Finding Her

Chapter 5

"So, did you ever find your mate last night?" I look up at Cody from where I'm sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast.

"No." He doesn't need to know the truth. I don't need my mate, I'll be fine without him.

"Well? Aren't you gonna ask me if I found mine?" I give him a look of disbelief. "What?" He crossed his arms trying to look intimidating. Maybe he does to others since you know, the whole alpha thing, but not to me, his best friend.

"I know you didn't. If you did you wouldn't be here talking to me." I resume eating my cereal only to feel his eyes on me. "What?"

"You're my best friend. I won't just ditch you. If I do, it'll be because you didn't make me a sandwich or something."

"When have I ever made you a sandwich?" He thought about it for a second.

"Why am I friends with you?"

"Because I'm awesome and I allow you to be my friend." I say without missing a beat.

"You allow me to be your friend?"

"Yes. It's a privilege that is not bestowed to many, so consider yourself lucky and honored." I stood up to take my plate to the sink.

"I think it's more of a punishment." He grumbled. I whacked him upside the head.

"Hey, if anyone is being punished, it's me." He rubbed his head where I smacked him.

"And why is that?"

"I drew the short straw with you, and if I didn't grace you with my presence, who knows what your mental health would be like."

"I feel the love." He placed his hand over his heart dramatically.

"Well, I'm going for a run, so see you later." I walked outside and went to the edge of the forest.

I decided to run in my human form instead for my wolf. If yesterday indicated anything, it was I need to strengthen my human side in case for some reason I can't shift.

I started off on a slow jog letting my mind wonder. My mind flashed to those eyes. The were just so green, like the forest. He smelled woodsy too.

No. I chastised myself, I can't go there. I don't need a mate, no matter how much I like his eyes or how much I want to run my fingers through his hair. This has to be the mate bond already forming.

I'm going to be in some deep shit.

I ran faster hoping it would help thoughts of my mate flee my mind. I focused on my surroundings to keep track of where I was.

There were lots of trees, and sticks. The problem with a forest is it pretty much all looks the same. I slowed to a walk picking a random direction to walk in.

If I really had friends, I would talk to them about my mate. Who was I kidding, no I wouldn't. No one really understands my point.

I don't want to be dependent on someone for my happiness. I want to be in charge of my own feelings. People don't have the power to control how you feel unless you let them, and I don't plan on letting them get the chance to.

Maybe that's why I don't really have any friends. Do I not give people a chance? No, I did and then they stabbed me in the back. Those bitches. I seethed at my thoughts of the past. I swear every time I see her I want to punch her face. I would be doing the pack a service really and it would make drastic improvements on her face. It's a win-win really.

I picked up my pace again to clear my mind of the new unwanted thoughts. I let the wind whip against my face and smiled.

After a while, I stopped to rest before turning to go back. I found a little creek and took off my shoes and let the water run over my feet. I took a deep breath and froze.

I smelled something unfamiliar. It was another wolf. I stood up ready to shift at any second, when a girl stumbled through the trees. She had long brown hair that was up in a ponytail, and a tall, lean body.

"Oh, hi!" She said when she saw me.

"Hello." She stood there scrutinizing me. "Can I help you?"

"Oh sorry. I'm looking for someone and you kinda fit the description." She said looking at my feet.

"You're looking for someone and you don't know who they are?"

"Yep. My brother is an idiot and I'm helping him so he stops wallowing in self pity. It's sad actually."

"So who are you looking for?" I had a bad feeling in the middle of my stomach.

"Well, last night was the Summer Solstice Ball and he found his mate, but she disappeared. All I know is I'm looking for, and I quote, 'A girl with chocolate brown hair and eyes and blue as the ocean. Her voice is like a song that I never want to stop hearing, and her skin feels softer than a baby.' If you ask me he's a goner."

"Well, that's unfortunate that he lost her."

"If you ask me his first mistake was not getting her name, but he's pretty sure it's Annie. His second mistake was leaving her for five minutes when he had to track her down in the woods in the first place." Yep, this was definitely my mate's sister. "So, were you at the ball last night?"

"Yes I was at the ball, but no I did not find my mate." I tried to look upset at this. If I can pull this off, I deserve an Oscar. "I've been going for the past how many years and I haven't found him yet. I sometimes wonder if I ever will." I gave a few fake sniffs.

"Don't worry, you'll find him someday. I haven't found mine yet either." She looked a little too happy when she said that last part. "Mind if I sit down? My feet are killing me."

"Sure, go ahead." She plopped down besides me and stuck her feet in besides mine.

"Oh by the way, my name Zoey."

"Grace." She smiled at me.

"What are you doing out here anyways?" She kicked her feet in the water splashing me. The cool water felt nice after my run.

"Clearing my mind." I kicked water back at her.

"Well, it's a good place for that." We fell into a comfortable silence after that, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

"Well, I better get back before my idiotic brother chews my head off." Zoey stood and brushed the dirt off of the back of her legs.

"Yeah, I should probably get back too." I stood and put my shoes back on.

"It was nice meeting you." She gave me a smile and fixed her hair.

"It was nice meeting you too." I pulled on the end of my ponytail, a nervous tic I picked up along the years.

"Maybe I'll see you around after my brother finds his mate. Maybe you'll find your's by then too." I just hope he won't be able to smell me on her when she gets back to her pack.

"Yeah, maybe." I smiled and waved as she disappeared back into the trees the way she came.

If only she knew.

Hello lovely readers! Yes I know it's short, but I have no time anymore and I'm doing what I can. I sleep till noonish, eat, feel tired, take a nap, wake, get up, go to work, work till 2:30 am, come home, go to bed. I have also been dealing with a lot of personal things lately so that's that.

Anyways, I had a great fourth, my grandmas house almost burnt down, but it didn't, so all is good.

As always I am happy to hear your thoughts, I am also open to reading your stories and giving feedback if you want.

Au revoir

LadyPeaches01 🍑