Chapter 2: Mate?

I would prefer drowning in the sea or the well or even under legos but not this!

"Clara! Clara!! Where the heck are you?" My best friend, Jace opened the door to the laundry room, searching for me frantically.

I have been trying to sort the pairs of socks which made me go deep in the pile of laundry. Yes, I am dirty and smelly now.

I hate laundering.

I took a deep breath and pushed myself out of the pile, "What is it? I'm trying to survive laundry games here."

Jace stared at me wide-eyed and burst to laugh. Best Friends Right? Worst best friend ever.

He dragged his feet to where I stood, removing a sock over my head and shoulder. "What?" I glared hard at him, though it was pretty useless.

Why? I got a baby face, making me look younger than even my age and what's my age? Hold on... I forgot.

"When will you stop pranking everyone in the packhouse? Don't glare at me, you brought this upon yourself." He laughed, pulling me out from the disaster.

"Yeah yeah. I just wanted to have a tiny bit of fun. You know how I'm trying to do everything on my bucket list before I die." He pushed me back in the pile, pissed at my reply.

I use the term death as a normal term because I'm not a werewolf to live for a century or whatever. But my best friend always hates it when I do it. He doesn't accept I'm normal, which I quite agree to since I do very risky things all the time. I've even been mistaken as a hunter by a new packhouse member. I don't blame them though. It's just in my nature.

It also gets a bit brutal at times.

"Stop that. You know hearing that will kill me before you." He glared at me as I tried myself up. "Anyways, alpha told me to fetch you for another mate search lineup."

"Again? Oh, com'on! I don't have a mate. Will they stop lining me up whenever another pack of alpha comes to search theirs?" I grabbed Jace's shirt and pulled myself up, ripping it a bit. "Hey! Get your hands off my shirt." He swatted my hands like I was some kind of disease. But then, I have been ripping his clothes all the time. He's like a supporting pole for whenever I trip.

"Shall we go?" I grinned, wiping my hands at my apron.

He nodded, taking me out the door but then halted in his steps making me collide with his back. "Please put up a red signal before you stop." I rubbed my nose.

"Wait. Are you going to go in that?" He eyed me, scrunching his nose in disgust.

"I don't have time to take a shower and change, also I have to get back to this laundry again. So too lazy." I smiled sheepishly, giving him a thumbs up.

He rolled his eyes at me, ignoring my comment and walking ahead before muttering, "I hope the others don't die because of the smell you're giving away."

I mocked him behind his back and moved my legs to grudgingly follow to the place I've known very well for the past years.

The session of sightseeing mates (that's what I call it) was somewhere away from the packhouse, deep in the woods.

Werewolves love forests, I do too but when I'm alone, no thank you. I would rather stay in bed and binge-watch old shows and laugh like a maniac.

"Alpha Gray will kill me if you're not on time there."

"That will be a sight to see." I laughed.

We went deeper, passing the headquarters for special meetings. Usually, anybody with a lower rank doesn't know this but I killed a cat out of curiosity.

"Alright, go stand there. Hurry before you make a scene of yourself." He nudged me forward, pushing towards the beeline of unmated people.

They all stood by this ancient tree which is the signature of our landmark. It's been known to bring good luck, that's why the mate search session happens there.

I stepped forward but slammed my face on the tree. "Owwie!" I exclaimed, pressing my nose.

"Freak! Go now." He pushed me towards the end of the line. I rubbed my nose, standing in the queue of mate dating.

Okay, I exaggerate a lot.

The girls beside me pinched their noses in disgust. "You could've at least taken a quick shower." Brunette, grey eyes, and petite figure, Janice taunted me.

She's my other best friend.

"Too lazy-"

"Your laziness will drive the alpha away. Remember we have a strong smelling sense?" Janice said, gagging at the smell.

"Oh yeah! Pfft, I forgot. Jace was fine with the smell though, he didn't comment anything." I said, standing proud.

"He probably blocked his nose before coming to you." She squeaked, fixing her already perfect style. "The alpha is here. Stand straight and bold."

"The chant I have been learning since I don't know how many years," I mumbled, purposely slumping.

"Shoulders back, Clara." She corrected me and I unwillingly listened to her.

I waited for him to come closer to the end of the line so I could get back to my work but lost my patience and looked to my right.

I wanted to do a mic drop right there and then because he was drop-dead handsome. That perfect jawline-

"Manners, Clara." Janice scolded me, making me stand like a robot.

Either I work as a princess or a robot. She didn’t let me gawk at him, ‘cause let’s face it, I wouldn’t get this chance again after adopting cats and living with them for my whole life. Single for life but not lonely.

I heard his footsteps closing up to me and I smiled forcibly.

He stopped right before me, widening his eyes. A smile came up to his lips, loosening the stiff expression on his face, which honestly looked hot, as he registered the words I thought were only possible in werewolf fiction.

"Mate." He growled and that's the moment I remembered my age.

"Ah yes! I'm 20. Took a while to remember it." I chuckled, getting distracted by my popping up memory.

I could practically feel Janice, Jace, and Alpha Gray facepalming.