The Mating Rules

I wake the next morning to find myself alone and my heart hurts a bit that they both left without waking me to say goodbye.

‘Get yourself together’ I scold myself, throwing back the covers, ‘you haven’t marked either of them, so it’s not like they need to ask your permission to leave!’

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I glance at my bedside table and notice a small folded, white piece of paper propped against my lamp. Picking it up, I recognise Caden’s writing, and my heart flutters as I quickly open it.

Dear Leeway,

Carrington and I had training this morning so we had to leave. We didn’t want you to think we snuck off or something. Truth be told, that was the best night’s sleep I ever had, even the a*****e is slightly less of a d**k this morning, so he must have also got some rest.

I’ve already told your trainer and the Gamma that you won’t be there today. I figured you’d want to go over to the clinic to check on Bailee.

I did link your dad and he said she had woken for a few minutes early this morning before falling asleep again. The doctor is happy with her progress though.

Knowing you, you’ll not take my word for it, so I’ll see you later at the clinic, try not to sit there all day!

I love you

Caden

I can’t help but smile as I clutch the note to my chest, OK it’s not a love letter but it still makes me feel special so maybe it still counts. Smiling, I carefully place the note under my pillow like a teenager with a crush and climb out of bed to get dressed.

Heading downstairs, I walk into the dining room as the room quiets around me, sighing deeply, I ignore the curious gazes and grab my breakfast, taking a seat at an empty table. Of course news has spread about last night and it looks like I’m going to be centre of attention for another meal time.

I cut into my pancakes like they have done me a personal disservice, shoving a forkful into my mouth and chewing harshly, my good mood from moments before, long gone.

‘Hey’, Glancing up I find Ashleigh standing next to me nervously, tray in her hand as she waits for me to speak. There are dark circles around her eyes which tells me she didn’t sleep much last night.

‘You waiting for an invitation?’ I ask curiously, glancing up at her.

Giving me a small smile, my best friend sits down next to me, grabbing some sugar out of the pot in the middle of the table and sprinkling it in her coffee.

‘I wasn’t sure if you’d want to see me today’ she muttered, stirring the hot drink absentmindedly.

I straighten up, my pancake hanging off my fork forgotten, halfway to my mouth. ‘Why wouldn’t I want to see you?’ I demand, ‘did we fall out?’

My best friend shrugs, taking a sip of the sweetened drink, ‘my stupidity got Bailee hurt’ she replies sadly.

I turn to face her, placing my fork back on my plate before grabbing her coffee and putting it on the table so I can force her to look at me. ‘What are you talking about?’ I ask in confusion, ‘you didn’t get Bails hurt.’

Ashleigh shakes her head, ‘I did’ she whispers, ‘it was my idea, I said we should go out last night, and when Bailee arrived with you, instead of telling her to go home I backed her up, encouraged her to come!’

She turns to face me, her eyes glassy, ‘I’m so sorry Lee, I didn’t . . I wasn’t . . I never . . ‘

I pull my best friend into my arms, hugging her, ‘you didn’t ask for those assholes to give us grief, nor to try and mark her’ I reply gruffly. ‘It’s not even like you spoke to them and they got the wrong idea, it wasn’t your fault.’ I lean back, my own face falling slightly, ‘it wasn’t either of our fault’ I add, ‘those wolves tried to take what wasn’t theirs and we will not shoulder the blame for that.’

Ashleigh wiped her eyes as she gave me a watery smile, ‘so you don’t blame me?’ she sniffed.

I grinned, ‘of course not’ I reply, my mates words coming back to me, ‘we went out to have some fun, and we should be able to do that without being harassed. The only people that we should be angry with are those bastards who grabbed us and the evil d**k that sank his teeth into my sister.’

My best friend’s smile widened as she threw her arms around me, hugging me tight.

‘OK, OK!’ I g***n, wriggling out of her vice like grip, ‘if you kill me by crushing my neck I will be angry with you and I’ll come back and haunt your a*s.’

Ashleigh laughs, releasing me as she waves her hand in my face, ‘please, I’d welcome you haunting me, who else will I talk to if you are dead?’ she scoffs.

I giggle, picking my fork up again and biting the pancake piece off the end, ‘you say that now, but I’ll be slamming doors and moving your stuff around’ I warn. ‘I’ll un alphabetize all your dvd’s, putting them in chronological order instead.’

I grin wickedly as my best friend gasps in horror, glaring at me, waving her spoon she was about to put into her cereal at me, ‘you wouldn’t dare’ she growled.

‘Try me’ I reply sweetly, taking another bite of pancake as she scowls at me.

‘You are the worst friend ever’ she grumbles, as she starts to eat.

‘But you still love me’ I sing song back at her.

Finishing my breakfast, I stand up, pushing back my chair and taking my plate over to the stacks before heading out into the foyer.

Moving toward the front door, I step outside and head toward the clinic. As I walk, I skirt around the edge of the training grounds, instinctively searching out Caden and Hadley, both of whom are sparring with other members, their movements precise and mesmerising stalling my walk.

I turn so I can watch them both, drinking them in as they each put their opponents onto the ground with well practiced ease. It was like watching a dance, hard to tell which of the two men was the better fighter as they were so evenly matched.

Pulling myself out of my revere, I duck my head, and hurry toward the clinic, forcing my eyes to stay facing forward when Hadley lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face.

Rounding the corner, the temptations of my life are finally out of view and I let out a breath of relief, my attention focusing instead on the building in front of me.

Pushing open the door of the clinic, I sweep the waiting room quickly before heading to the reception area and waiting for the man behind the desk to finish typing.

Looking up, he gives me a faintly surprised look, ‘can I help you?’ he asked.

I nod, ‘umm, my sister, Bailee’ I start nervously, ‘she was brought in last night, she was bitten by a werewolf who wasn’t her mate.’

The male nurse nodded, frowning as he started to type on his keyboard. Meeting my gaze, he points to a corridor to the left, ‘down there, room six’ he tells me.

Thanking him, I hurry around the desk and follow his directions, stopping outside of the room with a number six imprinted in the middle. Taking a deep breath, I push open the door, slipping inside to be met with the sight of my sister, lying on a hospital bed. Her strawberry blonde hair is fanned out around her face, across the pillows that are plumped under her head.

Her hand is gripped tightly in my mother’s, and as I move closer I realise my mother is asleep, her head resting on the edge of the bed as she sits in her chair that is pulled close to the bed.

Inching closer, I reach out a hand, hesitating for a second before gripping her shoulder and gently shaking it.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

‘What? Bailee?!’ my mother yelps as she shoots up straight in her chair, her gaze immediately going to my sister.

‘She’s still asleep mom’ I murmur, moving around her to grab the other seat from nearby and bringing it back to sit next to her.

Focusing on me, my mother blinks before a smile graces her face, ‘I wondered when you would appear’ she admits, releasing my sister’s hand to take mine, patting it with the other.

I smile back sadly, ‘I needed to see she was really OK’ I admit as I bit my l*p which begins to tremble, ‘I’m so sorry mom’ I whisper, ‘I didn’t think . . ‘

My mother lifts her hand, placing it on my shoulder as she shakes her head, ‘don’t do it little one’ she cuts me off, ‘it wasn’t your fault.’

I nod, swallowing down my words as the weight of guilt finally leaves me. Turning toward my sister, I reach out and take her hand in mine, giving it a squeeze, ‘how is she?’ I ask.

My mother’s face falls slightly, ‘she woke up once for a few minutes but she fell back into unconsciousness again. The doctor is happy with her healing, has said it’s just a matter of waiting now for her wolf to bring her back to us.’

Keeping my hand on hers, I allow my gaze to roam over her face, taking in her pale withdrawn face. ‘She looks so small’ I mutter sadly, ‘so . . . fragile.’

My mother’s arm wraps around my shoulders, ‘looks can be deceiving’ she replies, ‘our Bailee is strong, she won’t lay around for long, she’s got to much to do with her life.’

I smile, resting my head on my mother’s shoulder, ‘she is too stubborn to let anything or anyone keep her down’ I agree.

A g***n leaves my sister’s lips, causing us both to straighten up, breaths catching.

A low m**n echoes around the room before Bailee’s eyes slowly open, blinking a few times against the bright lights of the room. ‘My head hurts’ she mumbles, lifting her free hand to try and rub her forehead.

‘My baby’ our mother gushes, climbing to her feet and shoving me aside so she can get to my sister, wrapping her in a hug before checking her face. ‘Are you OK my baby? How do you feel?’

Bailee coughs, trying to clear her throat as our mother disentangles herself again and grabs the jug of water on the table beside us and pouring her some water. Lifting the glass to my sister’s lips and helping her sip the cool liquid before placing it back down again.

‘I feel like I got hit by a truck’ my sister grouches, her voice scratchy, ‘except a truck wouldn’t have hurt so much, mostly because I would have kicked the driver’s a*s for running me over.’

I snort out a laugh as my mother’s lips twitch, ‘not a truck baby, just a low life werewolf trying to claim what wasn’t his.’

Bailee’s gaze snaps to mine, silently asking for confirmation which I give with a curt nod.

‘Fucker’ my sister hisses angrily.

‘Language!’ my mother scolds, ‘though yes, I agree, he is a total fucker, thank the Goddess your sister cut his head off.’

I gasp in shock, staring at my mother who shrugs her shoulders, ‘what?’ she demands, ‘I can cuss, my mother isn’t here!’

My sister laughs before coughing again and shaking her head, ‘don’t make me laugh, it hurts’ she complains grumpily setting off our mother again who fusses over her.

Letting go of her hand I lean back in my chair, closing my eyes briefly as the tension leaves my body, my sister is OK. A smile crawls its way across my face, we’re all OK, we’re safe and it was my mates that saved us.