The Curvy Mate

3

(4 Years Later)

(Tonia's POV)

Over the next four years I was going to school and getting training to be ready for my part in being a spy for the government. combat, computers, and weapons. All the while I had no social life I never told Missy about my night with the dark stranger, I never ran into him again, really making it a one-night stand. I didn't really have too much time to date and the few I did go on, never became more then just one date.

I kept comparing the men to the stranger, so it never really went any where I just couldn't forget him, I don't even know his name, and he made that big an impact in my life. Whenever I went on dates I felt like I was cheating, when I hadn't seen the man for four years, but I kept to myself mostly.

I was really losing so much weight, but now I was curvy, and I loved it. I was still thicker then my friends who were thin, but now I was in a good place with my weight and shape. Whenever I looked in the mirror I didn't recognize myself at all, I was more confident, and even if I knew what I was doing was horrible, I was confident, everything was going to be okay. The four years flew by like crazy, soon they had all the ones that were being sent out to the packs, in a group, there were six of us, I guess there were that many packs. We got things ready and they got all the paperwork ready for us to go in.

When I looked at where I was going, I almost screamed with joy, I was going to Liam's pack. I was so excited to see him again, yes, we've been video chatting and everything but I hadn't seen him in person in years, and I hadn't seen Katy either. She was turning seven here in the next few days. I went shopping to buy her a gift hopefully they let me give it to her. I put it with my things, I wanted to see my family again.

The next morning a SUV came to pick me up, and grabbed my bags and put them in the back, and drove me to the reservation, it was strange there was a giant wall cutting off all of the wolves from the rest of the world, we got to the gate, where a guard was standing, the driver showed him his ID and they let us in. The town was not what I expected, it looked like any other town beyond the wall, people were working in their yards, it was Saturday in the summer so you had people cooking outside, and having family picnics. Kids were playing outside. The school wasn't that big either, there were little shops, a gas station and even a small motel. People glared at the SUV, as we past, then we reached the biggest house in town. My guess was the pack house as they called it. A young man was waiting on the porch. We drove up and parked in the front of the house and everyone jumped out, while I took my time to really take in the surroundings. The man walked down toward me,  I lowered my eyes to the ground and he walked right up to me.

"Miss. Cruz I presume?"

"Yes, sir."

"You all can leave, she's safe in this house."

The man that had driven looked at me and I waved him away, he nodded and he and the other two guards got in the SUV and were gone.

"You don't care for your guards?"

"No, I was kinda forced into doing this, to be honest."

He nodded and then turned toward the house, I followed with my bags. The house was nice and big, but felt a little empty, I guessed they didn't have too many breakable things around, but it looked like any other well- off family, wooden floors, stairs, with fancy trimmings and the such. Big portraits on the walls, I'm guessing of Mr and Mrs. Gold. She had been a beautiful woman and he a handsome man.

"If you don't mind me asking how long ago did your father pass?"

"Last year, he'd been...unwell for some time, I became Alpha just after he died."

I nodded and looked up at the portraits again and followed him, to his office.

"So let's be frank, you are here as a teacher for our school, and I trust you to keep our children safe, and all information quiet?"

I sighed but nodded, they weren't stupid, they knew why I was here, but they wanted to give this a chance, our government had offered an olive branch, in hopes of peace, or so they wanted all of us to believe.

"Very well, we lost our third grade teacher she was human and passed away a few months ago, so the students you will be having are all new."

"Understood, um..where will I be staying?"

"You requested to stay with Liam Cruz, he lives a way out of town with his daughter."

"That's right."

"Very well, just so you know my son will be in your class as will your niece, they are best of friends."

"I'm glad to hear that, sir."

" It's Eric, we're too close of age to be calling each other in such formal ways."

"Okay, well, then Tonia."

He gave me a look,as he shook my hand.

"Tell me Tonia, have you ever been with a wolf?'

"Drove right through the stop sign there ,Eric."

"No, I'm don't mean that in any disrespectful way, but your scent...it seems familiar to me for some reason."

"Um...no, I've never been with a wolf."

He searched my face to see if I was lying, he must've seem the truth because he nodded and sat behind his desk.

"Our kids are just like any others, they don't have the strength, or speed, or the fast healing our children are human, Tonia."

"Understood, so i will treat them as normal kids."

"The only subject we don't study is history, everything else is fine."

"Understood." Soon I heard foot steps and then a boy burst though the doors.

"Father, Mr. Cruz.....who's this?" the boy stopped in his tracks when he saw me. He looked just like his father.

"This is, Katy's aunt and your new second grade teacher."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you..."

"Jesse."

"Jesse, I hope to see you in class."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Toni?"

I turned at the nickname and saw Liam, he came in and gave me a big hug, I returned it back. Closely followed by a young girl.

"Auntie Toni!"

"Hi baby girl how are you?!"

"I'm good, I excited to have you as my teacher!"

"School starts next week." said Eric, Liam thanked him and so did I and we headed out of the house. Liam carrying my bags.

He had a small run down truck, but it ran good still, we laughed and giggled with Katy all the way to their house. When I looked around I realized the lake was a ways away, it looked beautiful, Liam had even made a dock. It was so calm and peaceful.

"Come on, auntie come and see your room."

"My room, let's go see it then."

She lead the way inside while Liam got my bags, Katy took me all the way into my room, it was nice, not too big but not too small the house was exactly a three bedroom, two bathroom, a kitchen and a living room and a garage Liam built. His room was next to the door and mine was next to the other back door. Katy's was right in the middle.

This place was perfect for a small family. I walked to my room and found a small desk in there too. I turned to look at Liam.

"Thank you."

"Naw you would do the same for me."

I grinned he was right. Katy gave me a detailed tour of the house, and introduced me to her fish too. Soon Liam asked her to calm down and it was time to make lunch, we made grill cheese with tomato soup, then I helped clean up. Then I noticed Katy was really quiet. when I went to check she was snoring on her bed.

"She was up at four in the morning, with excitement of you being here."

"Oh, poor thing, is it a good idea to let her nap right now?"

"She'll be fine, I'll wake her up in an hour."

Liam carefully closed the door to his daughter's room.

We settled as he looked at me.

"Okay I'll bite, what's up?'

"Toni, have you been messing about with a wolf?"

"No, you're the second person to ask why?"

"You smell like one, I remember your scent from before and you smell different now."

"No, I haven't been involved with anyone."

"Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean you can't tell me."

I took a deep breath and looked at Katy's door for a second.

"It was four years ago, I had a one- night stand with a guy, I never got his name or if he was or wasn't a wolf, but if you're smelling something then, maybe he was."

Liam slumped in his chair.

"Did he mark you?"

"Mark me?"

Liam got up and checked my neck.

"It doesn't seem so, so it was a casual thing for him too."

"Glad to hear it.. I guess."

"If he would've marked you that means he's claimed you as his mate."

"Really I thought that was just in stories."

"Nope, it's a real thing."

"So what does it mean, that you can smell him on me, is it bad?"

"Kinda, the other wolves smell him on you, but you're not marked you're the side chick, in this case."

"How do I get it off?"

"I'll get you something."

I nodded and breathed a little better. Soon Katy was awake and they showed me around the town and was surprised to see they had a grocery store, and it was nicely stocked. I told Liam I was making dinner, he agreed and let me do some shopping, then we went to get ice cream, very soon, I knew where everything was. Mostly everyone was welcoming, and I was alright with that.

Liam showed me the best running trails, he ran every morning, before going into work. He was a mechanic, so he went in kind of early. 

"You've left, Katy alone?"

"No, I have..a friend that comes to see her and hangs out with her."

I had to grin at how nervous I got him, when he explained about his "friend".

"Katy, does Daddy have a girlfriend?"

"Don't ask her that?!"

"No."

I looked at Liam he just shrugged.

"But he likes her."

"Katy!"

"What you do."

I laughed at him, he was all red in the face. I pat his shoulder.

"If you two ever want to be alone, just let me know."

"Don't worry it's never going to happen."

I looked at my cousin, and I had to say the years had been good to him, he's handsome, hard working, and loving. Any woman would be honored to be his...mate...wife, whatever these people wanted to call them. We walked for a while, when Katy asked me to catch and I hit it with the stick I had in my had.

"Sorry reflex."

Liam looked at me in a challenging kind of way. I accepted and he went at me with a bigger stick, I grabbed one too.

"You ready?"

"Bring it." I said we both went still, then he came at me and I responded, he was fast moving and knew how to fight with a weapon, I mostly dodged and blocked. Until he knocked my feet from under me, I landed on my back breathless.

"They taught you well." he said helping me to my feet.

"I guess not good enough."

"You're missing the speed, Toni, otherwise you probably could've beat me."

"You're so full of it."

We laughed and Katy came to hug her dad, and we looked over, to find some people watching us.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to disturb you." said Liam and the people left.

"Sharp hearing?" I asked, he nodded, with that we headed back to the house.

"People around here leave each other alone for the most part, I have heard that when they rounded the people suspected of being werewolves, they got a lot of other packs mixed up, so not everyone really likes, Eric."

"That's what I'm seeing, some of them don't know how to adapt to change."

"Right, so be careful okay."

"Okay."

"Here." he gave me a bottle it looked like a perfume bottle, but when I sprayed it, it smelled like nothing.

"Okay, what's this?"

"Spray this on, and nobody will be able to smell you, until you wash it off."

"So on my skin or on my clothes?"

"On your clothes is fine."

"Okay."

I took Sunday to get more familiar to things, and helping Liam with Katy, who I took on runs with me so she got rid of that excess energy, it helped her stay more focused on things. We worked on stuff, arts and crafts, reading and she told me of her and her father's favorite foods but he didn't know how to cook it, so I made a couple for lunch or dinner. They were happy, and I enjoyed seeing them enjoy my cooking.