Mates

Riona swung her feet into the air, and tried to counter with the other but fell when she failed to maintain her stance, that had been going on for two hours straight and she got really good at falling on her ass.

she was out of breath and her hair had escaped from the bun causing it to frame down to her back and some stuck to her face.

"You put too much thought into your attacks which makes you slow and easy to read," Lennox said gesturing to her on the ground. "Don't think, do."

Easy for you to say, just shut up already.

He was always around when she trained, something she had gotten used to in the past two weeks. She learned his name after she challenged him in a race she barely won. He was an alpha, his black wolf towered over hers and she wondered what pack he was from.

He would always point out mistakes she made and she was more annoyed than grateful when he did. Today she didn't stop even when her body was about to give out.

She was going to see Lily today, her best friend who was like a sister to her. She wasn't sure of how she would react when she saw lily again since she got her second chance.

"Take a break," he commanded.

It was easy to ignore him since she wasn't even listening, she pulled back to try again. Throughout her training for the day she had been extra quiet since she had a lot on her mind, how am I going to do this? It is too much too fast, she wasn't sure she could handle seeing her again with the hatred she harbored in her heart.

Since coming back Riona had wondered if the accident that killed her father was an accident at all, she didn't know what to believe and it weighed greatly on her shoulders. Her thoughts captured her as she moved on autopilot falling again.

"Hey, what is up with you?"

Riona's hit back to reality was hard with sparks exploding in her body, Lennox had touched her in her daze. She leaped away from him going into defense, ready to attack him. His simple touch ignited her body, it brought a lot of emotions crashing down on her all at once, like her body coming to life and sharpening her senses. What was that? Did he feel that too?

"I'm sorry, you startled me." she dropped her hand and pulled her face to the side, avoiding his eyes.

He definitely did. He was completely frozen by it, Riona couldn't stay when he realized it too, she picked up her bag, not making that mistake again ready to escape her newfound situation. She should have been more careful around him, this had been bothering her since she met Lennox, she had been concealing her scent from him every time to avoid the truth but how long could she do it for? She had to stop now, she couldn't see him again.

"Where are you going?" his hard voice stopped her in her tracks as she backed away from him.

"It's time I move, remember I am a traveler and it is not safe for me to be in one place for long. " she lied knowing he could tell but it didn't matter.

"Why do you always mask your scent?"

Of course, he noticed like he always does. she clenched her hand, thinking of making a run for it after all she would never see him again.

"I'm a rogue, I need to or I get hunted on."

"I know what you are thinking but tell me what you are afraid of that you want to lie to yourself." She felt him come a little closer, her willpower slipped the tiniest bit but it was more than enough for her to lose control. She managed to mask her scent again in the split second she lost control but it was not enough.

"Mate, " she heard him say under his breath.

Shit!

She darted off for the second time since she met him. There was no way this was happening now, this was exactly what she tried to avert. Her legs moved faster than ever, driven by her desperate desire to escape.

* * *

"Do you eat at all? you look so pale Rinrin."

Riona held down a scream from leaving her with her finger digging into her palm while she silently asked the goddess why she had to go through this. She had managed to get away from Lennox again but she returned just to meet Lily in the gardens.

After sneaking into her room and changing. With her mind at its limits, she was tempted to give up but her first encounter with Lily was important.

"I just...just. I have been inside for too long. " she forced a smile as she faked every second of their conversation.

Besides her mind was somewhere else, she struggled with herself on the decision she made. Was it a mistake? What was she so scared of? He just assumes I am afraid of something, I hate him.

"Rinrin are you okay? You are zoning out." She could see the concern Lily held so well in her eyes. Fake!

How could she pretend so easily? Don't I even mean anything to you? Of course not. She had to remind herself that it was all an act that will lead to her doom.

"I missed you." She whispered, her voice almost broken.

"Oh, you did? I saw you got yourself a shiny toy and yet you say you miss me huh."

Riona already knew what Lily was talking about. Marshall was indeed her new toy, one she had all intentions to break and discard.

"He is good-looking, isn't he? Do you want him?" Riona probed while watching her reaction.

Lily's cheeks flamed red, and Riona was barely holding on when she wanted to claw at Lily, the need to hit her threatened to surface. She had to end this quickly.

"I like him," Riona lied through her teeth.

She still had to act like she was playing their game, give them an opening to make a move before trapping them. Riona did not doubt that Marshall would try to get closer to her after Lily told him about this.

"You do?" Lily gasped, her eyes twinkling at the opportunity.

Yes, go for the bait.

"I don't know when it happened but I do. " Her inner devil smiled at this. Now I will mess with you.

Riona kept on with the conversation for a while before making an excuse to end their discussion.

She retired back to bed thinking of Lennox. There was a pang in her chest since she ran away again. It may hurt now but she convinced herself she would get over it, her revenge was more important and there was no way she would go down at their mercy. With all thoughts about her mate buried Riona closed her eyes in hopes to have a good night's sleep.