Mates May Meet (Completed)

My Protector, My Mate

My Protector, My Mate

It wasn't the smell of smoke that woke me. It was my sister Lysa shaking me and sobbing.

"Nia! Nia!" She urged. "They're fighting. The house is on fire." She continued to shake me.

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her she was having a nightmare and to go back to bed. But I caught a whiff of smoke and jerked up. For half a moment I panicked. Barefoot I drug Lysa to the door. It was still cool to the touch but as soon as I opened it I understood. Thin wisps of smoke danced over the ceiling.

We were being attacked. I could hear the flames licking our belongings downstairs. I heard fighting, yelling, crying, growling and screams. In my head I heard yells of pain and confusion from the link.

"Dad's office!" I ordered her, struggling to close off the link. I felt horrible blocking my friends but I desperately needed to concentrate. I gave Lysa a push, we headed down the hall. I stopped in our brothers room and snatched his sleeping form from the bed.

Incoherently, he calls for our mother.  I shush him and wrap the blanket around him as I made our way back out to the hall. She was already pushing the door open to dad's office.

At three, Devon, didn't understand what was going on. Lysa was ten and understood enough to be terrified. At seventeen I was just as scared as she was but my parents had planned for this eventuality. I knew what was expected of me.

In the office I handed Devon to Lysa. She held him awkwardly while I pulled the book on the second shelf. The latch opened the hidden door and the bookcase slid open with very little effort. He was trying to get out of her arms so I took him and ushered her into the stairwell.

I slipped past her and led her down. At the bottom we entered the tunnel that led to the woods.

I froze when I heard people moving ahead of us. Light bounced around the walls. My heart sped up. Over the smell of dirt I caught my mom's scent mixed with that of two of the guards.

"Nia, thank God." Mom sighed when she saw us. She rushed forward and engulfed us in a hug. "Listen to me. I need you to take your brother and sister to Alpha Gideon. Tell them we were attacked by Whitewater pack. Jason, Miranda and  Phillip will go with you."

"Go with us? What about you and dad? You have to-"

"We have to stay with the pack, Nia. Go. Have them send help as fast as you can." She pushed me towards Phillip. He took Devon from my arms and started down the tunnel.

"Lysa, go with Miranda." I ordered. As soon as the two of them followed Phillip I glared at Jason. "I'm staying to help the pack."

"Nia Maye, you will go with them, now. I need you to take care of your brother and sister."

"But I can help fight."

"Nia, I don't have time for this. Jason."

Jason stepped forward, "Nia, I will do what I have to to get you to Alpha Gideon. How will it be?"

I stepped back, closer to my mom. "Mom?"

"Nia, please." She hugged me tight for a moment and I felt horrible. It felt like goodbye and that terrified me. "I love you honey, we'll see you as soon as possible. Go."

Jason grabbed my shoulder and pulled me behind him. Just before we exited the tunnel he forced me to stand still as he sprayed me with something that smelled like dirt and smoke. He then sprayed himself.

Outside there was no scent of the others. He forced me to run. We ran farther and farther from my home.

On an old service road a dark green SUV sat idling quietly. He forced me scoot to the center of the seat without giving me even a moment to check on my siblings.