My Taken Mate

Regret

Phoenix

I've had to spend nights on the streets or gone to sleep hungry. Even took a couple hits from one of the meaner foster parents I've had. None of that affected me as much as seeing the hurt and sadness written all over my mates face.

My mate.

She's everything I've ever wanted. Beautiful long brown hair with eyes as green as the trees on the very first day of Spring. She is tall enough that I'd barely have to bend to reach those bow tipped kissable lips. Her body is amazing, long legs with curves for days. My hands would always have something nice to hold on to.

She isn't just beautiful on the outside, but the pureness of her heart shines through. She had every right to jump down Jeanettes throat for touching me and having my claim, but she treated her kindly not showing one ounce of the pain she was feeling.

A pain I'm the cause of.

When I bit Jeanette, claiming her as mine, I'd given up on ever finding my fated mate and wanted to save my very best friend from the evil that threatened her life every day.

It was a painful process for both of us and nothing like the euphoric feeling you're supposed to have when claiming a mate. We were going against nature, forcefully creating a new bond and severing a fated one. It's the only way I knew I could get Jeanette safely away from Calvin.

I never gave a second thought to how it would affect my mate if I ever found her, but now I know.

As she runs into the trees, every part of me wants to chase after her and keep her safe. Jeanettes arms around my neck reminds me why I can't.

Her fingers play with the hair at the back of my neck and it feels...wrong. Part of me accepts it because she has my mark, but another part wants to shove her out of my arms and put as much distance as I can between us. "Is something wrong?"

I know she can feel the tension flowing from me, it's a complete contrast to the relaxed state I was in not even twenty minutes ago. "Just tired, maybe the jet lag is finally hitting me." Something is definitely hitting me but it isn't jet lag.

"Yeah, I think I'm beat too. Should we see if the guys are ready to go too?" She asks, buying into my lie.

I nod and we make our way back to the group. As we approach, I notice more than one of the guys here looking for someone behind us. "Wasn't Hayley with you guys? Where is she?" asks the buff looking guy with the reddish brown faux hawk hair style. I think Cody introduced him as Slater.

"She wasn't feeling good so she left." Jeanette answers.

That catches the attention of the curly black haired friend that came with Slater. "What was wrong? Did someone take her home?"

I'm having a hard time accepting these guys interest and concern for my mate, but I answer his question, "She said something about finding her friend Sam since they came together."

"Did someone say my name?" A girl dressed in black with hair to match asks as she joins our group, Eric by her side.

"Have you seen Hayley? She wasn't feeling well and went to find you." Nick says.

"No, Eric and I were down by the water. She didn't come that way."

The group as a whole is starting to worry. So am I knowing the state she was in when she left. Sam takes out her phone and begins texting.

I'm watching her discreetly, not wanting to draw attention to myself but needing a sign that Hayley is okay. It's only because I'm studying her so closely that I see her body tense after reading a text. She slowly lifts her head and looks directly at me.

She knows I'm Hayley's mate.

Her eyes practically shoot daggers my way but before she can say anything, Grayson joins us. "Hey guys, awesome party, but where's Hayley."

A growl escapes before I can control it and has Grayson looking at me strangely, obviously wondering why the hell I just growled at him. 

"Don't mind him, he's just feeling the effects of jet lag. We were actually coming over to see if you guys were ready to go." Jeanette informs him, unknowingly covering up my weird reaction. My wolf does not like how interested Grayson is in our mate.

"Yeah, sure." Grayson replies still looking at me curiously.

"I'm ready too, still trying to get used to all these new links we formed today." Eric says massaging his temples. We say our goodbyes as we start to leave. I can feel Sam's stare like a heated laser as Jeanette takes my hand in hers to lead me to Cody's truck.

We find Cody there waiting with a troubled look on his face, the girl he was with earlier nowhere in sight. "You guys ready to head out?" he asks.

We all nod and load up. 

"Hope your sisters ok." Eric offers.

As Cody starts the truck he replies, "Yeah. My brother texted me a few minutes ago. Said he was taking her home."

The relief I feel is immense. At least I know she's safe.

"What happened to Hayley?" Grayson asks concerned.

The relief disappears as my hackles once again rise at his interest in Hayley. I just barely hold back another growl.

"She wasn't feeling well earlier and had to go home." Cody answers.

"That sucks, she seemed pretty excited about it when I ran into her earlier today. Maybe I'll stop by tomorrow to check on her." He says.

"I'm sure you will." Eric says with a smirk.

This time I don't join in on the teasing. I'm not really finding it as amusing anymore.

I lean against the window while Jeanette rests her head on my shoulder. I once again have to fight the urge to push her away. I have no clue how I'm going to stop that knee jerk reaction to her touch. Eventually she's going to notice.

More importantly, how can I possibly keep this up now that I've found Hayley? No matter what, someone is going to get hurt. If I leave Jeanette and claim Hayley, it leaves her vulnerable to Calvin. He'll be able to find her again. If I stay with Jeanette, I'll essentially be rejecting Hayley. I can't even imagine hurting her that way.

Who do I choose? The one who's been my family for as long as I can remember? Or the one who's meant to be my family for the rest of my life?