Thicker Than Blood [on hold]

TTB Six - Secret Mate

Instantly I scrunched my nose and felt a growl vibrate my body from the name but I held it in. No way would I call him that, I hated that name, the boy who tortured me growing up, the boy whose dad ruined my life, my family. The ones responsible for ripping away my childhood and innocence. His laughter brought me out of my dark spiraling thoughts. "It's not that bad of a name is it?" He joked, I realized how my reaction must of looked and I was suddenly blushing again.

"I am so sorry, it's just..well yes to be honest your name is that bad, how about I call you Luke?" He gave me another million dollar smile the same time my head flooded with angry men. 'Daphnia where the hell are you?...Dalton you son of a.... You better find her before I find you... Daph sweetheart answer me..' Oh shit. I jumped to my feet without another thought but a warm hand on mine made me stop mid stride. "I am so sorry, my pack, they are well let's just say they are not happy." He smirked like he understood. "Let me walk you back, we can explain." I don't know why but the thought made me shiver, no way in hell could I let my brothers kill me mate. "Ugh, no really that's fine it's probably better if you don't.. And don't let them see you."

I smiled as I shifted behind a tree and carried his shirt back to him in my mouth. A whine escaped my lips as I rubbed my head aginst his legs, my wolf didn't want to leave him, hell I didn't either. But I had to, my brothers and pack were my priority. It has been drilled in my head for the past two years that family is always number one, and I agree. I shivered as his hands ran over my head and back. "I didn't get your name mate, but I will in time. Meet me here tomorrow at dusk." I wanted to argue that I couldn't but he must of read my eyes because he chuckled, "meet me here or I will come for you, your choice." Reluctantly I nodded in agreement, couldn't have him coming to my pack house, no that would be horrible. With one last glance I ran through the woods towards the creak.

I needed to get rid of his scent. I couldn't be lucky like normal girls and just be able to lie, no I lived with wolves... Literally and they would smell him from a mile away. Water running over rocks drifted to my ears and I pushed myself running faster. 'Im on my way guys, sorry I went for a run lost track of time.' I was lying, they knew I was lying but they couldn't find out the truth. The water splashed on my fur and made me gasp from the sudden coldness. I ran down stream intentionally dropping to my stomach making sure every inch of my body's was washed off. 'Daph, where the hell are you?' Yep Damon was pissed. 'Daphnia you better be home before I find you!' Mmhhmm Derek was really really pissed. 'Daphnia, your ass is MINE' oops, Trenton was furious! 'Sorry, I'm crossing the creak now, be there in five.'

Fine my ass, as soon as they heard where I was Derek was on me in under a minute, the realization that he was that close scared the crap out of me. I could of been busted. Within two minutes I was prisoner. Well it's what it looked like, I was surrounded by my own personal body guards of wolves. Damon kept throwing narrow glances at me over his shoulder and Trenton wouldn't even look at me. At least they'd didn't pressure me to talk much unlike Derek who was drilling me like I was a Prisoner of War. Dalton and Brandon my only two true allies were giving me sympathetic glances and nudges to reassure me it was okay.

When we got home I locked myself in my room and flung myself across my bed. I should be upset that my pack is mad at me, but I couldn't, his face was engraved in my brain and every time I closed my eyes it's all I could see. His perfect face, from his knee shaking eyes to his oh so kissable lips. "Daph can I come in!" I propped up on my elbows and looked at my door. I knew it was Damon but I wasn't sure I could see him, I don't lie to my brothers, especially Damon. "Yeah hold on." Cursing myself for always giving in to my family bond I stood and slowly made my way to the door. Dragging my feet across my shag carpet desperately begging for my wolf to help me come up with a better excuse than, 'lost track of time.'

I shook my arms to get rid of there nerves and slowly opened the door plastering a smile on my face. "What's up D? Still mad at me?" It was as casual as normal but my calm voice shocked me, inside I was shaking with fear of being busted. I don't know why, he is my mate, my family would be supportive right? Normally I would say yeah but seeing how he was greeted earlier by my pack I didn't feel easy with it. Damon's eyes were piercing me, with a 'I-know-everything' look but I couldn't falter. He was searching for weakness as my older brother and alpha, I stood straight and cocked my eyebrow up at him, "what are you looking at?" I literally almost fell to my knees with relief as his eyes softened and a smirk crossed his face. "You scared me earlier, look I am sorry for being so mad but Daph you have to be careful, you are all I got left besides Derek and let's be honest, I'd much rather have you then him!"

My door swung open as soon as Damon spoke reviling a mad almost hurt Derek. "Really bro, screw you to!" Damon's laughter shook the air around us and I knew then that he knew Derek was eavesdropping. Damon's laughed made my skin crawl, granted he had a beautiful laugh, one that would make anyone smile, light up any room. But it was so much like dad's it twisted my insides between joy and saddness. I mentally scolded my thoughts and looked back up to the two men left in my life, realizing they were still laughing at talking. "I was not eavesdropping, well.. Shit how did you know anyways?" Damon's smile went away and a cocky smirk toyed with his lips, a smirk I was all to well familiar with. "That's why I'm alpha, now enough stalling back to you."

It was my turn for my smile to fall, "m..me." I croaked out and instantly regretted it, both my brothers were watching me with an expert eye. Damnit!

I laid in bed as the sun began to fall across the sky. My day was pretty much being drilled by my brothers, then Trenton, then the twins. But I knew they meant well, I was glad none of them were mad at me anymore but now fear crept in. They were all go e for a run now and I faked exhaustion to keep from going. I stood and walked to my window mentally counting the time since they left, time for them to get far enough away not to hear or smell me when I made my escape. 'NOW' my wolf snapped and I agreed with her. I moved swiftly removing my clothes shifting in my ya room and grabbing my clothes in my mouth. I was out the door in under a minute running like my tail was on fire. I moved through the woods towards where my mate waited. Lucas, no Luke. My mate would not be anything like the other Lucas.

Within minutes I was standing behind a tree looking over the clearing waiting for him, a low growl came from behind me causing me to jump and yelp in surprise. Instantly I knew it was Luke. He nodded his head to a tree and I nodded, silently agreeing to shift. We spent hours sitting there with his arms around me talking about nothing important. He talked about school and friends. I talked about my pack. Always careful not to give out to much information, like how the alpha was my brother or how we were rouges for the longest time. Exiles from our old pack, that's not exactly something you brag about to your mate. He didn't push for the information either. In return I didn't ask about his pack, position or anything he didn't willingly tell me. The leaving was hard but was necessary. He had to get back to his pack and I'm sure my brothers were looking for me to.

I continued on over the next week with the same process, acting normal at home and always sneaking out when they went on their nightly runs, luckily enough they hadn't busted me yet. Every night I snuck out to be with Luke. Some times we would never shift out of wolf form and we would run together like we were meant to. Others he would hold me for hours talking about pointless stuff, but it didn't matter I loved his voice. Then there were other times we sat and never spoke, just being with each other seemed to be all we needed, it was never awkward, just comforting.