The Mate

Chapter Ten

All she could think about was how ridiculous they sounded. She began giggling, then it became a full blown laugh. She didn't believe a single word they said. But yet, when Alex said it she felt her heart bloom.

"I'm sorry." she said, trying to catch her breath. "But I am not a princess. I am not a princess. I'm barely even a... a... wait. Could you say why you think that I may be the 'lost princess'?" she asked them. This would probably explain the dreams she has always had. The feeling of wanting to be someone.

"You are the missing princess." he repeated.

"Yes, I heard you. But-"

"You are the missing princess of the White Wolf Clan."

"Of the who?" she asked.

"White. Wolf. Clan."

"Wolf?" her world was not making any sense. Everything seemed to spin in circles. As she was trying to gather her ground Alex began to speak.

"The White Wolf Clan was destroyed about twenty one years ago. It was a horrible battle. No one was left and if there was they were murdered. We have been looking into it for the past few days."

"I'm sorry I'm just-" she shook her head and then pinched herself. "Wolf?"

"Is this too much for you?" John asked her.

All she could do was shake her head.

Alex stood up and grabbed her hand. "I'm taking her home," he announced.

She didn't remember the ride home, she didn't realize what she was doing when she turned the key in the door and let Alex in. She put her items down by the table behind her front door. She walked into her room and grabbed her pajamas. She began changing. Not caring that Alex was right behind her.

He couldn't help but watch her. His wolf was going crazy. When he saw the marks on her back his back went up. There were numerous marks across her back, some were crossing, others looked bigger and deeper. She put her dirty clothes in the basket and pulled her sheets down and laid in bed.

"Wolf." she stated under her breath. "Did you know?" she acknowledged him.

"Yes and no."

She raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was a simple yes or no question."

"I- when-" she watched him struggle with his words. "I thought, when I first met you, you were human. I was going to reject you."

"Reject me?" she asked.

"You're my mate." he told her, sitting on her bed beside her. "The moon Goddess gives everyone a mate and you are mine."

"I just don't-"

"Would you like me to explain?"

She nodded her head.

"I am the alpha of the Riverwood Clan. My father was the previous Alpha. When I found that you were my mate I was going to reject you because I thought you were human and I knew that I couldn't have a human mate. You wouldn't be able to have my pups. It would or could kill you."

"Kill me?"

"Yes, but later that day we had a meeting and that is when I found out that my father had been looking into who you were since he first met you. He told us that you looked too familiar and he began to look into your history. He found that you were from the White Wolf and-" he stopped.

"My father was actually at your coronation. It was only days after that was your clan attacked. Everyone we knew was dead. My father was there as soon as we heard what happened. We thought you were gone. It was a couple of weeks later did the fireman tell us that someone had dropped someone off. We had hope that it was you. Father kept an eye out for you but it was more difficult the more you moved. He was relieved when he found out that you had moved here and that you were staying."

"He had been- his note." Now she understood what his note meant when she got in her home.

"This is a lot at one time but there is something that is urgent that is happening." he took a deep breath. "When you turn twenty one tomorrow you will meet your wolf. I wasn't planning on telling you this but you have the right to reject me. If you do not want me you have every right to reject me. It will hurt your wolf as well as mine and we are not promised another mate." he looked down and grabbed her hands.

"However," he looked back up at her. "I know for a fact that you have another mate."

"How?" she asked him.

"His name is Ethan. He is a ruthless Alpha who is coming to find you. And I need you to know that he will be staying at my pack house for a few days. He is searching for you and he has your smell."

"Smell?" she questioned.

"Yes, every mate has a certain scent to their mate."

"What do I smell like to you?" she asked him. Leaning toward him.

"Strawberries and peaches." He took a deep breath. "You smell divine. You smell like home. You smell amazing. Your smell is addicting." kissing her hand as he took another deep breath of her.

"This all seems ridiculous. This can't be real. I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning and this is all going to be a dream." she shook her head. "But in the meantime, could you please stay with me?"

He nodded his head. "I will lock up when I leave."

"No," she told him. "I would like for you to stay."

"Are you sure?" he asked her.

"Please." She moved the blanket so he could lay with her. "You're supposed to be my mate so it shouldn't bother you."

"Ahh, about that."

"Yeah?"

"If you wake up tomorrow morning and I'm not in bed it's because my wolf has been trying to mark you."

"Mark me?"

"In order for me to mark you I must bite your neck, that is to show that you're mine and no one else can have you. But I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen just yet."

"Oh. Okay."

As she laid down with Alex she felt her eyes begin to close. She dreamt of running through the forest. Hearing her heart beating against her chest. Her feet pounding on the forest floor. Running past the trees faster than she had ever ran before.

Feeling free she jumped. She was running as hard as she could, feeling the wind in her hair. Her breathing became very labored. She could see everything, she ever speck of dirt there possibly was.

She.

Was.

Free.

Melody rolled over and looked at the clock. As the time 4:57 showed across the screen she got up. She went to the bathroom and peed. She got up and washed her hands and grabbed her toothbrush. Brushing her teeth with her eyes closed she leaned against the wall to help hold herself up.

She spit out the mouthful of toothpaste. Rinsing her mouth out and putting her toothbrush back in its holder. She grabbed her hair brush and began to brush her hair.

She stopped brushing her hair when she looked in the mirror. The brush stilled in her hand.

Her hair was pure white. White as snow. She moved the hair brush from her hair and placed it on the counter. Slowly stepping away from the mirror she walked into the bedroom and saw Alex in her bed.