Saving my abused mate

2. Wishing for a mate

Rage

"Hello, brother!" Risk jumped into my arms.  We haven't seen each other in months, and even if we talked and texted fairly often, I had missed her like crazy.  

"Hello, little sis.  It's great to see you," and it really was.  She was glowing, her caramel skin and black hair shining as if she had her own light, but I missed her.  I knew she was better in the UberPack, with her True Mate, but she was my sister and I missed her.  I always believed that she was going to find her mate in our Pack, and that we would stay together, but if fate had sent her away, well, as long as she was happy, I was happy.

"It's great to see you big bro.  I was traveling with Ice, and I told him that we absolutely had to come by since we were close by."

"So, you are going to stay for a while?"

"At least a couple of days, then we have to go back.  We have already been away from the UberPack for too long, besides, you should be heading to another pack in a couple of days, right?"

"If that's your way of asking if I'm still looking for my True Mate, yeah, I am.  Xander will join me this time."

"Good, he is a good man and he deserves to find his own mate.  I wish you the best of luck this time," I had been looking for my mate for years.  I only had the chance once every twenty eight days, during the Full Moon Ceremony.  I had visited most packs, even the UberPack thanks to my sister, who had found her mate there, and still, I hadn't found my mate.  I was starting to think she may have died before I could meet her, that was the only explanation.  But there was also the possibility I had missed her during my visits because she was under age at the time I visited her pack.  I was starting to go for second and even third visits to some packs.  It was kind of sad actually.  I despaired at the thought of never finding her, but I refused to give up hope, even if each year it became more and more likely she was gone.

"So what were you doing?  If I may ask?" she often traveled with her mate, but since he took care of UberPack missions, I was not always allowed to know what it was about. 

"We had a business meeting," she said with a big smile.  "It turns out the UberPack has some dealing with other shifters.  I met a few cats and bears, even a coyote.  It was great to meet other shifters, but you wouldn't believe what the mountain lions did!" she was getting angry, never a good sign, and I was sure that whatever had happened, it wasn't good.

"I have no idea, but I'm guessing you will tell me," she was barely holding, she was about to burst. 

"We went to stay with a family of mountain lions, and we found out that their kind had been having problems having shifter kids, so their elders, kind of like their alphas, decided to take a pure blooded girl and sell her to a family so they could use her as a breeder!" I could feel myself going into a rage.  How could they do something like that to one of their own?  "Luckily for her, the family that won her was a good one and they were keeping her safe while trying to find a way around the breeding part.  You know the cats didn't believe in True Mates?  We explained the concept to them, and when they shifted, it turned out that the head of the family was the girl's True Mate!"

"So it seems the story has a happy ending?" I asked, calming a little.  It was indeed lucky that she could find her True Mate.

"Well, the story is not done yet, but, the brother of the head of the family found his True Mate in a human girl, and the bears believe that since they are True Mates, their kids will also be shifters, no matter that she is not one, so, they are expecting to prove the power of True Mates and end with the whole 'using women as breeders' thing that their elders have going on.  I really wish them luck.  Ice said that we can't interfere, because it's a mountain lion private thing, but it makes me angry that they could be selling people as if they were objects, and especially that they intended to basically r**e her to get her impregnated."  I understood her, for us, s*x was a sacred act, never to be forced.  A forced act failed to build bonds, and could even affect bonds if they already existed.

"Yeah, I don't like that either, but Ice is right, if we get involved, it could end in war, and it might not be the best for everyone."

"We outnumber them by a lot, maybe just the threat of war would be enough to make them change their minds?" she was serious, and I was sure it was something she had already discussed with her mate.  She wanted me to side with her, but I wasn't sure it was a good idea. 

"Or maybe they will be able to solve it on their own?  I don't like that at all, but it's their problem, give them a chance to work on it, and if they need help, then we can step in and do something about it."

"I guess you're right.  So, what about you?  Anything new going on?" I was glad she left the subject alone, for it was something I didn't want to think about too much.  

"Not much.  Still looking for my mate.  Some days I feel like I will never be able to find her, you know?  It's been a long time and I haven't found her.  Do you think maybe she died and I don't have a mate anymore?" that was my biggest fear, that I had lost her before meeting her.  Was I really going to be alone the rest of my life?  I could always choose a mate, but it's not the same.  Usually only older couples took chosen mates, mostly when there was no other option or if they had already lost their True Mates and were looking for companionship, but I was an Alpha, I didn't have that much time.  I needed a partner, even if my parents were capable of leading the Pack for a few more years, I needed to start taking over, and for that I needed her.

"Your time will come, you can't think like that.  I'm sure your other half is out there waiting for you," my sister said, and I wanted to believe her.  "What if she is human?" she suddenly suggested.  "Like I said, the cat's mate was a human."

"I've heard of a few wolves that have found human mates, but that's not a common thing, and if that's true, it would be almost impossible to find her.  Do you have any idea of how many humans exist out there?"

"I really think you will find her.  It's like how I found Ice, by pure chance, because we were destined to be together.  You will find her, one way or another.  And when you do, I'm going to say: I told you so."

"You are still a brat," I had to laugh.  I loved my sister, I loved my family, but I wanted more, I wanted my own.  "And where is your mate?  It's not often I see you without him by your side."

"He had some things to discuss with dad, not sure what, but I'm guessing it's UberPack stuff.  Actually, I'm a little surprised they didn't call you."

"That's okay, if it's something important dad will tell me later.  What do you say if we take a run?  Show me what you have learned in the UberPack."

"Why do you have to be so competitive?" she complained, but she was already getting up and heading outside so we could shift.  No matter how much she insisted she didn't like it, she loved it just as much as me and our parents did.

I loved running with my family, just letting our wild sides free and act on instinct.  It was a way of connecting with one another.  No words were necessary to let her know how much I loved her and how important she was to me.  I didn't have to explain how much I missed her, or how glad and proud I was that she was now part of the UberPack, and that she had a mate that made her happy.

Dinner was ready by the time we were done, and Ice was waiting for her.  They embraced each other as if they hadn't seen each other for weeks instead of a few hours.  That was what I wanted for myself.  What my parents had, what Ice and my sister had.  There was no other choice for me, but to keep looking for it.  I wouldn't give up.

Dinner at the Pack was as happy and loud as it usually was, but I took advantage of their distraction to retire to my room early.  I was glad for all the mated couples, but it hurt to see them like that, and not being able to be with my own mate.  Sleep was hard to find, for my mind was all over the place, and when I finally fell asleep, my dreams were haunted by a faceless female that was out of my reach.