Simply Mates

TWO

"I fucking panicked, alright? She was telling me we couldn't be mates and my wolf and I couldn't handle it." A familiar male voice says. Despite it being panicky and nervous, I find it calming and I can't help but smile a little. 

"So you mark her? Callum, that's not right! And it's...her! Dad is going to be so pissed." A female voice replies. 

"I know! I know. But their feud shouldn't have to be mine."

"You know it doesn't work that way. I wish it did - for you and for her. This entire thing is absolute horse manure. Shit, I think she's waking up."

My eyes flutter open and I am met by the icy blue eyes of my mate. Quickly, I push myself away from him, wincing while I do so. I bring my fingers to my still fresh bite, flinching when I make the slightest of contact. 

"What the fuck? Where am I?" I ask looking around me. I see that we are still at the lake. At least he didn't carry me off to his pack. 

"Calm down, love. You're safe." Callum says softly as he reaches towards me.

"Don't." I snap, stopping him before he touches me. "Don't fucking touch me and don't tell me to calm down. And stop calling me 'love'. I have a bloody name, eh?"

He looks away from me, a guilty look painted on his face. 

"You don't know her name?" A black haired she-wolf asks behind him. Her voice registers as the girl I heard earlier. A laugh escapes her lips. "This is golden. You marked her and you don't even know her name."

"Shut it, Lilliana." He growls before turning back to me. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Marking me against my will or marking me when you don't even know my fucking name?" I ask, raising my eyebrow. "Like what Alpha son doesn't know the names of surrounding pack leaders and their families. Especially that of their enemy pack."

"Ooo I like her." Lilliana sings. "Can we keep her?"

I narrow my eyes at her, shaking my head. "No. You can't keep me." I say angrily as I push myself to my feet. I'm a little dizzy and stagger a bit. Callum takes the opportunity to grab my arm to steady me, but I am quick to slap his hands away.

"I said don't touch me!" I growl. "Goddess, you don't listen."

"I was just ensuring you wouldn't fall."

"Well don't." I say, crossing my arms like a petulant child. "Just...leave me alone." 

I go to turn around and leave, but stop quickly. Callum must have moved to follow me because he slams into my back. 

"What the-? Get the fuck off of me!" I yell, turning around and pushing him back. 

"I'm sorry!" He exclaims, his face turning red as he grows flustered. 

"I can't believe you fucking marked me." I say, switching conversations. I touch the mark again, the pain beginning to numb as my advanced healing kicks in. 

"I didn't! My wolf-"

"You are telling me that a twenty-nine year old Alpha-to-be doesn't have control over his wolf?" I question, placing my hands on my hips.

"You're my mate. You were rejecting me. I-"

"I wasn't rejecting you, you fucking idiot!" I yell. "I was simply telling you that us being mates can't happen!"

"How is that any different?" He asks incredulously. "How is saying 'we can't do this' any different than rejecting me?" 

"It just is." 

"No, sweetheart, it isn't. You were telling me we can't be mates and that is utter bullshit." He says, crossing his arms.

"Because we can't! Our families hate each other. Our packs hate each other! What are we going to do? Stroll up to the packhouse and say 'hey Dad. I know you have hated the Redwood pack for the past thirty years, but he's my mate so get over it'?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Oh my Goddess you are stupid." I say throwing my hands up in the air and face Lilliana. "You really put up with this on a daily basis?"

She throws her head back and laughs. "You have no idea, Andromeda." She says.

"Your name is Andromeda? You expect me to remember a name like that?"

"Fuck, don't even with that name. Every one calls me Andy. I swear my parents were on crack when they named me." I say in disgust, pinching my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "Anyways, it was nice meeting you both, but I best be going."

"Wait!" Callum yells, grabbing my head. I look down at it, trying to ignore the sparks I feel at the simple touch. "Don't go."

"I have to."

"No, please." He begs, giving me a wide eyed look that shows how desperate he is for me to stay. 

And I am desperate too.

"I can't, Callum." I say gently. "I know you know this. Please don't make it harder than it already is."

He lets go of me in defeat, looking down at the ground. The sight of him like this kills me. I want him more than I can express in simple words, but I know it wouldn't work. I wasn't kidding when I said Father would take his head. He has a plaque already waiting with his name on it. 

"I-I can't just let you go, Andy." He says quietly, looking at me through his eyelashes.

I bite my lip and turn away from him, unable to see him like this. "I don't want to let you go either." I whisper. 

"Then don't. Just...just leave with me. Right now-"

"And what? Go to your pack? Have them rip us apart and murder me right in front of you?" 

He growls loudly and the sound echoes around us. "Fuck no, I would never let that happen." He states through clenched teeth.

"It be beyond your control, Callum. Last time I checked, you weren't Alpha yet." I say. 

He shakes his head in frustration. "Goddess, why does this have to be so fucking hard? It shouldn't be like this!" He yells as he begins to pace back and forth, gripping his hair at the roots. "What kind of joke is the Moon Goddess playing?"

"A soul destroying one."

His eyes pop up to mine, softening slightly. I try to portray without words how I am feeling right now as I look deep within them. He's not the only one who is absolutely ruined right now. He's not the only one who is heartbroken and distraught. I feel like the Moon Goddess herself has just ripped my heart from my chest and stomped on it. It's painful and it sucks.

All my life, I've been told how your mate is it. Your mate is the one that the Moon Goddess gave you to love and to be loved by. They are precious and not everyone is able to find their mate. It's a gift that should be celebrated and worshipped. 

But, in this case, it's a death sentence and a curse. 

A war fought by our Fathers is the only thing keeping us apart right now and, for the first time ever, I am questioning everything my Father has ever said about the Redwood pack. 

"I don't know what to do, Andy, but everything in me is screaming to wrap my arms around you and never let you go." He confesses. "I want you so bad, love. You're all I've ever wanted. I want to call you mine forever and I want to hold you for the rest of my life. I can't just let you walk away."

"You have to, Callum." I tell him before turning on my heel and walking away from the one destined for me. I shift into my white wolf and run, fighting back the urge to turn back when a heart-wrenching howl echoes through the woods around me.