MATE AND HIS LOVER 11

9. Want Her Again?

His finger slips under the shoulder strap, and with a little tug her dress frees and drops to the ground.

The human in him snaps. The wolf takes over. Grabbing her hair he pulls back her head, and bites down on her neck.

ETHAN WAKES UP with bleeding lips, for his fangs had come down in his sleep.

His skin is damp. His muscles, taut. Signs of his unfinished business from the dream.

A cold shower it is then the first thing in the morning.

But it doesn't help.

He spends the rest of the day, frustrated, or as Adam puts it, "Quit bitching," in response to Ethan's disapproval of the news Ken just delivered — the pack leaders are thinking of taking up another errand, like the dragons, as part of their joint efforts with the covens.

"If we are sent on the mission this time, too," Adam says, "just pick someone else from the list the covens send."

Ethan looks offended. "And why shouldn't I pick her? Why shouldn't I take the chance to ruin her time?"

"Then what are you getting so upset about? We don't even know if we're going yet, or which coven we'll be working with, and you're already throwing a tantrum. Stop being so scared of her."

Ethan's mouth opens as if Adam had grown another head. "Scared? Me? Of her? Do you want to die?"

Adam smirks. "Damn, you are scared of her!"

"I'm not scared of her," Ethan says, standing.

"You are scared of that girl. Afraid she's going to destroy your life once again?" Adam says, as Ethan walks away from his laughing friends.

He is not scared of Helena. If anything, it's the other way around. Just as how it needs to be. If he gets a chance to get back at her again, why should he back off?

Ethan stops walking, and runs his hand through his hair. He's not ready though. It's too soon, especially after the dream this morning.

"Fuck," he swears out loud. He can't let her have any power over him. Mainly, the kind she had over him in the dream. That he cannot, absolutely not, allow to happen.

Never.

THE TRASH BAG lands on Helena's lap, spilling some crumpled tissues, while she's watching TV. She looks up, and sees Fiona gesture her to leave.

Helena checks the entrance. Her mother must've left for the brunch date with her friends. Which means Fiona's trash duty is now Helena's.

Without a word Helena takes the bag and leaves. Fiona sits down, picks up the remote, and changes the channel with a satisfied smile.

Outside, Helena closes the trash bin after throwing in the bag. Not wanting to go back inside, she starts a walk around the neighborhood.

On the way is a row of Magnolia trees in full bloom. A heavy breeze ushers a shower of white flowers. Helena smiles at the delightful view, and thinks of Ethan. She takes out her phone and goes through the message she sent him, his missed call and the following text. Disappointing they all might be, these have become her treasures, looking at them whenever she's reminded of him.

She doesn't dare to call him though. He wouldn't pick up anyway, but at least her number is not blocked yet, and that might change if she pushes her luck.

She pockets her phone, cussing herself for the hundredth time for forgetting to take a photo of him when she had the chance. That's covering basics in Crushing On A Hot Guy 101.

Who knows when she'll get the chance again.

IT SEEMS THEIR suspicions have been confirmed. Ethan, Adam and Ken are asked to drop by the pack house in the evening. Leland and his friends are also present, and so are a few more guys.

Ethan's father, and Alpha of the pack, Robert Mortimer, distribute files to the three groups of young men. Sending them to missions is for their practical learning, but also to keep the trouble spurred by dominant teenage hormones to a minimum in the pack. "Those are your tasks. Each group will be with working a coven. Tomorrow you'll get a list of volunteers from the coven, and you can choose up to four of them to assist you. Any questions?"

None.

"If you have any questions later, ask Beta Nat, he'll help. You can leave now."

Ethan stays behind after everyone's gone. "What is it?" Robert asks.

"— This is not the same coven from last time."

Robert folds his hands. "Any problem with this one?"

"No."

"Then?"

Ethan doesn't answer because he's thinking what his answer should be.

Robert says, "You want that girl again, don't you?"

Ethan doesn't answer again. Thinking once more what his answer should be.

Robert says, "I didn't realize it before, but isn't she the kid from the camp back then, who said you attacked her?"

"No," Ethan says, sounding a little stiff having recalled the memory. "She's not that girl."

"She isn't? Just a coincidence they are from the same coven?"

"She isn't." She didn't lie he attacked her when they were twelve. She lied she saw him attack her cousin. So, no, it's not the same girl.

"Why do you want her again when you were not satisfied with her work last time?"

"Grunt work doesn't need a bright mind. She's enough. I don't want to explain everything from the start to new people again."

Robert doesn't believe his son's reason, but lets it go. "Leland got that coven. Exchange with him."

"Dad, come on."

"I'm not going to take that file from that boy and give it to you after I'd already given it to him. You want your dad to favor you in front of everyone? In front of Leland?"

He doesn't, so he turns around to leave.

"Good luck getting the file," Robert says, smiling. He knows Ethan and Leland don't get along, even though they used to be joined at the hips when they were kids. Pack politics can ruin good friendships, Robert knows that firsthand, but hopes it's not too late for his son and Leland. Maybe this girl who, for better or worse, has grabbed Ethan's interest might inadvertently help two former friends become friends again. 

Or archenemies. 

A/N — Hey guys, just dropping by to say hi! See you next time :)