Loving My Mate

What Just Happened?

-HARRISON POV-

“I B-Brighton of the O-Opus Moon pack, accept your r-rejection.”

I heard her say that, and I saw her turn around and run away, but I’m still planted in the same spot I was.  She rejected me?  Internally, I’m shaking my head, willing myself to go after her, but I can’t move.  Mark comes into my field of vision, concern on his face.  Then it hits me.  Her smell is on him.  My eyes shift to black, letting my wolf take over.  I stalk towards him, but he seems to know what’s going on, because the asshole is smirking.  As soon as I’m close enough I take a swing, but he dodges.  I whip back around so fast and take another swing, landing right into his ribcage.  Finally, his smirk disappears.  He comes back at me with a punch of his own, landing across my jaw, but I don’t feel anything.  I just lost my girl and her scent is on him.  I’m going crazy.   Instead of causing a scene, he puts me in a bear hug restraint and walks me out towards the woods.

“Nothing to see here folks!  Too much alcohol for our young alpha,” the bastard says as I’m struggling to get out of this hold.  

Every time I get a limb loose, he gets a kick or a punch, and he’s letting me do it too.  We’ve trained with each other enough to know the other’s strengths and weakness and right now, he’s letting me get my frustration out.  As soon as we’re far enough out from the venue, he throws my ass 10 feet away from him and he shifts into his wolf, snarling at me.  I shift as well and we start circling each other. 

Calm the f**k down Harris- this can only end badly for both of us.  

YOU f*****g TOUCHED HER 

Yes and she’s your f*****g mate, but you know I would never do anything with Brighton.  Think with your dumbass self for a second!  Your rage is getting to you 

SHE IS MINE! 

I take off into the woods, hoping I can find her somewhere in the neighborhoods of our territory.  Trees are swishing past me as I run faster and faster.  I’ve cleared over 10 miles and I’m pushing myself faster and faster.  Before I can come out into the clearing, Mark collides his body into my side, me yelping from the pain.  When I shake my head from the dizziness, I start slowly getting up, bones snapping back into place from where he broke my ribs.  With the pain, my head starts to clear of the rage, and my heartbeat slows down. Mark shifts back to his human form and sits next to me, drenched in sweat and deeply breathing after the marathon he ran to catch up to me.  When the last bone snaps back into place, I growl at him, but he just rolls his eyes. 

“You’ll thank me later for this you dumbass- she needs time.”

I shift back to my human form, sitting next to him.  “You didn’t see her face Mark.  I have to have her in my life.  I can’t afford to lose her.”  Her pain hurts me to my core, and I hate that I was the one to put it there in the first place.  She doesn’t want to be with me because she’s scared I’ll do it again.

“That’s why you need to give her time.  At least until tomorrow to let her process everything.  Brighton’s more complicated than you remember.” 

I growl, looking at him.  “How the f**k would you know her?  You just got back last week.”

“Calm down… We’ve actually kept in touch over the years, but I don’t know everything so chill.”

Silence envelops us.  It’s cold and windy outside.  I found my mate, and I’m sitting here naked next to my best friend.  Not exactly how the first night should have gone.

“Congrats man, really.  I know you’ll make each other really happy.”

“Only if she’ll let me,” I sigh.  I look back on our years we’ve known each other.  The reason I was so protective of her from the beginning, and when I started becoming so possessive of her seeing her body mature.  She was always destined for me.  It’s always been her.  I’m so stupid not to realize it.   

Mark and I head to his house for the night.  I don’t want to get anyone else involved with my or Brighton’s relationship right now.  Hopefully, I can fix this.  After I shower and lay down, I think about everything and anything I can say to her to make things right.  She has to listen to me. 

As soon as the sun rose, I went to the pack house to get into a fresh change of clothes.  After I brushed my teeth, shaved, and combed my hair, I set out to find her.  The only place I could think of where to start was at her parent’s house.  I hope that they still live there, and with greater luck, that she would still live there as well. 

Strolling up to the front door gives me flashbacks of the one and only time I came before.  I helped take care of her when she was sick, and even if I didn’t know she was my mate at the time, I remember the relief I felt when she looked better, and the comfort I had when we were cuddled on the couch together.  I can take care of Brighton.  I can love her and make her feel safe, and give her happiness.  She just has to let me into her heart.  I knock on the door, anxiety filling my lungs.  I was expecting her dad or her mom, but what I was not expecting was seeing her best friend, shirtless, pants undone answering the door, cheeky grin in place.  All I saw was red.  I grabbed his neck and raised him up on the door.  Visions of the man comforting Brighton, hugging Brighton, kissing Brighton, and doing goddess knows what else, I tightened my hand on his neck.

“WHERE IS SHE!?”