The Mating Rules

I’m sorry Laur Jessica g****s as we trail off the field, ‘but training still sucks and I don’t care how upbeat you are when trying to explain moves to us, it is still not fun.

The other three girls mutter their agreements as I skip along beside them back toward the pack house, a little flutter of pleasure running through me at the nickname that has been bestowed upon me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Aww come on, it wasn’t that bad’ I cajole. I only got to do some warmups and basic moves by myself, but it was still amazing to be back doing something I loved.

As we round the corner to the packhouse we walk into a gaggle of girls coming the other way. We all stop, staring at each other in surprise before one of the girls steps through the group and places a hand on her chest.

“Lauren?’ she gasps in shock, “oh! We haven’t seen you in ages!’

I nod, focusing on the girl in front of me, who is studying the four she wolves behind me curiously.

1 was in the clinic, I got released a couple of days ago’ l reply, I’m sorry, who are you?’

The she wolf’s lips part slightly before she smiles, ‘Oh yes, you lost your memory’ she coos, pouting sympathetically, ‘ how awful for you-Well, I’m your very best friend Ophelia, we like literally do everything together, isn’t that right guys?’ she adds, to her entourage who mutter their agreements.

She beams widely at me as I glance back at my new friends questioningly, ‘I thought Tyler was my best friend’ | mutter.

Ophelia shrugs, well of course he is, but I’m like your best female friend, and everyone here is your friends, but you probably don’t remember that either, it would certainly explain your current … companions. The She wolf flicks a look of disdain at the girls behind me that irritates me and my wolf immediately

‘Oh, well it’s just peachy to meet you, though I’m a little surprised you are my very best friend and to hear that all these people are my good friends’ I bite back with a fake smile firmly in place, ‘as I don’t remember a single one of you visiting me in the clinic whilst I was there.’

The She wolf’s face flushes at my words, anger flickering in her gaze before she smooths her features. “Well, you know how it is Lauren, the clinic is full of sick wolves, we didn’t want to get ill by visiting you, we were just waiting for you to come out, l’m sure you understand.’

I nod, ‘oh I understand’ I reply, a growl rumbling in my throat, though as werewolves with crazy fast healing abilities, we don’t tend to get sick do we? Nearly everyone who ends up in the clinic has been injured badly in battle or is giving birth. I may be wrong, but I’m pretty sure you can’t catch a broken leg’er claw marks to the chest, let alone get pregnant from being near a birthing she wolf.’

I let the smile drop from my face, glaring openly at each of the wolves in front of me as they avoid my gaze. ‘As for my current companions’ I continue, ‘these are my friends, my REAL friends and I’ll thank you not to be so damn disrespectful toward them. If you speak about them or to them, you better be damn sure that you aren’t trying to make them feel bad about themselves or well be having a problem, OK?’

I toss my hair over my shoulder and push past Ophelia, making sure to bump her shoulder hard as I call back, ‘ come on girls, if we’re going to watch that movie, we need to get going.

As we walk into the foyer, Inaya grabs me, spinning to face her before crushing me in a hug, THAT. WAS. AWESOME!’ she yells excitedly, ‘1 can’t believe you did that! She’s going to be so pissed!’

I peek over her shoulder at the other three girls who nod, ‘1 can’t believe you just slapped her down like that, they were your crowd, you were always with them’ Taiga chimes in.

I frown, ‘they are not friends’ I huff, ‘friends turn up when you need them, they accept you as you are,

those people

out there? They are users and I don’t want to be around them if they are going to treat my real friends the way that Ophelia girl just did.’

Jessica squeals, wrapping her arms around me and Inaya, we’re your real friends!’ she whisper shouts, like, we are really your friends!’

I laugh, untangling myself from the pair, ‘of course you are, what did you think I was here for?’

Jessica bites her l*p as she glances at her best friend before looking back at me, ‘we might have been worried that when you got your memory back, you’d realise that we aren’t the cool pack members that you usually hang out with and you’d

My eyes widen as I look around at the rest of the group who all nod guiltily, ‘no way’ I growl, ‘you girls are my friends, and you will always be my friends whether my memory comes back or not. I certainly won’t be dumping you for those plastic fakes out there, I can’t believe that they were my friends!’

Arleth giggles, ‘we used to say the same thing’ she confides, we never understood why someone like you hung around with people like that. Tyler always refused to hang out if you were with them, so it surprised a lot of us that you allowed them to follow you around.’

A pang of pain flickers in my chest at the mention of Tyler’s name, but I push it aside, instead focusing on the four girls standing around me.

What do you say we all get washed up and meet up for lunch?’ I ask, everyone nodding as Inaya sniffs the air.

“I think it’s lasagne she g****s appreciatively, oh I hope so!” Mmmm with garlic bread and new potatoes’ Arleth agrees making all of us m**n loudly.

‘Last one down from their shower has to clear up all our plates!’ Taiga yells as she breaks into a run toward the stairs.

You damn cheat!’ Inaya roars, taking off after her as the rest of us laugh and hurry to catch up, doors slamming along the corridor as they disappear inside, leaving me to head up to the next level where the Elite warriors live.

**

‘Ren?’ Tyler’s voice stops me as I walk out of the kitchen with my friends where we have been hunting for snacks to consume while we have a game night. I turn around, to find the warrior leaning on a wall nearby watching me.

I’ll catch you girls up’ I say, ‘don’t you dare let Taiga eat all the jellybeans before I get there I add, with a mock growl at the girl who giggles and shrugs.

1 make no promises’ she sing songs as they all wave and walk away.

Turning back, I walk toward the warrior, stopping feet from him so that there is a gap between us. I don’t know what it is, but every time I get near him, I have problems thinking clearly.

“Hey’ I greet him, with a nervous smile

‘Hey’ he replies, shoving his hands into the front pocket of his jeans as he stares at the floor.

‘Sooooo’ I start after a long awkward pause where neither of us spoke, ‘you wanted me for something?’

Tyler raises his head, his deep blue eyes holding my own, ‘I was going to ask if you wanted to have that movie night now’ he rumbles, ‘but it looks like you already have plans!’

I nod, glancing toward the stairs where the girls had already disappeared, heading toward the large recreation room on the first floor.

“We were going to play some games in the recreation room’ I murmur, ‘Taiga says she’s the best at pool, and I can’t remember if I even know how to play so I thought what the hell, why not challenge her to a game.’ I laugh nervously, nibbling on my lower l*p as the warrior’s gaze drops to my mouth, a heat burning in his gaze for a moment before his eyes snap back to mine.

‘Don’t you have plans with Ellie?’ I ask quickly as the air around us thickens, ‘won’t she a bit funny about me hanging out in your room at night?’

“Why would it bother her?’ he frowns in confusion.

I shrug, ‘well she is your girlfriend” I mutter, I’d be a bit funny if a random she wolf was curling up in my boyfriend’s bedroom.’

“Woah woah woah!” Tyler growls, making me jump.

what the hell? Who told you Ellie is my girlfriend?’

lopen my mouth, unsure how to answer, ‘she’s not?’ I manage to stammer.

“No!” Tyler huffs curtly,

‘not now and never will be! I have no

interest in Ellie!’

‘Oh’ that’s all I can think to say as my mind swirls, but she said.

Tyler’s face darkens, ‘she said what?’

Nothing’ | mutter, stepping back slightly from the anger radiating off of my best friend.

‘What did she say Lauren’ he snarls, his eyes darkening as his wolf surfaces.

‘She said that you were together and just waiting for the full moon, that you were Mates. She said that I was causing problems in your relationship because you were always running over to the clinic to see me instead of being with her’

The warrior growls loudly, his claws starting to extend as my eyes widen in horror. Instinctively, I step into him, wrapping my arms around his torso, pulling him against me.

‘Shhhh Tyron’ I murmur softly, speaking to his wolf, ‘calm down, it’s OK, just breathe.’

‘She lied’ the wolf snarls angrily, ‘human has no interest in any she wolf but our Mate, not do I. Our Mate is the only she wolf that we will accept in our bed and in our heart, she needs to be put in her place.

1 know Tyron’ I continue to sooth the riled warrior wolf, ‘but you don’t want to do something you’ll regret, the Alpha won’t want you tearing up a lower ranking wolf.’

Tyron’s chest rumbles his displeasure, but his claws slowly retract as Tyler takes back control, his arms wrapping tightly around me as he buried his face in my neck.

‘Thank you’ he mutters, ‘he was ready to hunt her down, he’s still very agitated but he has backed down, he listens to you.’

I nod against his chest, ‘at least he’s given bac control’ I reply thankfully, ‘I’m sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut.’

Tyler pulls away, staring down at me, ‘no you shouldn’t he huffs, ‘1 don’t want you thinking I’m with Ellie, Goddess, would never.. how could you think I would ..’

I pat his chest with my hand, ‘hey’ I protest, ‘you were with her all the time and always helping her with stuff, why would I think she was lying?’

Tyler rolls his eyes, ‘because you kept telling me too’ he grumbles, ‘every time I tried to hang out with you, you’d push me to do stuff for her and walk away!’

I can’t help it, 1 start to laugh at his disgruntled expression, the warrior’s face softening until he starts to chuckle 100.

“Goddess, do you know how crazy I was going about you constantly forcing me to hang out with her?’ he g****s, the girl is a pain in my a*s! I was forever trying to shake her off.’

I’m sorry’ I giggle, pressing my head to his hard chest, ‘1 really thought I was doing you a favour.’

Tyler sighs, shaking his head, ‘well you weren’t he huffs, ‘so now you owe me.’

My laughter dies as I look up at him, finding that heated gaze back on me again.

I lick my lips nervously, his eyes following the flick of my tongue, ‘In what way?’

You owe me my movie night’ he orders, ‘1 know you got your girl thing planned, but you are going to tell them you need to raincheck because you seriously messed up with your best friend.’

I stiffen slightly, unsure how to respond, I’m already aware that this guy makes my mind go funny, can I survive a night in his room, just the two of us?’

Tyler’s eyes cloud over for a second before clearing as he smirks down at me, ‘never mind” he grins, 1 just linked Jessica and told her that you forgot about your date night with me. They understand’ he rumbles, the sound curling through me, making me shudder slightly.

Grabbing my hand, he drags me toward the stairs, pulling me up them and toward my room so that I can change into my sleepwear.

‘Date night?’ I repeat to myself as he uses his key to open my door and strides inside, heading for my closet to find something for me to wear.