We're Still Standing...Book 5

Zander is My Mate?!

Zeke POV

I thought finding your mate was supposed to be the greatest moment in every werewolf's life. I thought he would accept me for who I was but I was wrong. I'm used to it though, my parents kicked me out at fourteen when I came out as transgender to them. They tried pushing their ideals on me and tried telling me it was just a phase. At first, I assumed I was just lesbian but then things changed when I'd look at myself in the mirror and saw someone who didn't look right or felt right. Internally I felt like a guy but outside and physically I was female and that made my skin crawl. For two years I lived my life on autopilot because I knew who I was but to come out to such religious parents and being scared of yourself because you're still so young and to find out you're not who you were meant to be terrified me. Anyway, I'm getting off track here. Zander and I became close friends when his papa/the Alpha helped me get emancipated even though I was fourteen and no real job would hire me. I got a job at a daycare center on packlands and he paid me for the little work I did. That was until I turned sixteen, and Alpha Collen had a long talk with my dads and well let's just say I was welcomed back home and they helped me start my transition and have been the best parents I could ever need and want. It wasn't easy though, they're the reason I went blind at ten. I wear contacts to hide that fact and just play it off as me having bad eyesight. Sorry, sorry, I'm rambling again. When I found out I was Zander's mate I thought he'd accept me wholeheartedly but I was wrong. It was my fault, I should have told him I was transgender when we first met but that never really ended too well for me.

Flashback

I was waiting for Zander, in one of the janitor closets pacing I have to tell him today. I can't keep lying to him. When I heard the doorknob turn my breath hitched and I couldn't breathe. The sound of his heartbeat was calming and so was his scent. It was like the rainforest and fresh ginger. It was mouthwatering and before I could react, his lips crashed into mine. I got horny when he kissed me like we were the only two people on Earth and started making out and my hand wandered down and I rubbed his muscular arms and panicked when his hands traveled up my shirt.

I stopped and he backed up, me flinching waiting for him to punch me but it never came.

"What the hell?" he asked and I could hear the hurt and betrayal, as I was starting to tear up.

"Please don't reject me, Zander, I won't survive if you do." I begged. My uncle died being rejected by a human because he didn't believe in us.

"I...I gotta go." he said and opened the door, leaving me behind and I broke down in the closet.

End of Flashback

We've been avoiding each other since that day, its been a month since that day. He said he wanted to talk things out the following day but he never showed. I hope he talks to me soon, I graduate early and plan on going to New York. I've been accepted to Julliard and leave after my graduation in December.

"Hey, Zeke has my dumb brother come to talk to you yet?" Maria said walking up to me from behind, her heels clicking as we walked.

"Nope." I said, sighing.

"I'm going to castrate him and feed him his own balls deep fried!" She's a bit sadistic I know but being raised with a bunch of big tough men you start to... toughen up I guess you can say? I'm an only child so I never knew what it was like to have siblings but Maria is my personal bodyguard as she likes to say. How we met started it all.

Flashback

"Hey freak, where are you going?" I internally groaned looking at my torturer, fucking Christian Hilbert.

"Not in the mood today Chrissy." I laughed to myself as I heard him pick up the pace.

"What the fuck did you just call me?!" He growled out. For a human, he sure has the temper of a hot-headed werewolf, I should know. Zander was like that especially if someone was picking on his siblings except Seraphina, no one messed with her when she went here. She was getting into too much trouble here so Collen thought it was best to transfer her to a school where she couldn't kill any humans. She has the combat training of one of the most elite warriors we have. Zander told me about how Collen was her dad but no one knows how she was conceived.

"You heard me asswipe." I heard yelling and I blacked out and the last thing I heard was 'move or I will rip your throats out from your spine and use it as a scrub brush for my toilet.' that didn't really make sense to me but she's amazing.

I woke up at the pack infirmary and I saw Maria in my face a bit too close for my liking but she was too adorable. "Are you ok? I'm not sure if you remember me but I'm Maria."

End Flashback

After classes, I went to Alpha Collen's house with Maria and hung out with Aaron, the poor guy had no friends and I felt for him. Zander was my first and then there was Maria. None of the other siblings bother to say hi to me so there's that. I come from a long line of ancient werewolves and I've been talking to Skylar about a way to revive Aaron's wolf. When I heard his wolf spirit died due to his cancer treatment I wanted to help the guy. I remembered a ritual in my great grandpa's spellbook and it says you can ask God one favor if he deems you worthy and he'll grant you the ability to take one of His angels and implant it into the host's body and the spirits will merge. I was determined to do this for this family. Alpha Collen helped me and in return, I'll help Aaron even if Zander rejects me.

After spending some hours at the Alpha mansion. I shifted, I can see a little in wolf form, only if it's big shapes so I stay clear of trees and run home and to our family archives doing my research. Luckily I have the magic to summon books by the category I think it would be in and I hear them slam in front of me. I called my papa to help look through the books since I can't.

"What do you need this for Zeke?" Papa asked as he kept looking through the books.

"I want to help Aaron, at least try. Alpha Collen had done so much for me, for us so I want to do what I can for them."

"Even though Zander is being an asshole to you?" He asked and I growled, he's my mate and yes he's not being a good mate right now but no one disrespects my mate and our future Alpha.

"That's between him and I and has nothing to do with Aaron so you can keep your thoughts about my mate and our future Alpha to yourself." I snapped and he scoffed.

"Future Alpha my ass, he isn't fit to be Alpha."

"If you think you can do any better, go challenge Alpha Collen and see how far you get if you want."

"Watch how you speak to me!" He yelled, causing me to cower away and close my eyes.

"I won't apologize for sticking up for my mate, for the Alpha family and my feelings." I stated, getting up and walking away from him.

I go to my room and lock my door, I don't want to deal with dad after papa tells him what happened. I get clothes out of my dresser and take a shower, removing my binder and breathing a big breath. That thing makes it hard to breathe but I hate my body so it helps me look more like a man if I wear it but at night when I sleep, it stays off. I can't wait until I can have my surgeries to look as I feel. I do wonder when Zander and I get to the mating how it will happen, will he want me as I am now or wait for another year or longer when I finish my transition. I guess we'll find out when we get to that point.