"Hey," Rachel said as she entered my room. I was sitting on my bed with a math book open. I also had papers stewed over my bed like a maze. A maze only I recognized. She stopped and took in my bed before shaking her head with a smile while I huffed.
She grabbed my chair and proceeded to drag it over to my bed, "Olive and the others have patrol tonight so I'll be going through your werewolf lessons tonight since the other pups mentioned your wolf made an appearance today."
I groaned and fell back gently on my pillow, "I growled. Like an actual growl from a dog."
"A wolf. You're a wolf, "Rachel corrected. She sat down and then gave me a stern look.
"And I had claws," I added.
Rachel nodded, "I was told."
"I can't believe this is happening to me," I muttered miserably.
"Well, you need to believe it and take control soon."
Something in her tone made me sit up straighter and eye her cautiously. I arched a brow at her, "Let me guess, Peter threatened to put me down if I didn't?"
Rachel shook her head, "No, he didn't. In fact, he has requested that we put a rush on your wolf studies as well as your magic abilities."
"Why?"
Rachel sighed, "He wants you to be presented to the Witches Council at our timing to show that you are in control and won't be a risk to both them and us."
I sucked in a breath as I closed my text book," That's a lot worse than studying math."
"It does but I have faith that you can do it," Rachel tried to assure me but my heart was already racing and my mind coming with several bad scenes where I am in the middle of everyone and suddenly go ,poof. I rubbed my forehead, "You have more faith than me then."
"Lia, you cannot afford to be having doubts now. Doubt distracts the wolf inside you."
I nodded. I didn't understand it at all but I knew the consequences of doubt. Grams use to tell me when I was practicing my magic that doubt gives space for failure. So if I wanted to succeed in mastering all this, doubt had to be kicked out.
Easier said than done.
"Okay, so what are you teaching me tonight?"
Rachel smiled, "As you are of age, you need to be aware of something that you can be given or choose at our age," She paused for effect," A mate."
A mate?
A mate!
"A mate? As in a future boyfriend?" I questioned slowly. On the inside, my stomach was all upside down.
Rachel continued as if my face turning going red wasn't enough, "Mates are something we all look for in life. Most times, we choose who will be our mates, other times we find our destined other halves."
"And now it sounds too good to be true," I muttered.
"Destined Mates are our other halves that have been chosen by the Moon Goddess," Rachel reached out to pat my hands, " You are theirs and they are yours. End of discussion. But they are one in a million. Only a handful of us discover our other halves."
I was theirs and they were mine. It was now sounding possessive. But still, I wanted to know more.
I put my text book aside and slide closer to Rachel to listen, "How will you know? Would it be like love at first sight?"
Rachel shook her head, "It's not as simple as love at first sight, no. You'll first feel a sort of familiarity with that person and comfort. Destined mates always find each other in any life time. The more time you spend with each other, the more your feelings will intensify, you'll want to please each other, not be apart and soon, want to always be within touching range of that person. Your wolves will be protective of each other."
"And then?"
"Then when you both accept that there is something. The marks start to come into place."
I frowned, "Marks?"
"They're sort of like tattoos, a single mark has a symbol that shows your bond. It'll be black at first and then red."
" I don't like tattoos, henna and runes I can live with but tats?" I shook my head. Rachel simply shrugged. I sighed, "When will it turn red?"
Rachel grinned cheekily, "That is for another time, " I huffed as she continued," The marks come in and the bond between you two gets stronger. You'll be able to have a separate mind link from the pack."
A small smile creep up on my face. It sounded like what I had with Oracle only more intimate, "That's sounds kind of sweet."
"It is," Rachel confirmed.
"Now the Chosen Mates, you can choose to mate with someone if you're truly in love with them and wish to mate with them. The mind link will not be there but you will be bonded. You'll want to be around each other and want to please each other."
"It doesn't sound as special as the first one," I observed.
"It isn't but it is what most of us choose."
I hummed thoughtfully before eyeing my teacher, "Do you have one?"
Rachel shook her head, "Not yet."
"But you're still looking right?"
"Yeah but it's just one aspect of my life, " Rachel revealed with a shrug," The rest is focused on the pack and being a doctor."
"It sounds like you know what you want in life,"
"Sometimes," Rachel admitted," Sometimes my plans change but then I adjust."
"Adjust seems to be the word you keep throwing at me."
" Yes ,well I do have a motive for doing that. "
I sighed and nodded to show that I understood where she was coming from.
"What if your Destined Mate shows up after you've bonded with your Chosen Mate?"
Rachel's face turned and she looked troubled," As for that. It is up to you and your mates to come to decision. Some may chose to fight and the victor gets the mate. Others pick whoever they would rather be with. But that decision has to be announced to the elders."
"Do you guys have a ceremony or something to show that you are mates?"
"We do but that is something only those that discover their mates are taught, think of it like sacred wedding traditions."
I wriggled my nose and huffed. Rachel smiled.
"Can I ask if pack warriors can have relationships?"
"Yes, we are fighters but above all, having a mate is crucial to the survival and continuation of our pack."
"Can I train to become a pack warrior?"
Rachel gave me a stern look," We are talking about mates."
"Just tell me, Rachel," I insisted.
"I will ask Marcus and we shall see," Rachel told me.
I nodded. I could live with that.
"May I continue?"
I waved a hand to get to continue talking. After an hour or so, Rachel left me but I still couldn't settle. Mates were for life. I could find one. The idea of having a true love made only for me by their Moon Goddess sounded romantic. On the other subject, Rachel did mention that she would talk to Marcus about me training to become a pack warrior but I wasn't waiting till morning to get permission.
I needed to see Peter.
Leaving my room, I made my way through the hallway to get to Peter's suite. I needed to convince him that I also needed combat training to help myself against whoever wanted me dead in the first place. Of course I couldn't tell him that but pleading that I was damsel in distress could work. Right?
" Lia!"
I paused in my tracks and saw Elijah jogging up to me dressed in only his robe. His face was flushed but he looked happy.
" Elijah? When did you get back? Is Olive with you?" I scanned the hallway behind him for my friend.
"No, she-," He reached up to rub the back of neck," She's with the others outside. They wanted an extra few minutes of running."
My shoulders dropped, "Oh."
Elijah gestured to the hallway," Are you on your way to see Rachel?"
I shook my head, "No, I was going to see Peter."
I made a move to leave but Elijah stepped in beside me, "I'll walk you."
" No need, I'll be fine on my own."
And I would be, I was fast figuring out the layout of the place.
"Okay, then, before you go, I want to ask you something," Elijah admitted.
I smiled, "Sure."
" Will you be my date to the dance?"
I blinked and took a step back.
Okay.
I was not expecting that.
"Lia?" Elijah asked to make sure I was still conscious.
I gulped, "Umm, are you sure?"
Elijah looked confused, " Am I sure what?"
" That you want to ask me, I'm...,"I struggled to find the right words to explain how I was feeling. What was I feeling? Numb? Dumb? I had never been asked to anything before. Most especially by a guy.
"Lia? "
"I'm new and a mess," I blurted out.
" And awesome to be around," He added with grin.
" Elijah...," I trialed off again. This was weird.
" Come on, it's just one night," Elijah insisted before adding," I'll promise to even keep an eye on you so you don't wolf out."
There was no harm in that right? He would be a friend and keep an eye out for me during the dance.
"Okay, then," I agreed.
"Great! Awesome!" Elijah exclaimed as he surged forward and kissed my cheek. My chest twisted and I winced in pain. What was that? My left shoulder started to burn as well.
Elijah, not noticing my pain ,smiled and asked was my favorite color.
" Thalia."
We both jumped and turned to see Richard standing behind Elijah. His face was impassive but I got the feeling that he must have heard my exchanged with his nephew.
"Peter is waiting for you," Richard said in a monotone voice that had even his nephew frowning.
"Oh, right, I wanted to...," I trailed off and slipped past Elijah," How he knows that is so weird."