The White Havens Pack

Eight

*Erina*

"Mates are known as soul mates in common language." Alex said. I laughed.

"Like the made for each other?" I asked.

"Yeah! Like the made for each other kind." He nodded.

"Oh!"

"It's like there is a bond between the wolves and there mates. With this bond they feel for each other and after the mating process is complete the mates can feel what their other halves are feeling. They can talk to each other through...... telepathy. We call it mind link. The ranked wolves like the alphas and betas can feel their mates' emotions before the process is completed."

"How do we know whether someone is our mate or not?" I asked curiously. Alex hesitated once again.

"Well...... our wolves tell us and there are always the sparks and the scent......" Alex trailed off. I sniffed the air around me. Evidently, it was yummy. But being the one with the bad nose I could not get anything to match the scent with except that I liked it. I felt a skip in my chest and Vanessa said,

"Mate." My eyes went wide as I looked at Alex.

"You already knew that you are my mate." I cast him an accusing glare. He looked at me with guilt.

"I know I should have told you but you already had a lot on your plate for the day." Alex said honestly.

"Fine. Now I want to know about the mating process." I directed. He cleared his throat and came out to sit on the chair beside mine. I gave him a look saying, 'I am Waiting' finally he perished to my wishes.

"In werewolf communities, when one finds his or her mate, their wolfs have this uncontrollable urge to have the other wolves know that the other being is taken and is not to be approached by anyone. For this the wolves mark their mates, usually on an area perfectly visible for everyone to see but this mark is not visible to humans unless they look close enough. This is what we call the Marking.Then the female if she is a wolf goes through the Heat."

Erina shifted in her seat. I sensed her discomfort. I asked for her approval to continue. She nodded.

"Heat is when the female's temperature becomes unbearably high. Her scent becomes irresistible drawing all unmated males to her for completion of the Mating Process. In this condition the female is kept away from the rest of the wolves."

"The final step is the Mating. It is when the wolves bind with each other physically and mentally for life."

There was silence in the room. Then I exhaled. I had to let myself out of the trance I had been placed in by the intense eyes of my mate. I wanted two more of my questions answered before I left the place. I braced myself for asking the questions out of which one's answer might give me love for life while the other can may give me a way out of this seclusion and I will be able to go back to the world which I called mine and live as if none of this.

Vanessa howled at the last point and then I knew that even if I went from here, my life will never be normal. I exhaled.

"Do the mates love each other throughout their life?" Alex's eyes searched mine and for once I made no attempt to hide my grief and insecurities. If I am to stay here then I will do so without hiding anything. I will find Jason and also I'll find a way to have him with me here.

"Does that mean you are staying here?" Alex was hopeful.

"I still need the answers." I dodged the question. He sighed.

"Yes, they do. They love each other for what the other person is. The love the share is eternal." His voice was a mere whisper. My heart was in my mouth as I asked my last question. Tears were threatening to fill my eyes involuntarily but I stubbornly kept them away. But why should I be this emotional? I think it has something to do with this new life style. I have got to get out of here but it has to be done discretely. I trained my eyes on Alex.

"Thank you. For trusting me with so much about our relationship." I got up. It was only after I got out that I remembered that I had not asked my second question. Surprisingly, I fail to remember what it was.

"If I have my way, you will never remember what was on your mind regarding the second question." Vanessa remarked. I laughed.

"Too bad. You reminded me of it now."

I began to search for May. At this point, only she will tell what I need to know. I found her at the staircase leading to the attic. I sat beside her like I had in the afternoon.

"Hi"

"Hi" she said disinterestedly.

"I had a question." I said.

"About mates. You wanna know about the law of rejection. I won't tell you as I have seen the state of a wolf after they reject someone or are rejected by someone. Forget it." She said. I gaped at her.

"I swear you are not thirteen." I admitted.

"But I am a thirteen year old. Whatever you say." May shrugged. I humphed.

"Fine." Then I asked her what I had to. "What are you doing here?"

"It is exclusively my floor. I took the alpha's permission to lay my claim here. Even if I hadn't I knew that no one would ever come here except you did come here today." She said smiling humorlessly.

"Yeah I did. And I think that it did you good anyways. Don't sulk. You know what it is eight o'clock. Let's go for dinner." I held out my hand for her. She ignored and looked at the wooden railing of the staircase. I sighed.

"May if you are scared of your powers, then the world will fear you. Don't fear yourself. Though it is said that I am new, I do not have the training, I am supposed to be the Alpha's mate so my safety comes first but I really want to get to know people. Alex and his family first and then the whole...... Pack. You just happened to be there. I want to help you. Please trust me."

"Why should I? when you were just asking about the rejection in werewolf communities Erina?" May said with slight anger. I gasped. I did not have anything to say.

"I- I don't know what to say." I let out finally.

"If you are going to talk about trust Erina first accept the pack and the acceptance starts when you accept Alex. Till then, don't expect me to put my trust in you. Yes, you gave me a companion when everyone ran away from me, but that is not reason enough for me to trust you." She fumed with frustration. She got up and stomped away from the place.

I spent the night tossing and turning on the comfortable mattress. May's words echoed in my mind.

Am I ready to live here and start a new life altogether with no one from my previous life to remind of what it had been once? Wait, Victoria is there. Yeh! I am so happy. It is all too much to take in and what do I get when I am considering starting a life here? A default enemy. I am so happy. I sighed. I think that I will be happy if I stayed.

In the human world, I lost my boyfriend and my home and my best friend probably doesn't have time for me because of his own problems. On the other hand, here I can be sure of a place to stay in, Alex already loves me when I have absolutely nothing interesting on my person except that I am a no-nonsense kind of girl and I do fight a bit. If that works for him then I sure can give him a chance.

Vanessa yelped with happiness. She scratched my mind to tell him about my decision. I gave in after some time. I am too lazy to walk there.

"Use the mind link Erina." Vanessa whispered.

"Alex? Are you there?" I asked in my mind. After some time there was a reply.

"Erina? You want to ask something else?" he asked. I sighed, I am more sure of my decision now.

"No Alex. I just want to tell you that I want to give us a chance together. I want to know what can be there between us if we do stay together."

"Thank you Erina it means a lot for the pack, my wolfs and me." He said happily. I smiled. A true quality of a nice leader, 'Team before self.'

"Not only Jay Alex but also my wolf Vanessa. Good Night. I will see you tomorrow."

"Good Night Erina."

I hummed happily. Thank you May. You made me do something righteous In my life. You gave me another chance at life.