Mine. Mate

2: Sorry, but I can't save you this time

Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Please excuse the spelling and grammar mistakes. Comment any time if you want :)

Here's a picture of Rain -------->

Enjoy :)

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As I stand behind Carla I think to myself, this is beautiful. But why does it make my skin crawl?

I've seen Carla and Nelly together all my life. Nelly's given some meals to her in college. And yes, to a college starved wolf who only has a few bucks for each meal I'd say that's love from a true mate. I wouldn't have given my last bite, go get your own.

But why do I have to accept the will of the moon when she decides to plop my mate in front of me? I don't want an arranged marriage. Come on. I have a mind of my own. 

Don't get me wrong. I want to find unconditional love but shouldn't that be my choice and... his? 

I see it's different with Carla and Nelly they've always known,  so the transition from school crush to full blown don't touch her has been smooth. As their best friend I couldn't have been any happier. 

But some aren't so fortunate for a growing relationship. Maybe some don't even want one. 

I gaze out into the crowd in the church and see a former high school classmate of ours Sammy.  Her and her mate Dale watch the ceremony. Dale was a rouge when he first stumbled in our territory a few years back, starved and hollow and was about to be killed on the spot by Carla's' dad when Dale took a deep breath and smelt the air, of Sammy, and whispered Mate.

It's so rare to find a mate the odds are 1 in 5,000, yes the elders in our pack have done the research.  

So when Sammy found her true mate, Joe decided not to kill him, And, Sammy just accepted him, rough edges and all. 

Dale proved himself loyal to our pack and stayed to raise their children here; they have three, the last two being twins. I can see their twins son's heads swinging back and fourth trying to peek over the shoulder of the towns doctor in front of them.

They seem very happy now but at first the whole pack saw the bruises she got and the attempts she made to cover them up. The Alpha and Beta had some swift "words" for him and she no longer wears long sleeve shirts. 

But, am I willing to tough it out like she has? Would I allow any man to mistreat me, physical or mental just because my body yearns for him? I don't really know.

         "You may now kiss your bride." They embrace and hold each other in their arms, Nelly suddenly twists and leans her back, making Carla gasp a little, her eyes widen, she grabs his arms, and then she gives him a smirk. He plants a soft gentle kiss on her lips and brings her back up; Carla punches him lightly on his shoulder. Then suddenly the whole church erupts and everyone stands up to clap and howl. "Oouuuuuuuuuu...ooouuu" I couldn't help but howl too.

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 The guest all walk to the reception in the back yard of the church as the bride and groom go to take wedding pictures. 

The yard is large, able to fit a celebration of 2,000 people along with their cars, tents, equipment, and such. There is one large white tent in the middle of two smaller white tents. Its already getting darker. 

The glow from the lights that blankets the sides and inside roof of the tents make the whole reception look like it came straight out of a fairytale. 

The band is already playing some light music and people are gathering in their seats or getting some appetizers from the buffet line. The mood is light; almost the whole pack came to see Carla and Nelly the love they share to each other has spilt over to those around them. Not saying they are the perfect couple, far from it, I should know but their love is contagious.

There were about 300 guests from our pack and my father invited a lot of the alphas and betas from allied packs to join in the celebration. So no surprise to see a lot of security around. Our pack is one of largest and strongest in North America therefore a target for rouges, not an easy target but a target nonetheless.

I see my eldest brother Storm, the future Alpha of our pack, kneeling down on one knee close to the dance floor listening to our two ten year old twin sisters, Skye and Star, deep in concentration. 

Approaching I hear "But Storm, he said that he was going to dance with me!" I hear Skye screech. "Yeah but he thought you were me so I get to dance with him," Star tells Skye crossing her arms. Oh no here we go again.

"Girls you both can dance with him," I say coming closer. They all turn to face me. "I bet he wouldn't mind one bit." I put my arms around the two, give them a small squeeze and  push them to the dance floor where the other little ones where already dancing. 

Feeling a little guilty for pretty much pimping out my sisters a little I face my brother. Eh they'll learn. My brothers face smiles and stands up dusting off his pants, he has always had a hard time negotiating between the two, how do you choose between your two hearts? The only time he has a hard time is with these two.

"Wow, Rain are they going to have to come back to you with their tips from the boy?" he smirks.

"Oh, shut up! What were you going to tell them? 'You know what nobody dance with him'. I was just trying to save you from their anger. You protect them too much" I roll my eyes.

"No I don't. I firmly put my foot down with them but give them space. And... yeah I probably would have told them they both couldn't dance with him." He scratches the back of his neck looking at his two little sisters and then glares at the 10-year-old boy who got their attention. The boy pales and turns around and walks towards his mother. Not a second later, the two girls are stomping toward Storm.

Patting him on the back and shaking my head with a grin I say, "Sorry, but I can't save you this time."