He's My Mate

Chapter 28- Chances

Alarik's conversation hadn't gone well at all. He wouldn't tell me any of the specifics, he had just said things weren't going to be moving on that front. 

I couldn't imagine why Hazel would be so against stopping the wedding. Alarik had told her that we were mates, I couldn't honestly imagine her wanting to take away from something like that. 

The image of Hazel strutting into the classroom with her perfect hair and bright red lipstick, the way she had gone slinking right up to Alarik, I had seen that before. Maybe not in such a feminine way, but I had seen that type of behavior in Alarik. 

"Cassie, I just have problems," I groaned as I flopped onto her bed. 

"Well we both know that. You tried throwing your mate away for me."

"For you and your family," I pointed out. "And I've known you and been friends with you a lot longer than I've liked Alarik. Your parents practically think of me as another daughter, I couldn't do that to them. And yet, I still am. Why am I doing this?"

"Because Alarik convinced you to stay his dirty little secret," she said with a sly smile. 

"And since then we haven't seen each other except for class and our only communication has come in the form of electronic messages that have limited characters. Seriously, is this even worth it?"

"You're just frustrated. It's understandable, I mean you should be happy and carefree with your mate and yet you're having to jump through hoops and hide in broom closets just to get glimpses of each other."

"Jason said he loved me," I said quickly. 

"Wow, I didn't actually think he'd say it."

"You knew?"

"Well Al, it was pretty obvious. That guy has put up with your shit for so long, what other reason would a guy have for sticking around through all that?"

"Friendship," I murmured. 

"Honey, friends don't sleep with each other to strengthen their friendship. They do it because there are feelings. You can't honestly say that you don't feel anything for him, I know better than that."

"Feeling something for him and loving him are two completely different things, Cas. And he said this when I was talking about Alarik."

There was a long moment of silence between the two of us. Cassie knew about Jason and me, we'd had a really long discussion about it over a year ago. She knew almost every dirty little secret without any of the details. 

"You know I believe one hundred percent in mates. You know that I absolutely believe that they should be together because it was destined by the goddess, but-"

"Oh my goodness, are you about to use a but when mates are concerned?" I asked aghast. 

"I am," she said looking very serious. "But, this whole thing with Alarik and this wanna be Alpha bitch is wearing down on you. I say that you should be with him, hell he's even trying to make an effort to be with you which is fantastic. There's a chance that somehow this will fall through though.

"I know you Allison, and I know you have strong resolve. I know that you don't need a mate to make you happy, although I fully believe that Alarik would most certainly make you happy, but there's just too much stress with this right now. Jason is a great guy, he's nice, caring, helpful, everything that a girl could ask for in a guy, and he loves you. I fully believe that if for some reason things don't get moving in the right direction with Alarik, if somehow he gets pulled in too deep with this other girl, I believe that you could be happy with Jason." She looked me dead in the eyes.