The Mating Rules

I take a deep breath, swallowing down my anger at the abrupt Council woman who is watching me smugly. The old witch is trying to push my buttons, make me overstep so that she can force my father to do what she wants.

‘Of course not Council woman Allegra’ I reply, forcing a gentle smile to my lips, ‘but as Council Man Isaiah said, it is an important day when an Alpha finds his Luna. We are deeply entwined already, should anything try to come between us, it would greatly weaken me and in turn this pack.’

The woman raises and eyebrow and I can see her calculating her next move, ‘maybe you should have thought about that before you broke werewolf law’ she replied tartly.

I frown, pretending confusion, ‘oh I agree, our situation is unorthodox’ I nod sagely, ‘but exactly who are we hurting with a double mating? I’ve looked through many books in our packs library and there doesn’t seem to be any record of another double mating or a reason why this law exists.’

Allegra’s mouth tightens into a line, ‘it is not for you to question our laws pup’ she huffs angrily.

‘I think what Alpha Caden is trying to say, though very ineloquently’ Greg butts in, giving me a silent glare that says shut up right now. ‘Is that there was never an intention for a double mating, Jamie-Lee is my daughter and I can tell you that she has spent sleepless nights agonizing over the decision on who to choose. It was always their intent for one male to claim her.’

Allegra sniffs in disdain, ‘I see, so what happened? Did both of the young men in question trip over and land on her neck with their teeth extended?’

The Beta chuckles good humouredly, ‘no council woman Allegra, from what I understand, it was a situation of their wolves getting carried away in the moment. As we are all aware, our wolf sides are hard to rein in when they are around their unclaimed mate. We may have overestimated the boy’s ability to control their animal sides after so much time.’

From behind his desk, my father nods, ‘Jamie-Lee is a delightful young woman’ he adds, ‘such a sweet and kind nature, it was breaking her to try and choose. That pain would have been unbearable to both my son’s wolf and the warrior who she was also paired with. Their wolves would have been constantly anxious over her own wolf’s pain.’

Allegra glances at the man beside her who is leaning back in his chair, a small smile tugging at his lips. ‘Ah Allegra’ he sighs, ‘we are aware that the she wolf in question was not marked until mere days before the full moon. Those wolves, especially that of Alpha Caden, must have been finding it harder and harder to leave the girl unmarked. Their bonds would have been strengthening each day that they were around her. Can we really sit here and argue over the situation when it was a case of two strong wolves doing what they are ingrained to do, protect their mate?’

The older woman huffs, ‘so what? We just throw out our laws because two upstart pups couldn’t keep their teeth in their mouths?’ she demands, it seems completely unconcerned with the story my and Jamie-lee’s fathers are spieling. ‘We have rules for a reason Isaiah, and to allow this to go unpunished just opens up the doors for other magical creatures to disregard the law.’

Isaiah nods slowly, turning to Jamie-Lee’s father with an apologetic grimace, ‘my learned friend does have a point’ he says dejectedly. ‘I understand how this has happened and I sympathise deeply but we do have to think about the rest of the magical world. We cannot allow what has happened to slide, not just because it is our law that a wolf may not have more than one mate, but also to prevent further disregard to our rules. If we allow one to slip through, how do we then punish the next creature to do wrong? We must be seen to be unbiased to all, so that every creature in this realm knows that they will be given a fair trial and any punishment awarded will be relative to the crime that they commit.’

I clench my fists in my lap, keeping my eyes anywhere but on these two people who are trying to rip apart my mate’s life.

‘So what are you proposing, Isaiah?’ my father asks slowly, ‘what is the punishment for their dual mating.’

The Council man sighs, ‘that is not for me to decide, I’m afraid’ he responds ruefully. ‘Allegra and I are merely here to listen to your side of the situation and report back to the Council, who will then decide if a trial is needed or what kind of punishment will be forwarded to the law breakers. Regardless, all three will need to present to the Council at the time stated to them.’

My dad nods, ‘what do you think will be the outcome?’ he murmurs, his gaze steady on the other man who runs his hand over his stubbled chin as he thinks.

‘I really don’t know’ the Council man admits, ‘it could be a fine on the pack for allowing the situation to transpire or it could be imprisonment for any and all parties, or something in between the two.’

A growl rumbles in my chest, as I lean forward, ‘if there is a prison sentence then I will do all three’ I snap forcefully.

‘It doesn’t work like that young man’ Council woman Allegra replied cuttingly, glaring at me. ‘You cannot just decide to do someone else’s punishment, this is not a movie, and you can’t volunteer as tribute.’

She snaps her gaze back to my father, leaning forward in her seat as she raps her knuckles sharply on his desk, ‘now’ she orders, ‘where is the girl? She needs to be presented to us.’

Jamie-Lee’s POV

It’s the day that the council members are coming to the pack house, and I’m holed up in Hadley’s house with the warrior as Caden heads up to the Alpha’s office to greet the Council members who should be here any minute.

Hadley is pacing anxiously in front of me as I sit on the couch biting my thumb nail. My whole body is screaming at me to call my mate back, something doesn’t feel right, and I don’t know if it’s just the uncertainty that’s got me in such a state.

‘It will be OK sweetheart’ Hadley sighs as he sits down next to me, pulling me into his chest as his arms circle around me protectively.

‘I’m worried’ I mutter into his chest, ‘what if they haul Caden off in chains or tie him up in the courtyard and whip him?’

Hadley’s chest vibrates as he laughs, ‘this is not the nineteen hundreds sweetheart’ he rumbles in amusement, ‘we don’t whip people any more.’

I huff, burying my face into his t-shirt, inhaling his scent which helps me relax, ‘they might bring it back’ I mumble, ‘especially for us because we broke a huge law.’

The warrior shakes his head, ‘trust Caden’ he murmurs into my hair, ‘he isn’t just going to roll over and let the Council walk all over him.’

I nod, biting down on my l*p, silently willing myself to believe what Hadley is saying.

‘He’ll come back’ I mutter, more to myself than the man beside me, ‘he won’t go anywhere with them, not without me.’

Hadley nods, pressing his lips to my temple. ‘you know it’ he replies with conviction, ‘no one is dragging that Alpha wolf from his Luna.’ He tilts my head so I’m looking at him and smirks, ‘this is one of the few times that his stubbornness will work in his favour.’

A small giggle leaves my lips as I relax slightly, my mate will come home, I’m just being silly.

I stand up, moving toward the window and peeking through the drapes toward the pack house. I can just make out the doorway and as I watch, my father hurries out of the front door and jumps into one of the pack SUV’s, pulling out of the driveway and heading toward the border.

I twist the thick fabric of the curtain around my finger as I wait anxiously until the large silver truck pulls back up outside of the pack house and my dad climbs out, rounding the side of the vehicle to open the passenger side door.

A small woman takes my father’s hand, allowing him to help her down from the tall vehicle, straightening up and tightening colourful shawls around her shoulders as she studies the building in front of her.

The back door opens moments later, and a tall male steps out, he looks to be wearing an expensive suit and the way it molds to his body makes me think it’s tailor made.

His head moves around the area, taking in all the homes on the other side of the training ground until my father gets his attention and leads them inside.

‘They are here’ I murmur over my shoulder, feeling Hadley come up behind me and carefully remove the curtain from my hand, pulling me back.

‘The Alpha, Caden and your father will take care of it’ he says firmly, taking my hand and pulling me away from the window and toward the kitchen. ‘Come on’ he orders, ‘I’m going to make you something to eat.’

I shake my head as he tugs me along behind him, ‘I can’t eat’ I mutter, ‘I’m too nervous, I’ll just throw it all back up.’

Hadley glances at me over his shoulder, winking, ‘don’t worry sweetheart’ he replies, ‘I know what to make you that you will want to eat.’

Pushing me onto a stool, he moves around the kitchen, pulling out bowls and ingredients, turning the stove on to warm before he washes his hands and begins to measure.

‘What are you making?’ I ask, eyeing the bar of chocolate beside the mixing bowl, curious despite myself.

The warrior grins, ‘Chocolate and salted caramel triple layer cake’ he replies, his smirk widening as a g***n of longing leaves me.

It only takes twenty minutes before the cake is in the oven, Hadley is mixing up the filling and I’m sat on my stool with a spatula in my hand, licking the mixture off like I’m still six years old.

‘I thought you weren’t hungry’ the warrior teases.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I shrug, ‘everyone knows that cake doesn’t go to the same place as normal food’ I reply, ‘and anyway, calories don’t count if you are upset.’

Hadley nods thoughtfully, ‘good to know’ he says with a wink, ‘I’ll make sure to only make cakes when you are upset from now on.’

My eyes widen as I still, my tongue out millimetres from the spatula as I eye the man in front of me. ‘Now I didn’t just say when you are upset’ I amend quickly, ‘they also don’t count if you are heartbroken, pregnant, after s*x or on your period.’

The warrior’s smile widens as he leans across the table between us and runs his tongue up the back of my spatula, stealing some of my mixture. ‘Duly noted’ he murmurs before straightening up and continuing to stir the frosting as I try not to fidget in my seat from just how erotic it was to watch him licking cake mixture.

As Hadley pulls the cakes from the oven, his eyes glaze over, a frown forming on his face. As his gaze clears, he looks at me uncertainly, ‘the council are demanding to meet you’ he says worriedly.

And suddenly I’m no longer in the mood for cake anymore.