Mate

Seventeen

Picture at the top is of Carlos Met, played by Matthew Daddario.

~~~

"Something is off about your... mate," Alpha Met stated, regarding me with distaste. Julian didn't take kindly to that remark and pushed me behind him with a low growl. Makenna and Ian were standing hand-in-hand off to the side. The only reason they are here is because Ian is Carlos' beta. Makenna kept tossing me reassuring glances, as if telling me everything was going to be alright.

"Do not speak of her like that," Julian ordered. Of course, being another alpha, the tone didn't bother Carlos much.

"I sense something is different about her. She smells odd compared to the other humans," Carlos went on. I watched him as he stood perfectly straight, almost cocky, and looked Julian right in the eye as he said the words. It wasn't really insulting to know this. Witches tend to smell different from humans to lycans, but it's hardly noticeable unless they've trained to detect it. Apparently Carlos has.

"I'm not human," I informed. Why not? With Makenna and Ian being mates and them fighting along side us during the rogue attack, the packs are bound to become allies. I don't know why they're enemies in the first place, but if those vampires informed their clan of my existence, then word is bound to spread and we'll need all the help we can get.

Hm, that sounds like a good argument if Julian disagrees. I'm sure Makenna would side with me on this one.

"Oh?" Carlos looked intrigued, but not overly interested. It seems I am below him. If he is mated to Toni, then I might just be. Perhaps women do not appear to be helpful in any way to this man.

"Aspen," Julian hissed. "Tell him nothing."

I shook my head an stepped around him, sighing when he stepped up behind me so his front was to my back, ready to protect me in any way possible if Carlos tried anything.

"Look, your mate-" he growled when I referred to Toni "-is my best friend. Honestly, I don't want him to have any part of this, especially since I know what's coming."

"What?" Carlos looked confused, but he was trying to hide it.

"I'll tell you everything if you promise to leave him out of this world - at least until this has all blown over," I bargained. I know he won't like me telling him to stay away from his mate even for the shortest amount of time, but if he knew, he'd oblige immediately.

"I'll hear you out, but only then will I decide if it's a good deal," Carlos stated.

"May I speak with him alone?"

"No," Julian immediately replied with a growl and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer from behind. It seems he's become more confident since this morning and more protective since yesterday. Speaking of, I wasn't prepared for the questions I'd get shot at me later about what happened yesterday. For both my passing out and allowing Julian to sleep in the same bed as me.

"Ian, take your mate and leave us," Carlos stated.

"Julian," I whispered softly. "Let go and let me talk to Carlos alone."

"No, I don't want him anywhere near you. Don't even try to get me to let him near you alone," Julian hissed. I gripped his wrists and pried his arms from me before gently pushing him towards the door. He grumbled as he walked to the door and made sure to threaten Carlos about what would happen if he hurt me and tell me that he'll be right outside the door if I need him. Finally he left, dissatisfied with the situation.

"A lot of things will be happening this year..." I didn't really know how to start. "I can guarantee war."

"What?" Carlos took a solid step towards me and I took a cautious step back before continuing.

"Creatures of all kinds will be after me, Carlos. I slipped up and accidentally revealed something to a vampire and he's no doubt warned his clan of my existence. I know you might not think it, but there will be a bounty over my head and we'll need your help to stop it."

"So all this is to save yourself?" He looked disgusted. "What about you is so important that there'll be a reason for people to come after you? You're not pretty and, evidently, not very bright."

Okay, so that may or may not have stung just a little bit, but I wasn't about to blow our chances of retrieving his help because of a silly insult.

"I'm not doing this for myself. If I was only doing this to save myself, I would've killed myself a long time ago," I stared him straight in the eyes, unafraid. "I'm doing this to save what few of my kind still live. I'm a witch."