Finding My Mate

Chapter 11

Ashley's POV:

I couldn't believe this. Even Calla. I didn't even think she was that pretty. But apparently her lover boy and the whole damn pack thought differently. Maybe I should recap what happened. 

I was in my room after dinner with Karen, things had gotten better after Calla started helping me out. Things were almost back to normal for us even though I still had a small thing for her mate. Not the best situation, but whatever. Anyways, Karen and I were talking about collages and if we even wanted to go when we heard the adults return. We decided to go greet our dads and then talk with them about it. Upon entering the kitchen however, we saw that everyone was crowded around Calla and a strange boy. Calla boldly introduced him as Ben, an alpha. And also her new mate. Her mother flipped out of course, smiling and half crying. I thought it was just her but as I looked around at everyone else, they were all smiling in amazement. "What the hell is wrong with these people," I thought to myself annoyed. "He's just a guy." I couldn't look at another smiling, proud face or I would be sick, so I lowered my gaze to the floor. As I did so, I realised something. Since Calla had a mate now, there goes my chances at finding one. She probably would want nothing to do with me now that she was all love struck. It made me want to be sick, but I was surprised when I found tears falling from my eyes. I quickly left the room so no one would see. As I turned to leave, I noticed just how big of a love fest they were having. One that I wasn't a part of. I went to the second floor, where my room was located to ignore everyone else. I heard Karen calling after me but I let it drop. She knocked on my door. "Ash, are you ok? What's wrong.?" I replied with a lie. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just have to use the bathroom." I had never been more grateful to have my own bathroom. "Oh, alright. Well, come back down when you're ready to meet Ben." She said. Ben. Ugh, what an awful name. I spent the next fifteen minutes pacing and half pulling my hair out. So many questions. Why did Calla have to get a mate now. Now I'm the only one in the entire pack without a mate. I felt consumed by loneliness. My wolf was screaming and howling in my head with insanity. I had a pounding headache and even my body started to hurt. No, not hurt, burn. I started to burn, all over. "Oh my god! Am I on fire?!" I thought frantically. I ran to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my arms. No effect. I tried a cold shower, needing relief all over my body. It still had no effect on the awful burning that was consuming my body. I was about to cry out until I realized what would help. "The river." I thought. I opened my window, staring at the drop below me. Two stories couldn't hurt too bad, could it? I leapt.

Man, was I wrong. I landed on my feet, my butt hitting the ground from the inertia of the fall. "Ah!" I breathed instead of screaming. I was shaking with pain, that had to be a sprain. Along with burning. Being reminded of it, I burst into wolf form, but something was different. Wrong. I only saw red. Red red red everywhere. I would've been terrified, but I kept sprinting to the river, needing relief. Before I could get there however, I was stopped by a voice that made every muscle in my body stop, and look and the tall, sweaty, bloody, and horrible boy before me. "Hello my pretty." He smiled wickedly, but there was compassion behind it. He knelt down to touch me and I was so shocked that I let him. He sighed, looking at my eyes like he found something there that he loved. I would've reached out to him, held him, kissed him even. I didn't even know him but I loved him and all his blood and sweat. "M-mine." I managed to spit out. "Mine. MINE. MINE!!" I screamed out. "AHHH! STOP! STOP THE BURNING! MAKE IT STOP!" I screamed out. "RED. RED EVERYWHERE! MAKE IT GO AWAY!"  I would rather have died than feel this. The stranger simply smiled at me. "Yes," he said calmly. "Mine. You're my mate. It's all right. The burning will go away, But only if you relax. You need to relax sweetheart." He said calmly. He picked my up and help me in his arms. I was revolted by the scent at first. All bloody and sweaty and nasty, but the more I relaxed, the less burning I felt, the less red I saw. And the more I loved his scent. "Just relax. And give in." He said while he rubbed my back soothingly. I relaxed fully then. The burning was gone, and I didn't see red. I only felt a fuzziness in my brain that I had never felt before. I looked at my savior. My. My mate. I smiled at him. He smelled wonderful. Still like blood and sweat, but it was appealing. "What's your name, sweetie?" He asked. "Ashley, and yours?" I replied. "James." He said. I sighed sweetly. James. It was so cute. "You're my mate." I said positively. "Yes, I am." He smiled at me. 

"And I'm also a rouge."