Finding Her

Luca's POV “Ha! I beat you again!” Rose throws her hands in the air and jogs backward, pumping her fists as she taunts me in her triumph. “I let you win.” Rose rolls her eyes. “Oh, puh-lease. A likely excuse.” I grin and flop onto the sandy ground beside the creek. She does a little victory dance and collapses on the ground beside me, rolling onto her stomach and propping her elbows in the sand to hold her chin up. “You are such a sore winner.” “Just because you are such a sore lo-ser.” I pick up a handful of sand and toss it at her arms. She ducks her head, her long, shiny auburn hair falling around her like a curtain. When she looks back up, she shakes her head mockingly. “See. Sore loser.” “Let’s shift and see who is faster. Oh wait, you can’t shift yet.” Her nose wrinkles in that cute way it does when she doesn’t like something, and she rolls over onto her back. “That is not something to joke about, Luca! What if I never get my lycan form?” She covers her face with her hands, and I scoot closer, laying my head next to hers, the light breeze lifting strands of her hair against my face. “You’ll get your lycan. Most people in our class haven’t shifted yet, it is perfectly normal.” Her hands drop, one resting on my shoulder. “Alyssa shifted yesterday, did you hear?” “Who cares? She’s a weirdo.” Rose snorts and turns her head to face mine, her eyebrows pulled together in a true look of concern. My chest feels a little twang as I study her pretty features. Her blazing green eyes, her petite nose, the adorable freckles, and full lips…of course, I let her beat me to our favorite spot. I would do anything for this girl. It has been the same way since we were little kids. Even as mere six-year-old, I knew that this girl was my destiny, as much as she, and all my friends, like to make fun of me for saying so. But that first time that she entered my classroom and walked right up to me with those big green eyes and a huge smile, I just knew. And we have been inseparable ever since. Not in the romantic way…which is extremely unfortunate in my opinion. She wants to save herself for her mate. Fine by me, I can wait until she turns eighteen before we are together if I must. Because then, then she will know that I was right all along about us. It will be fun to rub it in that I was right, and she was wrong. One can totally tell who your mate will be when the bond is that strong enough. At least I can. And it will be even more fun to finally get to touch her in the way that I can only dream about currently. “You don’t think there is something wrong with me?” “Absolutely not.” My voice sounds strangled as I speak. “Besides, we are destined to be mates, remember? Of course, my mate will have a lycan form.” Her face relaxes as she rolls her eyes and laughs, slapping my chest as she gets to her feet. “You keep saying that, but you know that we have no say in the matter. For all you know, Alyssa could be your mate.” “Oh god, don’t say that. The moon goddess could never be so cruel.” I pull a face as I prop up on my elbows. “Ya never know.” Rose lifts a shoulder and uses her sing-song voice as she bends down and writes A + L in the sand and draws a heart around it. I lift my shoulder and smooth the sand over the ‘A’ and replace it with a ‘R’. “Unless you do. And it so happens, that I do.” She rolls her eyes, but I can tell that she is holding back a grin. I scoot a little closer to her. “We could kiss, see if we feel that mate bond already.” “You, Luca, are ridiculous. You know that I am saving myself for my mate.” I spread my arms wide and lift my eyebrows. “He is right here.” Rose takes off her shoe and throws it at me, I catch it against my chest with one hand. “Behave yourself, Luca, or I am going back.” “Fine.” I get to my feet and step closer to her, holding out her shoe, but as she reaches for it, I jerk it back to hold it over my head. She makes an attempt to jump for it, then pouts that beautiful pout of hers. “You suck.” Her small hand balls into a fist and she punches me in the stomach. “Hurt yourself?” “Hurt yourself.” She mocks and starts to turn around, but then she spins back and pushes hard against me so that I lose my balance and fall backwards, Rose falling on top of me, reaching for the shoe that I continue to hold just out of her reach while I clutch her small, wiggling body tight against mine with the other arm. “Damn you, Luca! Why are you so freaking tall?” “You can have it for a kiss.” Rose buries her face in my chest as she laughs and shakes her head. “You are impossible. Do you know that?” Her voice is muffled against my chest. Two years. We have two years until Rose turns eighteen. Well, 712 days, to be exact. It doesn’t seem fair that you have got to wait so long to feel your mate bond. Especially since my mate is right here, currently laying on my chest. I sense him before I see him, sitting up and handing Rose her shoe, keeping my arm around her as I look out for the intruder. “Wha-?” “Shh!” A dark-haired man steps into view, followed by at least six more all fanning out beside him. “Trevor? Rich, Harold…what are you all doing out here?” The men exchange glances and a few more people emerge. One of them, the tallest and broadest of them all, makes his way past the others and stops a few feet away. “Dad…what is going on?” “We need to go, son.” “What do you mean? Where?” Rose climbs out of my lap, hopping on one foot to slip her shoe on, glancing from me to my dad, just as confused by the interruption as I am. “Come with me.” I stand and look at my older brother Trevor. “What is this?” He gives a small shake of his head. I reach my hand behind me to hold out to Rose, who slips her much smaller hand inside of it automatically, looking frightened. I take a step forward, but my dad holds up his hand. “Rose stays here.” “What? No, she stays with me.” He shakes his head. “Rose stays here. You come with us.” I pull Rose’s hand to my chest. I am not sure what is going on, but this is my mate. She goes where I go. “It’s okay, Luca…” Rose’s voice is small as she steps in front of me, her eyes full of concern. “Go with your dad. I will meet up with you later.” “You won’t. Say your goodbyes. We need to be on our way.” “What are you talking about? Say your goodbyes?” Trevor looks behind him and takes a step forward. “We need to move…now!” My dad grabs my shoulder and starts to tug me forward. “Wait-no!” Rose’s hand drops from mine, moving to cover her mouth instead, her eyes wide in alarm. “Dad, stop! Rose!” “We need to move now!” My brother grabs my other arm and they start to physically pull me away. Away from my future mate. Her hair blows around her as she stands still, not understanding what is happening. I don’t understand what is happening. “Rose, I will come back for you! I promise!” She lifts her hand, a tear running down her cheek. “I love you! Wait for me!” “I will…”