THE HYBRID'S MATE, sterek [book 01] ✔

xvii. puppy pile and foxes

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯: 𝘱𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘹𝘦𝘴

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𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬

     THE BLACK AUDI LOOKS out of place in a high school parking lot, but I don't mind it. I get a lot of looks that make me smile. The looks are surprised to say the least, all except for my Pack have no clue where the car came from. I climb out of the car, close my door and then walk around the other side to open the door for Valerie.

     As she climbs out, the males either stare in awe or start whistling. I shut the door to the Audi a little too hard and growl under my breath, only Valerie and my Pack hearing it. I all but drag my Mate away from the males, her laugh filling my ears as I do so. She wraps her arms around my neck and hangs there as I walk to the office, the vixen whispering that everything is going to be alright.

     "Ah, Mr Stilinski," Miss Meyers says, looking up. "I received a call from your father this morning concerning a girl that is going to be starting next week, and that she must be by your side at all times. I take it you are here to receive her timetable."

     I smile. "Actually, she is here with me. My father and her decided that she have a look around today so she doesn't feel so out of place tomorrow. She would like to collect her timetable so she knows where she is going."

     "Very well, Miss Valerie Mason. Here is your timetable. You will have your classes with Stiles."

     Valerie pokes her head out from behind me and smiles, taking the timetable. "Thank you, Miss Meyers."

     "It's alright, sweetie. Now, off to morning time, Mr Stilinski."

     I smile and walks out of the office, Valerie clinging to my hand and almost skipping beside me. We walk into the library and I instantly smell my friends from both my Pack and Derek's. I smile at Valerie when she looks worried, and pull her over to my table where my Pack are already sitting.

     Valerie and I sit down, and almost instantly Scott descends on the me. Scott drags his best friend out of his seat and into his arms, almost squeezing me to death. All of a sudden, someone yells out 'puppy pile' and then it all goes downhill from there. The supernatural launch themselves on top of myself and Scott, and we both fall to the ground under all the weight.

     "Oh my god!" I exclaim, an elbow in my stomach and a knee in my back. "Guys, I can't breathe! I may be supernatural, but I still need to breathe like the rest of you idiots!"

     "Everyone, off!" Liam says, his voice thick with authority.

     All of a sudden everyone is gone from on top of me and Scott, leaving us two to gasp for breath after being squashed by two Packs worth of Werewolves, Humans, Hunters, Chimeras, Kitsune, and Banshee. I roll onto my back and look up at the laughing face of my Mate. I grab her wrist and her eyes go wide for a split second before I pull her to the ground, making her land on top of Scott and I.

     "Ow," Scott whines, sitting up after Valerie climbs off us. "That hurt."

     I pat him on the back. "You're going to have to deal with it, Scotty. We're all friends here."

     "Actually..."

     "Derek gave orders, didn't he?"

     "No Alpha orders. He just wants us to watch out for you. Mates and all."

     "I'm guessing he doesn't care about my other Mate. Am I right?"

     "No. You're wrong. He does care. He knows that what hurts Valerie will hurt you, and therefore him, so he has asked us to help you and your Pack watch out for her as well."

     "Valerie is in our Chemistry class with Harris, and Economics with Finstock."

     "Anything else?"

     "Whatever I am in, Valerie is in."

     "So, not AP Biology."

     I roll my eyes. "Of course not, Scott. I'm not in that class with you and Lydia."

• • •

     The lesson seems to drag on, and so does the day. By the time the free period at the end of the day rolls around, the entirety of both Packs are tired and irritable. We make our way into the edge of the Preserve and collapse to the ground, finding comfortable positions with our Mates and closing our eyes in a futile attempt to sleep.

     "Why is school so much more tiring than dealing with the supernatural?" Aiden groans, holding Lydia close as she shivers in the slightly cold air. "Shouldn't it be the other way around?"

     Ethan laughs. "Nice joke, Aiden. School should not be easy and not tiring. It means you're not learning."

     Danny nods in agreement. "He has a point."

     Hayden and Liam walk over to us, Mason and Corey in tow.

     I look up and grin. "And here I thought you were going to ditch us, Alpha."

     Liam rolls his eyes and sits next to me. "I wouldn't miss you all for the world. You're all Pack one way or another."

     Hayden hums. "One way or another I'm gonna get ya."

     Isaac groans. "No. None of that. Please? I've heard that too much this year."

     Allison whacks him. "Be nice. It's just a song, Isaac. It's not going to kill you."

     Kira laughs at their antics and lays on Scott.

     Scott wraps his arm around the Kitsune and smiles. "I, for one, like the song."

     "It's so creepy though," Erica argues. "It's like they're stalking prey."

     Boyd raises his eyebrow. "Almost like Wolves."

     Jackson fake howls and Cora punches him lightly, warning him not to draw any attention.

     "Maybe they were Wolves," Theo says, a thoughtful look on his face. "I mean, it would make sense."

     Malia shrugs. "Sounds like a Coyote to me. We stalk our prey without making a sound and then kill them."

     Alex rolls her eyes and looks at the Werecoyote. "Are you a real Coyote or a goddamn Human?"

     "I was a real Coyote for the majority of my life. So, right now, I guess I'm Human."

     "Fair enough, coyote."

     Valerie sighs and everyone looks at her. "I was born a Human and raised a Fox. I mean, at birth, I was Human, but then I Shifted and stayed a Fox. My mother had to teach me everything while I was a Fox. Everything Human related and everything Fox related. I didn't turn Human again until just over a year ago."

     Everyone goes silent and then Liam looks at me. "I bit you just over a year ago. Could it have been what changed Valerie back, or is it just a coincidence?"

     I frown. "I'm not sure, but it definitely was not a coincidence."