My Little Mate

8

"What... Happened that night?" I ask in a whisper. It kind of hurt to talk, since Darren broke my jaw.

"Well... After you left the rogues came through and made sure everyone was dead. They..." James swallows. "They killed my dad. He said he had nothing left to live for. I faked dead. Then when they left I ran out too, but no matter how hard I tried to find you, I couldn't.

"Later on, I decided I needed to build a pack back up. At sixteen, I had a few wolves on my side. We negotiated with another alpha and we got this huge stretch of neutral land. I built up a pack, and now I need my Luna." James smiles. "So my little beta, tell me what you have done."

"I ran... After I had... My first shift." I pause. "I stayed as a wolf. Until I... Met Darren."

James seems to choke on air. "The whole time? And you managed to stay sane!?"

"I... Do not understand." I whimper.

"Nothing. It's nothing." James says quickly.

"Why... Do you smell... like rogue?" I frown.

"I had to fight some to get here." James replies. Finally he sighs. "Blaire, can I tell you about mates?"

"How... Do you know? Luna and mama..." I trail off.

"I have my ways," James smiles a little. "Blaire, Darren is your mate, okay? His job is to protect you and love you and to be the one for you. He won't hurt you, not purposefully..." His gaze drifts to my jaw, where I now held an ice pack.

I take a deep breath. "Promise?"

"I promise my little beta." James smiles.

"That... I can't... Argh!" I couldn't say the sentence, it's so frustrating.

"It's okay Blaire."

I look at my empty plate, I had finished the piece of cake. I kinda want more...

"What... Is my job... A his mate?" I tilt my head.

James looks a bit surprised by the question. "Well... Uh... You have to love him and protect him too. And comfort him when he's upset or angry, you know?"

I nod a little. Okay... I can do that. I think... Maybe... Who am I kidding!? I'm scared out of my mind! How can I do that when he scares me so?

A sob escapes my lips and I'm sent into my pool of tears again. "James I'm... So scared."

James hugs me tight and then Calder, who Darren had made stay, taps me on the shoulder. "I understand you are very scared Blaire, but I'm afraid Alpha Darren is very anxious to see you. May he come over now?"

I glance at James and he takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. I sigh and nod.

Darren is over within seconds, his hand hovering over my bruised jaw. His face is all broken and he looks so sad. Inside, my wolf, who is almost always quiet, becomes desperate. She wants to hug him and tell him it's okay. But I am much too scared for that.

"Blaire I'm sorry..." Darren whispers, wiping some of my endless tears away. "I am so sorry." He hugs me and I whimper. Beside us James sighs.

Suddenly, the front door slams closed and in walks a very pretty girl who looks a little like Darren. She looks over at James and she kind of just gasps, James growls out 'mate.'

I watch for a moment before glancing up at Darren. Darren is watching them, his arms still around myself.

The girl who looks like Darren, she stares at James wide eyed. Finally I break the silence, very confused.