Her Mates

10

The next few days were rough. Sometimes the pain was so intense I felt like crying, and without painkillers, I wouldn't have made it. Maybe I was being dramatic, but that was just who I was.

On top of that, I was stressing myself out way too much. School was exhausting, and the constant feeling of being watched by the werewolves around me didn't help. Benjy had taken on the role of my personal driver, something I deeply appreciated since navigating school in a wheelchair wasn't as easy as I'd hoped. Meanwhile, Claire had practically moved into my room, which I didn't mind. The only issue was that she missed her mate so much she wouldn't stop whining, yet she was too stubborn to apologize to him or even give Tom a chance to talk. If we ran into him at school, she'd either bolt into the nearest classroom or hide in the bathroom. Claire was, without a doubt, the most stubborn person I knew.

I spent most of my free time in the library, determined to learn as much as possible about werewolves. There were plenty of books on the mate bond and pack hierarchy. While I hadn't uncovered much new information beyond what the twins had already told me, at least I was getting confirmation of their words.

"In a moment, I'll return your exams from last week," Mr. Schmidt, my German teacher, announced, his grumpy expression making it clear he wasn't pleased. "I have to say, I don't know where most of your minds were during this test, but certainly not on the material. Many of you failed, so I've assigned you to study groups with students who did well."

I wasn't the top of my class, but languages had always come naturally to me. Growing up bilingual had its advantages. Mr. Walters started handing back the exams, pausing at Claire's desk to slap hers down. The big red "F" was impossible to miss. Claire just shrugged and muttered something too quiet for me to hear, but apparently, Mr. Walters caught it.

"Even if you're the Alpha's niece, you still have to pass this class," he scolded. "You'd do well to follow the example of our future Luna. Very impressive, Miss Sullivan."

With that, he handed me my test—marked with a bright red "A."

I barely had time to react before he moved on. I simply nodded in acknowledgment and smiled to myself. Getting good grades was important to me; I wanted to be independent, not reliant on my family in the future.

"Good job, bestie," Claire said, nudging me. "Don't worry. We'll make sure I pass, too."

"Obviously," I smirked. "Twice a week, we'll go over the material together. You'll pass. And maybe we'll end up in the same study group."

"As I said, I've assigned study groups," Mr. Walters continued. "No complaining. Get started—your next test is coming soon."

He started reading off names. My group was one of the last called, and when I heard the names, I groaned internally. Claire and four other students I barely knew, all of whom had failed. Great. This was going to be an uphill battle.

"Well," I sighed, "looks like we're the biggest group. Pass me your tests so I can see where you went wrong."

They handed them over without complaint.

"Let's be honest, I know none of you want to do this, and I don't really either," I admitted. "But we might as well try to get everyone through."

The others nodded. Something told me they were all werewolves—just a gut feeling.

For the rest of class, we reviewed the basics, going over sentence structure and common grammar mistakes. When the bell rang, Claire and I filed out into the crowded hallway.

"Mae, should we eat in the cafeteria or grab something from outside?" Claire asked. "I could call my uncle and have him bring us food."

It still felt weird that Juri—Benjy and Claire's uncle—was also my mate.

"I don't really care," I admitted. "I'm not super hungry. But I know you're starving, so we can go grab something."

Claire beamed. "Really?"

"Of course. I'd rather you not starve and end up eating me instead." I laughed.

She smirked. "I think a lot would have to happen before I resort to that. My uncle and your other mates would tear me apart if I even so much as scratched you."

That was probably true. From my research, I knew werewolves were fiercely protective of their mates.

"Alright, let's get food," I said.

"Let's gooo, Aunt Maeve!" Claire teased, linking her arm through mine. "Feed us, future Luna!"

"Oh, shut up," I muttered, rolling my eyes as we headed toward the cafeteria.

Hei Guys!

I know, I had promised you for a long time that 'HER MATES' would continue. However, I haven't been doing too well in the last few weeks, and that's why I always said to myself mental health matters. I will definitely update my books more often now. Stay safe!

xoxo