Her Mates

9

I never once believed that all those fairy tales about supernatural beings and creatures could be true. After all, they were just that—fairy tales. But now, I was certain that at least werewolves were real. I had seen it with my own eyes: two people shifting into two massive wolves right in front of me.

Once the chaos in the forest had settled, they accompanied me back to the hospital. I wouldn't say I was terrified of them—yes, at first, I thought I was going to die, but then... I wasn't. I had even managed to push past my initial fear enough to stroke their fur. It was incredibly soft, velvety even, and the heat they radiated was overwhelming. One could probably use them as emergency pillows, given how warm they were.

"Maeve? Are you ready? Phil is here to pick you up and bring you home," Nurse Amanda said, stepping into my room.

Finally, after three whole days, I was being discharged. Though I hadn't quite processed everything about the werewolves yet, at least I was returning to my familiar environment, where I could see my friends as often as I wanted. While Claire had found ways to sneak into my room frequently, it wasn't the same as spending time together like we usually did. Her twin, Benjy, on the other hand, had followed the rules and kept his distance, ensuring I had time to recover.

Of course, Claire had taken the liberty of decorating my cast. What was once plain and colorless now looked like a walking rainbow, but honestly, I didn't mind.

"Hey, Maeve, do you have everything?" Phil asked as he entered the room.

I nodded, and he picked up my bag in one hand while pushing my wheelchair with the other. Mobility was still a challenge with two broken bones, making both crutches and the wheelchair difficult to manage on my own.

"Thank you, Phil. For everything."

"You're welcome, Maevy. You know I'll always be here for you."

And I did know. Over the last few days, Phil had made sure I had everything I needed from home. He, along with Claire and Benjy, had also ensured that I wasn't bombarded with unwanted visitors. Right now, my mind was too preoccupied with the lingering thought of whether I would turn into a werewolf. It was an absurd idea, but not entirely impossible. Knowing that my father and half-siblings were werewolves didn't exactly ease my worries either. Apparently, I was the reason my half-brothers Cody and Danny, along with my half-sister Casey, had been estranged from my father for years. And who knew if they had reconciled?

The ride home was short, as everything in our town was close together. When we arrived, Phil helped me out of the car, and together, we made our way inside.

The moment I stepped through the door, I was immediately greeted by Casey's warm hug.

"Maeve, I baked your favorite cake! If you want, we can have some later," she said with a bright smile.

I returned her smile gratefully. "Thanks, Casey. That's really sweet of you, but I think I'll head to my room first. I have some schoolwork to catch up on before tomorrow."

She nodded understandingly. "That's probably a good idea. Oh, and the twins are coming over later. We wanted to hang out. That okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Once in my room, I turned on my laptop and connected it to my speaker system, letting my favorite playlist fill the space. I rolled my wheelchair over to my desk and got started on my homework. After finishing an essay for my English class and working through some math problems, I maneuvered myself toward my cozy corner, filled with beanbags and a small sofa. I briefly considered asking Phil or Casey for help but decided to challenge myself.

I positioned my wheelchair as close as possible, carefully moved my broken leg to the side, and, with a strained groan, hoisted myself onto the sofa. I barely had time to catch my breath before a familiar voice interrupted me.

"And you don't think it would've been easier to just ask for help? That looked painful," Benjy commented with a smirk.

"Mhm, I just wanted to see if I could do it on my own. Apparently, I can... just not pain-free."

"Clearly."

"Where's your sister? I thought you both were coming over."

"Claire's downstairs. Probably raiding your kitchen. She should be up soon."

Right on cue, Claire strolled into the room, balancing a tray full of food—including my favorite chocolate cake. A cloth bag dangled from her wrist, and I couldn't help but wonder what she had stuffed in there. With her, you never really knew.

"Finally! Did you have to go to the other side of the world to get all this?" I teased.

Claire feigned insult, raising an eyebrow at me. "I missed you too, hun."

She settled into her usual spot, pulling a small table in front of her cushion and unloading several drinks from her bag. No clue where she got them from—whether she brought them from home or found them in our kitchen, I had no idea.

"So, what's the plan for today? Anyone up for a little mischief? Maybe some egg-throwing?" Claire asked between bites of pizza.

I rolled my eyes. "Uh, hello? Broken leg, remember? Running isn't exactly an option for me."

"Oh, right."

"Please, Claire, grow up," Benjy sighed.

"Sure, Benjy. But not today."

After a few moments of silence, I finally asked what had been on my mind. "Can you tell me more about your world? How does pack life actually work?"

"Not a bad idea, Mae," Benjy said, glancing at Claire for approval. She simply hummed in response, too focused on her food to contribute.

"Alright. Pack life is structured around a hierarchy. At the top, we have the Alpha and their Luna. In well-run packs, they share equal status, though the Alpha takes on a more protective role. Then there's the Beta, the Alpha's right-hand, followed by the Deltas and Gammas. Gammas are typically elders who pass down stories and legends."

"Wait a second," I cut in. "Are you telling me that Juri—my mate—is the Alpha?!"

"Yep," Claire confirmed nonchalantly. "Calm down, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad?! That makes me the Luna of your pack! What's next? Do I have to move in with him?" A hysterical laugh bubbled out of me.

"Not yet. But eventually, yes," Claire admitted, patting my shoulder.

"Stop that, Claire. I'm not your damn pet!"

"Language," Benjy scolded.

The conversation continued, delving deeper into pack dynamics, ranks, and responsibilities. By the end of it, I was both overwhelmed and fascinated.

"Mae, do you think Casey would let me sleep over tonight?" Claire suddenly asked, uncharacteristically shy.

I eyed her suspiciously. "What's going on?"

Benjy answered for her. "Tom's being an idiot. Claire's being an idiot. Now they're being idiots together, but he keeps showing up at the house every five minutes. She needs a break."

"Fine by me," I said. "But Claire, you'll have to deal with him at school tomorrow."

She sighed, but nodded. "Thanks, Mae."

Benjy stood. "I'll pick you both up in the morning. Night."

"Claire?"

"Yeah, Mae?"

"Is Tom your mate? And Liam—Benjy's?"

She smirked. "Exactly."

Well, that explained a lot.