The Mating Rules

‘Where are we going?’ I ask warily, we’re in Hadley’s truck and instead of heading out of the pack lands, we’ve turned off and are following a narrow track around the edge of the forest.

Hadley smiles, carefully navigating the bumpy track as the sun beats down on us from above. Though he’s supposed to get what Caden does, so should have got an evening with me, he asked if I’d mind a day date. ‘You’ll see’ he replies cryptically, ignoring my annoyed look.

When we ran out of road, Hadley slowed the truck to a stop and pulled it to the side of the track, cutting the engine and jumping out. Joining him, I slipped my hand into his, looking around in confusion as he tugged my hand and started to lead the way through the woods in front of us.

The air was silent around us, as though even the forest creatures were reluctant to make any noise. Stepping out into a clearing I falter at the rows of wooden crosses hammered into the ground. Hadley merely squeezes my hand, pulling me forward as I stumble along behind him.

Passing each grave marker, he finally stops beside two, kneeling down and brushing away the dead leaves that litter the ground as I sink down beside him.

I gaze over at the two markers that read Hadley’s parents names, a lump forming in my throat.

‘Hey mum, hey dad’ the warrior murmurs, smiling down at the graves, his hands clasped in his lap. ‘I wanted to bring someone to meet you, this is Jamie-Lee, she is my mate.’

He reaches out and takes my hand as I grip it tightly, ‘Hi Mr and Mrs Carrington’ I whisper, ‘it’s really nice to meet you.’

Hadley smiles sadly, ‘you always said that I’d end up with the most beautiful mate mum and you were right’ he continues. ‘Can you believe how lucky I am?’ He clears his throat, not looking toward me, ‘I wanted you to meet her, things are a bit complicated and I didn’t want you to miss your chance to see who the Goddess chose for me.’

Tears prick the back of my eyes as I blink, knowing that he’s talking about the impossible choice I need to make. He wanted me to meet his parents before the full moon just in case it isn’t him I pick and the realisation hurts more than anything else so far.

‘I know you would have liked her so much mum, and dad, you would have wanted to sit me down and remind me about how precious a mate is, how I need to do what ever it takes to make her happy.’ The warrior wiped his cheek with the back of his free hand, ‘I just wanted to tell you not to worry. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure this woman right here has the most perfect life she can have.’

I reach out, linking my fingers through the warrior’s as we sit in front of his parents final resting place. I’ve never had to come here, funerals are usually between the Alpha and the family and close friends who lost someone. The only time others from the pack come to pay respects is if it’s a high ranking wolf or the deceased has no family to mourn for them.

My parents have been to a few and I’m pretty sure that they came to Hadley’s parents as my dad worked with Mr Carrington on patrol sometimes.

‘Do you come here often?’ I ask quietly, feeling like I’m disturbing a place where words shouldn’t be uttered.

Hadley shrugs, ‘I used too’ he replies, ‘after they first passed, I’d come every day. Clear the leaves from their graves, pull weeds out of the plots you know. Didn’t want anything to taint where they are. After a while though I realised that I didn’t need to be by their graves to be with them. My mum was always at the rink, watching me skate around the ice. My dad was in the kitchen at home, and they are both in the living room. I can feel them, their love, and I know mum was giving me her look, the one that told me I needed to get my head out of my a*s and carry on living.’

I giggle at his words as he gives me a shy smile, ‘my mum, she wasn’t one for moaning about the cards she got dealt. Pick yourself up Hadley, she’d say, because no one else is going to brush off your knees when you fall.’

I push up from my knees, walking to the edge of the forest and picking some wild flowers before returning and laying a few on each grave.

Hadley stands up beside me, taking my hand in his as we look down at his parents silently, no words needing to be said.

Walking back toward his truck, I stay silent, sensing that my mate wants to just draw comfort from me. Reaching his vehicle, he opens my door, holding my hand as I climb in before reaching over me to fasten my seatbelt. I don’t argue, just let him do what he wants and he gives me a small appreciative smile before shutting my door and heading around to the driver’s side.

Sliding behind the wheel, Hadley puts the truck into reverse, backing us up into a small turning spot that has been flattened over time and heading back toward the pack.

‘Thank you’ he says suddenly, as I jerk my head around from the passenger side window that I was staring out of. ‘For not laughing when I sat talking to their graves’ he adds, noting my confusion. ‘I know it’s stupid, sitting in front of a pile of dirt, that they can’t hear me, let alone see you, but I just . . ‘

I place my hand on his as it rests on the gear stick, ‘it was an honour to meet them’ I say firmly. ‘I just hope they liked me, I’d not want your mum to be looking down from the Goddess’ garden saying, I thought he’d do better.’

I smile to show that I’m teasing and my mate chuckles, ‘more likely she’s sat wondering how I managed to hook myself the most perfect girl as my mate’ he replied gruffly. ‘She loved me, no doubt, but I don’t think she ever thought I’d score the Beta’s eldest daughter as my other half, honestly, neither did I.’

I laugh, my head falling back as he glances over at me, watching me, ‘you make me sound so much more amazing than I am’ I grin, ‘trust me, I’m not all that.’

Hadley shakes his head, his fingers looping over mine, ‘you are to me’ he murmurs simply, making me blush.

‘Come on, you’ve had loads of girls chasing after you, look at you, all those muscles and sexy bad boy vibes, are you seriously trying to tell me that none of them flicked an iota of interest?’ I prod.

The warrior shakes his head, ‘nope’ he says firmly, ‘I waited for my mate.’

My hand slips from his as I stare at him, ‘I’m sorry?’ I gulp, sure I must have misheard him, the guy is twenty six!

Hadley looks over at me, his expression serious, ‘I waited for my mate’ he repeated. ‘I have never taken a she wolf to bed, didn’t want too, I only wanted my mate.’

‘But you’re twenty six’ I stammer, pulling at the neck line of my t-shirt.

The warrior shrugs, ‘so?’ he asks, ‘does that mean I have to sleep with someone I don’t love?’

‘Well, no, obviously, you only sleep with people you want too’ I hurry out, trying to get my brain to engage again. ‘It’s just . . . ‘

‘What?’ Hadley encourages in amusement.

‘You’re so hot! How can you not have had s*x!’ I blurt out, OK brain is still not working properly.

‘Because I didn’t want too’ the werewolf repeats easily, ‘and I’m not ashamed of that. I want to share my first time with the woman I’m going to grow old with, I want a bond with her that no-one else has with me. My soul belongs to my mate, so my body should as well.’

A heavy pit forms in my stomach as I turn my face away, ‘I um . . I didn’t wait’ I admit, so quietly I’m not sure he even heard me.

The fingers around my hand tighten slightly before the warrior replies, ‘I didn’t expect you too have’ he said softly. ‘This was something I believed in but I never expected my mate to have the same ideals. Does it bother me that someone else has had the pleasure of my mate? Absolutely! But not enough that I can’t push it too the back of my mind. It doesn’t matter who came before sweetheart, only that if you pick me, I’m the only one in your future.’

I swallow harshly, still reeling from this gorgeous man’s revelation ‘So um’ I start, licking my lips nervously, ‘have you done any of the stuff, we . . you know’ I finish lamely, waving my hand between us.

Hadley grins as he shakes his head, ‘no’ he chuckles, ‘you have been my first in all of these things.’C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.

‘Why?!’ I can’t help but blurt out, ‘I mean, I know I’m your mate, but what if . .’ I can’t bring myself to complete my sentence.

‘What if you choose Caden?’ Hadley offers with a tinge of sadness, ‘then I will always carry a memory of you. Even if I don’t get to experience my first with my mate, I got to give you some of them and that means a lot.’

I blow out a breath, facing the front again as we move slowly back down the dirt track. ‘Was it . . . OK?’ I eventually ask nervously.

The warrior laughs, a loud sound that fills the cab, ‘surely I should be asking you that’ he splutters. ‘But yes, it was even better than I imagined it would be, and I really wasn’t expecting but greatly enjoyed the end part’ he added with a wink as my face heats again.

‘Oh my Goddess, I can’t believe you just said that!’ I hiss, covering my cheeks with my hands.

‘Is it bad that I’m really pleased I got to experience that before Caden?’ Hadley murmurs mischievously.

‘Umm, you were the first to experience that with me at all’ I admit, suddenly shy.

The truck jerks to a halt and I fly forward in the seat just before an arm slams into my chest, holding me in place. My gaze flicks to Hadley who is staring at me. ‘What?’ I as uncomfortably, ‘it’s not like I made my way through the pack! I slept with one guy! One! And it was pretty much fumbling in the back of a car until he found the right hole’ I add in embarrassment.

‘We had a first?’ the warrior asks quietly, as he captures my chin between his thumb and forefinger, keeping my gaze on him. ‘We shared a first between us? You’ve never done that before with anyone?’

I nod, wanting nothing more than to rip my chin from his hold and hide in a corner. ‘I’ve read about it’ I mutter, ‘in books and stuff so I just kinda copied what it said the girls do and hoped I was doing it right.’

A puff of air washes over my face before Hadley’s lips slam down on my own, harsh but intoxicating, kissing me in a way he never has before. I reach out and grip his shirt, needing to anchor myself as the man beside me devours me hungrily. The only way I can describe it is being claimed, Hadley Carrington claimed me with his lips in such a way, I’ll never forget this moment.

Pulling back slightly, his chest heaves as he sucks in breath, ‘my mate’ he mutters under his breath, ‘mine.’

I nod, feeling it too, the bond between us tightening, thickening from a cord into something stronger.