Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘Why?’
‘It will make it easier for me to explain what a mate is, and the mate bond,’ he says.
‘Okay…’ I say, softly, as I place my hands in his. Sparks of electricity ignite in our skin; it feels amazing; it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. He holds my hands and gently massages the backs of them with his thumbs, shooting warm electricity through my body.
‘On our eighteenth birthday, when our wolf awakens, we can sense our mate when they’re near. Sometimes we find our mates straight away and sometimes it takes years. Your mate will have the most amazing scent you’ve ever smelled. It will trigger your wolf in ways you can’t hide, deny or contain. Your wolf will want to be unleashed to follow the scent. Once you make eye contact with your mate, your wolf will announce that person is your mate. We develop an instant connection: when we touch it feels like magic and fireworks exploding. We instantly develop a sense of great desire for each other, and a need to be near each other at all times. We accept each other as mates by marking each other on the neck with our fangs. In other words, we bite each other, leaving our marks, to show others that we are mated. The bond intensifies; we are able to feel each other’s emotions and are able to sense each other at all times. Your mate is your life partner, your soulmate, the one you will spend the rest of your life with, and have pups with. It’s recommended to consummate the mateship as soon as possible to avoid attracting all the unmated males in the area who will want to mate with you. Oh, and lastly, I’m the Alpha, and you’re my mate, so that makes you the Luna of the pack,’ Ryker finishes; my reaction unsettles him.
I feel like a stunned deer in headlights. My mouth is agape and I’m staring straight at him. My mind goes into shock registering all this new information. Very slowly I stand, inhaling and exhaling. I look at the back door through the kitchen. I’m as calm and as quiet as a mouse.
‘Astrid? I’ he starts. I raise my index finger for him to be quiet. This is met with his confusion and a raised brow. All eyes are on me as I calmly walk toward the kitchen. I run like the wind as soon as I get to the back door.
He wants to bite me. Have s*x with me. Make me carry his babies. Be his Luna. And stay with him forever. I only met him two days ago. This is not happening; they have all gone crazy! Or is it me going crazy? I don’t even know anymore. If he thinks I’m going to go back home with him to be his lifelong mistress he has another thing coming.
All these thoughts and questions envelope my mind as the pack chase after me. I run as fast as I can through the trees in the woods. I don’t get very far before I’m grabbed and pushed onto the ground, by Ryker’s very quick arms.
He is as gentle as possible, but I’m in a lot of pain from the beatings. Ryker lets out a small growl.
‘Why did you do that? Why did you run from me?’ He asks.
‘If you think for one second, I’m going back home with you to be your lifelong mistress and let you bite me and carry your pups, maybe I’m better off back home, with my Dad,’ I say. Ryker flinches at my words.
‘It’s not like that at all. When you turn eighteen, you’ll understand it better,’ he explains.
‘Get off me!’ I yell; I’m pinned to the ground on my back and his face and his breath are inches from mine; our breath is misty in the cool night air.
‘Will you run if I get off you?’ He asks.
‘Probably,’ I mumble. He lets out another low growl. The sound of a shotgun goes off in the direction of the diner; Ryker stands and takes my hand to pull me up. Our skin-on-skin contact is magical; I don’t ever want to let go of his hand.
I’m scared of what is about to unfold, as we run back to the diner, holding hands. My Dad is sitting on the bonnet of his car with his shotgun pointed at some of the pack members outside. He watches me step out from the concealment of the woods, holding Ryker’s hand.
‘I always knew you’d turn out to be a slut, but you have surprised me. How many men here are waiting their turn? Fourteen? Fifteen?’ He spits. Ryker lets out a growl.
‘Astrid, you need to train your pet dog to behave, otherwise I’ll have to put him down, like the bad dog he is for touching my daughter.’ A warning shot is fired toward Ryker’s feet, purposely missing them, but warning him nonetheless. I jump at the gun shot; Ryker doesn’t flinch. He maintains a steady resolve and holds my hand tighter. He glares at my father.
‘The only one around here who needs to keep their hands off Astrid, is you! I’m going to rip you to pieces,’ Ryker yells, letting go of my hand and tackling my father to the ground. I try to grab his arms but I’m useless; the scuffling is too unpredictable and quick for me to make any difference.
‘No, please, Ryker. You can’t kill him! Please!’ I plead; my eyes well with tears. Ryker lets out a growl.
‘I won’t kill him. I’ll just hurt him badly like he hurt you.’ Ryker throws himself at my father; the shotgun goes off.
‘No!’ I yell. I go to help Ryker on the ground.
‘Astrid, no. Stay back. Our pack will help him,’ Jim says, holding me back.
‘He’s been shot Jim! I need to see if he is okay.’ I try to struggle out of Jim’s hold but it’s no use: he is too strong.
My Dad is laughing. Ryker is still on the ground and Dad thinks he is dead. Ryker begins moving, stands and throws himself at Dad. Bang! Another shot resounds in the night air. Ryker runs and tackles him off the bonnet onto the ground. Ryker snaps the shotgun in half, tosses it aside, and commences a succession of punches on Dad’s face. I can see the blood escaping each time he hits him. Dad swings back at Ryker but only a couple of attempts make contact.
Dad tries to stand, but is very unsteady. He falls over. Seth holds Dad up, with his arms pinned behind his back, while Ryker punches him in the torso. Dad looks at me and grins, while blood trickles from his mouth and nose. I can see gaps in his teeth where Ryker has knocked a few out. Ryker breaks Dad’s ribs and beats him to near-death.
My Dad stares at me with a sick look on his face; taking every hit like they’re not affecting him, before speaking.
‘This isn’t the last time you’ll see me, Astrid. You’re the reason your mother is dead. I’ll make you pay for killing her!’
Sick with emotion, I drop to the ground on my knees, unable to keep myself up. Dad laughs. With one look of sympathy for me, from Ryker, he knocks him out cold.
Seth drops him and he falls to the ground. Ryker is swaying; he is weak from all the fighting. He is drenched in sweat and blood; is it his blood? He falls to his knees.
‘I tried my best not to kill him,’ he says, deliriously.
‘Ryker!’ I yell. I rip his shirt open to find a bullet wound near his heart. I hold my hands over the wound; putting pressure on it. My hands are covered in his blood.
Jim, Seth, and the others, gather around Ryker, shouting ‘Alpha!’ and ‘can you hear me?’ and ‘quickly! Carry him into the diner. We have light there, and we can see what needs to be done.’ I remove my hands from Ryker’s chest while a few of the pack members lift him up and carry him into the diner.
Seth pushes the condiments off one of the tables, clearing it, and the others place Ryker on the table; there is blood everywhere. I’m shaking with shock.
‘He’s going to be okay, isn’t he?’ I ask, distressed. Everyone turns and looks at me.
‘We will try our best to save him Luna. We need to remove the bullet so he can heal,’ Seth explains. Jim runs back to the table and gives Seth a knife, towels and other tools.
‘Astrid, maybe it’s best you don’t watch; I can sit with you over here,’ Jim offers.
Not wanting to leave Ryker’s side, I hesitantly sit with Jim away from him. Jim puts his arm over my shoulder, pulling me into him. I’m shaking from all the trauma and sobbing.
‘Luna, we removed the bullet. He should have started healing by now, but nothing is happening.’ Seth says, turning away as his eyes well up.
‘No. He can’t die. Seth! I can’t have someone die again because of me!’ I say.
Pushing past Seth, I run to Ryker. The pack members move like I’m someone important; they give me some time with him. I lay my head on his chest and burst into tears.
‘Ryker, please. I’m sorry. Please don’t die. I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Please wake up.’
His breathing is faint. I sit up and put my hands over his wound. ‘Please Ryker,’ I cry. ‘I promise I’ll come home with you, if you wake up.’
Placing my arms around Ryker, I return my head to his chest and cry. After a moment, warmth flows through my body.
‘Astrid, none of this is your fault,’ Ryker whispers, as he caresses my back.
‘Ryker,’ I say, sitting up to look at him. The pack members race over to see Ryker waking up. I run my finger over the healed wound, now a scar. Ryker’s eyes go completely black for a moment. ‘It’s healed!’ I announce.
Ryker holds my hand and brings it to his lips, giving me a kiss that sends a hot shiver down my spine.
‘It’s because of you, Astrid. And our mate bond. If you weren’t here, I probably would have died,’ he smiles.
‘If I wasn’t here, you wouldn’t have been shot in the first place,’ I say, tears still streaming down my face.
Ryker pulls me into his chest, wraps his arms gently around me. Nuzzling his face into my neck he sweetly whispers.
‘It’s going to take more than a bullet to take me away from you.’ I want to melt into the floor at his words. I lean my forehead affectionately against his. Suddenly, I realise what I’m doing and push myself away from him, blushing. Ryker lets out a small chuckle.
‘That is the mate bond,’ he explains, smiling. I cross my arms and glare at him. Everyone laughs.
‘You two definitely make an interesting, cute couple,’ Seth laughs.
‘We aren’t a couple,’ I say. Ryker is more dismayed than he should be.