Ch.4: THE MATE

This is outrageous.

Derric had never felt this way before. The scent of the girl's scarred body was somehow seductive to him. Had he followed his wild instincts, he would have devoured the werewolf girl already.

Another problem is, Derric has never had sex with anyone before.

Derric sighed. “This is madness!” he cursed inside her heart. “She is a werewolf! There's no way she could be my mate!”

“You look very stupid right now, Ric.”

Derric looked at his best friend with annoyance. “Shut the fucking up, Aaron! You're no dumber than me, I can assure you.”

Aaron snorted and his tongue made a soft clicking sound. “Stupid is not an option, Rickey!”

“Stop calling me with such a lame name!” Derric retorted, growing annoyed. “I’m not Rickey for Goddess’ sake!”

Aaron chuckled. A few seconds later he approached the rattan swing in front of Derric's house and sat there.

“I think your girl is having a bad dream,” Aaron suddenly muttered. “Her sleep seemed restless and constantly disturbed by Goddess know what it is.”

Derric turned his head so fast it looked like it was going to fly out of its place. “What? How do you know?”

Aaron frowned, now also annoyed. “Stop feeling jealous for nothing, Rickey! I'm not interested in your little honey.” He rested his back against the support comfortably. “I haven't seen it with my own eyes though. Elder Amity told me.”

“Why must Elder Amity tell you?” Derric was getting distracted.

“Derric, I really want to kick your ass right now,” Aaron growled. “Scram, you jealous ass!”

Derrick blinked. “I’m not jealous!”

He then ran towards Elder Edith's house, where the unknown girl was, while Aaron rolled his eyes at Derric's refusal to confess his feelings.

Alpha Brian and Elder Edith were talking at a wooden table in the yard when Derric arrived there. He slowed down until he's just walk in normal. The Alpha and the Elder turned their heads the moment Derric entered the yard.

“Hello, Alpha. Elder.” Derric bowed briefly to show his respect.

Alpha Brian smiled briefly. “What do you need?”

“Eh….” Derric's eyes looked in all directions but the two of them. His hand scratched the back of his head. The Alpha waited while Elder Edith sighed, shaking his head.

“Derric.” Elder Edith is not a patient person.

Derrick cleared his throat. “Elder Amity said that the girl kept having nightmares.”

“Just enter, Derrick,” Alpha Brain said in amusement.

Derrick bowed his head again. “Thank you, Alpha. Excuse me.”

He then stepped into the simple house, but before he stepped foot through the doorway, Alpha Brian spoke to him via mind-link.

“The love relationship between the members, I couldn't care less, but Derric, just be careful. You don't know who she really is.”

“I understand, Alpha. Thank you for reminding me.”

Derric entered the house and headed straight for the room where the girl was. The girl was still unconscious. Marion the healer said she was exhausted and had lost quite a lot of blood. He suspected that the girl didn't have her wolf yet because those wounds couldn't heal quickly by themselves.

Derric clicked his tongue once. He pulled up a chair and sat beside the girl. That scent is coming again. Derric wanted to leave the room before he went mad, but at the same time, his monster inside urged him not to go.

Derric cursed under his breath. Just at that moment the girl's eyelids seemed to twitch. Derric leaned forward slightly, waiting for the female werewolf to really wake up.

The girl blinked a few moments. Her eyes scanned the ceiling and bamboo walls before realizing that someone was in the room with her. She turned her head. Their eyes locked on each other.

“If you want to kill me, just kill. Please don't torture me anymore.”

The room became silent again while Derric tried to digest what the girl in front of him meant.

“Miss… something, what the hell are you talking about?” Derric frowned, his arms crossed in annoyance. “You just insulted me. What do you mean 'again', huh? When have I ever tortured you?”

The girl looked at Derric with an innocent look. She blinked twice before finally saying, “Sorry,” and immediately coughed.

Derric picked up a glass of water and placed it on the nightstand. He was about to help the girl sit up when she muttered, “I can do it myself, thank you.”

She's a pain in the ass, Derric thought irritated.

“What's your name?” asked Derrick later after the girl had taken a few sips. The girl looked at Derric a little longer than she should before answering. “Lyn.”

“Hm.”

“Hm what?”

“What an ordinary name.”

Lyn stared at Derric in disbelief. “And what’s yours?”

Derric raised an eyebrow and said his name.

“Your name is not that special either.”

“You—!” Derric sighed again. “Nevermind. I guess the Moon Goddess did make a mistake.”

Lyn frowned. “What do you mean?”

It was Derric's turn to frown in astonishment. “So you don't feel it either?”

For a moment, Lyn was silent. Next, she only answered, “You smell good.”

Those words were nothing special, but the wolf inside Derric growled with satisfaction, so pleased.

“You're embarrassing,” whispered Derric in his heart.

He cleared his throat, glanced at Lyn who was still looking at him. “Do you know what that means for us?”

“Smelling each other's pleasant scent doesn't mean we're mate,” Lyn retorted flatly.

Derric was almost annoyed again before he realized that right after saying those words, Lyn's gaze dropped to his lips. Derrick smiled crookedly. He got up from the chair he was sitting in and approached Lyn.

“W-What are you doing?”

Damn, his name sounded so sweet in his ear when Lyn said it. Wolf inside Derric is growling again. He kept getting closer until Lyn fell down again. The man locked her between his hands. Their faces were so close that they could feel their warm breath on each other.

Derric stroked Lyn's rosy cheeks. He whispered, “Smelling each other's special scent doesn't mean we're mate, okay, but can you explain this feeling, Lyn?”

“It's... it's just hormones.”

“What a sweet excuse.”

Derric brushed his nose against Lyn's cheek, inhaling her fresh, intoxicating scent. Lyn's breathing began to be erratic. Derric caressed Lyn's face again, but this time was distracted by the odd shape on the bruised cheek. It's definitely not just rosy cheeks like he thought.

“Someone… slapped you?” the thought infuriated Derric.

Lyn pushed Derric's chest so they both sat on the bed.

“You committed a crime?” Derric asked again.

Lyn looked at him feeling offended.

“If you don't, then what right do they have to treat you like this?” Derric's voice rose. “Why don't you fight?”

“Stop caring about me!” Lyn hissed, startling Derric. “Even if we die, it's better if we end this now. You don't deserve me.”

Derric and his wolf both growled. “What’s your problem, woman? Did I hurt you to the point that you feel the need to say that?”

“Tch.” Lyn smiled bitterly. “I don't think you did anything to hurt me, but someone will.” She glanced at Derric. “Can't you see that I still don't have my wolf? There's a chance I won't.”

“And there's a chance you will.”

“Don't put your hope and trust in strangers.” Lyn looked at Derric in distressing way.

The man brought his face closer to Lyn again. His voice sounded threatening. “Stop pissing me off, werewolf, if you don't want to see my evil side.”

Derric stood up and stepped out of the room. He paused in front of the door for a second, half turning his head.

“You are mine, I am yours. Stop being miserable and live your life.”