I land in a pair of arms for the second time today, except this time they are different. Slender and altogether graceful, these hands are soft and almost like a girl's. However, they are unbelievably strong, the fact that he flipped us both into the air with a huge, wooden bridge awe-inspiring. His face, as he looks down on me, is amused and taunting, completely unlike Lucas's affection.
However, that changes when he perks up his nose. "What is that delicious aroma?" he asks, his voice alluringly smooth and sweet. Lucas walks up behind him, unharmed by the stranger's mischief.
"It's her," he says, pointing to me. I shrink when the man leans his head closer to mine. He breathes in, sighing deeply.
"I haven't had a morsel like this in ages!" he exclaims dreamily, "she smells absolutely delectable." I start to shiver as I notice that he almost regards me as food, not an actual person.
Lucas rips me away from him, wrapping his arms around my body. "She is my mate, Yi. Don't touch her," he growls.
He surveys me, whistling loudly. "Lucas, this doesn't exactly seem like your type of girl. I thought you were going to mate with someone maybe more model-like... and she is a human. Ray is going to be furious," he almost sings that last part; as if he is actually happy that Lucas is going to spike this person's anger.
"Butt off," he snaps, "I can choose whoever I want to be my mate."
"Liar," he laughs, "you probably got mated to her because of her smell. It is amazing... I haven't experienced a smell like that in a long time. I don't blame you, Lucas." He leans in, his voice so soft that I almost can't hear it. "Even though the ugly chick's your mate, you could still eat her. I bet she would be delicious, and Ray wouldn't care," he whispers. I jump away from Lucas, punching Yi in the face. My movement is so fast that even he can't react, my fist hitting home. Yi rubs his jaw, his face of laughter. "I'm just kidding," he chokes, "mates don't eat each other, and werewolves rarely eat humans in the first place. Nice punch, by the way."
Lucas just stares at Yi, fire alight in his eyes. "Don't joke about that sort of stuff, Yi. It's scaring her," he says. I step closer to them both, my temper twice the size of Lucas's.
"Do not make assumptions," I poke him in the chest, and then I turn to Yi, "you are an idiot. Go bother someone else." I pretend to act unaffected by his remark, but in truth I am furious. I know I am ugly... but I don't like hearing a handsome werewolf say it. "Come on, Lucas, let's go," I take charge, pulling away the growling wolf.
I look back... to see Yi's devilish smile. "You just got a whole lot more attractive," he smirks, invoking redness to my cheeks. I turn back to Lucas, embarrassed.
His face is twisted with laughter now, his anger died down. "I was going to punch him for you," he says in-between chuckles, "but you beat me to it. And you were fast, too! I mean, Yi is pretty weak, but he usually has better reflexes." Weak? He smiles at me, his white teeth glistening. "Don't listen to Yi," he whispers, "you aren't ugly at all."
I laugh, though inwardly shaking. "Thank you, Lucas." He reaches to grab my hand, but I pull it away. Even though I like Lucas more than Yi, this doesn't change anything. I am still not in love with Lucas.