My Innocent Mate

XXIX

"Ryan, stop joking," I said, sternly. "I'm serious."

"Well, I'm serious too, Ella."

I shook my head. "I need you to look at yourself and then me. Stop messing around."

Suddenly, Ryan grabbed me tightly by the shoulders. Claire gasped and Riley quickly took his brother's arm.

"I'm not messing around!" he shouted. "Listen to me, Ella!"

"Ryan, stop!" Claire shouted, turning to us. There were tears brimming her eyes. "Just, stop! You and Riley are really something huh?"

"Me?" Riley screeched, pointing at himself.

"I have feelings, Riley. I'm a girl, you know!"

"I know you're a girl, but you can't force me to love you! I have a mate and just because you rejected Yuuto because you liked me doesn't mean I have to reciprocate."

"You rejected Yuuto?" I asked, glaring at Claire. "For someone who wasn't your mate? Why didn't you tell me? Was I the only one who didn't know?"

"I already knew what you were going to say," Claire said. "I have a mate. I should accept him."

"You should've! Yuuto is so amazing. I just don't understand why you would do something so vile. He's your mate, the one you're supposed to me with!"

"This is exactly what I'm talking about, Ella. You go with whatever the universe tells you. Well I, for one, am tired of the constant pressure to just accept that we're assigned to whoever some deity tells us we're supposed to be with!"

All of us took in a big sigh. We never had arguments like these. They were usually about the games we were playing. One of us would mess up and we would yell at each other, but not in an angry way.

I couldn't help but think of poor Yuuto. He was truly a kind soul and deserved the best. Claire was the best, but she didn't want anything to do with him! I had no clue Ryan and Claire were so against having mates. They had such a bizarre way of thinking that reminded me of Zoe. 

"Okay, let's all just calm down," Riley interjected. He noticed in the corner of his eye Ella's laptop. "Why don't we do a raid together, huh? Does that sound good?"

"Why are you asking us to play a game at a time like this?" Ryan rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"C'mon," Riley encouraged. "It wouldn't hurt. We haven't done one in a while. It'll direct our anger and frustration at a single target."

I nodded, thankful Riley was still right in the head. "I agree, let's do it."

Both Claire and Ryan were hesitant. They stubbornly stood their ground. I knew the two would eventually give in, so shrugging off their current refusal, Riley and I opened my laptop.

"Guess we're just going to have to take turns," I said while logging in. "I'll start?"

When it came to games, my confidence and ego rose 3000% percent. Riley agreed and then I qued the raid. While we were waiting, I looked up to see Claire and Ryan still possessing stern faces.

"It's almost starting. Don't you guys want to see how I play? I am the one who carries after all."

Riley scoffed and muttered, "That's what you would like to think."

I elbowed him hard. "You know it's true."

There was a beep that came from my laptop, signifying that the raid was about to start. The main initiative was to take down the other team's crystal and loot as many resources for our own faction.

When beginning, Riley's eyes were glued onto the screen as he watched me play. I was playing with some people I friended, but don't talk to as much as Claire, Ryan, and Riley. We were all in the same faction but already formed our go-to teams. One of their teammates was absent, so they gladly accepted me.

"Hey, I'll take center," I said.

"No, we'll take center. You take bottom," one of them replied.

"I'm pretty good at center, you know."

"Take bottom."

Huffing, I complied and made my way down the bottom lane. I was so used to everyone else taking my command, it was nerving being the one who was following instructions.

"Who's staying back?" I asked over the voice call.

"Vivian will. Her avatar has the defense perk. I'm taking center and Angela will take top."

After that, everyone muted their mic to concentrate on their lane. From the corner of my eye, I could see Ryan and Claire inching closer.

Instead of watching the screen, Riley was watching my keyboard.

"I didn't know you set up your keys like that. That's so smart!" he gawked, taking out his phone to write down notes.

I rolled my eyes. "It's just what I'm comfortable with. It's not for everyone."

Before I knew it, Riley and I were screaming at the screen, while Ryan and Claire were peering over our shoulders. The raid came to an end when the center destroyed the crystal. The loot from that round was satisfactory.

"Claire... do you want to give it a go?" I asked.

She pursed her lips, eyes changing between hesitance and eagerness. It didn't take long before she gave in. We began to scream and shout at the screen, knowing full well it wouldn't change the outcome.

My peripheral vision spotted Riley's hand over Claire's, which was holding the mouse.

"Allow a second interval," he said softly.

I was mentally screaming, scared that Claire would get the wrong idea. But, her face was soft and compliant. She nodded, not only accepting Riley's advice but reality. I felt my heart tug a little. Claire couldn't go against her fate and neither could Riley.

"Ella?"

I turned to Ryan, who was calling me. "I-I'm sorry."

His eyes swirled with remorse and sadness. "I can't stop and won't stop liking you. But, I'll try to be the bigger man and then you'll see. You'll see the side of me that's better than Asher."

I sighed and ruffled his hair. "Don't be too hard on yourself. I'm sorry too, for not trying to understand. I really think you should move on. Find your mate. Don't waste your time with me."

"Anything to do with you isn't a waste of time," he said. 

He was as stubborn as ever.