THE HYBRID'S MATE, sterek [book 01] ✔

xix. who's the true mate?

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐘𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃'𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐄

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯: 𝘸𝘩𝘰'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦?

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     "IF WE'RE NOT MATES," Valerie says quietly, tracing her fingers over the spot where her Mark used to be. "Then who here is my Mate? And who is Stiles' other Mate?"

     I look up at Peter and see a frown on the Wolf's face. "Peter?"

     Peter looks up, distracted. "Hmm? Something wrong?"

     "Other than this? I have no idea. You're in outer space compared to the rest of us."

     "Sorry. I can just smell something."

     "Everyone, out. Please. I need to talk to my friend."

Liam and the rest of my Pack leave my hearing range, which is greater than a Wolf's, and I turn to Peter. He looks up at me, his eyes glowing blue, and sighs. I flash my eyes at Peter and tilt my head to the side, watching Peter as the Wolf squirms under my scrutiny.

     "I can do more than ordering Werewolves around," I say quietly, sitting next to Peter. "I can Shift, I can move things with my mind. Hell, I can read all your minds. So, unless you want me to force it out of you, I'd tell me what's wrong, Creepy Petey."

     Peter half chuckles. "No need for that."

     "What is it? Something big must be up for you to be like this."

     "That scent I can smell? It's so... attracting. It's making my Wolf go crazy, and I'm not sure I like it."

     "Peter, it's your Mate. It's meant to make your Wolf go crazy."

     "That's not the only thing. I know who it is."

     "Who?"

     "Valerie. Valerie is my Mate."

     I stare at Peter in shock for a second before grinning and wrapping my arm around Peter's shoulder. "Nice. You got a Fox for a Mate. Good luck, Peter. She's a possessive one."

     "Most Foxes are."

• • •

     I run up the stairs to Derek's loft and open the door easily with my mind. I look up and stop dead when I see all of Derek's Pack there, staring at me with wide eyes. I wave hesitantly and then just stand in the doorway awkwardly. Eventually Derek clears his throat and the Pack look back at him.

     "Pack meeting adjourned," Derek says roughly. "Everyone go home. No listening in or it won't be me you're dealing with."

     Scott hurries over to me and sniffs. "You don't smell like Valerie. Something's different."

     I shake my head, laughing. "Go home, Scott. You'll know soon."

     Scott leaves the loft and follows the rest of his Pack, leaving the door open in his hurry. I face Derek and flick my hand, the door closing with a bang as I walk towards the Alpha. Derek's eyebrows raise in surprise, but he doesn't say anything until I am standing only the table's width from him.

     "Is there something you need, Stiles?" Derek asks, his face and voice closed off from any release of emotion. "Something else you want to say to make me angry?"

     I close my eyes, sighing before opening them again. "Actually the opposite."

     "Good luck with tha-"

     "Valerie isn't my other Mate."

     He goes still. "What?"

     "There were a lot of scents that night. They all mixed together and we mistook each other for Mates. Valerie isn't my Mate. She is Peter's Mate."

     Derek walks around the table and grabs my waist, pulling me towards him. Derek crashes his lips to mine and feels me smirk into the kiss before kissing the silly Alpha back. Of course we get interrupted before anything else can happen. Peter comes running into the loft, the door slamming open and then shut.

     I pull back from my Mate and am about to give Peter a chewing out when I see the blood covering my friend. "Peter, what happened? Where's everyone else?"

     Peter stares at his nephew. "Kate. Kate's here. She has her Berserkers. Hayden can't control all six of them."

     "Six?!"

     "Yes, Stiles. Six Berserkers."

     "Shit. We've got to get there. We need to help them!"

     "Stiles, it's too late. Kate has what she came for."

     I launch at Peter and pin him to the wall of the loft. "Who has she got?!"

     "Liam. She has Liam."