KATOMI - RISE OF THE FAE QUEEN

CHAPTER 6 – MATE

KATOMI'S POV

I rushed over to my dad and stepmother after the run. My heart was racing, why did the Alpha want to speak to me alone, was he going to ask me about Remi’s colour, sh*t, this was bad, this was really bad.

The second we reached our parents, my father pulled me into a tight hug ‘Come with me’ He whispered.

My dad led us away from the rest of the pack. Hopefully they would be too occupied with the rush of the run to notice us slip away. Once we were far enough away so we wouldn’t be overheard, my father grabbed me

‘Did the King say anything about your color?’ He asked me, shaking me slightly in fear ‘Did he question it?’

‘No’ I shook my head, I felt tears fill my eyes, I wanted to tell him that Alpha Wyatt thought Remi was beautiful. But for some reason, I wanted to keep that to myself ‘He doesn’t think it’s weird, not yet at least’

‘Sh*t’ My dad growled ‘This is bad, this is so bad, I thought if you were a Lycan like me, you’d be safe, I didn’t think your Fae blood would change your Lycan’s appearance’

‘Calm down honey’ Shay hushed my dad whose voice was rising in panic ‘We have a plan for this’

‘No’ I shook my head ‘Please, I don’t want to go’

‘We don’t have another choice now Kat’ My dad said softly, looking at me with pity ‘We have to get you out, I’ll send you to your aunt and uncles. They’re not a part of this pack. They knew this day might come’

‘I’ll take the twins home and pack’ Shay looked at her children in fear, I felt so guilty, I was destroying their lives ‘You two should stay here and keep up appearances’

‘Good idea’ My dad agreed ‘We’ll finish the party and get Kat out in the morning, so no one suspects anything, I’ll talk to Beta Beau, I’ll tell him my mother is sick and that we need to visit her because she’s on her own now’

‘Daddy, you don’t have to do this’ I gripped his arm ‘You don’t have to ruin your lives because of me, I’ll go on my own. You can tell everyone I ran away to become a rogue or something’

‘I won’t leave you’ My dad touched my face ‘You’re my baby girl, I’d never abandon you and I promised Kelari that I’d always protect you’

Tears fell down my face as the mention of my mum ‘And you’ve kept that promise’ I whispered ‘But you can’t always stay with me, if anyone finds out what I am, you’ll all be killed’

‘It’ll be ok Kat’ Jerome hugged me. He was rarely affectionate, and it always surprised me ‘We all love you, we won’t leave you, no matter what’

‘We need to get going’ Shay said and pulled me into a tight hug ‘It’ll be alright sweetheart, everything will be alright’ Shay kissed me and let me go.

‘I love you’ Mia hugged me, I wound my arms around my little sister, she was so kind and sweet, and I was ripping her away from her home and friends, the guilt was ripping me up inside.

Once again Jerry surprised me by hugging me again ‘I love you Kat’ He said before he rushed off, I noticed him wipe his face, I smiled. He always acted so tough.

My dad pulled me into another hug for a second ‘Play the part Kat’ He ordered ‘You need to act completely normal, nothing is wrong, have a few drinks, dance with your friends, don’t do anything suspicious’

‘Yes daddy’ I nodded, I hadn’t felt this depressed in a long time.

‘If you must’ He continued ‘Say your goodbyes to Bronwyn, but don’t tell her the real reason you’re leaving or for how long, do you understand me Kat’

‘I hate lying to her’

‘It’s for her own protection’ My dad reminded me ‘If she knew the truth, she could get executed for hiding you, do you want that?’

‘Of course not!’

‘Then keep it to yourself’ He told me sternly ‘Now, go enjoy the party’

‘How am I meant to enjoy a party?’

‘We’ve all got roles to play’ He told me ‘You can do this, you’ve been practicing for this moment your whole life, just remember what I’ve taught you’

I nodded as my dad walked away but I just stood there, letting guilt and fear consume me, why did the world have to be this way, why did I have to end up in a pack like this, one that would kill me for simply existing

‘Alpha will protect us’ Remi spoke up

‘He’s the one ordering Fae to be killed!’ I snapped at her ‘He’d kill us instantly’

‘He wouldn’t!’

‘How do you know!’ I asked ‘You just met him, I don’t want to talk about this anymore, I have enough to deal with’

I cut off the link and looked up, my dad was glaring at me, I nodded and plastered a smile on my face, play your part Kat, don’t show them how afraid you are, don’t let them know how much you hate them for killing your kind.

I saw Bronwyn and ran over to her, hugging her from behind, she laughed and spun around ‘You’re finally a Lycan!’ She announced.

‘Lucky me’ I smirked

'What's your Lycans name'

'It's Remi'

‘Remi you're so gorgeous!’ Bronwyn smiled at me 'I love Adley’s reddish black coat, cause well let’s face it, black goes with everything, and it shows off my families Alpha blood’ She joked about her own Lycan ‘But a silver coat, that shimmers, now that’s cool’

I laughed, pretending to be casual about it all ‘Well at least you can’t lose me in a crowd’

Bronwyn laughed and placed her arm over my shoulders, I felt sad again. This would be the last time I saw my best friend, the last time we ever touched ‘As if I could lose you in a crowd to begin with’ She joked and messed my white hair

I pulled her into another tight hug, but she tensed for a second before hugging me back.

‘Are you ok?’ She asked, she was rarely serious, I must have spooked her, she knew how much I hated being touched, sh*t, play your part, don’t do anything sus.

‘No’ I pulled back and smiled ‘I just love you’

‘Well love me by coming with me to get a drink’ She took my hand and pulled me through the crowd. Some of the pack were looking at me and whispering to each other, I felt like I was on display.

‘Those guys from earlier are over there’ She told me ‘Let’s have a drink with them, but dibs on Max’

‘He’s all yours’ I linked my arm around hers

‘It looked like that Logan guy liked you anyway’ She pointed to him. Sure enough he was looking at me, truthfully, he was kind of hot but Wyatt’s words echoed around in my head, warning me to stay away from him ‘You should hook up with him, lord knows you could loosen up a bit’

‘Thanks’ I mumbled as we reached the boys

‘So, who wants to buy me a drink’ Bronwyn asked, but she looked directly at Max, subtle.

‘They’re free’ Max smiled at her and lent forward

‘Should be easy for you to get me one then’ She pointed out and smiled innocently and I suppressed a laugh

Max laughed and poured her a beer, handing it to her before looking at me ‘Would you like one too, Kat?’

‘I’ve got it’ Logan told him and handed me a blue cup filled with beer, I screwed up my nose and took it.

‘Not a fan of beer?’ He asked and stepped closer to me ‘There’s other drinks. What do you like?’

‘I’ve never drank’ I admitted. Everyone looked at me in surprise ‘So I’m not sure’

‘Well, let’s get you one of everything, and you can try them all and find out what you prefer’

‘Are you trying to get me drunk?’

‘Perhaps’ He winked at me, I shoved him and laughed before I drank down my beer

It was disgusting, how could anyone drink this sh*t, over the next hour, I tried several other drinks, finally landing on Jack Daniels and coke and even that wasn’t the best, I guess I just wasn’t a drinker.

I danced with all my friends and even said my goodbyes to Bronwyn in private, telling her the lie, that my grandmother was sick and needed us to visit, I didn’t mention that I’d never be coming back.

Another hour went by so quickly, I was feeling rather tipsy and playing this fake happy girl was taking its toll, I needed a break ‘I’m going to go for a walk and sober up’ I told everyone.

‘I’ll go with you’ Logan said, and jumped up from his chair. We’d been sitting together at one of the many tables talking. He was asking a lot of questions about my life which I always hated, I didn’t like people prying into my life ‘You shouldn’t be alone, what if a hole opens up, and you fall into the center of the earth? You need someone to save you’

‘How chivalrous of you’ I rolled my eyes

As we walked off, I noticed Alpha Wyatt talking to his Beta and two pretty females, I don’t know why this sight hurt me so much, I had no right to be jealous. He wasn’t mine, I’d avoided him all night, I was scared he still wanted to talk to me in private. What would I say if he guessed what I was?

‘I’ve never been to the hall’ Logan said as we explored that back rooms, no one was around, most of the rooms were empty, but we finally found a storeroom with tables, and I jumped up on one to rest

‘Really’ I said ‘I’ve come here loads’ I said ‘My dad is one of the packs head warriors, so he knows everyone, I was forced to come to everyone’s shifting’

‘Lucky you’ Logan laughed ‘My father’s a baker, so I didn’t have to come before now’

‘Is that why we’ve never met before?’

‘Probably’ Logan said but he had a strange look on his face, was he hiding something? ‘But we know each other now, might as well make the most out of it’

‘And how do you plan on making the most out of it’ I asked

Logan smiled and took my cup, I thought I smelt Alpha Wyatt’s scent but before I could look around, Logan pushed my legs apart and stepped in between them, sh*t, is he going to kiss me? Should I push him away, this is my first kiss, I shouldn’t let this happen, I didn’t want this, I wanted Alpha Wyatt to be my first kiss, not that, that would ever happen.

Logan lent in and just as I was about to push him away, an ear splitting growled rang out, we both jumped in fear, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, Alpha Wyatt was standing a few feet away with his claws extended, his eyes glowing golden which showed that he was in complete sink with his Lycan and they were both furious, he was absolutely terrifying.

Logan quickly moved and showed his neck in submission. As I got off the desk and pulled down the bottom of my dress, I didn’t realize it had ridden up so high, I blushed and looked down, showing my neck, sh*t, we were in trouble, good job Kat, I scolded myself, I was meant to stay inconspicuous tonight

‘LOGAN!’ Wyatt ordered in his Alpha tone, sh*t he really was angry at us ‘GET OUT!

‘Yes Alpha’ He looked at me for a second before rushing out

I was nervous to be alone with him. Despite this, the usual butterflies erupted inside my stomach, I really hated this stupid crush.

‘I’m sorry we came in here, Alpha’ I said quickly, trying to leave as fast as I could ‘We didn’t know it was off limits, I’ll leave’

I didn’t wait for his response and started to leave, but he grabbed me around the waist and pushed me back to my starting point, but I quickly pulled out of his grip, was he aware of how he made me feel when he touched me?

I stepped as far away from him as the space would allow until my bottom hit the desk behind me and stopped my escape, sh*t.

‘I’m not upset that you were in here, Katomi’ He told me ‘I’m upset that you were in here with Logan’

‘Why would that upset you?’ I was confused. Why did he hate Logan?

‘I told you to stay away from him’

What, who the hell does he think he is? ‘I can talk to whomever I want’

‘He doesn’t want to talk to you’ Alpha Wyatt pointed out, well der, I wasn’t an i***t ‘He wants to f*ck you!’

‘SO’ I shouted, the nerve of this jerk ‘So what if he does’

‘You should wait for your mate!’ He shouted, did he really just say that, like he waited for his mate, what a pr*ck ‘And not spread your legs for any Lycan who shows you the slightest bit of interest!’

‘You are such a hypocrite’ I said snidely, I really shouldn’t be yelling at my King, but how dare he speak to me like this ‘You’ve slept with half the dam world, just mind your own business, just because you’re the King, it doesn’t give you the right to tell me who I can and cannot sleep with!’

‘YES IT DOES!’ He shouted, his eyes started darkening ‘IT IS MY BUSINESS WHO TOUCHES YOU!’

‘WHY!’

‘BECAUSE YOU’RE MINE!’

I was not expecting that response. I looked up at him, my mouth open in shock as I looked into his gorgeous golden-brown eyes.

‘What?’ I asked, hating how my voice trembled ‘What are you saying?’

Wyatt took a deep breath and calmed down before he walked over to me and my heart went wild, he reached out and touched my face gently. What was happening?

‘I’m saying Katomi’ He said gently ‘That you are my mate, my Luna, my Queen’

‘Told you mate cares about us’ Remi said smugly.

‘No’ I responded to her ‘This isn’t happening, I’ve lost my mind’

Tears fell down my face, this couldn’t be real, I couldn’t be his mate, how would he even know, I wasn’t 18 yet, and you could only tell who your mate was if you were both 18.

‘I wanted to tell you earlier’ He pressed on ‘I didn’t mean to yell it at you, I’m sorry, but it’s true, you’re mine’

Alpha Wyatt took advantage of my silence and gently gripped my face in both of his strong hands and lent in, he was going to kiss me, NO!

‘STOP!’ I shouted and shoved him. He didn’t move an inch but pulled his face back and looked into my eyes ‘How do I know you’re telling the truth?’

‘You don’t believe me’ He questioned, raising his eyebrow as he looked at me ‘I wouldn’t make this up’

‘Really’ I tried to pull myself free, but he wouldn’t let me go ‘And how many women have you used this bullsh*t line on to get them into your bed!’

Wyatt’s hands dropped from my face, and he stood up straighter, he looked at me as though I’d slapped him

‘You think I’d disrespect the mate bond to sleep with women?’ He asked, his voice sounded hurt ‘I’ve never told a single girl that they were my mate to get them to f*ck me, I wouldn’t need to, women throw themselves at me simply for being an alpha, I don’t have to use lines, I could go out into that party right now and have half the unmated girls spread their legs for me’

More tears fell down my face, I hated him seeing me like this, his face softened, and he looked guilty.

‘I didn’t mean’ He said quickly when he realized, he’d f*cked up, reminding me of all the women that would mate with him if he asked ‘Sh*t, Kat, I didn’t mean, I wouldn’t do that obviously, I’m just pointing out that I wouldn’t lie about this, we really are mates’

‘How could you know that?’ I asked ‘I’m only 17, how could possibly know we’re mates’

‘Alphas just know’ He answered.

‘How long?’ I snapped, I couldn’t think straight, this can’t be happening ‘How long have you known we were mates?’

‘Since you and your father arrived at the pack’

‘But that’ My eyes were wide ‘That was 13 years ago’

‘I know’ He exhaled ‘You have no idea how hard it’s been all these years, knowing you were mine but not being able to claim you because you were too young’

‘I’m sure all the women you’ve screwed over the past 13 years helped to comfort you!’

Wyatt closed his eyes and pinched the ridge of his nose for a second before opening them again.

‘I’m sorry for not waiting for you once I knew of your existence’ He looked sincere, but I still hated him for it, all these years, and he said nothing. All these years he knew I was seeing him with other women, and he didn’t care.

All these years I fantasized about him telling me we were mates while I saved myself for him, and he slept with women after women.

‘I don’t have an excuse’ He continued ‘I’m a man, I had needs, and you were just a child, I couldn’t exactly claim you, now, could I?’

‘But you can now?’ I asked angrily. What kind of stupid excuse was that? ‘’I’m a man!’’ ‘I thought you couldn’t mark someone unless they were of age’

‘I can’t officially mark you until you’re 18, that’s true’ He told me as he looked at my throat ‘But I can’t hold myself back from you anymore, every time I see you, I want you more and more, every time I see you talking to some f*cking boy, like right now, I want to rip his throat out, I need everyone to know who you belong to and now that you’ve shifted, you’re an adult in the eyes of our kind so I decided to tell you the truth, I’ve decided to tell the pack the truth’

‘How generous of you’ I growled ‘But I don’t remember accepting you!’

‘WHAT!’ Remi screamed ‘You can’t reject mate!’

Wyatt looked at me with confusion ‘You don’t want me?’

‘No!’ I said loudly and firmly, but I bit my lip nervously as his eyes darkened, but I couldn’t back down, as much as I wanted to be with him, I couldn’t ‘I don’t want to be your mate, I don’t want to be your Luna or your Queen, choose someone else!’

‘Never’ He said casually, as though it didn’t faze him ‘I want you, I’ve waited for you for 13 years, do you think I’d have waited for you if I could choose another’

‘I don’t care how long you’ve waited’ I shouted, how dare he say he waited for me when he was hoping from bed to bed ‘I don’t want you!’

‘Is that so’ He raised an eyebrow at me ‘Because according to Beau, you have a crush on me’

I blushed, sh*t, I thought I’d kept that secret all these years ‘Well Beta Beau should learn to shut his mouth’ I tried to hide me embarrassment ‘And stay out of other people’s business’

‘I’ll let him know that his Luna said so’ Wyatt smiled at me

‘I’m not your LUNA!’

‘Why are you so against this?’ He asked me, sounding serious now ‘Why does this repulse you so much, are you…’ He cleared his throat ‘Are you in love with someone else?’

‘No’ I shook my head, the only person I’d ever had feelings for was him, and now I knew why, it was because he was my mate

‘Well’ Wyatt looked relieved by my answer ‘Why then? Are you worried about my past with women? Because I’ll never touch anyone but you from this moment on, hell I haven’t since last year anyway’

‘What was so special about last year?’ I asked curiously, sh*t, stay on track you i***t.

‘That was the first time I saw you as a woman and not a child’ He told me, his eyes swept over my body, making me feel flushed ‘It was like you changed overnight and suddenly you weren’t just a little girl anymore, you were my mate, after that, no other women could compare, not that they could before then’

‘I’ I didn’t know what to say ‘I.. I don’t care’ I said ‘I don’t care that you’ll be loyal, I still don’t want to be with you, I Katomi Aron reject you, Wyatt Grayson as my mate’

‘NO!!’ Remi screamed.

‘Nice try baby’ Wyatt said, looking unfazed, but I noticed his hands were bawled up into fists and his eyes were pained ‘But it won’t work until your 18 and by then, you’ll already be mine’

‘No, I won’t’ I said without any real emotion. This time Wyatt looked worried, I reached up and touched his face ‘Alpha Wyatt, I don’t want to hurt you, you’ve been good to me my whole life, letting my dad and I stay here in your pack and all the times you helped when I was growing up, like when I got lost in the woods, but I will never be with you, I’m sorry but no matter what happens, I will reject you when I turn 18, the goddess is kind, she’ll gift you with a second chance mate, someone better suited to be by your side’

‘Is that what’s worrying you?’ He placed his hand on top of mine on his face ‘You don’t think you deserve to be my mate, Katomi, baby there is no one better suited to be with me, you should have more faith in yourself’

I pulled my hand free, he wouldn’t listen to reason, there was no point in continuing this conversation, I had to hurt him, I had to get him to reject me, I had to, for my family's sake, for my sake, for the packs sake.

‘Kat please don't’ Remi pleaded with me and I hated that I was hurting her too.

‘You want to know the truth’ I spat, my eyes darkening ‘I don’t want to be a mate to a murder!’

‘What did you say?’ He whispered, he looked at me in disbelief.

‘You heard me’ I hated myself, Remi was screaming at me to stop, to just accept him and Kai, but I blocked her ‘You’re cruel and you use women for your own pleasure regardless of who you hurt, even me, you knew I saw you with all of those women, my whole life, and you didn’t care, you murder and say it’s in the name of peace’

‘It’s because of this murderer that you’ve been safe your whole life!’ He shouted at me and I knew it was working ‘That you have lived in peace!’

‘It’s because of murderers like you, that I’ve been in danger my whole life!’

‘Kat!’

‘SHUT UP!’ I cried ‘I don’t care what you say, I don’t want you, I don’t care what you do to me or what you try, when I turn 18 I’m rejecting you’

I tried to rush past him as more tears fell down my face, but he grabbed me again and pulled me into a tight hug, he pressed his face into my neck.

‘Kat please’ He whispered against my skin, sending chills down my spine ‘I’ve waited so long to have you, please just stop and talk to me, I pr’

‘LET GO OF ME!’ I screamed, cutting off his words as I tried to struggle free, but he was far too strong for me to even move an inch 'I HAVE REJECTED YOU, IT'S OVER!'

‘I’ll never accept your rejection, Katomi’ He whispered. He sounded like he was in a lot of pain ‘I’m sorry that I hurt you with those other women, but they meant nothing to me, and I’m sorry you think so lowly of me but I’ll prove to you that I deserve you’

‘Don’t’ I pleaded, this hurt so bad ‘Please don’t, just let me go’

‘Now or forever?’ He asked.

‘Both’

Wyatt took a long breath of my scent and straightened up again, I was shocked to see tears in his eyes, he kissed me gently on my forehead and my heart fluttered.

‘I love you Katomi’ He admitted, my heart literally stopped ‘I have loved you for so long and I will love you until the day I die, I will fight for you for the next year, I won’t give up on us’

He let go of me and walked over to the desk I had been sitting on earlier, his hands gripped the table so hard I could hear the wood breaking

‘Go’ He ordered ‘Before I lose control and lock you up in my home’

‘I’m sorry’ I whispered.

I looked at him for a second more before I rushed from the room, I bumped into several pack members on my rush out of the party and everyone was looking at me in confusion and annoyance, but I finally made it outside.

I sniffed the air, looking for my father and followed his scent to where he was standing.

‘Daddy!’ I called out of him, he was leaning against a poll talking to Steven, a fellow warrior, his eyes widened in fear when he saw me crying ‘I want to leave’

‘What happened?’ My dad asked, looking me over with concern.

‘Did someone try to hurt you?’ Steven asked ‘I’ll kick his ass!’

‘No’ I shook my head ‘It’s nothing like that, please dad, I want to leave’

A loud crashing and howling came from the hall, I knew it was Alpha Wyatt, he’d finally lost control of Alpha Kai, he must be destroying the room I’d left him in.

‘What the hell was that?’ Steven asked, everyone was looking around.

‘It was Alpha Wyatt’ I grabbed my dad’s arm ‘Please daddy’

‘We’re leaving’ My dad said ‘When the Alpha starts breaking sh*t, the party is over, come on bunny, night Steven’

‘Yeah, night Will’ Steven looked back at the hall curiously.

My dad grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards his car, he didn’t say anything until we were speeding away.

‘WHAT HAPPENED!’ He shouted.

I cried harder, I couldn’t speak, I just shook my head, I pulled my knees and rested my face into them, crying loudly.

‘Kat?’ My dad shouted ‘Tell me, did he find out what you are, who you are?’

I shook my head, answering him, my dad realized it was useless to keep asking questions. The second he cut off the engine I climbed out of the car and ran inside. Everyone inside was frantically packing things.

‘KAT!’ My dad yelled as he slammed the door shut.

Shay and the twins froze and looked at me, Shay’s eyes widened, and she placed her hand over her heart.

‘They know?’ She gasped.

‘No’ I wept

My dad grabbed my shoulders ‘Dam it Katomi, talk to me!’

‘You can’t come with me’ I pulled away from my dad ‘None of you. If you take me away from Alpha Wyatt, he’ll kill you for sure’

‘What are you talking about?’ My dad growled ‘You’re not making sense. What happened!’

‘He’s my mate’ I blurted out and my dad’s eyes widened in fear ‘Alpha is my mate, he just told me, he said he’d known my whole life, he was waiting for me to come of age but that he couldn’t wait any more, I rejected him but he wouldn’t listen, that’s why he started smashing up the hall’

‘Oh my goddess’ Shay said, and sat down on the couch looking alarmed ‘This changes everything’

‘It changes nothing’ My dad looked frantic ‘We stick to the plan, we’ll get Kat out in the morning’