My Little Mate *Austyn and Zeus*

five

Austyn

"Yes, I graduated today. Thank you, and that sucks that you couldn't go to school. Maybe one day you will be able to," I say, because what else can I say when someone vents all that to you? Like where is she from that she can't do something basic, like getting an education, because her parents live under a rock?

I listen to her go on and on, and not interrupt. She clearly needs a listening ear. She has some very interesting stories, but what stops me in my tracks is what she says next. "You are lucky to have a mate like Zeus. He seems kind and I can tell he genuinely loves you. He said he wouldn't give up on you, and his Alpha isn't forcing him to choose another mate. He is a good alpha, not like my father. I met my mate, but since he isn't a higher rank in the pack, I can't tell anyone. If my father finds out, he will make me reject him, or worse of all, he will k!ll him. I need to find a way to help him get his rank up, or a way to escape. After hearing Zeus say he doesn't care if you are a measly human, and that he would pick you over anything, it has me realizing that I deserve that kind of love too. Unconditional, which is all my mate has to offer right now. When I am with him, I feel so loved and complete, so really, nothing else matters. I don't want to give that up. I have hope that I will figure it out," I am so confused, but glad she got that out of her system.

A measly human, a mate, an alpha, forced to choose another mate. What does this all mean? "Excuse me, I don't want to sound mean, but are you on drugs?" I ask her, because he has to be like a person diagnosed with something, or she is just on some good stuff. She is basically living in her own little dream world. None of this makes sense. She looks at me and her eyes widen.

"Oh, great moon goddess. You don't know!" she says. Her eyes widen even more. "What have I done?" she begins pacing. "He hasn't told you yet. Oh I f*cked up. Please don't tell Zeus or his alpha that I told you any of this. If my father finds out, I will be in so much trouble," She tells me.

"Any of what? You didn't say anything, but a bunch of nothing. It sounds more like your random thoughts. I have no clue what you are speaking of," I tell her. "Let Zeus talk to you. Us werewolves are so over-protective of our mates, and I shouldn't have said anything. Please promise me you won't say anything," she is in tears, and I nod, agreeing, because she is starting to freak me out. Whatever is going on, she really believes it, so maybe I should really listen to what she is saying. A great idea pops into my head though.

"I won't say anything if you explain everything and answer any questions I have," I tell her. She nods her head frantically. "I will do whatever you say, just keep this between us two," she tells me. "Done, and you know what, I think you and I will be great friends," I tell her. "Well, only for the night, because I am not allowed to have human friends," she says. See, this is what I mean. Saying things like this is not normal.

"Explain that," I point at her, and this is how I find out that werewolves exist and walk among us. According to her, they can turn into humans, and she says if I pay close enough attention, I can figure out who is one and who isn't. Interesting. I don't know if she is screwing with me or full of it, but according to her, Zeus has a lot of explaining to do. I don't know if any of this is true, but I won't lie. It was all interesting and now I am invested. Tomorrow I will go to the library and learn everything I can about werewolves. I won't tell anyone, of course. I don't want to seem as crazy as this chick.

"So, why can't you have human friends?" I ask her, because she explained everything, but that. "Well, humans bring nothing to the table. All they do is risk our lives. For example, if there is a war, or an attack on the pack, a human can't defend themselves against a wolf. Then, the human's mate will do everything to protect them, which means they might make mistakes, or only focus on that one person instead of the whole pack or even themselves. Humans can easily be taken hostage and that also isn't good for a pack. They are just weak. No offense," she looks at me like she is sad for me.

"Dallas, your mom is looking for you, your other daddy has just arrived with that witch of a cousin. I can push her into the lake, or even better in the mud, then the lake so she can wash off some of that evil that lives inside of her," my cousin Cage says, and I laugh. He is younger than me, but he is almost as big as me. He is a giant for his age, and he is not afraid of anything. This kid eats insects as a snack. Uncle James has him cage fighting already and Cage claims the bugs are extra protein. I know, gross, but even so, he is still a big soft bear with his baby sister and all of our other cousins. He protects everyone, and my siblings and cousins all know how my relationship with my cousin is, and they all try to protect me, and I love them so much for that. "If she is being mean, I give you permission, but I promised myself I would start defending myself too. I want to be like you Cage," I tell him. He just kicks the dirt. He hates compliments. "Come on Emilee, I want you to meet my cousin," I tell my friend for the night.

"Hi," I say. "Hey Austyn, are you enjoying your party," Marissa, my dad's wife asks me. "I am," I answer. "The band is about to start," Emilee jumps up and down. Guess she is a party girl, or never parties and is glad to be out of the house. "Who are you?" my cousin asks her. "How rude of me, everyone, this is Emilee. Emilee, this is Beau Miller, his wife Marissa, his kids, and his niece Adyna. It means wretched," I say. Emilee bursts out laughing, Marissa gasps, and my cousin's face turns red, and I know she is about to explode in 3,2,1.

"You see dad, you heard what she said. Everyone is laughing at me now. Make her apologize right now," Adyna shouts and stomps her feet like a little girl. "Austyn, did you have to introduce your cousin like that?" Beau asks, and I happily nod. Her name fits her perfectly. I don't understand the problem. "That is her name, and that's the meaning," I tell him.

"Move, hi, my name is Adyna, but my dad didn't know that when he named me. I am basically Austyn's sister, because her dad took me in when mine died, and so what if that is what my name means, at least I am not named after my dead uncle," Adyna says looking at me with a smug look on her face. As if she just one upped me, and I can't believe she went there. I am not ashamed of my name. I love that mom named me after her brother who passed away. She loved him so much. I feel special and proud to carry his name, but this b!tch using it as a bad thing is what pisses me off, and I am going to put her in her place.

I swing my hand back and slap her right across the face. "Ahhhhh" she shouts and then throws herself on me. Lucky for me, here at the farm, we are trained to defend ourselves. We wrestle for a bit, and I end up getting her under me. I begin punching her in the face. A hit for every insult, every dirty look, every whisper, for the way she looked at Zeus at graduation, but most importantly, for the way she smirks after Beau picks her over me every single time. "Austyn, stop," I hear my name, and I am yanked off her. I turn and Zeus is checking me over. "Are you alright?" he asks me and I nod. I turn and find Beau checking her over. Why am I not surprised?

"Austyn," dad pushes his way through everyone with mom right behind him. "Baby girl, what happened?" dad asks me. "Austyn called Adyna wretched and Adyna to get back said that at least she wasn't named after her dead uncle. You know typical girl banter, and Austyn took it too far, and she attacked her," Beau says. I look at him, and I am embarrassed, not by my actions, because she deserved everything I gave her, but by the fact that he is the person who I came from. "Oh, please, it's always typical girl banter to you." dad tells Beau. Thank god for this man mom was blessed with. The one who stepped up and gave me all the love that Beau decided I didn't deserve, but she did. "Well, it is, girls-will be girls. They talk smack and push each other's buttons. No need for violence though. Is this what you are teaching her?" he is looking at mom now, but dad stands in front of her and glares at him, so he backs up, and turns to me. "Austyn, you need to apologize. Adyna is like your sister," Beau says. "Let's call it what it is, Miller. Your niece is a f*ck!ng bully, and you have always made it okay by claiming it to be typical girl banter. Austyn has asked her to stop multiple times, and you never made her stop, or forced her to apologize. Now you expect my baby girl to apologize for defending herself. Never going to happen," At least I have a bad a$$ dad to back me up. "This doesn't even have anything to do with you. Austyn, what do you have to say for yourself?" Beau asks. Well, I think me beating his niece up shook him up, so why not go for the k!ll?