ooh, you are smart! Just as I thought." Pigtails' small hand reached for her wrist. Cecilie gasped when the girl's hold tightened, until she was clenching her jaw from the pain. "Then you'll do the right thing and make him happy, won't you?"

The smile on her face was endearing, but her grip was murderous.

There was a low growl and the tiny girl released Cecilie. She giggled to the new arrival and skipped off to class.

Cecilie rubbed at her wrist. "Fully dressed today, huh?" She asked before even turning around. She assumed he was dressed. Even werewolves had the decency to wear clothing in school, right?

He ignored her statement and instead took her arm, inspecting the wound. It would bruise, Cecilie was sure, but only a little.

The image of Asher was breathtaking. Even when he was looking down, she could see the wonderful bone structure of his face, the full lips and long dark eyelashes as they took in her wound. His wavy hair was tousled and appeared a little more messy than what could be considered bed head. She pulled her arm out of his grip.

"Do you intend to lie naked at my house every night?" Her voice rang with acid now.

He looked up at her and she immediately regretted it. He was pale with dark circles under those deep blue eyes.