Your Mate Is Mine!
Aurora's POV:
"You little shameless whore! Klaus doesn't love you a bit. He is mine!"
I am strolling around the town in a nice mood until a female stranger jumps out screaming to my face. She gears up for a fight.
I click my knuckles and stretch my neck from left to right.
It's been a long time since someone challenged me. I do miss the taste of a real fight, though this time, I'm not challenged for my status, but my mate.
I am not fear of any fighting. As the future Alpha of Storm Rider Pack, I began training at 6, an age when most girls were still playing with dolls and lost in fairy tales. I don't mind, though. I am the guardian of Storm Rider Pack. It is my calling to safeguard my people, guaranteeing them a life of happiness and prosperity, much like my mother has done throughout her lifetime.
I'm almost a spitting image of my mother. Emerald-green eyes, straight nose and oval face, but we do not share the same hair color as hers is hazel while mine is silvery-blonde. No one else in my pack has this color of hair. I guess it is inherited from my father's lineage, a man I've never known.
Mercifully, the absence of a father's love hasn't made my life a misery. My mom and my pack family have given me more than enough warmth. Last year I turned 18 years old and the Moon goddess was truly on my side -- I not only found my fated mate, but he was the one I have been praying for being a lifelong soul mate.
A big big thank you, moon goddess!
Klaus and I, however, haven't marked each other yet.
He is not an official member of my pack. He was an orphan, and was brought here like 13 years ago.
In Storm Rider, except for mates, we don't accept outsiders as to ensure the purity of storm rider's bloodline, so Klaus remains a warrior all these years, unable to climb to a higher rank. But it's all good. As soon as my mom gives the nod, I will claim Klaus as my mate, and then he will share my power and status.
So, you see the problem now -- my mom, the Alpha, hasn't said yes to our bonding yet.
Packs have their own traditions for mating, marking, sexual behaviors, etc. Some can mark their mates as soon as they meet, while some must receive the approval of their Alpha. In my pack, we follow the latter. Our Alpha's consent is crucial, symbolizing the blessing and acceptance of the entire pack. Only then can the mates complete their bonding and embrace their shared destiny.
There are two reasons for my mom's disagreement:
First, Klaus is just a warrior. It's not that she despises warriors. Everyone's treated the same in the pack and Klaus's abilities are plain to see. He is a five at best in intellect, agility, and raw strength. It is that according to the Elders, the Alpha lineage of Storm Rider will only mate with those who have Alpha blood. This pattern has lasted for several centuries but now it doesn't work for me. They see it as odd.
Second, Klaus's orphan background is murky. He said he was from the Blue Shadow Pack, which got wiped out 15 years ago, with a warrior father and an omega mother. But his account didn't convince my mom and the Elders. They want proof that the future Alpha mate is known inside out.
I choose to trust Klaus.
His kin getting massacred is bad enough; making him dig up the past for evidence is next-level harsh.
And they can't expect me to reject him, no matter how hard they push.
I like Klaus my whole life.
He is so warm-hearted, always able to brighten up my day with his wit. Besides, he is tall, dark, handsome, with ocean-like blue eyes that could make you drown. He likes me too, he told me himself. While sex is an open topic in Storm Rider, we save ourselves for each other.
Werewolves can detect sexual activity through scent. My BBF and to-be Beta Lydia is a pro at it; she can pick up on it no matter how you mask the smell. She has assured me that Klaus's scent has been clean, so I don't believe he has other women.
But still, my stomach is in knots.
"What's your name? How do you know Klaus?" I ask the she-wolf in front of me and study her.
She's around my age, average height, fiery red hair, high cheekbone. A beauty despite the mean look in her eyes. The angry red blotches on her cheeks are evidence of her rising temper.
"It's none of your business. You just need to know, Klaus is mine!" She shouts again at the top of her lungs.
My wolf Thea growls and itches to bite her head off upon hearing her.
Then, the woman lunges at me, throwing wild punches. I sidestep and move to her back. Before she turns around, I stretch my leg, kicking the back of her left knee, making her kneel down on the ground. She stands up the next second, looking even more furious.
With a high-pitched scream, she pounces on me again, continuing to wave fists to the air.
She is fighting without thinking, I reckon as I dodge her attack effortlessly. Thea already feels bored, letting out a long yawn before settling down to groom itself.
Fighting someone like her is totally a waste of time, I frown, realizing I need to end this as soon as possible. I have so much to do rather than play with her.
As she is wide open, I see the chance coming.
I grab her by her neck with my one hand, while the other catches her arm, then throw her over my shoulder and pin her body on the ground. She winces from pain. I put one of my knees on her throat to prevent her from moving around.
By now she should be aware that I can snap her neck with a single press.
"Have you ever attended a training lesson? I bet even a pup can beat you up." I say playfully.
"Get away away from Klaus! Whore! Brazen!" She calls me names, struggling beneath my hold.
A sigh escapes my lips. Some people are tough nuts to crack. I don't want to waste my breath anymore.
"One last time, name, pack and how do you know Klaus?" My tone hardens, applying little more pressure on the female's neck.
Suddenly, my wolf's body becomes rigid, with its muscles tensing up. I sense danger from behind. Turning around, I see a gray wolf sprinting at me. I instantly roll away to evade it.
It positions itself between the redhead and me, teeth bared, glaring menacingly. Close by, the other three wolves move toward me, fur standing on end.
They are together, I think as I observe the circumstance calmly. Thea snarls in fury, eager to come out. She is a strong wolf, totally fearless, which makes me proud. I soothe her. The situation is right under my control.
"Aury!" Lydia's voice sounds from behind.
My focus is still on the opposite, staring dead at them. Lydia comes to my side. With her joining, taking on those four big bad is a piece of cake.
They start to retreat.
The redhead woman already gets to her feet. She curses and would like to attack me again but one of the wolves stops her by grabbing her hem with its teeth, while the others bark at her. They turn and dash into the woods.
I'm going to follow, but Lydia holds me back.
She thought it was just a small clash. There were several new packs moving into town this year during my absence. Wolves are easy to have conflicts with new faces.
"I'll bring you to parties and get familiar. Give it a few days, it'll be fine. " She adds. I explain to her what happened, and she gasps.
"Does Klaus come back?" I ask, my voice lacking its usual passion.
After a year of hardcore training at the Alpha Academy abroad, I finally returned home yesterday. I had been eagerly waiting to see my mate after 389 days away, only to be told he's off on a mission.
"He will be back this evening."
I nod, then ask her to help me check up that red-hair female. Lydia is a stellar networker, getting info on someone is a breeze for her.
"No sweat! You know Klaus is a total heartthrob, always getting hit on by girls, but he ain't interested. I see to that. Let's hit up Phoenix Bar to chill before your boy Klaus swings back." Seeing the worried look on my face, Lydia tries to cheer me up.
I always know Klaus is a chick magnet. But ever since the first girl in secondary school showed interest in him, I've marked my territory, making sure girls and boys know he's off-limit. No one dares to cross me on this.
Now it's only two days since I returned, and already some woman's in my face claiming my mate is hers.
Maybe Lydia is right, the woman is new in town. But something on them seems off.
They look more like rogues.
While the woman is dressed neatly with stylish makeup, the four wolves have unkempt fur and a faintly pungent smell. I can sense dark danger from them.
A question dawns upon my consciousness --
How does Klaus get involved with rogues?