Resisting My Mate (Book 2 of the Complicated Mates series) Editing

Chapter 19

Ashtyn

Ticked off mate? No thank you.

I followed behind her and heard Josh do the same. Watching the sway of her hips was bringing the inner beast out of me and I couldn’t help but picture them in my hands as I-

“Geez will you chill! Your sex fumes are suffocating me,” Josh said with a grimace.

I shot him a smirk, “Jealous?”

He looked offended, “Of you? Wanting to bang my cousin? Hell no! I can’t decide whether I want to blow some chunks or knock you out.” He smile as if he leaning more towards knocking me out. The Josh I know and love was coming back. Then Arianna greeted the newcomer and the tension in his face returned.

“Hi, Amelia right? I’m Arianna.”

Amelia looked a little unsure and taken back, but Arianna’s smile never wavered and soon a small smile appeared on her face. “Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you.”

Ari looked satisfied and shot both Josh and I a look, clearly telling us to behave. “You too. This here is my mate Ashtyn and cousin Joshua, but we all just call him Josh.”

I gave a slight nod of my head trying to be friendly but also remaining alert; she was a rogue. Josh mumbled a hello and I may not be clued into all that girly mushy stuff but I couldn’t help but notice the smile she shot him was a bit bigger than the one she graced Ari with.

Ari rolled her eyes at Josh’s less than enthusiastic greeting before looping her arm with Amelia’s and leading her to our lunch table. “Seeing as your new here, you can sit with us.” They walked toward our group and sat down. Josh and I followed and sat just as Ari was finishing introductions. “…and this green haired goblin is Adam.”

Adam shot her a glare that had a bunch of us laughing before quickly turning on the charm and grabbing Amelia’s hand, “Well hello there sweetie, so nice of you to join us. Your beauty is refreshing to see when you’re forced to look at a troll while eating.” He made sure to give Ari a pointed look as he finished that statement. She threw a piece of roll at his face that had us all laughing, all except for Josh who was literally vibrating with anger and shooting daggers at their connected hands. Adam was about to kiss Amelia’s knuckles when he suddenly yelped dropping her hand and reaching for his shin. 

“Ow Ari, what the hell was that for?”

Without being too obvious she just smiled and flicked her eyes in the direction of Josh. “Oops, sorry about that.” Adam glanced at Josh and picked up on his mood quickly. After a moment or two and one last look at Ari some kind of realization dawned and he excused himself from the table. It bothered me a little that Adam and my mate were so close they could practically communicate without words, but it was something I would have to deal with.

Sensing my distress Ari turned to me and lightly kissed my cheek, her way of reassuring me she was mine. Just like that all was right in the world. I am so whipped.

After a few curious glances from our friends, conversation resumed and everyone started to get to know Amelia. Though she was a bit shy she answered their questions. Josh relaxed a little next to me, “You alright man?” I asked.

“Yeah, but that’s going to take some getting used to.”

“What is? The possessive feeling of wanting to rip the throat of any guy that talks to her, or the constant desire to bend her over a table and make her yours?”

Josh’s brow furrowed, “Both.”

I felt for the guy. Battling your wolf wasn’t an easy thing to do. “Look man, I may not know a lot about this mate stuff.” Josh’s raised brow had me rephrasing, “Fine, I don’t know crap about this mate stuff, but I do know that once you find yours it’s hard to fight that bond. At least get to know her before you judge her, you owe it to your wolf to try.”

Josh mulled that over before looking at Amelia. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just get the feeling she’s hiding something.”

I turned to look where he was and saw Ari talking animatedly with Amelia who listened politely. “Well, you won’t find out if she is by avoiding her.”

“Shit, when did you suddenly get so wise?”

Just then Ari felt my gaze on her and gave me a smile over her shoulder, “The day I met my mate.”

Josh chuckled before slapping me on the back, “Damn, I hope I never get that soft, I’m feeling the need to check if you still have your man card or not.”

Before I could prove to him that I was in fact a man card carrier, he was up and approaching Amelia. She lit up as he talked to her and followed him as he took her tray to the trash.

I watched them walk out of the cafeteria together then nearly lost a lung as a ball of excitement landed against my chest. “Isn’t that sweet?! He offered to take her to her next class.”

Smiling at her happiness I replied, “That’s great babe, but it isn’t going to be easy for those two. Your cousin doesn’t trust her.”

Ari made a face, “Whatever, he’ll get over it. I obviously did, I gave a lost cause like you a chance.”

She laughed at that, finding herself hilarious, and before I could get mad she softened the blow to my ego with a tender kiss to my lips. I liked seeing her happy, even if it was at my expense.

Josh was right. I was getting soft, but if that was the small price I had to pay to spend the rest of my life holding Ari in my arms I was okay with that.