Your Boyfriend, My Mate

. Nine .

After the taxi driver helped me with the groceries I paid him and he went on his way, I made my way inside and found Chanel coming down the stairs.

"You're just in time" I sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing...i just don't want to be stuck putting all the groceries away by myself." I lied.

She put her hands on her hip, "you're lying, I can always tell when you're lying to me."

"It was nothing, really." I sighed restlessly.

She squinted her eyes to get a really good look at me, then she stepped forward before circling me.

"What is that?" She asked knowingly as she pointed.

My hand flew up to my neck, "you've got to be shitting me!" I said before dropping the bags and running to the nearest bathroom. Once in front of the mirror I examined my neck and there it was, like a billboard...a small reddish-purple hickey on my jaw just under my ear lobe.

"You ran into loverboy didn't you?" She smiled.

I looked down, I hated knowing that he made me feel like this, "this shouldn't have happened."

"I'm glad it did" Chanel said seriously, "Evalina, he is your mate...you need to woman up and claim what is yours!"

"Says the girl who prays every night that she never finds her mate." I snapped before calming down, "besides, he's Gia's."

She gave a look so pointed that if looks could kill I might just be on the floor bleeding out, "I'm so tired of hearing that Evalina!" She yelled. "You called me because you needed help. I'm your fucking best friend and I'll be damned if I'm going to watch you play the victim, This is NOT the girl I've known nearly my whole life!"

We just stood there for a minute.

"Now I'm gonna go put the Damn groceries away and you better come up with a plan to get Cesare!" She said before stomping away.

I put both hands on the sink and let my head hang down, she was right.

When had I allowed myself to become the weak pushover? What's mine is mine and I've never been one for sharing. I love my sister, but as my sister she should understand, Cesare and I are mates, we didn't choose this, it just happened. And if she can't take it, tough luck. It'd be different if he were her mate, then again if she found her mate in my boyfriend sure I'd be a little sad at first but I would get over it and ultimately end up being happy for her.

It was there in that bathroom that I looked up at my reflection and decided to listen to Chanel and follow my heart instead of overthinking things.

Come Thursday I would get my mate.

...
(Thursday-Thanksgiving)

"Please be extra careful with those." I said worriedly as Chanel held the cheesecake and Gianna took the chocolate cake.

"Dude you look amazing!" Chanel commented on my outfit.

"Thanks" I said low, having attended an all girls school you don't get very many compliments unless it's on cute shoes or a nice bag, so it's always awkward having to accept them.

"You really do look good baby sis." Gianna said, "oh did you get yourself with the curling iron?" She asked as she leaned in to inspect the small hickey Cesare had left on me.

"Yeah, I was sort of in a rush this morning, plus I wanted to make a good impression for the Alpha and Luna."

She nodded her understanding before leaving us to get into her own car. Once mom joined us in her car we finally drove off to the pack house.