Good Mate, Bad Mate

12 - Bethany and Darren

Darren POV

    As soon as my alarm sounded, I jumped out of bed.  I changed into a pair of comfortable, gray gym shorts and a plain black t shirt.  I ran a comb through my hair, then grabbed my suitcase and headed downstairs.  Once I got to the kitchen, I threw a several bottles of water into a bag my mum had put together for our ride.  I wasn't sure what was in the bag, but I was grateful that she took the time to do that for us.

    When Gavin joined me in the kitchen, I nonchalantly asked, "Are you ready to get on the road?"

    "I'm as ready as I'm going to be," he dejectedly mumbled, but I could see the corner of his lips twitching, as he tried to suppress a smile.  

    I chuckled at his silliness, then I teasingly stated, "You know, it's okay to show your excitement.  I know you've been trying to hide it, but I can tell how excited you are about finding your mate."

    Slowly, his lips curved up to form a pleased smile, before he mumbled, "You should have told me that sooner."

    I chuckled again, before I replied, "It was too much fun watching you try to hide it.  Now let's get on the road, shall we?"

    Gavin grabbed his suitcase that was sitting by his feet, then he happily chirped, "Let's do this."

    I grabbed my suitcase and the bag of snacks, then we walked out to my dark green Mitsubishi Eclipse.  This car was my pride and joy.  It took forever for me to convince my dad to get it for me, but I didn't let up and eventually got what I wanted.  I always made it a point to take good care of my car, keeping it clean and not pulling dangerous stunts with it.

    After a few minutes, we had our suitcases loaded into the truck, and I was driving us down the gravel road that led to the highway.  I made a mental note to have the gravel road paved, as soon as I became the official Alpha of the pack.  I didn't like how the dust from the gravel made my sexy car look dirty.

    I drove in silence for the first few hours, while Gavin played some stupid match three game on his cellphone.  When the gas tank started getting low, I pulled into a gas station for a fill up.  While we were there, I bought myself a few energy drinks, and Gavin did the same.  I didn't drink them very often, but I figured with such a long drive ahead of us, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

    Before we got back on the road, I hooked my phone up to the stereo, then turned on my favorite playlist.  We jammed to the music for awhile, enjoying the freedom of being away from our parents, and not having to listen to their nonsense.  

    We made good time while driving, especially since we had snacks and didn't have to keep stopping for food.  When we reached the town where we planned to stay the night, I booked a hotel room, then drove to the nearest steak house.  I was beyond ready to eat some meat.

    After eating dinner, we went to the hotel room.  I loved my car, but it was nice to get my legs good and stretched out.  I took a quick shower, then sprawled out on the bed, I designated as mine.  It wasn't long before my mind was overtaken by sleep.  

    Luckily, Gavin set an alarm, or I might have slept in the next morning.  A full day of driving wiped me out more than I had expected.  

    As soon as the alarm sounded, I got up and took another quick shower.  I used my comb to slick back my red hair, then I pulled on the pants of my suit, and the white shirt I brought to wear under my suit jacket.  I didn't want to wear the jacket just yet, so I laid it to the side.

    Gavin gave his curly, jet black hair a tousled look, then dressed in a pair of black suit pants that he paired with a light blue under shirt.  He also left his suit jacket off, and laid it by mine.  

    Once we were finished getting ready, we zipped our suitcases, then left the hotel room.  We laid the jackets to our suits in the backseat, then loaded our suitcases into the trunk of my car.  Before I got back on the highway, I pulled into the gas station, and filled up the gas tank.  At the last second, I decided to get a few more energy drinks, just in case I needed them.

    After that, we got back on the road, heading toward the Forest Pack.  Surprisingly, I could feel the excitement growing inside of me, as we got closer to our destination.  However, I could also feel nervousness setting in, too.  

    As soon as we turned onto the road that would lead us through the Forest Pack territory, my palms started to sweat from the anxiousness I was feeling.  When we crossed the border, my wolf, Darius, started pacing in my head.  He was pacing so much, I had to tell him, 'Calm down.  You're distracting me too much.  You're going to make me wreck the car.'

    Darius just growled at me, before he retreated to the back of my mind.

    I glanced over at Gavin and saw him literally bouncing in his seat, with a smile playing on his lips.  I simply chuckled at him, as I continued to drive down the long road.

Bethany POV

    Carly and I were both super excited, as we helped each other get dressed in the gowns we got from my aunt.  Once the gowns were on, we helped each other with our hair and make-up.

    Carly kept my hair down and straight, but she pulled a little from the sides, and pinned them on the back of my head.  She used a pretty purple hair clip to pin the hair back, and left a little bit of the sides down to frame my face.  

    For my make-up, she applied a light purple eyeshadow to the main part of my upper eyelids, then applied a layer of shiny silver above it, and on my lower eyelid.  In the crease of my eyelid, she applied a darker shade of purple.  She added a thin line of black eyeliner to my upper and lower eyelids, then thickened my eyelashes with a black mascara.  She highlighted my cheeks with a medium shade of pink blush, then applied a dark pink lipstick to my full lips.

    Carly had the cutest, natural spiral curls, so I had fun playing with her hair.  I pulled most of it up into a high ponytail, then pulled a little of what I left out, and wrapped it around the ponytail.  I added some red rose clips throughout the curls that flowed out of the ponytail.  With the curls I left out of the ponytail, I twisted them around my finger to add extra bounce to them, then I let them frame her face, or fall down her back.

    For her make-up, I applied a medium red eyeshadow on the main part of her eyelid, then added a light pink color above it, and in the crease, I applied a dark purple.  I gave her a thin line of black eyeliner, on both of her eyelids, like she did on me, then I added mascara to her eyelashes.  On her cheeks, I brushed on a light red blush, then applied a sexy red lipstick to her lips.  

    By the time we were finished, we were both feeling very confident with the way we looked.  Simultaneously, we both licked our fingers, then touched each other's bare shoulder, as we made a sizzling sound with our mouths.  Immediately following the action, we both burst out laughing.  

    When we left the bathroom, I grabbed my silver stilettos, and Carly grabbed her red high heels.  We strapped the heels to our feet, then we flashed each other smiles, as I cheekily asked, "Are you ready to do this?"

    Carly enthusiastically nodded her head at me, being too excited to even speak.  I giggled as I stood up and cheerfully stated, "Let's go show off how beautiful we are."

    We quickly left the suite, and started slowly walking down the stairs, to make sure we didn't fall wearing the high heels.  As we reached the bottom, I heard Devon approvingly murmur, "Damn, you ladies look stunning."

    Suddenly, I was hit with my brother's scent of coffee and kiwi.  Right away, I scanned over all of the faces.  After a second, I spotted him standing by the kitchen.  Instantly, I sprinted toward him, as I yelled, "James, I've missed you so much."

    Both of my parents and James, snapped their eyes to my direction, then beamed smiles at me.  My dad grabbed me before I could reach my brother.  He hugged me tight, as he affectionately mumbled, "My princess, I have missed you something terrible."

    I embraced him, as I happily replied, "I'm so glad you could make it here.  I have missed you all."

    A second later, my mum pulled me out of his embrace, then she engulfed me in another embrace.  I had to fight the urge to release tears of joy.  I didn't want to mess up my beautiful make-up.  As my mum hugged me, she lovingly cooed, "My princess, you look just like a princess tonight.  I'm so proud of you."

    "Thank you, mum, and thanks for visiting, and bringing James Jr. with you," I cheerfully replied, as I returned her loving embrace.

    As soon as she released me from her hold, I practically knocked my brother over with the force of the embrace I engulfed him with.  I had been missing him so much, and I was beyond ecstatic to see him.  While we hugged, he enthusiastically remarked, "I have a bag for you out in the car.  I found your spell book, and a few other things, I thought you might like to have."

    I hugged him even tighter, as I affectionately stated, "James, you're the best brother a girl could have.  I love you so much, and I can't wait to tell you about everything that has been happening."  When I pulled back from the hug, I placed a soft kiss on my brother's cheek, then I mumbled against his cheek, "I really have missed you more than you can possibly imagine."

    While I was kissing his cheek, the oddest scent tickled my nose and made my wolf stir.  The scent smelled like pine trees and dirt.  

    Suddenly, I heard a loud growl that made the walls shake.  Before I even had a chance to look behind me, I was ripped out of my brother's embrace, then a guy with red hair held James against the wall, as he angrily snarled, "She's my mate."

    'Mate' my wolf suddenly said in my head.  I wasted no time grabbing my mate's arm.  As soon as the sparks erupted between us, he turned his head in my direction and glared at me.  Not sure what to do, I slapped him hard across his cheek, then I sassily demanded, "You drop my brother this instant, or I will reject you, right here, right now."    

    Stunned not only by me slapping him, but also by my words, my mate's green eyes went wide in shock, then he dropped my brother.  Instantly, I dropped to my knees, then cupped my brother's cheeks in the palms of my hands.  I gazed into his surprised eyes and affectionately mumbled, "Brother, I'm so sorry my mate did that to you.  Are you okay?"

    Still looking at me with surprise in his eyes, he warily stated, "Yes, I'm fine.  It looks like you found one of your mates."

    I heard my mate gasp behind me, before he angrily asked, "What do you mean by mates?"

    I stood up to face him, then I stared straight into his pretty green eyes, as I confidently stated, "Yes, you heard correctly.  I have another mate out there somewhere.  That's why it wouldn't be nothing to reject you here and now."

    "No, I won't accept a rejection from my mate.  You can't do that to me," he anxiously replied.

    I perched my hands on my hips, then I sassily retorted, "Well then, you better apologize to my brother, right f*****g now."

Darren POV

    As soon as I parked the car outside, I heard my wolf start chanting, 'mate, mate, mate.'  I quickly exited my car, then I grabbed my suit jacket out of the backseat.  After I pulled the jacket on, I practically sprinted to the front door.  I was suddenly excited to see my mate for the first time.  

    Within a second of knocking on the door, it was opened by what I assumed was the Alpha of the pack.  He was bigger than me, with jet black hair and forest green eyes.  As soon as his eyes landed on us, he politely greeted, "Welcome to the Forest Pack."

    When he opened the door, I was immediately hit with the most intoxicating scent of lilacs and the ocean.  My wolf was howling in my head, and I could barely focus on what the large guy was saying.  I quickly mumbled, "Thank you," then I stepped past him.

    I scanned the area until my eyes landed on the most gorgeous shewolf I had ever seen.  I could barely see her face, but she had the body of a model, with the perfect hour glass figure.  When I saw her press her lips onto the cheek of a male wolf, I couldn't stop the growl that erupted from my chest and rattled the walls.

    Without even thinking, I sprinted to them, and ripped her out of his arms, then grabbed him by the throat, and held him against the wall.  I glared, as I snarled, "She's my mate."

    Unexpectedly, my mate suddenly grabbed my arm, making sparks tingle on my skin.  I snapped my glare to her, then got slapped in the face before she demanded, "You drop my brother this instant, or I will reject you, right here, right now."    

    I was so shocked by my mate's actions and words, I obeyed her command right away, and released my hold on her brother.  She immediately dropped to her knees, then affectionately cupped his face and mumbled, "Brother, I'm so sorry my mate did that to you.  Are you okay?"

    He looked just as surprised as I was by her actions, but he still responded, "Yes, I'm fine.  It looks like you found one of your mates."

    As soon as I heard him say that, me and my wolf grew very anxious, then I angrily asked, "What do you mean by mates?"

    She wasted no time to sassily inform me, "Yes, you heard correctly.  I have another mate out there somewhere.  That's why it wouldn't be nothing but a thing to reject you her and now."

    What the f**k, I thought to myself, then I anxiously replied,   "No, I won't accept a rejection from my mate.  You can't do that to me."

    She was quick to place her hands on her hips and sassily retort, "Well then, you better apologize to my brother, right f*****g now."

    I didn't want to get rejected by my mate, before I even got a chance to learn her name, so I obediently turned to her brother and extended my hand to him, as I stated, "I'm sorry.  I thought you were putting the moves on my mate.  My wolf kind of took control."

    He accepted my hand and allowed me to pull him to his feet, as he nonchalantly replied, "Don't worry about it.  s**t happens."

    Once he was on his feet, he stepped closer to my mate, then he whispered something in her ear.  Right away, she giggled before she smacked his arm and said, "You're something else."

    He shrugged his shoulders at her, then he walked away.  I took that as my chance to ask, "Can we step outside and talk privately for a second?"

    "Sure," my mate nonchalantly responded, then we walked toward the front door.  

    As we walked past Gavin, we both noticed he was wrapped in an intimate embrace with a curly haired, red headed shewolf.  I didn't fail to notice my mate exchange looks with her, as she walked past them.  

    Gavin flashed me a smirk, then he teasingly stated, "Good luck with that fiery one.  Just the type of shewolf you need to calm your ass down."

    I huffed at him, as I walked behind my mate.  I followed her all the way to the porch, then I sat down beside her, and she was quick to nonchalantly ask, "What do you want to talk about?"

    "Us, you, the fact that you seem to think you have another mate out there," I anxiously answered.

    She snickered before she stated, "I don't think, I know I have another mate out there, but that doesn't matter right this moment.  What matters is the fact that you are my fated mate, but I won't put up with any bullshit from you.  Not knowing I have another mate out there, who might treat me better than you."

    I released a sigh of frustration before I warily replied, "Look, we got off on the wrong foot.  I don't want you to think I am just a jerk.  I will prove to you that I can be a good mate."

    "We shall see," was all she said in response.