The Mating Rules

Lauren’s POV

Topen my eyes, turning my head to find my best friend wrapped around me, holding me possessively as he breaths deeply in his sleep. I try to wriggle out of his grip, but his arm tightens across my stomach and he mumbles incoherently, frowning slightly before his forehead smooths and his breathing returns to normal.

I slept with Tyler, Oh Goddess! What have I done? I slept with my best friend! Not just once, but four times over the night. After he took me from behind, we fell into an exhausted sleep only to wake up a few hours later when he brought me to o****m all over again with his mouth. I returned the favour before he hauled me off him and threw me onto the bed, sliding inside of me with a need that was beyond intense. Afterwards, he carried me into the bathroom, climbing in the shower with me where he proceeded to wash me with a care that I couldn’t comprehend. As Tyler washed me, he placed sweet k****s on my lips which turned hungrier before I found myself pinned up against the wall, crying out his name as the warrior buried himself deep inside of me.

My mind reels as images from last night fill my mind, his hands on my body, playing me like he knew every inch. The feel of his fingers digging into my h**s as he pounded into-me, whispering how beautiful I was.

I need to get out of here! Anxiety overwhelming me, I know! need to get back to my own room, away from the Warrior, I just can’t face him right now.

Gingerly, I lift up his arm, sliding out from underneath it and pulling my pillow down in its place. Lowering Tyler’s arm, I watch as he instinctively curls tighter around my pillow, breathing deeply before relaxing

Sliding out of the covers, I quickly pull my panties and Tyler’s t-shirt off the floor from where he threw them last night, and pull them on. Hurrying around the bed, I grab my room key from the small table by the tv, and glance in the full length mirror on the wall cringing at the just f*cked hairstyle I’m sporting. Desperately try to finger comb it, I whisper a curse, before giving up and scurrying to the bedroom door.

Easing open the door, I slip out into the hall, closing it silently behind me before releasing a breath.

“What are you doing?’ an angry hiss sounds behind me and I jump in shock, turning around to find Ellie storming toward me from her own room a few doors down.

“What were you doing in Tyler’s room?’ she demands, ‘is that his shirt?’ she adds, noting my attire.’

“That is none of your business’ I reply, my temper suddenly beginning to rise at the sight of this b***h when I’m already coiled like a spring.

Not my business?’ she growls, stopping inches from me, that is MY boyfriend’s room.’

I meet her gaze, my anger overtaking me, ‘no it isn’t’ I retort, Tyler is not your boyfriend, never was and never will be.’

Ellie’s face reddens before she shakes her head, ‘you don’t know what you are talking about’ she snaps, Tyler and I are Mates! You are disrespecting the Mate bond, what’s wrong worried your own Mate won’t turn up at the Claiming so you are trying to steal mine? Or is it just that you can’t bear for someone else to have what you can’t?’ she continues, stepping closer so we are almost nose to nose.

You are so pathetic Lauren, I wouldn’t be surprised if you faked this memory loss just to make Tyler feel sorry for you. Well, congratulations, you got a pity f*ck, well done for taking advantage of a great guy, you selfish bitch.

Shoving my shoulder with her own, Ellie storms past me, leaving me standing in the hall open mouthed. Hearing noise within the pack house, I quickly run to my own room, shoving the key into my lock with trembling fingers, taking three attempts before I manage to slide it home.

Shoving

open my door, I fall inside, slamming it behind me before sinking against the solid wood and sliding to the floor.

Pulling my knees to my chest, I wrap my arms around my legs as tears run down my cheeks.

I don’t know how long I sit there, but a soft knock on the door has me sucking up the silent sobs as I sit motionless against the door.

‘Ren?’ Tyler’s voice calls through the door, ‘are you in there?

It’s Ty’

I don’t move, listening as he knocks again, calling for me a few times before it falls silent again and I hope hes left.

I need to eat but I can’t face anyone, especially not my best friend, I don’t know what to say to him. What if he says it was a mistake and it should never have happened? How will we go back to being friends after this?

As I wallow in my own thoughts, another knock sounds, making me jump, my back stiffening as I wait to hear Tyler’s voice again.

‘Lauren?’ the sound of Jessica’s voice makes me relax and a sob crawls out of me as my new friend calls out to me again. ‘We know you are in there Lauren’ she continues, open the door.’

Reluctantly, I inch away from the barrier, unlocking the door and pulling it open just enough that I can peek through the gap to find my four friends looking down at me.

‘Oh Laur Taiga sighs, shooing me with her hands before pushing the door open, the four women tumbling into my room and shutting the door behind them before dropping to the floor around me and swallowing me in a hug.

‘Tell us!’ Inaya growls, ‘whose a*s do we need to kick? Who made our girl cry? I swear, I might hate training but I can open a whole can of whoop a*s if I need too!’

Arleth nods grimly, ‘oh we will go full on mama bear on whoever is responsible for these tears’ she agrees, the two girl’s high fiving as I smile weakly at them.

‘Thanks girls’ I mumble, reaching up and wiping my eyes with my palms. 1 appreciate the support, but it’s not necessary, don’t get in trouble with the Alpha over me.’

Inaya snorts, ‘Alpha would have to know it was us’ she replies pointedly.

How can we be blamed if a fellow pack member has an accident, tripping over a wire whilst out in the forest, or maybe they get into bed and there is an entire tub of ice cream halfway down, under the sheets .. ‘ Arleth continues for her friend. ‘Nothing to do with us, just clumsiness and a bit of harmless hazing from a friend.’

I laugh, a genuine smile lifting the corners of my lips as l lean against Jessica who has her arms wrapped around me.

You really are the best friends ever aren’t you’ I murmur appreciatively.

Taiga nods, ‘well obviously’ she retorts, ‘we are super cool!’

Standing up, Jessica holds out a hand to me, waiting for me to take it before hauling me to my feet.

‘OK, if you don’t want to tell us which douche canoe made you cry, we will, grudgingly accept your right to privacy.

BUT, you do need to eat and” she sniffs overtly, ‘damn girl, –

with all the love in the world, you need a shower. So go’ she orders, shoving me toward my bathroom, ‘we’ll find you something cute to wear and then all head down to breakfast

Nodding, I head into the next room as the four women bustle their way into my closet to look through my clothes.

‘Goddess! Look at these shoes’ I hear Inaya whistle as I shut the door, ‘damn, did her dad remortgage the pack house or something? Think she’d let me borrow them?’

I giggle as I push the door closed, a warmth growing inside of the darkness in my soul at these she wolves who treat me like a real friend.

I wash quickly, scrubbing the lingering scent of Tyler off my body, hoping that my friends couldn’t smell him on me, though if they did, I am thankful that they were kind enough to pretend they couldn’t.

Once my skin is pink from how hard I rubbed it, I turn off the water and step out, wrapping a towel around me.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Drying my hair, I look in the mirror above the sink and grimace at my puffy eyes and pale complexion.

Rummaging on the shelf, I grab some concealer, dabbing it under my eyes before applying blush, eyeshadow, and l*p gloss. Taking another glance at the mirror, I can still see my drawn expression underneath, but it was good enough to fool anyone who wasn’t searching for something wrong.

Taking a deep breath, I open the door to my friends crowded around my bed, two outfits laid out as they argued.

‘She needs these jeans’ Taiga argues, waving to some black ripped three quarter lengths, ‘they make her a*s look amazing! Trust me, I saw her in them a few months ago, you could bounce a quarter off her globes.’

‘Damn Tai, do you want to date her?’ Inaya grunts, picking up the cropped jumper from the second outfit and placing it with the jeans,

‘I thought you liked that warrior, what’s her

name… Tia? Have you even made a move yet?!

What? Can’t a girl just give her girlfriends props when they deserve them?’ the she wolf retorts, ‘I told you that your boobs looked droolworthy in that new push up bra you bought.’

Inaya grins, ‘fine, but my boobs did look awesome in that bra’ she agrees, ‘how could anyone not be impressed. They were so fine, I’m surprised that no one tried to slip a folded up twenty between them.’

‘Oh, and for your information, I am playing the long game with Tia, I’m wooing her slowly, when I make my move she’ll be unable to resist me’ Tiaga adds with a pout.

My snigger has them spinning around to face me, Jessica’s face brightening as I give them a self-conscious wave.

You look so much better’ she gushes, hurrying over to grab my arm and pull me toward the bed. ‘We’ve narrowed it down to these two outfits, but some of us’ she throws a glare over at her friends, ‘are arguing over which pants!”

I nod, looking at the options, ‘I do like the ripped ones’ I admit, ‘my a*s does look spectacular in them I add with a grin toward Taiga who fist pumps the air.

“Yes!’ she crows, ‘see, I told you! I know my asses!’

Yes, yes, you are the group’s a*s expert’ Inaya dismisses, ‘ all hail Taiga, queen of the asses.’

Taiga grabs one of my balled-up socks and throws it at her friend as the rest of us giggle.

‘I’ll take the ripped jeans, red crop top and …’ I eye the underwear before glancing at the girls in front of me, ‘you needed to pick my underwear?’

Arleth nods sagely, ‘everyone knows a girl’s undies dictate her mood.’ She picks up the black and hot pink lace bra, waving at me, ‘this will have you confident, sexy and knowing you are above whoever it was that upset you’ she declares.

Shaking my head, I grab the clothes, heading back into the bathroom, only to step out moments later, fully dressed with my wet hair pulled up into a messy bun.

“You look fabulous dahhhhling’ Taiga gushes in her best impersonation of one of those over the top women from a TV show.

“Let’s go!’ Jessica claps her hands, ‘breakfast is almost over so we should have the dining room to ourselves though there won’t be much food.’

The others g***n unhappily as we file out of my room, heading downstairs, my four new friends surrounding me like a guard as I keep my head down, not wanting to see or speak to anyone right now.