The Unlikely Mate

Chapter 23

"What? How?" Lennox stammered, "Why? How? I'm not a werewolf. What do you mean?"

"I don't know" Jennifer said, approaching Lennox slowly. "I have no idea why she would do this, and mate me to a human. Second chances are very rare, and I honestly don't know that I've ever heard of an actual human mate being a thing. It just doesn't happen."

"But you're sure?" Lennox asked, at a complete loss for any other words. But even as he asked, the confusion completely resonating through his thoughts, and yet he felt a calm and a conviction that she wasn't wrong. Somehow, from deep inside he felt that she was telling the truth. That somehow he was meant to be with her, and she was meant to be with him. "So, what now?" he finally asked.

Jennifer, are you ok? The mind-link from Evelyn cut through Jennifer's thoughts and she was immediately distracted from Lennox's questions.

Yeah, I'm fine, why? Jennifer responded to Evelyn's inquiry.

I think you should come back here. I think you're in danger. William said he went to your apartment to talk and that there was the scent of someone else in your apartment. A known hunter! If you're with him, you need to get away. He's killed our kind. I know the topic of hunters doesn't come up much at home, but they're dangerous, even if they are just human. Jackson is headed to town now to help William find the hunter. Came Evelyn's concerned response.

It's not like that, I'm not in any danger. Tell Jackson it isn't necessary. I can explain. Jennifer responded in a fluster.

He can't not come for you. The Alpha has him tasked with keeping an eye on you, and he's heard of the Hunter William has told him about. He's already on his way. I'll tell him what you said, he's blocked off his mind link to the rest of the pack, but he can still hear me and the Alpha, but you won't be able to reach him. Evelyn said to her.

Ok, please tell him I'm fine, it would be so much easier if I could just talk to him myself and explain. We'll head back to the pack. Jennifer said to Evelyn.

You can't bring a hunter here! Evelyn spoke in a panic into Jennifer's head. You could both be killed on sight. If nothing else, bringing a hunter onto pack land could get you kicked out of the pack, Jennifer.

Ok, I've got to figure some things out then. Please tell Jackson to talk to me before he does anything, if you are able to get a hold of him. Tell him I need to talk to him. Jennifer pleaded with Evelyn.

I'll tell him. Please be careful, Jennifer! Evelyn begged.

Lennox looked at Jennifer as she stood motionless. She looked like she hadn't even heard his questions and was standing still, looking forward but not at him. Her eyes almost looked glazed over, like she was lost in a trance or something. He took a step toward her, concern suddenly welling up inside, a new feeling of needing to be her protector filling his senses.

And then, just as suddenly as she had stopped, she seemed to return to the moment.

"I'm sorry" she said, "That was a mind link from Evelyn."

"A what-link from who?" Lennox asked, having no comprehension of what she had just said.

"A mind-link" Jennifer responded, again confronted with just how far apart their worlds actually were. "Werewolves within a pack are able to communicate with each other through their minds. It's just like a phone call, but in your mind."

"Of course, why not?" Lennox said, throwing his hands up in the air and realizing that the two years he'd spend studying werewolves had really produced very little knowledge about them at all. "So who's Evelyn?"

"Evelyn is the Beta's mate. Jackson. She's been keeping in touch with me while I've been here, and she was letting me know that we're in trouble."

"Trouble?" Lennox asked, quickly taking a defensive stance in front of Jennifer protectively, glancing out of the windows to look for signs of danger. "What kind of trouble, should we go? And how does she know?" he asked her. "Is it that guy you're running from?" And he pulled Jennifer into his arms, wrapping them around her, as if to keep her safe within his embrace.

"Yes" Jennifer said, accepting Lennox's arms around her and resting there. "They know you're a hunter, and they know I'm with you."

"I would never hurt you" Lennox said to Jennifer, lifting her chin with his fingers and looking deep into her eyes.

"I know that" she responded, "but they don't. They only see you as a threat, not just to me but to our kind."
"That's fair" Lennox responded, "I have been hunting werewolves and even killed a few. But they had it coming and weren't anything like the kind of civilized wolves you've told me about and that you obviously are."

"There's more" Jennifer said sadly. "The guy, the werewolf that's with Jackson, the powerful one I mention..." and Jennifer paused, taking a deep breath.

"What is it? Did he hurt you?" Lennox asked.

"No, he didn't hurt me, but... we went out on a date, and..." Jennifer paused again when she could feel Lennox bristle at the words she spoke. She didn't want to tell him, and she knew it would hurt him. "I slept with him" she finally blurted out.

Lennox's arms dropped from around Jennifer and he backed away, looking at her with wounding evident in his eyes.

"I..." he faltered. "I don't understand why it bothers me so much. When?" he asked.

"The night before we met" Jennifer said sheepishly, wrapping her own arms around herself protectively, guilt emanating off of her. "I'm sorry, I really am. If I'd known you existed, that I would meet you, I never would have."

"You betrayed me?" Lennox muttered, half out loud and half to himself. Then he grabbed his head in his hands and sat down, as if the pressure in his mind was going to burst. "I mean, it was before we met, and I've been far from celibate, so there's no reasonable explanation for me to be upset. I completely and rationally understand the double-standard I'm feeling, but I want to kill him. I know I shouldn't be, but I feel furious and hurt, and angry" he babbled on. "What is happening to me?" He asked, with heavy pleading.

"It's the mate bond" Jennifer whispered as she moved closer to him again. "Werewolves are supposed to be monogamous with only their true mates, and the bond makes it very difficult for most wolves to stray from their partners. So even though we hadn't met, our bond was still there, so it hurts us both to know that we have been with others." Tears had started to trickle down Jennifer's face as she spoke. She couldn't deny the pain she felt, admitting to him that she had been unfaithful to him. And even though she knew he had assumed he had been with others before her, having him openly admit to it caused a deep pang within her heart.

Lennox took Jennifer's face into his hands, and gently brushed away the tears with his thumbs.

"It's you and me, together. From here on out" Lennox heard himself say. He was still struggling inside, trying to come to terms with everything he had been learning in the last few hours, but he knew it was right, and he knew that he would do anything in his power to be with this woman, to protect her and to call her his own.

Jennifer leaned in to Lennox and nestled her face into his neck, feeling the comfort that came with being in his arms. She knew trouble was coming, but at the moment she couldn't help but feel sparks of genuine happiness. She realized that she needed to make a plan and figure out what to do next, but she reasoned with herself that she needed this to prepare for what was coming, and she didn't move for several minutes. Warmly held in the embrace of her mate, however unlikely the pairing may be, Jennifer finally felt complete.