Recap:
Noah POV
I can hear them wrap up their hello's, and start making their way through the house. Raven obviously does as well, and finally shuts her mouth only to start bouncing up and down on the couch like and over-excited puppy.
All of a sudden I smell the most delicious scent ever, its like honey, the smell of the earth before a storm, and cinnamon all mixed together to give the most heady thing I have ever smelled. Except I have smelled it before, only now its slightly different, its mixed with the scent associated with wolves, No it can't be....
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(A/N - Unless I say other it will always be in Mya's POV :) just thought I should remind you!)
As we follow her through the house, all of a sudden I get a waft of the most amazing and intoxicating smell. Its smells like a woodsy smell, mixed with sandalwood, and the scent of pure male. Inside me, my wolf starts purring, yes purring, with contentment. But why?
Now where have I smelt that before.... its so familiar...
My eyes widen with realisation, "Holy shit!" I whisper, forgetting that I am surrounded by shifters, all of whom are able to hear me.
"Whats wrong honey?" Mom asks as we walk into what I assume is the living room.
As we enter all my fears are confirmed, as there, sitting smack-bam in the middle of the sofa, is the one and only Noah Sullivan.
I noticed Raven was sitting on the couch next to him, although I only had eyes for Noah and I'm pretty sure my face mirrored his; a combination of shock, horror, confusion, and astonishment.
"Holy shit." I repeat, under my breath, as I continue to watch him and notice him totally checking me out.
"Mya! Stop saying that." Mom whispers to me.
Lauren cleared her throat, and then with a smile she said, "Well judging by the look on your faces kids, I can only assume you know one another."
Noah POV
As soon as she walked around the corner, I had my answer, It is Mya! But how is that possible? She has never smelt like a shifter before so why does she now?
MINE! My wolf snarled in my head.
I couldn't help but stare at her, I mean I could tell she was gorgeous even when she wears those baggy things she calls clothes, but I had no idea just how gorgeous she really was.
The dress she was wearing hugged all her body in all the right places, showing off her curves that I would have no problem exploring for days on ends. And her legs! Goddess! With those heels her legs seemed to go on forever. I wouldn't mind just licking ever inch of her perfect skin.
I tried to, as subtly as a could, move a pillow onto my lap to cover the prominent bulge in my pants, which, by judging the look on her face and her flushed cheeks, she had most definitely noticed.
Fuck! Just looking at her is enough to give me a raging hard on, I can't imagine what actually touching her would do to me.
Mine! Mate! My wolf whined in my head.
All of a sudden I thought of Ella and that sobered me up real quickly, and I removed any emotion that was evident on my face and replaced it with a smirk.
I snorted. Do we know each other? Yeah you could say that mom.
"Yeah you could say that." I reply.
Mya POV
Yeah you could say that. What the hell is that supposed to mean? But I guess, what are we supposed to say, 'Oh hey Mrs. Sullivan, Mr. Sullivan, I'm Mya and Noah is my mate, but he didn't even know I was a shifter until now because I can cover my scent with my magic powers, which by the way is why we are on the run from my psychotic father. Oh and did I mention I have magic powers?'
Instead I just glared at him, until Raven got over her initial shock and almost tackled me to the ground, with one of her air constricting hugs.
"Oh my goddess! MYA!" She yelled, before whispering low enough for no one else to hear, "Why didn't you tell me you were a shifter? And for that matter why couldn't I tell you were a shifter?" although I think the last question was more for herself than me.
"AHHHH I'm so excited! When mom said we were having a new shifter family around I had no idea it was going to be you!!" Again with the screaming.
"Raven... can't.... breathe." I managed to get out.
"Oh sorry." She giggled, finally letting go of me.
"Thanks." Taking in a deep breath to try and get some air back into me.
"So this is the famous Mya we have been hearing about?" Her mom says.
"Yes mom, this is Mya, my sister in everything but blood." She declared with a huge grin on her face, and I'm sure mine matched hers.
"I know its only been a few weeks but it already feels like a lifetime." I say grinning over at her.
"I'm so glad you two have become so close. Raven is always hanging out with boys, and its so nice that she finally has a girlfriend!"
Raven groaned next to me, "Mom! Don't start on this again! Not again."
"Yes yes your right, we can discuss that later, but for now everyone please sit down, make yourselves at home."
So every sat down, the parents all sat together and started happily chatting away, Jared sat next to Noah and they started talked about footy, and Raven linked her arm through mine and dragged me down next to her on the loveseat.
"So how are you and your lover going?" I ask her, wiggling my eyebrows.
She blushed the darkest shade of red I think I have ever seen on a person before answering, "Soooo amazing, he's amazing, everything is amazing!" She replied with a wistful sigh, and a goofy grin on her face.
Since I could see everyone from where I was sitting, I quickly glanced over at Noah.
I wonder what it would have been like, or what would have happened, if I was just a normal shifter, without magical powers, and a psychotic alpha after me? But then I guess without that I would never have been lead here, and I never would have found Noah, or Raven for that matter.
But there is also the issue of Barbie.... I honestly don't get what he see's in her! But its obviously more than what he sees in me, since he clearly thinks being with me isn't worth it, and is blatantly ignoring the mating call. Asshole.
And yet I still can't help but wonder what if? What if we could be together and not have to worry about anything else?
Sigh.
Luckily Raven was spacing out too, probably thinking about Vince, so I cleared my throat to get her attention.
"Oh sorry Mya, I kinda just spaced out."
"Thinking about a certain guy named Vince perhaps?" I say with a wink, a blush spreading across her face again.
"Oh shut up, when you find your mate you will understand! Its so awesome that you are a shifter and we can talk about mates and stuff now, and I wont sound like a complete weirdo!!!"
Well sorry to disappoint you, but I have already found my mate and no I don't understand what its like because he has done everything but flat out reject me.
"Yeah whatever..." I mumble in response.
"Hey so are you excited about your date with Max this weekend?" Turning the tables on me and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
I saw Noah stiffen out of the corner of my eye, Nice to know he's listening in, and now its time to have some fun! Muahahaha!
"I'm so excited! I haven't been on and honest-to-goddess date in... well... a long time, you know with all the moving around and stuff. He's such a great guy and he makes me laugh, which is a feat in itself! I know we're not mates but it just feels good to be able to be a teenager again and do something so normal like dating, you know?"
Its not like I'm lying, I am actually excited to go out on a date with Max, but maybe I am exaggerating my excitment just a little to try and get a reaction out of Noah, but maybe I'm not...
Noah clenched his fists, trying to appear calm and casual, although I could see right through it.
"Aww thats so cute, you guys are just so cute together! I know you guys aren't mates, but he still really likes you you know?"
"Haha well I would hope so, since we are going out on a date."
She pokes her tongue out at me, "Oh ha ha your just so funny." She says sarcastically.
"I know! Its a talent I have, among others." Giving her a wink.
She started giggling and Noah excused himself before all but running out of the room.
All of a sudden Raven's mom announced that dinner was ready. I hadn't even noticed her leave the room, or that it was already 7:30pm.
Geez no wonder I'm hungry!
So we all stand up and follow each other into the dining room.
The parents all sit up at one end, Paul, their dad, is sitting at the head of the table with both the moms sitting across from each other on either side of him, and then Jared sits down next to mom on the side of the table with 2 seats. Noah struts into the room and sits next to his mom, and Raven sits at the other end of the table leaving the only available seat in-between Raven and Noah.
Fun times! Just ignore him. Just ignore him. Just ignore him. I keep chanting in my head.
Dinner is going really well so far. The conversation keeps flowing, and its almost as if we have all known each other forever. The same as me, mom hasn't really had many chances to make friends either, and its so great to see how happy she is with Raven's parents. Everyone has already inhaled mom's lemon meringue pie, as usual it was spectacular, and Lauren asked if she could make it for the store, which mom immediately agreed to.
All of a sudden I feel a hand on my thigh under the table. Tingles run through me from where his hand is on my leg. I look around at Noah who is chatting with Jared, acting all casual, as though he didn't just put his hand on me.
He starts stroking my thigh with his thumb and I bite the inside of my cheeks to stop a moan from escaping.
It feels so good. Why must it feel so good?
My heart was beating so loudly I'm surprised no one else could hear it. All I could focus on was Noah's hand on my thigh, and how amazing and right it felt.
Luckily Raven was so caught up in whatever it was she was talking about that she didn't notice my lack of attention for the moment.
Thanks the moon goddess Paul stood up and asked Noah, and mom volunteered Jared, to clear the table. So Lauren took mom with her back into the living room, and Raven grabbed my hand and dragged me up to her room.
It was so much fun, we did each others nails, did those corny romance quizzes they have in teen magazines, as well as just chatting and getting to know each other. I hadn't had a good friend in over 2 years, I had almost fogotten what it felt like, to have someone to talk to, to gossip with, to tell things you can't tell your family. It was something so simple, yet something I used to take for granted. When I said we were sisters in every way except blood I wasn't kidding, from the moment I met her, as sappy as this sounds, I felt that we had a connection. So much so that sometimes when I'm in close proximity to her, I can feel her emotions, her happiness, her excitement, which is something I have only ever been able to do with my family.
After a while we decided to put a movie on until I had to go. She wanted to watch The Notebook, and even though I have watched it a million times, same as her, I still agreed to watch it as it was one of my favourite movies.
We were halfway through when I realised I needed to pee. So I told her and slipped out of the room, although I think she was so entranced with the movie, mouthing all the words to herself, that she hardly even realised.
Dammit why do I need to go to the toilet now! Its getting up to the good bit! Shit and I could bump into Noah, he could be anywhere, and then we would be on our own.... So not a good idea.
Oh well when you gotta go, you gotta go...
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Just as I started the trek back to Raven's room, a hand jumped out and grabbed my arm, dragging me into an empty room.
Oh dear, here we go.
I heard the door shut behind me, before I was pushed against it, Noah's unique scent enveloping me as he placed his hand on either side of my head.
There was some sort of dim light coming from the other side of the room, allowing me to see just how close he was.
We were almost nose to nose, and dang nammit even his breath smells good, but his eyes, oh gods his eyes, they are hands down the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen in my life.
We both stood there for a while taking each other in and enjoying the closeness of our bodies.
How much time passed while we stood there? I wouldn't have a clue, but I just couldn't think properly with him in such close proximity to me.
Finally he broke the silence, "How do you do this to me?"
"Do what?"
And my breath caught in my throat when he stepped closer, the bulge in his pants pressing into my stomach.
"That."
"It's because we're mates, we can't help it." I say, my voice coming out sounding a lot more wistful than I would have liked.
His nostrils flared, "But we have to help it. This. Us. It can never be. We can never be together." But he still made no move to move away from me or the position we were in.
I lift my hands up to cup his cheeks before running my hands through his hair. Soft. So Soft. It's even better than I Imagined it. "We aren't doing anything wrong."
He moaned, pressing his forehead against mine.
But we could be. Just move your lips forward a couple of inches and kiss me... Wait! NO! Mya what are you doing? Don't let him do this, don't let him kiss you! You can't miss what you haven't had, so just think about Max, sweet, funny Max.
But he's not Noah. My wolf whined. He's not strong, handsome, sexy, and most importantly hes not our mate!
I cannot let him kiss me! Then it will be even harder to resist him, knowing what I'm missing out on... if only I could have a quick taste of that glorious mouth... No Mya stop it, Noah is with barbie and he's not going to leave her for me.
I'm not worth it. I think dejectedly.
As difficult as it is, I pull myself out of his arms and walk to the other side of what I can now see is a study.
"Don't....Don't do that. You can't do that. You said it yourself we can't be together, so do not even think about kissing me." Placing my hands on the edge of the desk, still not turning to look at him, because I know if I do, I won't be able to control myself.
"But I want to be, I want to be with you so badly it hurts," I squeeze my eyes shut waiting for him to go on, "But I... I just can't. Everything has already been arranged and there is no way my father can get out of it now."
"Your father?!" I say incredulously, turning to look at him but he has his head hung, not wanting to look me in the eye, "What is the world does your father have to do with us being together, like we are supposed to be?" I walk up to him and latch my hand onto each side of his face, bringing it up and making him look me in the eyes. "We are mates, we were destined to be together, as willed by Luna the moon goddess. Tell me, what does your father have to do with us not being together?"
"Everything!" He shouted, "Everything." he repeated softly, his voice cracking. He sounded so dejected it broke my heart. Pulling away from me, he started pacing up and down the room. "Do you want to know why?" I open my mouth to reply, but before I speak he continues, "Never mind I'm going to tell you anyway, you deserve to know."
My hands fell to my side, and I stood there watching him as he paced across the room, waiting for him to say something.
This went on for another few minutes before he finally spoke...
"The tradition of our pack states that should the next in line for alpha not find his mate by his 17th birthday, he must marry another in order to take over as alpha. One day before I was born, we were attacked by rogues.”
My sharp intake of breath went seemingly unnoticed as he continued to talk,
“Wolves from our neighbouring pack, the Eloam Mountain pack, who were patrolling the border heard the fighting and came to help. Long story short Peter, Ella's father, was one of those wolves, and ended up saving my fathers life.
Of course my father, being the far too kind man he is, asked him if there was anything he could do to repay him; probably assuming he would ask for something easy like money like most people did; but Peter isn’t most people." He said, stopping abruptly, fists clenching and unclenching in anger.
It took everything I had to stop myself from walking over to comfort him. But I felt that if I did, it would break the spell and he wouldn’t finish, even though I knew he needed to get it all off his chest.
After what felt like hours passed, but were in fact minutes, Noah took a deep breath before continuing both pacing and talking,
"Being the greedy bastard he is Peter wanted power, and after the attack, even though he was a shifter, he was disabled. He lost the use of his right leg due to it being severely damaged in the attack. So much so, that even being a shifter didn't help the healing process.
So as his payment he wanted to arrange the marriage of his unborn daughter that his wife was carrying at the time, to the next in line for alpha; me, not that they knew they were having a son at the time, since they wanted it to be a surprise. The Alphas had been looking for something to unite the two pack’s, so the pairing was agreed to not only for the purposes of repaying a debt but also to bring two packs together. And so the deal was struck.
Ella's family are one of the few almost completely pure shifter bloodlines left in the world, and Ella’s father convinced everyone that mixing pure blood with the blood of an alpha would ensure strong leaders for future generations. That’s the story he sold my father anyway. I think he just wanted to be able to reap all the benefits that came with having a daughter who was Luna of the pack."
At that moment, he finally turned to face me, not touching, not even standing close enough to reach out and touch, but at least he was looking at me, into me, "And since I didn't find my mate, " He stepped forward and gingerly stroked the side of my face while looking into my eyes, which were pleading for me to understand, "since I didn't find you, on my 17th birthday the deal was enacted. Dad wasn't happy about it, back then he was young and didn't know any better, he figured I would probably find my mate just like him, and even if I didn't he was just following the traditions that had been ingrained in him since he was young.”
He moved his other hand up to cup my face, moving us even closer, ”I have grown up my whole life knowing what might happen, although just before my 17th birthday he admitted to me that all he wanted was for me to find my mate and find the happiness he has with mom. I didn't want him to feel guilty about the arrangement, so for all pretences and purposes Ella and I are a 'happy couple'... until we aren't in public that is. Although he is a man of his word and could not renege on their deal. So there is nothing we can do. I didn't even think I would ever find you, and now that I have I don't know what to do, I am sorry Mya. I am so sorry."
His eyes became glassy, almost as if he were about to cry, and he kept repeating how sorry he was while continuing to stroke my face with his thumbs.
It killed me to see him like that. He was so vulnerable and broken. I haven't known him very long at all, and in the few weeks I have been here all we have shared are a few heated stares and harsh words, but I couldn't help but care for him. He is my mate, we share a special bond that can't be measured by something so simple as words, I can already feel him inside of me; a part of my very soul.
Finally everything he said caught up to me. My voice cracked, "So you're married?" I just managed to get out. A lone tear running down my cheek at the thought that he was already lost to me when I had only just found him.
"No not married, more like an unnofficial engagement, since we can't technically get officially married until we turned 18." He said, and wiped my tear away with his thumb.
I released the breath I didn't even realise I was holding. My relief was so great that in that moment that I simply couldn't help myself and it felt like the only thing to do, the right thing to do. I sank into his chest and held onto him for dear life.
He immediately wrapped his arms around me too, and sank his head into the crook of my neck just breathing in my scent, as I was doing with him, trying to calm myself down.
Once our breathing returned to some semblance of normal, I slightly stepped back, not letting him go but just enough so I could look into his face.
"Surely there is something we can do? Didn't they discuss what would happen if you ever found your mate?"
"I... I'm not sure. I can't remember ever really talking about it. The best person to ask would be my dad obviously. He would know."
All of a sudden hope and a little bit of excitement swam in his eyes, "Come on lets go down and ask him."
So I grabbed his hand and started walking out of the room, although just as I was reaching for the door handle he pulled me back and said, "Wait. Mya... I.. I think it might be better if we... if we don't let anyone know about us just yet."
I could feel the blood rush out of my face and my smile completely vanished, "Why? Are you.. are you ashamed of me? Won't your parent's think I'm good enough for you?" And suddenly everything hit me all at once, "Oh my goddess! And to think, I was considering kissing you! Loving you! Accepting you as my mate! Oh gods, what's wrong with me? This was a mistake, a huge mistake! You probably don't want me anymore, is that it? Do you even care about me?!' And just as I was about to open my mouth to continue voicing my insecurities, Noah spoke.
"Mya. MYA LISTEN TO ME!" I shut up mid ramble, "You are my mate, no one else... you! You are mine as much as I am yours, now and forever. We will get through this. Together. Always together."
Why am I acting so insecure? Where did all my confidence go? I swear it was here just a second ago.
But just the thought that he might not want me, or want others to know about me, made all my self-confidence fly out the window.
He turned to me and pulled me close, before leaning down and whispering in my ear, "I wouldn't have it any other way. I want anyone and everyone to know that you are mine."
Hearing him call me his, sent a shiver through me, that had nothing to do with me being cold.
"All I'm saying is that we don't know what the answers to our questions will be and I don't want you to get your hopes up. I also have to consider my parents. It will tear them up inside if they know I have found my mate and are unable to break the deal so we can be together. I will find out as much as I can but until then we have to keep the pretense that things are as they are normally. We can still be together but it will have to be in secret for now. I'm sorry it has to be this way, and if you don't want to be with me I totally understand."
"What about Barbie?"
He let out a slight chuckle, I assume at my nickname for his 'girlfriend', before sobering up, "I'm sorry Mya, but if we are to convince everyone that everything is just the way it is normally, I will... I will have to.." He looked so choked up about what he was about to say. I knew what he was going to say, and I had already weighed my options and being with him was worth it.
"Be with Ella." I finish for him.
"Yes. I'm so sorry Mya."
I had already accepted that this was just how it was going to have to be for now, "Its okay, really. I guess we will just have to get used to quickies in the janitors closet and abandoned classrooms from now on." I say with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.
A smirk immediately made it way onto his face, "I think I can live with that." As he cupped my cheek with his right hand and started to stroke my cheek
Having his face so close, suddenly made me hyper aware of his body on mine, and I thought to myself, you know what, screw the consequences, who knows whats going to happen, and who knows if I will ever get the chance to be this close to him again, I may as well just do it.
And do I did, I pulled back so I was face to face with him and it was as though he could tell what I was thinking when he said, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"More than anything." I replied, before crushing my mouth to his.
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Okay so nothing else has changed except for Mya's talk with Noah, and its kind of important for the rest of the plot so please make sure you re-read this chapter :)
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