The Mating Rules

Lauren’s POV

I manage to eat the rest of my meal, trying not to focus on the charged air that seems to surround my best friend and I.

I’m thankful to escape, when Tyler reluctantly tells me that he has border patrol. As he says goodbye, I can feel him hesitating for what felt like a fraction longer than necessary before walking away, his head down slightly.

I decide that as I have nothing else to do, I might as well head to the Gym to start working out again. The doctor said I needed to build up my strength gradually, and to stay away from the treadmill and weights, but I can always use the bike or rowing machine just to keep my body moving.

Walking into the large room, my gaze is drawn to the row of treadmills, and I wonder which one was the cause of my memory loss.

‘Tyler felt so guilty,’ Ellie’s voice filters through my mind like the whisper of a ghost.

I shake my head, no, Tyler is my friend, he wouldn’t have hurt me, I don’t believe it.

Forcing my gaze away from the mirrored wall and the walking machines of evil, I head toward the few cycle machines and climb into the seat of one,

Looking over the display, I follow the instructions and set the timer for ten minutes before I start to peddle.

I hum along to the music that’s being piped through the speakers, enjoying the burn in my underused muscles, gradually increasing my speed as I watch the number on the screen climb, telling me how far I’ve ridden.

Next I move to the rowing machine, strapping my feet to the pegs before unhooking the bar and starting to pull.

‘Hey Lauren’ a voice calls out beside me before a huge, muscular warrior sits down beside me, throwing me a smile that I think is supposed to be flirtatious but doesn’t do a lot for me.

‘Uh, hi’ I reply, continuing to row, unsure if I should just blurt out that I don’t know who he is or wing it and hope he throws his name in to the conversation at some point.

‘Don’t remember me huh?’ he asks, as I glance over at him to find him watching me in amusement.

‘Sorry, no’ I reply for what feels like the millionth time today.

The warrior holds his hand out toward me and I slowly place the bar back in its cradle before taking it, feeling the roughness of his palm against my own.

‘My name is Koa’ he informs me, holding on to my hand for a few moments longer than necessary, ‘we train together in Elite warrior training.’

I nod uncertainly, ‘OK’ I reply, ‘well it’s nice to meet you.’ Feeling a little uncomfortable, I pull my hand from his and quickly grab the bar to start rowing again.

Koa starts to row beside me, keeping time with my rhythm, and I can feel his gaze on me.

Unable to deal with the tension, I give in and start talking again, ‘so, do we spar against each other?’ I ask.

Koa laughs, shaking his head, ‘no’ he replies in amusement, ‘I’d never fight you, I might hurt you.’

I bristle at his words, turning toward him as Laila raises her head in my mind, a low growl leaving her.

‘You might hurt me?’ I repeat icily, ‘I’m a Beta born wolf and you are . . .’ I trail off, as I’m not sure what he is.

‘I’m an elite warrior’ Koa replies with a sympathetic look that does nothing but annoy me further. ‘But I’m a man, so I’m naturally stronger, it’s nothing to be ashamed of, and I’d never want to hurt someone as pretty as you’ he adds.

My annoyance grows, ‘you’re a man?’ I snort derisively, ‘so that means you might hurt me or any other she wolf? Wow!’

The warrior seems to finally realise that he might not be charming me like he thinks he is, ‘I mean . . well obviously you are strong, it’s just biology isn’t it’ he back peddles.

I slide the bar back into it’s housing and wipe my face before giving him a saccharine smile. ‘Oh yes’ I agree, ‘it’s definitely biology, and that same biology says that as a Beta’s daughter, I am naturally stronger than a warrior whether he is an Elite warrior or not.’ I glare at him as I stand up and throw my towel over my shoulder. ‘Maybe remember that the Goddess is a female, she created us, do you really think that she’d make she wolves weaker than werewolves?’ I lean closer to his shocked face, ‘I don’t need you or anyone else to protect me, Koa? Was it? So maybe next time we’re training together, don’t be such a p***y and hide behind this crap of you are worried you’ll hurt me, and just own the fact you are scared to be shown up by a woman.’

Giving him one last disdainful look, I turn on my heel and walk out of the gym, heading back to my room for another shower and to change my clothes.

Walking into my room, I once again strip off my clothes, jumping back into the shower to wash off the sweat from my body before picking out some jeans and a warm sweater to wear.

Getting dressed, I glance around my room, unsure what to do with myself now. I’d intended to work out for a good few hours but the i***t warrior had put an end to that idea.

Running a finger over my vanity, I lift it to my face and scrunch up my nose at the dust I’ve collected. Seems like a room clean wouldn’t go amiss.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Hurrying out of the room and down the corridor, I open one of the cupboards, relieved to find all the cleaning supplies I could ever need stacked neatly on the shelves.

Grabbing a dust cloth and some polish, I contemplate for a moment before also picking up some garbage bags, might as well go all in if I’m going to clean. I can’t remember how long ago it was I cleaned my room so I might as well be prepared for wrappers and empty bottles.

Heading back to my room, I grab a hair tie, throwing my long brown hair up into a ponytail before getting to work.

Going through each of the bottles on my vanity, I’m surprised to find all of them mostly full, maybe I was a real neat freak? Did I always throw away empty bottles as soon as I was done?

Shrugging I continue, digging through drawers and crawling under my bed to again be hit with nothing. Goddess, just how clean am I?

Giving up on finding anything to throw out, I start to spray polish on each of the units, carefully wiping the thin film of dust away. Once done, I replace each bottle and box in its original place, and wipe down my mirror.

Stepping back, I study my handiwork, nodding to myself, not a bad job and it took me . . . I check my watch and g***n, it’s been twenty minutes.

Throwing the duster onto the chair beside my vanity, I drop down on the edge of my bed with a disgruntled huff. I am beginning to see that my dad was right, I do not like to be sat around doing nothing.

On my bedside table, I spot a small wooden box, with my initials painted on the top in gold.

Reaching over, I pick it up, though small, it weighs heavily in my hand, telling me that it’s well made from solid wood.

I inch open the top, a smile tilting up my lips as a small ballerina starts to turn on a spring, soft music coming from inside. In front of the moving figure there are piles of jewellery and I place the box back on the unit so I can lift each piece out.

The first is a necklace with a jade coloured pendant, I rub my thumb over the stone, wondering who gave it to me before sighing and placing it to the side.

Next is a gold hairclip in the shape of a butterfly with rhinestones decorating the wings. The fuzzy image of me putting it in my hair comes to me but as soon as I try to focus on it, it moves away not quite letting me grasp it.

More necklaces and a few bracelets follow the first two items, and I hold each one, willing some sort of memory to come back to me.

As my fingers brush the next bracelet, a gold cuff bracelet that has small stars etched into the metal, each one with a diamonte placed in the centre.

Lifting it out, I turn it between my fingers, feeling the design, though the hope of remembering anything has already faded.

As I turn to place it next to everything else, the light catches the inside, highlighting words that have been engraved into the metal.

Placing it closer to my eyes, I tilt the bracelet back and forth, trying to make out what is written.

‘To Lauren, may you always shine bright like the stars, love Jamie-Lee.’

My hands still as I read the words again, the fog in my mind lifting to show me a younger me, maybe seven or eight years old. I’m standing by the coffee table in my parents’ house, and Jamie-Lee is kneeling down beside me, a box in her hands. Handing it to me, I eagerly rip the bow off to find out what’s inside only to lift out the bracelet.

‘It’s so no matter where I am, I’ll always be with you’ my sister says warmly. ‘I know you don’t like me living at the pack house now, so this way, I’m still with you even though I sleep somewhere else.’

My eyes widen as I grip the bracelet tightly, ‘I remember’ I whisper in shock, ‘I remember my sister!’