Alpha's Lycan Mate

Chapter 4 - What are you?

Maia's POV

The party just keeps getting better and better, as we dig deeper into this night. I look at my phone and realize it's two hours to midnight. I'm relieved. I still have two more hours.

Dad gave me a midnight curfew. He said he would even wait up for me. I don't like letting him down, so I'll be sure to keep the time.

Alexa is gone off again. Some wolf who is her boyfriend, apparently, came up to us and then left with her. I'm surprised she hadn't told me that she had a boyfriend all that time we've been chatting.

But, in her defense, I guess we only met today. Maybe it just never came up.

Either way, I'm still enjoying the party. Everyone all around me is having so much fun it's hard not to go with the flow.

Everything is going well until I catch this sweet scent lingering in the air around me. I then suddenly feel that attraction again, like I felt before back at campus.

It feels so invigorating I can feel my Lycan bubbling up to the surface, almost as if she wants to come out in excitement.

This has never happened before. I am usually the one who summons her when I want to change.

But, I can tell it's because of that damn scent that she wants to come out.

What is it?

I don't even need to sniff to tell where it's coming from, because I can already sense it behind me. It feels like it's approaching, getting closer and closer.

Oh my God... Please tell me that's what I think it is.

I literally cannot control myself right now. All this energy I'm feeling everywhere around my body is the indication of only one thing. Mom has described the feeling so many times, I literally could never mistake it.

In my excitement, I stop dancing and immediately turn around.

I am, however, met by the surprise of my life.

It's him. It's Ron. I know that because they just announced him like an hour ago and put a spotlight on him for everybody to see him.

It's him, like it's him, him. My mate. I can't believe it.

He is looking at me, and walking up towards me right this moment. And the closer he gets, the more ecstatic my body gets.

But wait, what? How is this even possible?

Isn't my mate supposed to be Lycan like me?

Even before I can finish thinking, he walks up and stands a few paces in front of me. He's staring at me, and I'm staring right back. I would want to look away, but I can't help it.

His eyes, his body, everything is just pulling me to him. I feel like I should just run and hug the life out of him. What the heavens is happening to me?

The excitement is so palpable, my face crunches itself into a smile, without my permission. And so does his.

And then we both simultaneously look away. That momentary eye contact just felt like years of conversation right there.

And now the silence is just getting weird. Why isn't he saying anything?

I look up again and find him still looking at me. He's weirdly smiling, but his face now looks more confused than happy.

"What are you?" he suddenly says.

Those words strike deep into my heart like sharp daggers piercing my insides. Why would he ask that? Does he know? Does he know my secret? How could he?

I swallow hard. So hard it's audible.

"What?" I mumble, hoping with everything that he doesn't know.

"I said, what kind of a wolf are you?" he adds, walking closer towards me, "I can sense that you are my mate, but I can also sense that you are something more... What is that scent? Like uuuhhh..."

"I'm not from around here," I quickly blabber, interrupting him and stopping him midspeech. "My parents and I just moved here last month. That's probably why you can't place my wolf scent, " I continue, forcing a smile to convince him.

"Oh," he says, "Where's my manners?" he adds.

He seems convinced by my lie, and you cannot imagine how much relief that brings me.

His smile broadens, and he stretches his right hand forward towards me.

"I'm Ron," he says.

"I know."

I also stretch my hand but he doesn't greet me, he instead grabs my palm and gracefully lifts it up to kiss it.

Oh my God. I am thawing like snow. I feel like I'm gonna fall down, as his smooth lips graze over the back of my fingers. I feel like there's literal sparks of electricity dancing in the air around us.

And to make things worse, he doesn't let go of my arm but waits a minute. He looks up right into my eyes and there is this warm feeling that suddenly ignites inside, as soon as we lock eyes while touching.

It's freaking mind blowing.

"Welcome to Locksbridge, uuuuh... What was your name?" he says, smiling.

I feel like I can't resist him. I feel like I could let him take me here and... Oops, I quickly shake myself out of that trail of thoughts.

"Maia... My name is Maia Downs."

"Nice to meet..."

Even before he can finish speaking, someone comes up towards us from behind him. It's a she-wolf and she keeps shouting his name as she approaches.

"Ron! Ron!" the voice catches both our attention, and Ron finally let's go of my arm and turns around.

I look up and it's Ashley, the b***h that hit my leg while walking recklessly out of class.

She walks up to my side and stops, eyeing me from head to toe then turning to look at Ron.

"Who's this?" she says.

Ron's face turns to a frown.

"What do you want Ashley?" he says.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," Ashley complains, glancing once at me and then back to Ron. "Come on, we have to go right now.. Some Drownringers have started a fight with members of our pack..."

"What? Where?" Ron shouts. The topic has clearly caught his attention because he's now staring at Ashley continously. It's like he's even forgoten I'm standing right here.

"On the other side of the compound... Let's go!" Ashley says.

She and Ron then suddenly turn around and take off, hurrying fast into the crowd of werewolves. I only see Ron turn his head once to look back at me, before he disappears into the crowd.

I can't believe he just left like that. Doesn't finding out that I'm his mate mean anything to him? Like the way it means everything to me?

Finding him changes everything now, and not all in a good way. Because first of all, how is my mate a werewolf and not Lycan? But I guess that doesn't matter too much.

Not as much as the fact that he's prominent. Soon to be Alpha of the biggest werewolf pack here in Locksbridge. That sounds like a good thing but I assure you it's not. Not to me.

He literally has a spotlight on him. Everyone's eyes are always watching him. Could I really handle that kind of attention? Could my family? Especially considering the big secret that we must always keep?

I dare not think so.

With all this confusion raging in my head, I can't even bring myself to enjoy the party anymore. Other people still seem pumped though. I can see a couple making out right beside the bonfire, as I stumble away towards the edge of the forest.

I always thought that finding my mate would be the most thrilling experience of my life. I mean, it was, for a moment there, until reality kicked in.

You know, I can't believe I'm about to say this but I don't think I can be with him.

Not with all the heat on him. I can't risk anyone ever finding out that my family and I are Lycan, that's why I must always keep a low profile. Even if that means sacrificing my mate. My family, and pack, must always come first.

As I keep playing out my plight in my head, and stroll forward towards the edge of the forest, I suddenly sense something. Something dark.

You know how I can usually smell a wolf, this time I smell blood. Animal blood, and it's fresh.

I sniff once, and then twice and immediately pick up that the scent is coming from the dark woods in front of me.

As I look in that direction, my Lycan sight kicks in and I immediately see all the way through, into the dark forest. My blood almost clots in my veins as I lay eyes upon a vile dark monster.

I can't tell what the creature looks like because it's hunched over, and looks like it's feeding. Then I realize that must be where the scent of blood is coming from.

Is it feeding on something? And what is it?

If it were something normal, I would have recognized it immediately. But I can assure you it's not something normal. It looks grotesque, and unnatural.

"Maia!" a voice suddenly calls from behind me.

I have never been so shocked in my life. I turn around fast and see Alexa standing right behind me. As soon as I see her, I sigh in deep relief.

"Maia, we have to get out of here and go home," Alexa says. She looks kinda tense.

"What? Why?"

"Boys have started fighting," Alexa says, "But don't worry, they are wolves. This happens at almost every party. It's just best that we get out of here though," Alexa continues.

"Yeah, let's go!" I intervene, walking forward to lead the way.

I don't even want to tell Alexa about that thing I've seen in the woods. For starters, because I can't even tell what I saw. I just want to get out of here and go home.

Alexa and I walk quickly across the now growing chaos of the party. We reach the parking garage safely and hitch a ride home in one of her friend's car.