Mated to the Wizard

13 - New Bloodline

Car journeys can never be awkward when there's a four year old in the car. I stare out the window of the passenger seat while Everest talks to the chatting Ben about anything and everything he can think of. The incident with Gabe has been long forgotten in his mind, however it's still fresh in mine.

It made me realise that I have been judging Everest for so long. I had hoped my mate would be willing to love me, like all the other werewolf couples I have seen, but he's not. He seems to be, for example when he tried to kiss me, but that's his wolf talking, and I've known for a while now that he is not one with his wolf. Yet.

He keeps glancing at me thinking I don't notice, but I do. His face is unreadable, masking his emotions. I hate that I can't read him easier, but I guess I must be pretty hard to read as well.

"The fries in Old Sal's are amazing!" Ben gushes, bouncing up and down in his boaster seat in the back. "Have you ever been there, Avery?" Old Sal's is a small diner. The owner died decades ago – it used to be a small cottage and she used to live there. My parents said they used to go there when they were little to talk and play, but then Sal died and her son turned it into a diner in favour of her. Everyone knew her, apparently, so the diner was, and still is, very popular.

"Not that I can remember; we don't go to the city much." I reply with a shrug. I've realised that we're at least fifteen miles away from the city. My pack's situated a forty minute drive away on the other side of it. It gives me comfort knowing where we are now, but unsettles me with the distance between us. What if I never see them again? What if they're looking for me? I really hope they're not; I'm fine. But knowing my family, they will be. I need to find a way to tell them I'm okay. I'll ask Everest about it later.

"Oh, why not?" Ben replies, seemingly happily.

"We don't normally need to." I shrug, turning around in my seat to face him. "Our pack has over a thousand members since we joined the two neighbouring ones, so we have shops and suppliers in the pack. It's how they make money."

"So you have your own city?" Ben seems so excited about the concept, it makes me chuckle. I can see Everest's lips turn up at the corners slightly as well.

"Basically, yeah." Everest pulls up outside of the diner and I get out of the car before going over to Ben's side and opening the door for him. He jumps out the car and grabs my hand, tugging me towards the entrance. Looking over my shoulder, I can see Everest walking a few steps behind us with a small smile on his face.

Once inside the restaurant, we're greeted by a waitress who takes us to a booth at the back. The interior of the diner is very mismatched, with one red wall and the others painted white, random tables and chairs in various shades and types of wood brown. On one side, there are five or so small booths, one of which we are seated in.

The woman hands us the menus without a second glance and then walks away.

"Burger pleeeaasseee." Ben smiles without even looking at the menu. He's sitting next to me, with his dad on the other side of the table. Everest rolls his eyes but nods all the same.

"I swear, you always get the same thing." He points out, flicking the page of his menu.

"The burgers here are the best." Ben tells me, grabbing the salt shaker and fiddling with the top.

"Can I take a drinks order?" a new waitress is over here now, she has straight black hair, a curvy body and looks around thirty. Her brown eyes only show boredom.

"Yeah, can I have a water? And an orange juice for him." Everest says. The waitress nods after noting it down and looks at me.

"Ice tea, please."