The Mate Deal

Chapter 1

I checked my reflection in the mirror.  My dark hair in small curls, my stage makeup bright and hideous, and my big green unflattering 1800’s style dress made me frown.  But from the stage it’ll look pretty good.

My acting scholarship was the best gift I’d ever gotten.  Especially when I realize that if it weren’t for this, I’d probably be on the streets.  Maybe even if it weren’t for Tyce.

My parents and I had never gotten along to tell you the truth.  So it didn’t shock me when I was kicked out of the pack for my mate’s lies.

Of course, I probably would have left even if I hadn’t been disowned.

But I’m doing alright on my own in college.  I don’t need them, I thought.  I have a job, and all my basic necessities are prepaid by the school.

In the distance, I heard cheering from the audience, which meant the director, Mr. Michelson is on stage, preparing the audience for the show.  My cast-mates were outside shouting “Places, everyone!”

I stood up, my poofy dress swaying (or rather, twisting) unflatteringly, and walked out of my dressing room.  As I walked to the stage, I exchanged pleasantries with everyone.  “Break a leg,” my best friend, Renee said.  She was your average shy human girl.  She wasn’t a performer like me, but she did backstage stuff.  Tonight she was in charge of lights, which had her oddly excited.

One night she had said over pizza in my dorm room, “lights are one step up from sweeping out the dressing rooms,” which was what she was usually stuck doing in high school.

I walked onto the stage, taking my place behind the red velvet curtain, listening to Mr. Michelson’s soothing voice drone on, calming my nerves.

“I’d like to ask that you turn off any and all cell phones at this time… And now, please enjoy our first performance of Sense and Sensibility, Starring Stephanie Haynes!”

Break a leg, I thought as the curtain opened to reveal me on the stage.

Matt had started looking locally.  His home town, then all the surrounding cities.

The day his parents broke the news to him was Thursday, two days ago.  He had packed his bags and been gone in under half an hour.

He didn’t have a plan.  He didn’t even know if he wanted to find a mate.  He’d always had small secret fears.

What if I’m stuck tied to a human forever?  Or worse; a vampire?”

That did happen.  Everyone knew it was possible.  It was rare, but when it did happen, they are rejected from their pack.  He could never become Alpha if his mate were a leech.

He was wandering around an average sized suburban town with your average population, average size houses, and average amounts of McDonalds.  It was about six-thirty when he decided to go in one.

With no wait, he ordered a hamburger from the girl at the counter who was obviously only sixteen.  Despite that, though, she kept attempting to flirt with him.  But with a face covered in acne, and a terrible makeup job, all he could think was at least it’s not her.

When he got his so-called food, he left, eating as he roamed nearer to the local community college.  Might as well check here.

As he walked through the campus, it seemed nearly deserted while the students were all enjoying their Saturday nights at home or off campus.  He saw posters about some play all over the place, but it looked lame, so he didn’t think twice about it.

That was until he picked up the scent.  He didn’t know what it was, but it was delicious enough to compel him to drop his dinner to go in search of it.

He was standing in front of the theatre building, he discovered.  He remembered the posters.  They had said that there was free food with the purchase of a ticket to the play.

It wouldn’t hurt to go in for a minute, would it?

(What do you think?  Should I continue?  I promise the next chapter will be longer.)