Not Mates
Keaton Daniels stared at the walls of his temporary room. I was missing my home, family, and friends. I’d been spending time at an allied pack for training. I still couldn’t believe Lisa, my now ex-girlfriend, wasn’t my mate. I’d been so sure she’d be mine.
Heck, Lisa had said it on her birthday, and I just figured she was right. My thoughts drifted back to my birthday. Keith was sitting with me when the clock struck midnight. My twin nudged me, “Happy Birthday, little brother.”
I snorted, “You are two whole seconds older than me and you keep sticking with that little brother bit.” Keith replied, “You’ll always be my little brother because of those two seconds.” Keith asked, “Why isn’t Lisa with you?”
I shrugged, “She thought it would be more romantic this way.” Channing, my wolf, chimed in, “I do not agree, for the record.” I wasn’t sure I did either but going along with Lisa’s plan was twenty times easier than arguing with her.
Keith rolled his eyes. I said, “I know you don’t like her, but she’s my mate.
” Keith replied, “You don’t know that, and I have serious doubts about her being yours.
” I frowned, “Lisa said I smell strongly to her.” Keith argued, “Yet she’s not here beside you.
There’s little to no chance your mate will be some fake girl who separates you from everyone you love. ”
I shouted, “Hey! She’s not fake.” Keith snorted, “Lisa’s voice is so fake it hurts, but she got you to defend her over it. None of your friends want to be around if she is . Mom doesn’t even like her.” A select few liked Lisa, and it was my fault.
Flashback
Keaton found Lisa in the same spot as always. She was crying. I called, “Lisa, what’s wrong?” My girlfriend glared at me and I froze. I mentally went through everything that happened today trying to figure out where I went wrong.
Lisa shouted, “It’s all your fault.” Well, that didn’t help it was always my doing.
Lisa shouted, “You’re horrible and it’s not fair.
” I admitted, “I don’t know what I did.” Lisa sniffled, “Everyone hates me, because I’m with you.
No one wants to be my friend now. I have to give up everything up to be with you, and you turn around to ditch me for you family. ”
I asked, “What? No, I don’t.” Lisa threw a pencil case at me and shouted, “Then you argue with me! You’re the worst boyfriend of all time. You’re so lucky I put up with your Alpha bullshit. You’re not even a real one.”
That stung, but Lisa had pointed out I was weaker. It still hurt to see the truth of it. I just hoped I never embarrassed my dad like Lisa thought I did. Lisa warned, “No one will put up with everything I do to be with you. I have no friends because you can’t be the leader everyone needs.”
I rubbed my temples, “I don’t know what you’re talking about here. My dad is the Alpha, and Emmett will be the Lead Alpha. I’m going to support him with my other brothers.” Lisa snorted, “People are jealous of Alexandria, but they will be her friend because Emmett is intimidating.”
I argued, “Alexandria is nice and…” Lisa shrieked, “So, now you’re saying it’s my fault because I’m not nice.” I reasoned, “That’s not what I said.” If I was sixteen, my wolf would probably chime in that my girlfriend wasn’t nice. Lisa had hard edges.
Lisa scoffed, “Of course that’s your excuse.
Sure Keaton, I’m the mean one. Naturally.
Make me the bad guy to feel better about yourself.
I’m on the only one in your life that’s honest with you when everyone else coddles you.
I make you better so you make me the villain for it then everyone hates me. ”
I argued, “I’ve never talked badly about you to anyone.
Hell, I defend you to everyone.” Lisa pointed at me, “You shouldn’t have to defend me.
The only person in your family sort of nice to me is your mom, and she doesn’t want to be.
” I bristled, “My mom is a great Luna who is always nice to you.” Lisa scoffed and stormed off.
Flashback Ends
I shook the past off saying, “Mom is nice to Lisa.” Keith reasoned, “Mom is the former Luna ergo she’s nice to all pack members. It doesn’t mean she likes Lisa for you or in general. Mom loathes your girlfriend and you know it.”
I huffed, “Well, Lisa’s my mate which means she’ll be my Luna.
” Keith asked, “What if she’s not?” I asked, “Huh?” Keith pushed, “What if Lisa isn’t your mate?
” I shrugged, “She says she is. Everyone says that since we can’t stay away from each other.
” Keith gaped at me, but I was right. Lisa cheated on me a lot, but we still couldn’t quit each other.
Flashback
Keaton walked into Lisa’s house with flowers.
I knew I was letting her down. We’d had sex and my girlfriend hadn’t come ten times.
I came with her on six and quickly learned that had been wrong.
So, here I was with my millionth apology.
None of my previous attempts were good enough.
I’d bought jewelry and I’d made her some things.
My girlfriend had thrown the things I’d made at my head.
Lisa thought I’d been saying she wasn’t worthy of spending money on. Channing growled in my head. I asked, “What’s wrong?” Then I heard the moans and groans. Lisa’s family wasn’t back yet and she was the only one home.
With what felt like lead in my feet I went up the stairs and opened the door. To my shock, Keith’s friend Justin was standing there, thrusting into my girlfriend. Channing snarled and it came out. Lisa shouted, “Keaton, what the hell?” Justin frowned at me.
I tossed the flowers saying, “Yeah, I’m the one in the wrong for coming to talk to my girlfriend and give her flowers. That I drove several hours away to buy, because the flowers around here aren’t up to your standard. We’re done.”
Lisa screamed, “KEATON, NO! This was YOUR fault! You didn’t have my back today when Clara said I cheated on her test.” Channing said, “Because Lisa did cheat off Clara.” Yeah, it was obvious. I turned and flashed outside.
Lisa’s family had just pulled up. Her mom waved, “Keaton, hi.” I nodded, “Ma’am.” She frowned then her eyes widened because Lisa had come out in a bedsheet. Lisa shouted, “We are NOT over!” I replied, “Why do you care? You’re with Justin.”
I heard a sharp inhale of breath, but I couldn’t turn to see who it was.
Lisa waved, “You’re hysterical. I’ll come see you tomorrow when you’ve calmed down.
” I replied, “Don’t bother.” Then I flashed away knowing half the pack had seen that scene.
I was angry and hurt but the thing was, I felt relieved too that it was finally over. Except it wasn’t.
Flashback Ends
Lisa had come by two days later keeping our routine of giving me a protein drink. Channing huffed, “I still say she’s wrong about our performance.” Yeah, well she pointed out I wasn’t doing great in the sex department which meant I couldn’t blame her.
Keith brought me out of my thoughts, “I again circle back to my original point. Why isn’t Lisa here? The answer is clear and it’s because she knows you aren’t her mate. She’s playing you.” I yelled, “She’s not! You’ll see.” Keith sighed as I ran out the door.
I shifted into Channing. I asked, “Do you scent her?” I didn’t but maybe my wolf did. Channing replied, “I don’t smell anything that would be our mate.” My wolf was being very quiet. I knew he’d bonded with Lisa’s wolf, Lady, and liked her a lot.
Lisa he wasn’t so sold on, but that was fair. Channing wasn’t as convinced as I was Lisa was our mate, but he did feel protective of her. Channing said, “It looks like that’s my Alpha blood being protective of a pack member.”
I caught my parents scent, along with my older brother Emmett and his mate. They were watching me, but they weren’t approaching. A pang hit my heart because this was supposed to be a happy moment. Families were all smiles and not hiding, but that wasn’t my moment.
Flashback
Keaton was angry. Dad said, “Keaton, I…” I cut him off, “You never give her a chance!” Dad sighed, “Is that what Lisa says?” I replied, “YES! You hurt her feelings.” Dad questioned, “How? We have invited her into our home, and we spend time with her.”
I replied, “Everyone knows you don’t think she’s good enough for me.
” Dad stared at me before saying, “I can hardly help that. I want the best for my pups. Do I think Lisa is? You know I don’t, but I have never opposed your relationship or been rude to that girl.
Even though my instinct, and Bolt’s, scream at me to.
I want you to be happy, Keaton. Are you happy? ” No.
I snarked, “Yes, but you guys can’t ever be nice to Lisa and make her feel unwelcomed here.” Except that was a lie. My family was always nice and cordial to Lisa. Dad replied, “I don’t know what to do to make her feel welcomed, son. We allow her in this house and talk to her.”
I whispered, “You don’t want to.” Dad replied, “Life is full of doing things we don’t want to. What I don’t like is how much you’ve pulled back from this family. We invite Lisa because if we don’t, we know we’d lose you and that’s not acceptable to us.”
He and I went round and round on this argument to the point I didn’t know why we were having it. What was I doing? I shook myself thinking about how Lisa had cried. Her snot was actually dried on my neck, she’d cried so much. I was just defending her like she deserved.
Flashback Ends
I flashed back to the present and ran behind a tree and shifted back. I had to go to Lisa’s house. I ran there and knocked on the door. Her dad opened it smiling saying, “She’s upstairs.” Keith’s words were ringing in my ears.
If she thought she was mine, why wasn’t she down here? I asked, “Can you ask her to come down here?” Her dad studied me, frowning, but nodded then closed the door. I stood there waiting for Lisa, wondering when her scent was going to hit me.
Flashback