The Beta and His Human Mate

Chapter 7: Mates & Rainers

Scott’s POV

            I feel bad that I am leaving Ashtyn all confused about this whole situation, but I can't be the one to tell her the truth. It is probably difficult for her to understand what is going on. I could tell from their short interaction yesterday that the bond is slowly forming, and I am happy for my best friend for finding his mate. But to be honest, I could not imagine being mated to a human and how difficult that must be. Seeing your mate all the time and them not knowing who you are to them. Unfortunately, Aaron has his work cut out for him. Ash clearly went through something horrible with her ex that she is so closed off to the idea of dating anyone. I hope though for Aaron’s sake that the closer the two of them get she will be willing to push aside those worries and give him a chance.

            However, like Aaron, I too know what it is like to be mated with someone who doesn’t know that I am their mate. Yes, I know who my mate is, I have known since my 16th birthday when I received my wolf. I just haven’t told Aaron or Connor, not sure how they will respond, especially Aaron. I remember that day so clearly.

***Flashback***

            The packhouse was throwing a birthday party for my sweet 16. I was told that I had to stay on the Alpha floor all day until I was instructed to come down because they were setting things up for my party. The pack always tries to do something for each member on their 16th birthday since it is that birthday that you can receive your wolf. However, not everyone receives them on their birthday and will get it later that year. Also, being the future Alpha, the pack went full out. When it was 7 pm I was able to come downstairs and the first thing that I noticed was the sweet smell of vanilla and lavender. The smell was so strong, and I had to find it. My wolf Axel was telling me in my head, mate. My mate, she is here somewhere and I need to find her. However, everyone was stopping me to say happy birthday, and it made it difficult to find her. I kept navigating through the crowds to find her, her scent would linger wherever she went. I followed the trail until I was outside, and I saw her by the fire with her friends. She had her honey blonde hair perfectly curled down her back with a gray sweater dress and black boots (keep in mind my birthday is in November). I did a double-take and realized who it was. It can’t be, she can’t be my mate. How is Casey Miller, my mate? My best friend’s little sister can’t be my mate. This is wrong, I have always seen her as my own little sister. Maybe it isn’t Casey and my mate just hugged her which is why she smells so good. But then Casey ran over and engulfed me in a hug saying, “happy birthday”. I took a deep breath while she hugged me, and I was sure she is the person that I am smelling. My eyes went wide and I hoping no one noticed my reaction to her hugging me. She pulled away and it was like I felt something missing, as if her body was made for mine. She walked away to rejoin her friends and it was the first time I actually noticed her.

            Casey just turned 15 a few weeks earlier and honestly, I never realized until then how beautiful she is. Her long, shiny, perfect hair falls around her heart-shaped face. Her beautiful brown eyes that from a distance look more chocolate brown but up close you can see specks of gold in them. She is about 5’5 and when she hugs me her head falls perfectly in line with my shoulder. Casey has a very small skinny frame. Growing up she was always self-conscious because she isn’t as curvy like other she-wolves, but honestly, I think she is perfect.

            Aaron and Connor came over to me and asked what I was staring at. I shook my head and came up with the lame excuse that I was lost in thought about finally having my wolf and all the things I can do now. Aaron understood how awesome it has to have your wolf because he is 5 months older than me with his birthday being in June. Connor on the other hand was jealous because he won’t be turning 16 until March.  I snuck one more look at Casey before walking off with the two of them.

            I will be honest; I am kind of disappointed with what I did for the rest of that year. I couldn’t come to terms with the idea of being mated to Casey. I kept telling myself that I couldn’t be 100% sure until she received her wolf, so I just kept denying that she was my mate. I would hook up with random girls all that year hoping I was wrong. It happens sometimes, someone could have a similar scent to your mate before they receive their wolf but after they get their wolf their scent can slightly change. I kept telling myself that was the case with Casey. However, every time I kissed any girl it felt slightly wrong.

            On the day of Casey’s 16th birthday, I waited patiently for her birthday party and the news that she received her wolf. So, I could confirm whether or not she was my mate. However, when I saw her, I noticed she hadn’t received it yet. But I was determined to find out the truth. The packhouse was packed for the beta’s daughter’s birthday and I needed to find a way to get her alone with all these people. I snuck away from my friends and went upstairs to the second floor of the house which is just rooms and different storage closets. I sent Casey a quick text saying:

            Come to the second floor of the packhouse alone, please.

            Casey: Okay, weirdo!

            I waited in the doorway of one of the storage closets for her. I saw her walking down the hall by herself a little confused because of me telling her to come see me. I saw her and grabbed her quickly and brought her into the storage closet.

            I could tell I freaked her out, so I quickly turned on the light and brought my finger to my lips to tell her to shh.

            Casey glared at me, “Scott, what do you want?”

            I didn’t know what to say so I looked everywhere before asking, “Ummm, how is your birthday going?”

            She looked at me confused, “Fine before you rudely pulled me away from my party.”

            I rubbed the back of my neck nervously and slightly blushing, “Sorry about that.”  

            “Okay, so why did you call me here.”

            I looked at her, “Promise me you won’t freak out at what I am about to do.”

            She looked at my confused, “You aren’t going to put a frog in my dress as you did during my 10th birthday.”

            I chuckled, “I promise I won’t do that.”

            She shrugged, “Fine, I guess.”

            I breathed out, “Okay.” Before walking towards her and placed one hand on the small of her back and the other on the back of her neck.

            She looked at me wide-eyed, “Scott, what are you doing?”

            I didn’t respond and just placed my lips against hers. I felt tingles when my lips connected with hers. Any doubt I had about her being my mate, completely vanished. It was like her lips were made for mine. I was worried she was going to push me away, but she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back as I grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to my body.

            After a minute she pulled away and frowned before asking, “Scott, what was that?”

            She didn’t feel the connection that I did. I bit my lip and stammered out embarrassed, “Um… nothing, please don’t tell anyone. And can we forget this happened?”

            She looked at me confused and I thought I detected a feeling of her hurt in her eyes, but I wasn’t sure. She then just breathed out, “Okay.”

            I quickly left the closet without looking back at her. I can’t believe I just did that. Why didn’t she feel anything when I kissed her? Why does this bond have to be one-sided? I spent the rest of her birthday avoiding her. But after a couple of weeks, it seemed like she forgot all about that kiss and things went back to normal.

            Well normal for her, not me. I haven’t been with or even kissed another girl since then. The idea of being with anyone beside Casey grosses me out. Aaron and Connor think I am always hooking up with girls at parties when I disappear, but I usually leave early and head home by myself. If I tell them I have not been with anyone they would ask why, and I am not ready to tell them the truth. I can’t tell them until she knows.

*** End of Flashbacks***

            The bell went off indicating that History was over. I left the classroom and quickly headed to my locker. I saw Casey at Ash’s locker and she looked so beautiful and innocent in her white summer dress. She practically looked like an angel. However, I saw guys checking her out and it seriously pissed me off. Aaron is super protective of his little sister and so am I, so many guys are actually too scared to approach her to ask her out because of us. I feel bad because I have scared a few guys away who did have the courage to talk to her, such as one time this guy named Ryan, who asked her to the movies last month. After I found out he did, I threatened him that if he went out with Casey, I would kick his ass, he is another werewolf so I can. Casey was crushed when she found out that she was stood up, but I couldn’t fathom the idea of some guy out with her and having his arm around her.

            I spent the rest of the school day thinking about her and hoping that she would soon get her wolf so she would know who I am to her. Part of the reason why the guys on the football team have to go workout in the weight room for the last half of practice is so I can see her practicing even if it is for a few seconds as I walk by.

            The practice was finally over, and Aaron and Connor came up to me asking if I was going to speak with my dad today. Dad was out meeting with another pack over the weekend, so he just arrived home last night. I told them I would and would update them on what I find out.

***

            I arrive home after practice a bring my stuff up to my room before heading to my dad’s office. I stand outside the door and knock lightly then hear him say, “Come in.”

            My dad seems to be busy with some paperwork, but he looks up at me and smiles, “Hey Scott, how can I help you?” That is what I love about my parents even though they are busy with Alpha and Luna duties they always make time for their children. Yes, I have two younger siblings a brother, Luke who is 13, and a little sister, Kylie who is 9.

            I take a seat in one of the chairs opposite his desk and begin twiddling my thumbs trying to figure out where to start. He c***s his brow at me, “What is it, son?”

            I sigh before asking, “Is it possible for one sibling to be a wolf while another is human?”

            He looks at me perplexed, “Why do you ask?”

            “Well, there is this new family that just moved here and there is something weird about them.”

            “Okay? What is it?”

            I fill him in on the events that happened yesterday with Ash hearing people growl on two separate occasions. He, of course, asked at what decibel we were growling at because at a certain level all humans can hear us, but we usually growl at a low decibel so only the werewolves could hear during school since humans are around. I assured him that it was low because none of the other humans heard it and some looked really confused when she called out Aaron for growling at her. I explained to him that she completely smelled human, while her younger brother was up in the air. I told him about the incident between Chris, Derek, and Kyle and how Chris and Derek said he didn’t smell human, but they didn’t detect a wolf in him, which is understandable since he is only 15. But he still healed super fast. What really caught my dad’s interest was the fact that Christ and Derek said that Ash’s strength was similar to that of a she-wolf.

            He sat there listening to what I was saying and thought for a second before asking, “What were their last name, and where were they from?”

            “Rainer, and Harvest Moon.”

            He nodded, “Okay, anything about their parents.”

            I shrugged, “Dad works as an engineer, and mom is deceased.”

            He nods and writes something down. So, I ask, “So is it possible?”

            He nods, “It happens but it is quite rare. First, their parents cannot be mates. And one parent has to be a human while the other parent is a werewolf but has human blood in their bloodline like one parent is a human mated to a werewolf.”

            I raise my brow at him, “So is that what happened here?”

            He shrugs, “I don’t know, since I don’t know the parents I can’t be for certain. Who knows about this?”

            I reply, “Just me, Aaron, and Connor. Chris and Derek are too stupid to think anything of it.”

            He nods, “Okay, well, keep it only between the three of you, until I know more. Plus, if the boy is a werewolf, I need to figure out how we will handle that and help him come to terms with it since it is clear they are unaware of the supernatural world.”

            I look down unsure how to tell him this part and he looks at me waiting for me to say something else, “Umm…there is another thing…Ashtyn was attacked my animal when she was little. Well, she thinks it was an animal. But we saw her scars and how big they were and how spaced out they were, I am pretty sure it was a werewolf.”

            He runs his hands through his hair, “Okay, thanks for letting me know. Let me think about all of this.”

            I nod and my father dismisses me. I leave his office and head to my room trying to figure out what this all means. Is Mr. Rainer a werewolf? I haven’t met him so I wouldn’t know. But if he was my dad would have already known because he would be an outsider trying to join this pack. Is Kyle one? Also, who attacked Ash? I am more confused than I was before I talked to him.

****

            Jeff’s POV

            I watch as my son walks out of my office and I start processing everything he just told me. I turn over to my computer and pull up all the student accounts at the school. The best thing about being the Alpha is I have access to so many things, this being one of them so I can check up on the pack members. I type in the name Rainer into the search bar. I need to see what they look like for myself. When Scott told me about the two kids I had a feeling they were her kids, but when he said that he believed that Ashtyn was attacked by a werewolf I was certain they were. I stare at Ashtyn’s student ID picture and I can’t believe how much she looks like her mother did when she was her age, minus the lip ring. Kyle, on the other hand, looks more like their father John but he still has her blue eyes. How was I not aware that they moved here? But after she died, I stopped keeping track of them, so it is understandable.

            I stand up from my computer and walk over to my bookshelf and grab one of the picture frames that is sitting on one of the shelves. I look at the picture of me with my 3 best friends, Dave, Gavin, and Claire, when we were all about 16.  The four of us were inseparable until something happened which led to Claire leaving the pack and wanting nothing to do with the supernatural world.

            I say to myself as I stare at this picture, “Well, Claire it looks like your kids are all grown up. Your daughter is mated to a future Beta, and your son will be receiving his wolf soon.” I then groan out the last part, “But did you seriously have to keep this all from them?”