Your Boyfriend, My Mate

. Twenty-Four .

Weeks went on and every Friday Cesare would make it a point to come into Sparrow Grove for the weekend.

Luca had in fact managed to charm his way into the school essentially they actually took him up on the new "suggestions" and this resulted in them updating their rules, so when Cesare purchased me a new cellphone I didn't feel as bad taking it.

I didn't like him spending so much money on me (considering he had to buy the phone and is going to be paying the monthly bill as well), but I couldn't stand not having him near, and talking to him helped with the distance. We talked constantly, even though our conversations mostly consisted of our longing to see the other.

"I'll call you tonight." I smiled as I got ready to hang up and get ready for my last class of the day so I had him on speaker.

"I'll be waiting for your call." He replied sweetly.

I smiled further, "would you be upset if I didn't call?"

"It would be heart wrenching to not receive a call from you Cara Mia."

"And this conversation is gut wrenching..." Chanel suddenly sounded as she stood up from the table, "please remember that not only do you have your phone one speaker...I DO have werewolf hearing and the constant sappiness is down right nauseating."

I felt bad, it was never my intention to flaunt my new relationship in her face. "I gotta go." I finally said before hanging up. I looked over at her sympathetically.

"Don't give me that look Lina, please don't feel sorry for me." She sighed.

"How can I not," I said. "Chanel, you're my best friend and all I want for you is to be happy, and I really think if you tried to look for your mate maybe...-"

"Enough Lina!"

I could tell I had hit a sore subject. For the past couple of weeks Chanel has been extremely temperamental about the whole mate subject, to even mention a mate around her will get you a death glare or an out right chewing out. This was made abundantly clear the day she flipped out on a girl a couple of years younger than us in the cafeteria. Most people just brushed it off as her PMSing or just being plain old bitter, but I knew better.

"...It's always the same thing with you." She continued.

I held my reserve, I knew she wasn't really mad at me. "If you would just tell me what's wrong, maybe I could help you." I sounded calmly.

"I mean really," she began to go into a tangent on mates. "Why does a she-wolf NEED a mate anyways, ok sure maybe to have babies, but what do they really bring to the table other than that?" She asked rhetorically, "someone to support me? Sorry but I can support myself, someone to protect me? I'm a freaking werewolf, I think I can handle my own." She shook her head, "all mates are, are drama...they come into your life, screw with your head, give you false hope, and then...whatever I'm done, we're gonna be late to class."

I simply looked at her as she went on gathering her book bag, as if she didn't just have a whole speech on why mates are basically useless.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door and I got up to open it.

"Chanel Addams?" The girl asked.

Her head snapped up but she remained rooted in place.

"A package has arrived for you." The girl continued.

Still she remained unmoved while she looked at the girl as if she was speaking a foreign language.

"I'll take that for her." I sighed, the girl gave me the slip of paper to sign off on the package before I closed the door. I walked the heavy box over to our table and set it down.

Chanel's eyes were big and they seemed slightly fearful as she looked from the box to me.

"Well aren't you going to open it?" I asked a little amused.

"D-does it say who it's from?"

I looked down and read the name before I looked back at her, "it's from your father."

Her entire body instantly relaxed as she let out a sigh of relief, she finally stepped up to the box and opened it.

"It's the guest list and invitations to my dads birthday party in next week."

"Kinda short notice don't you think?" I asked as I picked up stack of papers with the names of the most prominent ladies and gentlemen of the Were community.

"It always is," she smiled. "Wouldn't want any party crashers or worse showing up."

"Worse?" I asked.

"Rogues...they'd be stupid to attack a place full of Alphas but that doesn't mean it wouldn't ever happen."

I nodded, I guess stranger things have happened.

We had to leave the box as we were now running late for class.

...

"Hey I know it's Friday but do you think you can stay and help me out with these invitations?"

I knew Chanel wouldn't have asked if she didn't absolutely have to.

"Well I kind of promised that I would see Cesare tonight..." I admitted, "but what if you come with us back to his place, then he might even be able to help us and we can get it done quicker."

She looked hesitant, "I don't know Lina, I'm sure Loverboy would rather I stayed behind."

I already had my phone out and text him:

[Evalina: hey, change of plans tonight. I am going to help Chanel with some invitations.]

He text back almost instantly.

[Cesare: You're breaking my heart Cara Mia.]

I smiled at his cuteness, it's easy to forget that my handsome and successful mate is still very young and can be quite adorable when he wants to be.

[Evalina: OR You can pick up Chanel and I and we can get everything done and then hangout afterward.]

This time the text took a while. I know Cesare doesn't have any aversions to Chanel, and the two are very accepting of the fact that they are both big parts of my life.

But was Cesare really bummed that we would have her tag along tonight?

Finally I received two texts back to back.

[Cesare: I do not mind in the slightest, my house is your house and you may bring anyone over that you choose to, BUT, I do have one condition...]

[Cesare: You have to stay the night.]