Mates?

3

I could feel my heartbeat quicken, which also means he could hear it quicken.

"I can't wait for you to have hybrid pups with me." He said sweetly. His eyes were now back to their brown color. I didn't even think about that. Now I'm terrified. I felt the urge to cry resurface. Grant would never pressure me like this. "It's okay, you'll get more used to the topic the more we talk about it. Soon, you'll feel the same way I do." He said happily.

No I won't. I know that I won't. I don't want kids. Never did, never will.

"Let's go, Ash." Joey said impatiently.

"Hold on tight." He said.

I did as he said. Without warning, he took off running on the same direction he came. Only, his running wasn't normal. It was really fast. We approached a large village within minutes. I barely contained the gasp that wanted to escape my lips at the amount of pets roaming around. No, not the house pets like a cat or anything, but humans that were treated like pets. Even some were Wolves. Now I was even more scared. 

They were on leashes and almost all the owners were male. One owner even looked about sixteen, and with his pet who looked twelve. She was probably beautiful under all the cuts and bruises. She had red hair and greenish-gray eyes. Her owner was talking to a group of guys around his age. All of a sudden he slammed her against a wooden shack and stuck his hand down her pants. She seemed used to this by now, by the look on her face. All of the guys he was talking to just laughed as they watched.

I looked away and my gaze focused on the ground. Ash was walking in a straight line, leading to a majestic castle.

"I know it's old fashioned, but it is what it is." Ash spoke up.

I tried to shake the thought of pets from my mind. I admired the view of the old castle. I stared for so long I didn't even notice the crowd around us. The villagers had separated onto either side of a clear path that led straight to the castle that they had cleared. I had now noticed that the other four vampires were behind Ash and I.

"Welcome home Winter." Ash said.

This was not my home. My home was with Tyrant, Grant, and Natalie. Or, my home could be with my dad, if, he wasn't dead. I miss my dad all the time. He used to always talk about when I found my mate, who it would be. If he'd have dark or light hair, if he would be a hopeless romantic like me, if he would get along with him or not. Sadly, we'll never know the answer to the last one. My dad was the only family I had. He used to talk about how amazing mom was. How she used to crave pickles during her pregnancy with me. How she would think of the weirdest names for me. All I had of her was a picture my dad had of him and her. I remember she had fiery red hair and grey eyes. Dad used to say I had her eyes. My dad and I were like best friends when I was growing up. He used to brag to the marketers in our pack how he never had a problem taking me anywhere because I always knew how to behave, unlike most kids.

"Winter, why are you crying?" Ash asked.

I hadn't even noticed the tear that had slipped out of my eye.

"I'm not." I responded.

I am determined to not let him in. I don't want him to find out about my life. He has more important things to worry about.

"Don't lie to me Winter." He said in a serious tone.

I could see his eyes shifting back and forth from brown to black. I tried to ignore the people behind me who were screaming about how I just lied.

"Just not in front of everyone okay?" I begged.

His voice dropped to a low whisper.

"I'm being very lenient with you Winter, only because you don't know your rules yet." Ash whispered, even though I knew everyone could hear.

Joey put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Ash, imagine what you would do in this situation." Joey cooed soothingly to calm him down. "She's also a wolf, dominance is in her blood." She finished with the same soothing voice.

"That might be a problem." He said bluntly.

Was it possible to be even more scared? Yes, yes, it was, I promise. The one that had tried to take Natalie- Cole, I think is his name- stepped forward on the other side of Ash.

"Ash, her heart rate is through the roof, if you frighten her any longer, she is probably going to pass out." Cole scolded in a quiet whisper.

All signs of black left his eyes and they were back to a normal brown. He turned back toward me and his expression was very sympathetic.

"I'm so sorry baby, please forgive me." He said in a hopeful tone while smiling.

Is this dude psychotic?! Did he really just have the balls to ask me that?! I'm not going to even think about how he used he word 'baby'.

"Can we just go inside now?" The blonde girl complained.

"Go ahead," She said facing the blonde girl before she turned to Ash. "I'll get Ace and tell him she's in your room, Ash."

I'm going to his room. That can never be good.

"It's our room now Joey."

Oh no no no no no. That is not true, correct, and that is definitely not happening.

"You'll be okay." The Blonde girl pitched in.

I wanted to believe her, I really did, but I couldn't. Vampires are not the type of creatures that should be trusted. Everyone continued walking toward the castle. The closer I got, the more intimidating it became. The blonde girl opened the door. My heart is beating so fast I think it might explode. He carried me up to a room with a dark red wooden door. I've never been in an actual house before. The dark blonde boy opened the door to his room and Ash stepped in. The blonde boy closed the door again, leaving us two alone. He walked over to the bed and laid me down on it. He moved the shirt off my shoulder to see the bite more clearly. He rubbed his thumb over the tender skin of the bite. I inhaled sharply from the pain.

"I'm sorry, I was just really hungry, and... Frustrated." He chose his words carefully. "But soon I'll have other ways of handling frustration, now that I've found my mate." He smirked. I chose to ignore the s****l innuendo. I didn't respond to him. "Have you gone mute or something?" He said with an annoyed tone. I shook my head quickly. "Rule number one: When I speak to you, I expect an answer babygirl, and I mean with that beautiful voice of yours, not moving your head."

I had realized that I had been looking him in the eyes the whole time. It hadn't been a problem before, but, it usually is, considering what he believes in. I adverted my gaze to the footboard of the bed.

"I understand." I spoke barely loud enough for him to hear.

He surprisingly laughed.

"I don't have a problem with eye contact baby."

I looked up at him and before I could even think not say it, I said it.

"Don't call me that."

"Rule number two: do not tell me what to do. I tell you what to do, and you do it. No questions asked." He said sternly. "Understand?"

"Yes. I understand."

"Rule number three: I choose when you are to be pupped." I couldn't breathe. My heart stopped. He could surely hear. "Do you understand?" He asked.

I'm not completely sure what that means but I have an idea.

"Yes. I understand."

No. Why did I just say that? I didn't mean to.

"Good. Now I expected you to tell me what you were crying about. Oh, and rule number four is no lying."

I have to tell him. I moved myself to where I was sitting up with my back pressed against the headboard.

"My parents. I was crying about my parents. I miss them." I admitted.

"They'll be okay, they'll stick with their friends and they won't be miserable. I promise. They know you've found your mate by now, they'll understand why you aren't home." He said soothingly.

He didn't catch on.

"They're dead. My mom died from childbirth. My dad died during an attack. That's why I was a rogue at thirteen."

"Oh." He said with a look of pure shock on his face.

Before he could respond with anything else there was a knock on his bedroom door.

"Come in." Ash said.

A man in his mid-twenties entered the room. He had blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Your mate is a wolf?" The man said in disgust.

"Yeah, at least we'll have hybrids." Ash said.

"She's probably not good for anything else." The blonde guy said.

I had enough of this.

"Well all vampires are good for is killing people." I shot back.

Over the time that I've been here, which hasn't been long, I have concluded that there aren't just five vampires. This whole pack is vampires. All the other wolves do not know of their growing numbers.

"Rule number five: Do not speak unless you are spoken to." He said stern tone before walking over to me. "Do you understand?" He said in an angry tone.

"No. I do not understand." I said firmly while staring him in the eyes.

He surprisingly smirked at me.

"You'll regret this later." He said in a menacing tone before walking back over to the man.

"Are you sure you want me to fix her leg?" He asked.

Ash leaned forward to whisper in his ear, but I could still hear him.

"I need her in good condition as soon as possible, Ace." He said with a pointed look.

"Yes King Ash." Ace quickly responded and kneeled.

Wait, wait, wait wait, wait. King Ash? This has to be some sort of joke. Ace moved to where he was leaning over my legs.

"How long do you think it might take for her to heal?" Ash asked frantically.

This guy is the most bipolar person I have ever met. One second he's sweet, the next he's angry, then he's worried. He's confusing the heck out of me.

"About two weeks, unless you do the donation, then she'll be healed within a few seconds." Ace explained.

Donation? Donating money helps my leg heal faster? And since when could a shattered knee and a compound fracture heal in two weeks? Much less within a few seconds. Ash held out his hand, which was now hovering over my knee.

"Okay, just let me remove the braces from her leg and we'll get right to it." Ace said happily.

He reached down and undone the first strap on my knee brace with shaky hands as Ash looked at him furiously.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ash said with his teeth beared.

"Helping her, King Ash." He responded while bowing his head in submission.

"She's mine and that means only I can touch her." He spoke fiercely while picking Ace up by his shirt collar.

"I-I'm s-sorry King Ash." He spoke, paralyzed from fear.

"Make this mistake again, as little as her fingertips, your dead." Ash threatened.

"Y-Yes King Ash."

Ash dropped Ace and continued to undo the rest of the straps of the knee brace carefully making sure not to hurt me. He looked up at me before opening he cast fully and taking it completely off, which hurt, really bad. I inhaled sharply at the pain. I knew he noticed because he looked back up at me. He put his hand on my thigh and softly rubbed while speaking.

"This next one will hurt, but you'll be okay. I promise." He said smiling.

I didn't like that feeling his hand just gave me. I felt my stomach flutter. No. It can't be. It can't be the feeling everyone had described. I'm not sure why it's just affecting me now if it is. Winter, you can't keep lying to yourself, you know exactly what that was. I do know. It was the feeling people get when their mates touch them. Holy crap. He is my mate. He smirked at me. He knows. He knows I just felt that. That can not be good. I can only imagine the look on my face.

"It's okay Winter. Everything will be okay." He cooed. I hadn't even noticed he had already pulled off the cast around my ankle. "See? I told you it would be okay." Ash smiled. "The next part should be painless, if anything, it should feel good."

I nodded my head. Ace walked beside Ash and Ash held his hand above my knee with his palm facing up. Ace pulled out a knife and I felt my body stiffen on instinct.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." Ace said, looking at me. I could tell he didn't really mean the nice tone in his voice.

He grabbed Ash's hand and cut his palm. Ash didn't even flinch. What are they doing? Ash balled his hand into a fist and squeezed a trail of blood from my knee to my ankle. I'm so confused. My wolf side is calm, yet I'm a mess. Within a few seconds, I felt no pain. It was like I never fell. Ash smiled victoriously. I sat up and touched my knee and my ankle, feeling no pain whatsoever.

"Feel better yet?" He asked.

"How?" I asked, mostly because that's all I could really say.

"Put vampire blood on a wound and it heals. Simple." He said, like it was obvious.

I looked back at my leg and kept inspecting. I heard footsteps toward the door, but ignored them. After further inspection, I had come to the conclusion that my leg was fully healed. I don't fully understand how, but it is. I looked up and Ash was standing a few feet away.

"You can walk if you want." He said.

My eyes lit up with excitement. I could finally walk again! I know it hadn't been that long, but I hate being carried. I quickly swung my legs off the bed and stood up. It was even easier than before to walk. I walked over to Ash and hugged him. Dang it. My wolf side took over. I didn't shift, just when I feel an emotion really strongly it takes over and does stuff I would do to people I like. My wolf side is sweet and nice and forgiving, but my wolf side can handle more pain than I can.

"Thank you so much." I involuntarily said with my cheek against his shoulder.

That's as far as I could reach, his shoulder. I hate when people are taller than me, even though most people are. He was stunned by my sudden movement, but hugged back.

"You don't have to thank me, it's my job to keep you in good shape." He responded.

I pulled away after awhile and smiled.

"I want you to do something for me."

Uh oh. I need to push my emotions aside and get in control of my body again before my wolf side does something stupid.

"What is it?" I asked with a happy tone I certainly did not want in my voice at this moment.

"Before I tell you, I want you to know this'll make me happy. You want to be happy right?" He asked with a hopeful voice.

No I do not.

"Yes, I always want to make you happy."

I hate my wolf side so much right now. It's on my very last nerve. Ash smiled brightly.

"I want you to shift for me." He said bluntly.

No. I don't want to shift. He's going to want to pet me and touch my fur when little does he know that it's my actual flesh he's touching.

"No problem" I smiled.

Yes problem! Maybe if I calm down from being angry I can tack back control of my body, but that will be extremely hard. I shifted and sat down. He looked at my small wolf.

"Wow." Is all he said.

I finally calmed down and regained control of my body. I knew I shouldn't react suddenly because he would know something was up, but if he tries to pet me I'll bite his hand off.

"You're so beautiful." He said.

I shifted back into my human form.

"How are you so small? Don't get me wrong I find it adorable." He asked.

"To be completely honest, I don't know." I said.

"It doesn't matter. I think you're beautiful either way." He said and walked closer.

He planted a kiss on my forehead and I looked down, with my cheeks flushed.

"You need to change, you smell like male wolf and it's making me jealous." He admitted.

"It may also be because I haven't had a shower in awhile."

"No, I just don't like that someone else's scent is on you." He said. "But a shower will help take the scent off. I'll have someone bring some fresh clothes for you." He said and pointed to a door near the corner of the room.

I walked into the room, which was a bathroom with an extravagant bathtub in the middle and a big shower to the right. I tried to open the translucent shower door, but couldn't figure out how. It was like it was locked somehow. That makes no sense, but it's the only thing that I can think of. I walked over to the bathtub and it had things laid out. There was a note too.

"Welcome Winter, hope you enjoy ;)

-Ash"

I read the note out loud softly. It was like he planned this whole thing out. I ran warm water until it occupied a little over half of the tub. I peeled off the shirt and undergarments and put them in a messy pile in the floor. I stepped in the tub and felt my nerves ease. I was comfortable.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

After my bath, I had decided to trust Ash until he gave me a reason not to. He's like Grant and Tyran. He just wants to protect me. I had realized no one had brought clothes in. I wrapped a towel around my body and walked out. He was sitting on his bed with his back against the headboard when he turned to me.

"Your clothes are at the footboard." He smiled.

I had a bad feeling that I should turn around and lock myself in the bathroom. I calmed myself down and told me it was only because I had not adjusted to being here yet. I walked out and went to grab the clothes off the stand in front of the footboard but a noise stopped me. I turned and seen Ash close and lock the bathroom door. There was no way to get in.

"W-What are you doing?" I asked nervously.

He started walking toward me and I backed up.

"I told you that you would regret your actions earlier today. This is your punishment." He said confidently. I knew it! He's nothing like Tyran or Grant! "So, your going to remove the towel and I will hand you your clothes one by one at my own pace. Understand?"