His Mate or His Girlfriend

Book 2 Chapter 7

Flashback

“Hey, I really owe you one Lana.” Xavier acknowledged as they stood outback Caleb’s house.

Caleb had bought a small house on the outskirts of pack territory after becoming inducted as a pack warrior. Xavier took a drag of his cigarette before flicking it into the designated clay pot for cigarette butts. There’d be hell to pay if Caleb had to clean his backyard because of them.

“Rose told me you talked with her and helped put a lot of her insecurities to rest,” Xavier admitted.

Lana smiled. They’d all just finished patrolling and had convinced Xavier to hang for drinks before going back home to his Luna. Alpha Xavier rarely came out anymore unless it was the OG crew getting together, like tonight. Their circle of friends had come to extend some of the other high-ranking pack warriors but tonight it was just Caleb, Liam, Tony, Xavier, and Lana. Dylan was missing because he hadn't been feeling well.

“I only told her the truth.” Lana absently nudged a small rock with the toe of her sneaker. “Even a blind person can see how devoted you are to Rose but she definitely needed some reassurance that you didn’t have any left-over feelings for Alyssa.”

“You really helped her along with that.”

“I’m glad,” Lana said honestly. “She’s probably the only mate that will never hate me. Caleb’s mate hates my guts, she thinks I’ve got ‘ulterior motives’ whatever that means.” Lana rolled her eyes and then looked at Xavier seriously. It was common to be labelled a slut or home wrecker if you were a girl and rolled with the guys. Lana had gotten used to it. She was just happy Rose and her got along. “I hope you make Rose’s first time special for her Xavier.” Lana whispered the words poignantly, wanting for her best friend what she’d never had.

In all honesty, her first time had been a major disappointment. Which really wasn’t fair in her opinion since most werewolves had their first time with their mate and it was always described as something magical with fireworks and flying cherubs.

Xavier got a pinkish hue on his cheekbones.

“Well…I tried. I’d like to think I did even though it was on the heels of a fight.” He mumbled the words so quietly that Lana wouldn’t have been able to make them out without her werewolf hearing.

“Oh well that’s great!” Lana exclaimed happily. She clapped him on the back, Xavier’s lips formed a lip-sided grin. It was common for the guys to sit around and share their s*x stories. But Xavier would pulverize any guy who had the balls to even ask him about Rose. He was tight-lipped when it came to the Luna of the pack, as he should be. None of the guys ever discussed their s*x lives with the girls they were serious with. But with Rose it was also different because she wasn't just their friend's mate, she was the pack's Luna.

“But really…it’s not just about the s*x, it’s about her being confident in us…in herself. I don’t ever want her to second guess her place in my life. And I’m just happy that we're working on being able to get past all that.”

“Well, seems like you guys already have.” Lana tilted her head speculatively. “Did you tell her you were gonna hang with us after patrols?”

Xavier shrugged. “I tried mind-linking her after I finished patrols but I think she’d already fallen asleep.”

“You should go give her a kiss when you get home,” Lana suggested.

“Don’t you think that’s a little presumptuous?” Xavier queried. “The last thing I’d want to do is disturb her sleep.”

Lana shook her head. “It’d be a romantic gesture. If she wants more, she’ll let you know. It reassures a girl that you were thinking about her even while you were out working.”

“You’re the best Lana. I seriously don’t know what I’d do without you and your advice. For real, I love you.” Xavier gave her a one-armed hug before backing away to go say bye to the guys playing pool in Caleb’s basement.

Lana looked after Xavier a little wistfully. This was her life. Guy friends always saying they needed her and loved her, but it was always in a strictly platonic sense. Not that she wanted anything else from Alpha Xavier, he was almost like an older brother for her, but it would be nice to be a guy’s everything not for the advice she gave but for the simple fact that she was something more. There was just something oddly disconcerting about being sought after by the guys for every role other than that of being the woman a boy wanted to love romantically. Because the older Lana got, the more startlingly clear it became to her that just because she was in a male dominant field, it didn’t make her any less of a woman. There was nothing to be ashamed about for bleeding once a month. Instead, she was proud of how far she’d come despite people telling her that her gender would hold her back.

Shaking off these thoughts, Lana trudged back inside to finish her drink and kick Tony’s ass at pool.

End of flashback

“Poe! Can you believe it?” Tony scoffed as his cue stick hit the white ball dead on in Dylan’s game-room that was part of the Silver Creek Alpha mansion. “She’s not even born yet and they’re trying to introduce classic literature to her.”

He was talking about how he’d gone to see Xavier only to find him and Rose huddled on the couch reading Edgar Allan Poe to Rose’s stomach. The white ball narrowly missed the red ball Tony had been trying to pocket.

“Well-“ Lana began, in defense of her friends. “-it’s their choice. They’re the parents.”

She leaned over, deftly sending the cue ball smacking against the red ball which ended up in the pocket Tony had been aiming for. Tony grunted, though it was unclear whether it was over Lana’s success or her comment.

“But it’s Poe! You think a child in utero would even understand any of that?” Tony countered, leaning down to try his luck against Lana.

“Personally, I would try reading something simpler like ‘the Ugly Duckling’ or maybe reciting a rhyme like ‘Jack and Jill’. Something for kids. But again, I’m not the parent. So instead of judging them, you should respect their wishes and read whatever you want to your own kids,” Lana ended primly.

Tony’s cue stick completely missed the ball and went slamming into the table. He cursed. Caleb laughed, taking a swig of beer from his glass bottle.

“She always beats you at this man but you’re sucking more than usual tonight,” Caleb jeered at Tony.

“Whatever,” Tony mumbled, putting his cue stick away as Lana expertly slid the last billiard ball into a pocket. He cursed under his breath, more over Lana’s disconcerting comments over him having kids than at her win. It was just another reminder of how they’d had kids in the future.

“You never get tired of losing, do you?” Lana commented as she brushed by him.

Tony smelled her scent of strawberries and found himself salivating for another taste of her.

“Tony’s been off his game lately,” smirked Dylan, brushing his black hair out of his eyes. He was letting it grow out, it fell to his chin now and the aim was to eventually pull it back into a tight ponytail. Lana had noticed that he was trying to grow a French beard too but at the age of 16, it wasn’t quite working out how he wanted it too.

Caleb snorted into his drink, his dreads moving like snakes as he laughed silently.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Why do I get the feeling we aren’t just talking about pool?”

“Olivia’s been going on and on about how you’ve been ignoring her,” Caleb finally said through his laughter. “She’s craving you so bad right now. Liam offered to help her fill the itch but his sorry ass got turned down.” Caleb went back to full on laughter, the dark skin on his face becoming tomato red as his laughter filled the basement.

Lana saw her opening and went in for the kill.

“He wasn’t too tired last week when I saw him with that red-head…what was her name…Cassidy?”

At once Caleb stopped laughing and all the boys began to bombard Tony with questions.

“Isn’t she the one you said screamed like a banshee?”

“Dude, where’d she let you come?”

“You told us the red-head was one of the feistier ones!”

Lana took this as her cue to leave.

Tony finally realized, in abject horror, the extent of their unfiltered conversations that almost always took place in front of Lana. It was his worst nightmare come true. The last thing he’d ever expected was for his mate to be privy to all the sordid details of his uninhibited activities that involved enjoying the opposite s*x. She’d listened in on all their s****l fantasies, their darkest desires… It was Lana. They’d always talked like that in front of her. Because she was one of them, not a prospective mate. But all that had changed for Tony within the blink of an eye and now he wished more than ever he could erase it all. He'd expected to meet his mate, admit his proclivity when it came to s*x, and then devote the rest of his days to her. But the last thing he'd ever wanted was for his exploits to be so glaringly scrutinized in front of her.

Lana shifted outside of Dylan’s mansion, leaving her clothes in one of the compartments inside the trees. She had a supply of spare clothes near her apartment building she could wear before going home. Her wolf was lean and lithe, much like her human form, and fast. So Lana was surprised when she heard an extra set of paws approaching her from behind. She turned, leaning on her haunches, ready to pounce. She really wasn’t in the mood. Tony’s familiar woody scent was enough to give away who was tailing her.

His dark grey wolf appeared, carefully approaching her.

Easy there, I’m not some rogue.

Tony’s masculine voice filled her mind as he mind-linked her.

Lana snapped her teeth warningly.

Shouldn’t you be back there answering their questions? Gloating over your latest conquest?

If possible, Tony’s wolf actually winced and took a few steps back from Lana.

I never really realized how far we took things when talking about s*x. We really shouldn’t do that in front of you. Tony pawed the ground nervously.

You guys pooled money in and paid me to act out ‘the pirate’ back when I was a junior in high school. Lana’s voice snarled into Tony’s mind along with her wolf snarling in real life. You really think talking about all this crap is going to bother me? I’ve developed a thick skin, Big Guy. I’ve been friends with you guys long enough to get used to this.

Tony’s wolf took a few steps towards Lana cautiously.

You do know it’s every guys dream to put the personality of his best friend into a hot girl. No guy ever becomes friends with a girl just to be ‘friends’. It might end up that way but that’s never the initial goal, Lana.

Lana blinked in confusion but didn’t move back from Tony. Did Tony just call her hot? Was he referring to her?

So what, you’re friends with me so you can screw me? What the hell is wrong with you? You’re supposed to be my friend and you’re supposed to value our friendship over a quick roll between sheets!

I’m not looking for something quick! Tony’s voice roared into her mind.

Maybe it was instinct, but Lana finally snapped. This was Tony, he was always quick with his girls. Why was he lying to her? Her wolf aimed and lunged, pouncing on Tony.

Tony was bigger and stronger and knew Lana’s strengths. He managed to push her back, pinning her underneath him. Lana expected him to snap his teeth near her jugular in warning to stand down. Instead, he nuzzled his cold nose into the crook of her wolf’s neck, sniffing her.

I’m not trying to play any games, Lana. I’m just asking for a chance.

His voice was cool and rumbled almost in satisfaction as his nose continued to nuzzle into her.

A chance for what Tony? You know I’m waiting for my mate. You’re going to destroy our childhood friendship over some raging hormones? Lana asked him weakly, trying to ignore the heady feeling she was getting over his wolf so intimately pushed up against hers. It took all her self-control to contain the deep purr in her own chest and to not reciprocate his nuzzles. He’d never been like this with her, and she found herself enjoying it.

Tony’s wolf growled warningly before backing away, removing himself from over Lana. Why did she keep selling herself short? Why did she think he didn’t want something serious with her? It was pissing him off.

I know it doesn’t make any sense to you right now but think on it. We’ve been friends for so long and neither of us have found our mates. Maybe…maybe it would be a good idea to give this a try?

Lana snarled at him.

There is no ‘this’! Leave me alone, I’m going home, and I don’t want you following me!

And with that, she scampered away, questions filling her head. Doubt clouding her judgment over what the hell Tony really wanted from her. He was hiding something. She could feel it in her bones, she could tell from his voice. You don’t spend your whole life with someone and not pick up on the subtle cues that indicate something being amiss.