I'm The Alpha's Mate Read online

  “How could this happen?” Marina asks and hurries closer. “I’ll get bandages and whatnot until they arrive.”

  My eyes slowly open and close, tempted to stay shut and pull me into a much-wanted slumber. A sudden squeeze of my hand sends a jolt through my body, ridding my tired bones of the encumbering exhaustion. My mate tugs me forward and places a pillow in my place, forcing me to sit up, making it harder to float away to dreamland.

  “Am I going to die?” I mumble while fighting myself to stay awake.

  “I don’t think so,” my mate murmurs.

  “If I do…Those people…The girl. My grandma needs to know.” I do not say anything else.

  He squeezes my hand again.

  Chapter 4

  “Take the antibiotics, change the bandage, and you should be fully healed in about a week,” the doctor says and starts to collect his things, and I watch him as he does so.

  My mate stayed by my side the entire time, which made me quite nervous, as he has an intense aroma that makes my heart beat a bit faster than usual.

  “You almost killed us!”

  “It was not wholly my fault.” I argue back. “It was a complicated situation.”

  Suddenly, my mate’s brother, Henry, walks into the room and observes the doctor, most likely confused by his presence.

  “What happened here, Sebastian?” Henry’s eyes turn to my bandaged head.

  Sebastian. My mate’s name is Sebastian. I could go on and on about how perfect it sounds. Through all this time, I never thought to ask my mate his name, which seems very odd by now. I suppose his name could be anything that my imagination can come up with and I will still find it utterly flawless.

  My mate, now known to me as Sebastian, lets out a low grumble. “Henry, not right now.”

  “Hey! Don’t be in a bad mood. You’ve finally found your mate, who has a bandage on her head.” Henry looks at me funny. “What happened to her head?”

  Sebastian rolls his eyes and sighs. “I will tell you later. Just please give her some space.”

  “You’re here.”

  “Because she’s my mate.”

  “Okay, okay. I’ll go.” Henry backs out of the room and disappears further into the house.

  I wonder what it is like to have a sibling, someone to bicker with and laugh with. Sebastian and Henry seem to understand each other in some way that I will never be able to wrap my head around, and it fascinates me. The Moon Goddess has been with me for as long as I can remember, but I cannot relate her to a sibling.

  “Excuse me,” I pipe up and catch Sebastian’s attention. “Can I see my grandmother now?”

  “I’ll have her brought here. I don’t want you moving around too much and passing out,” he says, giving me nothing to argue over. “Henry, please command the guards to collect Evangeline’s grandmother. She lives past the small stream north of the territory,” he calls into the house.

  Without warning, Sebastian grabs onto my hand, immediately sending soothing sensations through me. “Does that help with the pain?”

  I bite the inside of my cheek as they begin to heat up, showing colors that I cannot imagine. It is too difficult to answer his question, so I blurt out something unrelated.

  “How is it so easy for you to kill people?”

  “I knew you would not let that go,” he mutters. “Did you know that you scared me to death when you almost got yourself killed?”

  “You didn’t answer my question.” I stare into his emerald eyes, trying to take my mind away from his hand, which still holds my own.

  “Every decision I make is for the good of my pack,” Sebastian explains. “It’s my job to keep everyone safe, and I will not risk their safety on a couple of rogues.”

  I nod, though I do not understand how it feels to be in charge of so many people. What an immense amount of responsibility, and it all rests on his shoulders.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” he says.

  It does not take me long to answer him back. “I wanted to help those people, though I did not plan on getting hurt. Did I upset you?” I ask him, sounding oblivious to the entire situation.

  “Your life is precious, but you put yourself on the line without thinking.”

  “Me and those men, we are not equals, are we? We can’t be because I’m an alpha’s mate and that places me above them, right? It is frightening how I could have been in their place. The gun could have been pointing at my head, but it wasn’t because we’re mates. I may not understand what the alpha has to do, but I don’t think a title should place me above them. I was called a rogue, and I’m sure it was because I am one. Just like those people. My life is not more precious than theirs. If anything, two lives should be worth more than one. Either way, the gun still pointed at me eventually.”

  Sebastian slowly stands up and looks down at me with amusement, pride, shame, or is it guilt? I am too distracted by his body towering over me and his hand that is held out for my use. I reluctantly place my hand in his before standing up myself. He leans towards my ear, and I expect him to whisper to me, but instead, he softly places a kiss on my cheek. The brief action sets my cheeks aflame. I am speechless, forgetting that he is still a stranger to me.

  “Your grandmother should be arriving soon.” He does not let go of my hand as he leads me through the house and towards his office.

  “Why are we going back to the office?” I ask him as he continues towards the two grand gray doors at the end of the hall.

  He swiftly opens them up and lets go of my hand when we get inside. I watch him as he searches through the drawers of the large desk.

  “What are you looking for?” I question and sit down on one of the chairs facing his desk as if an appointment has been made.

  Sebastian answers briefly, “Papers.”

  “For what?” I ask him nosily as he pulls a thin stack of white papers out of a drawer and places them on the surface of the desk.

  “For you to join my pack.”

  “Join your pack?” I repeat as if his statement is now my question.

  He glances up at me, and I feel his eyes study my body, seeming to do everything so smoothly like it is natural.

  “Where’s the restroom?” I ask quickly and rush out of the room after Sebastian tells me it is just down the hall.

  I close the door behind me and suck in a deep breath, needing to talk to someone in particular.

  I turn the faucet on and cup the cold water in my hands before drenching my warm face. My eyes peer up into the mirror, causing me to step back when I find myself peering back at me. I should have expected this, joining my mate’s pack, as I am supposedly the luna. Could this all be happening too quickly? I have not spoken to my grandmother yet. What if she says no? Does she have the authority to stop me from joining this pack? Probably not.

  I groan and lean against the bathroom wall. How am I supposed to be a luna when I have no clue what a luna does? How am I supposed to be a part of a pack when I cannot remember how they work? Did I ever know how they work? I was trapped in an attic for most of my childhood—a time when many children learned these types of things

  “What am I supposed to do?” I mumble into the empty space in front of me.

  “Calm down. This should not be a difficult process.”

  Beside me in the mirror is the Moon Goddess, and she is glowing more than ever.

  “Are you not happy?” she asks, not understanding why I feel this way.

  I let out a short sigh and turn to face her.

  “I guess, I mean, there’s something about him just, just…All of this is happening so quickly. In another second, I’ll be part of a pack again, and—”

  “It is not the same, Evangeline.”

  I look away from her, not believing her words.

  “It is history repeating itself, or at least it will be. I can keep this from my grandmother, but my mate, from what I know, it should be a million times more difficult. I couldn’t keep it from my mother and look what ha
ppened.”

  “I speak the truth when I tell you it is not similar. There is no reason why you should believe he will react in like ways.”

  “There are a ton of reasons why I should believe it.” I argue back. “No sane person would believe me. He’ll think I’m crazy just like everyone else.”

  She pulls away. “Come, your grandmother will arrive any second.”

  I do not enjoy when we argue, as my insecurities always seem to start it. The Moon Goddess is usually right, but this time, it is hard for me to trust her. My mate, Sebastian, does not seem like the type of person who would believe my nonsense. How am I expected to move on if he does indeed find me unstable and crazy? He might as well be wishing for a different mate—someone who could understand his life and his issues.

  Mates are supposed to fit together, to connect, but I fear that we will never be able to all because of who I am. Sebastian is handsome, intimidating, and an alpha, and I worry that I am not enough. It is too early to tell now, but soon he will see that I am unworthy.

  Opening the bathroom door, I come to a halt when I notice Ryker standing on the other side. He looks slightly uncomfortable, as he must feel guilty for what happened earlier.

  “Your grandmother is here.”

  He was given the orders. I understand that. I wish he knew that it was not his fault, as the shooting fiasco was primarily mine. I like to think of a good cause.

  Ryker leads me back towards the living room, and the first person I notice is my grandmother with her arms crossed, sitting on the couch. When she spots me, relief washes over her aged face.

  “Oh thank Goddess,” she breathes out and rushes towards me.

  Immediately, she reels me in with a tight hug and many kisses on my cheeks.

  “My Evangeline, you’re okay. What on earth did you get yourself into?” For a little old lady, she can sure pull off a you-are-in-trouble glare. “What happened to your head? Did these men hurt you?”

  “No, no. It was an accident. Something happened, but everything is okay now.”

  “Alright,” she says uneasily. “You have to come home with me right away, and you’re dreaming if you think I’m letting you venture—”

  “I can’t.” I swallow. Dizzy feelings from earlier seem to be surfacing again. “I found my mate.”

  Her face shifts to a rather blank expression. “What?”

  “I’ve found my mate here.”

  She sits back down, apparently needing a moment to process my words.

  “Your mate. He’s here?” Her eyes look to Ryker.

  “The alpha had to step out for a moment. There was a small problem on the west border,” Ryker explains, defusing any of her questioning thoughts.

  “T-the alpha? The alpha is your mate?”

  I grab her hand. “Yes, Grandma.”

  “Oh dear, I must say that I am surprised. Well, you must stay now. I see that,” she says, still trying to register my words. “W-will you be alright here?”

  My grip on her fragile hand tightens. I do not know if I will be alright here, but I want to tell her yes. I do not want her worrying about me any more than she already does.

  “I think I will be.”

  “Your mate, he is a good man?”

  “I think he is, Grandma.”

  She nods and gazes down at her lap.

  “I wonder what your parents would think of all this—you being mated to an alpha. At least I know you will be safe.”

  I wonder what they would think. Sadly, they may never know, but I cannot hold onto that thought forever. I would like to believe that they would be happy for me, not because he is an alpha, but because I have found my mate. Did they ever think that I would find my mate? They sent me off to my grandmother’s, a secluded house in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. So was that expected to be the end for me?

  “I’ll come see you, make sure you’re doing okay,” I tell her while fighting back threatening tears.

  I do not want to say goodbye. My grandmother took care of me when my parents could not. She loved me when my parents could not, even if she is kept from the truth. She is all I have left of my family.

  “I don’t want you worrying about me because I’ll be okay.”

  Ryker has left the room, giving us the privacy I need.

  “Don’t you worry too much about me either, darling. I’m happy where I am, and I’ve got your grandfather looking after me. Now tell me, what is this alpha’s name?”

  “Sebastian Tate,” I say.

  Her eyes stray away to something behind me. Glancing back, I see my mate standing in the doorway, and my heart skips a beat as my nerves shoot up.

  Chapter 5

  Sebastian wants to speak with my grandmother alone. They ask me to leave the room for a short moment, so I wander the halls of the gigantic house. My mind cannot help but continue to drift to their conversation, though. What are they talking about and why can I not hear it? I feel like a punished child and my parents have yet to come up with the punishment.

  I begin to hear footsteps behind me as I walk down a random hallway, and when I turn to see what is causing the sounds, I spot the dog from earlier, Bruiser. A smile spreads across my face from ear to ear, and I hurry to the chubby pup. He seems to be comfortable with me as my hand lightly strokes his smooth back. Bruiser rolls over so I can rub his tummy, and I let out a small laugh.

  “Evangeline!” Someone calls for me, and I stand up straight.

  “I’m over here,” I call back and slowly make my way towards the beginning of the long, dimly lit hallway.

  Ryker appears around the corner and motions for me to follow him. I pick up my pace until he is right in front of me.

  “Your grandmother has left, and the alpha wants to see you in his office,” he informs me briefly.

  “Wait, she left? But I didn’t get to say goodbye.” I peer up at Ryker with a look of disappointment on my face.

  “The alpha will explain.”

  I do as I am told and follow behind Ryker to the Alpha’s office, having to play the game. When we arrive, Ryker pushes one of the doors open and lets me in. Sebastian is sitting at his desk, shuffling through papers.

  “Why did she leave?” I ask him, and he glances up at me for a second before peering back down.

  “She will be back tomorrow so you can talk to her then.”

  I nod slightly before sitting in one of the two leather seats in front of the desk. I sit silently for about two minutes before I pipe up again.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “They’re working.” This time, Sebastian does not look up at me but keeps writing on one of the many papers.

  “What do they do?”

  “What I tell them.”

  Slowly, I have grown an urge to look at Sebastian, as he is just so handsome. I observe him and take in his features while he is distracted. I want to find out how my mate works and how he functions. I want to know if he desires me as much as I secretly do for him, and since we are bound to be together in a romantic way, I want to be the best person I can be for him.

  “How do packs work?” I question him randomly.

  Sebastian stops, and his gaze lands on me. “Every pack has an alpha, which is the position I hold. Then there is a second in command, who is called the beta, which is the position Andrew holds, and lastly, the third in command is Ryker. We take care of the pack, as we are the leaders, but all answers to me. When the alpha finds his mate, she becomes the luna, the alpha’s equal.”

  A light blush has started to show on my cheeks, and I try to hide it from him.

  “It works as a government. My pack, the Tate Pack, owns this land. We guard to protect it and enforce rules on the pack members.”

  Sebastian stands up from his chair and comes over to me before holding out his hand. I take it and do not ask any questions as he leads me out of the room. His touch spreads a soothing sensation over my body, making me relax, clearing my head of troubling thoughts. My wolf never wants him t
o let go.

  When we reach the top of the stairs, I become too curious. “Where are we going?”

  “To bed.”

  I must have lost track of time, and when I look out one of the windows, it is dark outside, and the moon is high in the sky.

  “Where will I be sleeping?” I glance back at him from the window.

  He leans down to my ear. “With me.”

  A shiver runs down my spine from his warm breath on the side of my cheek. I have never slept with anyone but myself in my own bed. How do you sleep with someone else? And I do not mean sexually. Admittedly, it is not as simple as just lying in the same bed and trying to drift off. I bite my lip and let out a small shaky breath, never having felt so nervous.

  I almost unknowingly nod my head and turn to him, but he does not say anything else and continues to walk to his room. As we near a familiar pair of doors, my heart rate picks up. What should I be expecting?

  What is he expecting from me?

  Moonlight shines through the windows lined along the hallway, creating a dull striped pattern on the floor. Only natural light leads the way to the gates of hell in front of me, or that is at least what the burning sensation in my chest would like to believe. My lungs clench inside of me as if the air pushing up against my body is just not enough to quench their thirst.

  Sebastian walks in front, guiding me towards the nest of fear, anxiety, and surprise. If I can manage to think logically at this moment, I will be expecting rather reasonable things to be behind the doors, but since the irrational side of my mind has taken over, nothing can be so ordinary.

  A spell has been cast over me and over my mind, and it is called the mate bond. Maybe if we were not mates, I would be at home with Grandma, or maybe I would be dead like the rogue they first labeled me as. My body is physically exhausted, beaten up by the constant rush of this never-ending day. I never thought finding my mate would cause me to act mindlessly and frantically as if one more second of my new reality will result in my head bursting.