3. Mate

“Where do you want me to start?” Came Emma’s meek reply, her voice evident of exhaustion and reluctance. 

“You said you don’t belong to any pack.” Jamie said, looking at her from the corner of his eyes. “Why is that?”

He watched as she fumbled with her fingers in her lap, surely nervous of the situation. However, when he heard her sigh, he knew he didn’t have to press on the matter further. “I am an adopted child. My parents are humans.” 

Jamie took a quick look at her, trying to analyze her face for any signs of lying. Unfortunately, she remained emotionless. “Your birth parents are werewolves then?” 

“Most likely. I’ve never seen them. Nor have my parents. The foster care took me in when they found me by the road, when I was less than a week old. A year later, my parents adopted me, and I’ve lived a normal human life with them.”

“A normal life?” Jamie said, “I’m sure your parents have witnessed your wound healing ability when you’ve hurt yourself as a child. That is anything but normal.”

“You’re right, they did.” She said, “That made them realize that I was different. I’ve led a sheltered life as a result, barely making any human relationships. I was homeschooled for that reason, and it wasn’t until college that I had actually stepped out to live in the real world.” 

“Then how did you find out that you are a werewolf?” 

“On my eighteenth birthday of course.” She said, “It was a full-moon, the day my wolf rose to life. My parents had suspected that I had werewolf blood in me by doing their own research through-out the years, but the day they saw their daughter turn into a beastly figure, they were sure of it. I was no human.” 

“And you just happened to be involved with another werewolf by chance? 

“Another werewolf?” She said, and it didn’t take her long before realization dawned on her. “Alex is a werewolf?” 

“Yes.” He said, “You would’ve known that.” 

“For the last time.” She gritted out, “I have no idea who Alex is. In fact, I have known no other werewolves my entire life, nor have I tried to. I have no desire to live as one.”

“That’s too late, I’m afraid.” He said, “You are one of them.” 

“What does it matter to you anyway?” She asked, “Your problem is clearly not about werewolves, because you wouldn’t have let Alex go knowing he’s not human. Your problem is clearly with me, when I’m probably the most harmless one of them out there.” 

“I did not let Alex go.” He said, “I do not think you’re harmless.” 

“What do you mean? What are you going to do to him?” 

“That’s none of your business.” 

“Well, we’ve reached my house.” She said, pointing to a red building on the right. “You may check my apartment as long as you want to clear your suspicion. Let me assure you, you won’t find anything.” 

“We’ll see about that.”

As Jamie pulled up by the curbside, he was pleased to find Tom already waiting there. He had managed to text him on the way, asking him to come to the location as soon as he was done with his job. 

“Who is that?” Emma mumbled as she followed Jamie, giving him a grave look. 

Ignoring her question, he wrapped his hand around her fingers and ensured she was by his side. He couldn’t have her doing anything funny. 

“I got your message.” Tom said, his eyes flying to Emma. 

“Did you get the job done?” 

“Of course.” He said, his eyes still fixed on the woman hiding behind Jamie’s body. “This is the woman from the bar.”

“That’s right,” Jamie said, “That’s her house we’re going to inspect.” 

“Absolutely not!” Emma said, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. “I’m not letting two creepy men into my apartment when I’m all by myself.” 

“You don’t have a choice.”

“Oh yeah? Let me see how you’ll get in without the passcode. You can break in of course, but that will come with a risk of alerting my neighbors.”

Jamie hated her guts. Gritting his teeth, he stepped closer to her, looking down upon her with menace. Emma put up a tough front, but it was evident that she was scared of him. Placing her hands on the car behind, she tried to steady herself, matching his glowering gaze. 

“Jamie, stop.” Tom’s voice interjected him. “I’ll just wait here.” 

“Don’t push it, woman.” Jamie said, “You and I both know the consequences.” 

“I have nothing to be afraid of when I haven’t done anything.” Emma said. 

Shaking his head, he pulled her along with him toward the front door. When Tom showed no intention of following them, Emma typed into the passcode and let the door open. Her apartment was situated on the third floor, and thankfully, it was singular. When she reached the brown wooden door, Emma looked at Jamie, “You can let me go now.” 

As he withdrew his hand from around hers, she typed another password by the side of the door frame and instantly, the door unlocked. The inside of the apartment was rather bland. White walls and minimal, black furniture. To the right side of the hall lay the kitchen and the door to her bedroom, and to the left was a small couch and a TV screen. It didn’t take Jamie long to inspect every part of her house, looking for anything suspicious. He had lost track of time in the process, but he knew that he couldn’t have taken long. After all, she had been right. 

“Are you satisfied?” Emma asked as he returned with a dejected look. 

Jamie’s jaw tightened. “I’m still going to keep an eye on you. I don’t trust you completely.” 

“Of course.” Emma rolled her eyes, her hands gripping her hips. Jamie found it rather annoying when she did that, challenging him. He hated the grim line of her lips, and how her innocent looking eyes glared at him, obviously displeased at his actions. Jamie couldn’t care less about angering a woman, but her? Her discontent bothered him. 

As he continued looking at her, Emma shifted in her place, squaring her arms before her chest. Frowning, she said, “Well? Are you just going to stand there?”

Jamie snapped from his stupor, slightly embarrassed that she caught him gawking at her. “I’ll get going now.” 

“I think you’re forgetting something.” She said, making him halt in his step. 

“What?” He said, his hand moving to his pockets to ensure his car keys and phone were still on him. 

“An apology?” She said. 

A humorless laugh leapt out of him, giving her a dismissive look. “I don’t owe you one.” He said, going for the door. “And even if I did, I would never find me muttering a sorry.” 

“And to think you were actually a kind human being.” She said, “I can’t believe I let you lure me to a corner like that.”

“Can't have any regrets about that.” He said as he glanced over his shoulder to look at her. “See you around, Emma.” 

As he exited the building, he spotted his friend drawing a puff from his cigarette. Hearing his footsteps, he leaned away from the car and looked at Jamie expectantly. 

“So?” 

Jamie shook his head, shoving his hands into the pant pockets. “Nothing.” 

“So she’s nothing to worry about?” 

“Hardly.” Jamie sighed, his eyes wandering.

“Why?” Tom asked, “If she is harmless, then what’s the problem?” 

“The problem is that, Tom…” Jamie said, fixing him with a stern look. “She seems to be my mate.”