The Beta's Mate
Chapter Four: Tell Me More
-Ryder-
"Very glad to hear it...and as we are on the topic of family still..." Trace sounded excited now. "As my family I wanted to be the first one to tell you about my mate."
Morgan smiled just as excited upon hearing the news.
"Her name is Valerie Carson...I believe Ryder is well aquainted with her."
"Not as much as you'd think...strictly study group partners." I chuckled. "But she's kind, and very determined to say the least."
"I'm glad to hear it...she is also Luna Harper's sister." He said to Morgan now.
One thing I remembered about my little sister growing up...she was obsessed with romance and Alphas, and Lunas...she looked at them like Kings and Queens...and judging by her dreamy state as she lingered to Trace's words on his mate and her beauty, she still must feel the same way.
"I've decided to go ahead and have a party, of course this party will be for mine and Ryder's presentation as the new Alpha and Beta but I'll also be inviting her to slowly begin introducing her to our world."
"Oh I can't wait to meet her!" Morgan sounded delighted.
I also smiled, maybe it was me having my own mate now, and now knowing first hand it's immediate affection and infatuation that made me happy for my brother.
"Okay I've gotta ask man..." Trace said slightly humored now. "What has got you smiling so much?"
"Nothing just happy for you."
He shook his head, "No...every since you came back from your run you've been smiling nonstop."
"I didn't even see you when I got back." I replied.
"Doesn't mean that I didn't see you little brother...either way, I was in my office and called after you as you made your way upstairs but you were in some sort of happy fuled daze to hear me." He said.
"He's right, you were kinda, I don't know...amped, or excited when we were talking earlier too." Morgan threw in.
I smirked, "Well I hadn't noticed..." I knew there was no point in keeping my mate a secret, Everyone would know the truth anyways. "...Well Trace isn't the only one to find their mate...-"
Just then a cellphone began ringing and I looked at both my brother and sister only to find it was Morgan."Ugh, you've got horrible timing."
"Mo..." Trace sounded, indicating he didn't like her on her phone at the dinner table.
She rolled her eyes, "Calm down it's just Zoe."
He smiled his understanding and accepted the phone call.
"OH MY GODDESS!" Morgan screamed excitedly now, "SHUT UP! WHEN?" She calmed down enough to face us now, and relay her friend Zoe's words. "Zoe found her mate."
I smiled with pride now.
My mate was already wanting to tell people about me.
"My brother was just telling us about how he also found his mate...No not Trace, Ryder...although Trace found his mate too, Her name is Valerie...No not Ryder's mate, Trace's." She laughed. "Trace's found his mate Valerie, and Ryder was just telling us about his mate...I don't know, he hasn't told us yet."
Morgan looked at me now, "Do you mind if I put the phone on speakerphone?" She asked, "Zoe and I love to hear about mates and how they first met."
I nodded, "I don't mind."
Morgan smiled further and put the phone call on speakerphone, "Alright everyone can hear you now."
"Hey guys." She sounded.
Her voice awoke my wolf and I had to calm him down so I took a sip of water.
"Congratulations on find your mate Trace, I'm sure she's lovely." Zoe sounded sweetly.
"Hey thanks Zo." Trace sounded.
'Zo and Mo...Trace is obviously close to the girls.' My wolf pointed out.
"Sooo Ryder, can you please tell us how you met your mate?" Zoe asked me.
"Oh...of course." I said. "I went out for a run earlier, to clear my mind a little and so I let my wolf sorta take control, and he lead me to her...her wolf stopped me in my tracks cold, I couldn't move, I couldn't think, then she saw me and shifted, I assume out of reflex...and she was a sight to see."
"Eww perv." Morgan sounded.
__________
-Zoe's POV-
"Not like that...no there was nothing sexual at all..." Ryder amended cutely.
I listened in, completely enamored with this man, I was also relieved to hear that he wasn't just flat out trying to see me naked earlier.
I was laying back on the bed in my dad's spare room and loving hearing the sound of his voice.
Ryder Johnson...my Mate.
'Mate.'
I smiled beyond contently and closed my eyes as I listened on to his words.
"...As a matter of fact she immediately hid behind a tree so I wouldn't see her naked...then she poked her head out... her hair was all over the place, kinda wild...-"
My eyes shot open in shock and embarrasment and I was sitting up now a little defensively. "WHAT?!" I asked mortified
"He said she had crazy hair." Morgan said, completely overlooking my appalled tone.
Ryder went on to explain and correct himself, but I didn't miss the hint of sweetness in his tone now.
"No it wasn't crazy, just a little wispy from her running, but not how I'm making it seem...No my mate...Well, she is without a doubt obviously breathtaking...and that's also why I came back without my shirt, if given her mine to cover herself up with...and I won't lie, I kinda like the fact that she has a little piece of me with her to curl up into at night if she wants to."
I literally swooned as I felt my body fall back against the bed once more and biting back another smile as I totally packed his top to do just that.
I was beyond lucky for finding my mate in Ryder, it really seemed like he was a gentle and romantic sort of man.
But my calm moment was ended when the conversation continued.
"So Ryder, what's her name?" Trace asked.
My heart began to race, what if he didn't want people to know about us yet...I mean he was telling his siblings about his mate but what if he always meant to keep my identity a secret.
'Mate's not like that, Mates proud of us.'
I sighed as softly as I could so no one would hear it. I knew my wolf was right, even though I don't know Ryder very well yet, I knew enough to realize that isn't the type of man he is.
Or at least I don't think he is.
"I don't know if she would want me to tell anyone just yet?" He sounded unsure now.
That same bit of anxiety began to rise before he spoke again.
"I only want to do what she's most comfortable with."
'He's considerate, thoughtful of us.'
I smiled.
"Oh She's your mate, I'm sure she wouldn't mind." Morgan sounded.
I couldn't help but laugh a little at my best friends eagerness to find out about her brothers mysterious mate.
"Yeah...I'm sure she wouldn't mind at all." I said, confidently giving him the go ahead.
"Well... I still have a lot to learn about her, but I'm looking forward to finding out all about her..." Ryder sounded so sweetly. "...And maybe you guys can help me since you both seem to know Zoe so well."
Morgan screamed louder than I've ever heard her scream before, as well as a couple of laughs from the guys, I even had to pull my cell away from me for a moment until she got it all out of her system.
After a round of congratulations I ended up telling them all goodbye with Morgan promising to give Ryder my number.
I laid there and felt like I was in the most fabulous dream, to know that when I get back home I have possibly the most amazing man waiting for me was absoultely a dream come true.
But I was brought back to reality when my stomach grumbled. I sighed as I got up and made my way out of the bedroom.
"Dad" I called out, "What's for dinner?"
He looked up at me from the recliner, "Oh...I assumed you ate at your mother's?"
I sighed, "Nevermind, I'm just gonna have a shower and call it an early night."
"Alright, uh...me and Marie got tickets for a movie tonight so we won't be here for a while, but help yourself to whatever's in there." He offered.
"Okay, thanks." I said before I built up the courage to ask him what I really needed to ask him, "Hey dad could I ask you for a favor?"
"Well what is it Zoe?"
"Uh Well you know how I took a year off of school to help get some money saved up...I was thinking about finally starting school this coming semester, and I applied for some grants so I'm waiting to hear back from them and I've saved quite a bit...but I'm actually still significantly short on funds."
"So you need money?" He asked.
I nodded, "It's not as much as I originally asked for, I promise."
"Well...I mean, don't they have financial aid?"
"W-Well they do...but that's a really long process, and most of the time they ask for the applicant's parents financial statements." I filled him in.
"Wait...financial statements?" He wondered.
"Yeah...it's all standard procedure, and that's why if you don't need a loan you shouldn't even bother applying for one, plus once they have your financial stuff they'll determine whether I need the help or not."
"Look Zoe, I'll fill out whatever you need me to but I can't just give you money...Marie...-"
"I get it...your girlfriend is more important than your child." I said, knowingly trying to guilt him.
"Hey now, That's not fair, and I don't see you hassling your mom about this!" He yelled.
"Mom's doing what she can, I'm doing what I can and you...as always, you shirk the situation altogether...it's just like the braces." I threw in, remembering all too well how he wouldn't help mom pay for my braces so Mom had to pull out a loan to pay for them and then spent years repaying the loan.
"I'm done talking about this, I'll help you get financial aid but that's it...you're not a kid anymore Zoe, you live in the real world and in the real world if you want something you go out and make it happen, get a second job if college means so much to you!"
There was no point in arguing with him, the fact that he doesn't even know (despite my telling him on multiple occasions) that I do as a matter of fact, have a second job says plenty.
"I'm going home...I'm sure your girlfriend will be happy to hear it too...just do me a favor Roy...when this one leaves like the rest of them don't come around trying to be father of the year all of a sudden...like you said, I'm not a kid anymore so there's no point in trying to pretend like we like each other anymore...we all know you don't genuinely care, you only use the fact that you have a daughter to either brag about my accomplishments to make yourself seem like a great father or as some weird pickup line for new girlfriends instead of just waiting for your mate."
He sighed, "Don't be dramatic..."
"I'm done trying...so I'm going home."
"Just because I won't give you money!?" He yelled.
"NO!" I yelled back, "Because no matter what, everyone else in your world will always come before me!"
I was angry now, and I couldn't stop the stupid tears as they built up and threatened to spill over, "And don't say it isn't true...with Patty you went to every single one one of her bratty daughters dumbass drama club productions but didn't come and see me as I was inducted to the junior honors society, or Lisa...remember when you promised you'd let me stay over for the whole summer but then Lisa said she wanted to go on a vacation for summer...I would've liked to have gone with you on that vacation, think you guys even went to Disney if I remember correctly...And now, even though you knew I was coming for a damn weekend you still had to make plans to go out instead of spending any kind of time with me, and yeah... like you said I'm not a kid anymore, and I sure as hell don't need someone in my life who doesn't need me or want to be around me."
"You're just like your mother...always bringing up the old shit." He sounded.
I shook my head, "better than sounding like my father...when you need him the most he'll always have plenty of excuses to get out of helping all of a sudden...enjoy your life Roy."
And with that I went back to the room. I collected my stuff and once I was outside I shifted and collected my duffle bag in my mouth before I finally just ran all the way back home.