what are mates? (editing)

Prologue

Venus is twelve years old and Ryder is thirteen. This book will have a large time jump soon so they won't be this age for a long time, but I thought I should let you know.
•••••

Venus

"Dad, how much longer until we're there?" I ask in an exasperated voice.

"10 more minutes Caterpillar," he answered trying to contain his anger.

My dad calls me Caterpillar because that was my mom and I's thing. We would get caterpillars and keep them safe until they turned into butterflies, then let them go. My mom's nickname was Butterfly because she was the grown version of me.

Cute, huh?

"I'm hungry dad, Thistle is begging for food too!" I exclaimed.

Oh, by the way, Thistle is my wolf.

See, most pups have to wait until they're 16 to get a wolf and shift, but for some reason, I got mine early. But I can't shift yet.

Dad says I have to wait until I'm 16.

"Caterpillar, we're here!" My dad exclaims.

"YAY!" I yell while running out of the car, not forgetting the stuffed butterfly my mom got me.

*Flashback*

"Mommy, will you be ok?" I ask her on the verge of tears.

"I don't know Caterpillar, but I will try to stay with you," she says fidgeting with her hospital bracelet.

We're currently in the hospital because she got stabbed with a dagger laced with silver during a fight.

She goes to grab something from behind her.

"Here Bug, have this stuffed butterfly. If I do go, I will be there. So talk, hug, cry with, eat with, or sleep with me when I'm gone." She said giving me the butterfly.

"Thanks, mommy, and thanks butterfly mommy," I said hugging the butterfly.

"Butterfly, Caterpillar visiting hours are over," Dad says walking in.

"Okay. *sniffle* Bye-bye mommy," I said crying.

"Bye Bug, I love you," She said sniffling.

I didn't know that was the last time she was gonna say "I love you" to me.

*Flashback over*

I quickly wipe my tears and run into the packhouse.

"Caterpillar, the Luna, and Alpha told you to go in the living room. I have to go talk to them about living arrangements." My dad told me.

"Alright, I'll go wait over there for you," I say walking into the living room.

"See you in a minute bug!" My dad yelled to me.

I walked in and I saw a boy, scratch that, a really cute boy.

He looks about 5'5 and he has brown hair and green eyes.

We both look at each other and my wolf starts going crazy.

She's yelling a word I can't quite understand.

We walk up to each other and I instantly feel shy under his gaze.

"Um hi." I mentally facepalm myself for acting so shy.

"Hey, my mom and dad told me to greet you while they talk to your dad." The boy says.

"Well um... hi my name is Venus Stone. What's yours?" I ask.

"It's- Woah!" He got cut off by a strange force pushing us together.

The force made us hold hands.

All I felt were strong sparks.

"Woah!" I screeched and pulled my hand back.

"Wow, did you feel that?" The boy I have yet to learn the name of asks me.

"Um yeah, why did that happen?" I asked nervously.

"Hmm... I don't know. But my wolf is going crazy right now yelling a word that I don't know." He says with his head tilted looking like an adorable puppy.

Woah! He's not adorable, I can't be liking boys right now.

"Yeah, my wolf is too. She's yelling the word..."

"Mate," we say together.