The Sigma's Reluctant Mate novel Chapter 2

When my best friend Sylvie turned eighteen, I took her to an amusement park with the tallest roller coaster in Oregon. She had a blast. I lost my voice, screaming in terror, but I did it for her.

I made her promise to keep things low key for my birthday. She won’t tell me what she planned, but insists we need to do it the day before my birthday and promises I will love it.

I try to stay as still as possible when I hear the door to my room creak open because I know what’s next. It’s the same every year.

Three…… twwwoooo…... one……

“UMPH!” All my air gets pushed out when Sylvie pounces on my mountain of bedding. She laughs maniacally while she tries to tickle me through the blankets.

“ZeeZee! I know you’re in there somewhere!” She squeals from outside my fortress. “We have so much to do today! GET UP!!”

“Sylvie! Come on, you promised low key,” I groan from the bottom of the pile at her weight on top of me.

The covers pull away and I’m uncomfortably close to Sylvie’s megawatt smile, sparkling brown eyes, and short brown hair, “How do you feel? Is she awake yet? Can you feel her?”

“No, Sylvie. She’ll wake up at the Mating Gathering tonight.” I squint against the bright light. My head is pounding from yesterday’s whiskey. Sylvie and Liam turned eighteen a couple of months ago and have been talking non-stop about their wolves ever since. Her boyfriend Mark turned eighteen last-week.

“Whoa! Are you okay, bestie?” She looks concerned and crawls under the covers with me. “Were you crying? No crying the day before your birthday, Zara. What happened?”

“Liam and I, well, we sort of had a fight last night.” Tears pool in my eyes again. She wipes them away while I tell her exactly what happened. “It was like he couldn’t control himself, Sylvie. I was so scared that I bit him and now he won’t answer my texts or calls.”

“Put your foot down, Zara.” She looks at me sympathetically. “I know it’s difficult for you to stand up for yourself, and he’s about to be your fated mate, but you can still have boundaries.”

“You’re right. Thank you for listening. I can always count on you.” Her warm hug makes me feel better.

“Well, before your birthday surprise, there is a surprise waiting for you downstairs.” She raises her eyebrow and pinches my cheek while she gives me a mischievous look. “Get yourself cleaned up. I’ll wait for you downstairs.”

I shower quickly and go to meet Sylvie. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I stop short and feel my heart hit a hard beat. Liam is in the living room with an enormous bouquet. Sylvie is peeking through the front door, but closes it when I make eye contact with her.

“Hi, Z, I-I’m sorry I didn’t call you back last night. The whiskey got to me more than I realized.” He gives me an apologetic look and smiles, melting my heart. “I promise I won’t get drunk like that anymore. It’s not fair to you.”

He still has a bite mark on his neck and I see he wrapped his hand in a bandage when he hands the flowers to me. His wolf hasn’t healed him yet? I didn’t know I bit him that hard. I step forward to touch his neck. “Liam, a-are you okay? You aren’t heal-”

“I have something else for you.” He flinches away and ignores me. If I didn’t know better, I would think something is wrong, but I can’t tell what it is. He pulls a thin box out from behind him and hands it to me.

“Liam! Wh-what is all this?” I smile and blink back tears. Liam didn’t have a job while we were in school so he could focus on training to be accepted into the pack guard trainee program. Once we graduated, he got accepted, but he has only had a couple of paychecks so far. We both agreed he should save his money so we could start looking for an apartment together after the Mating Gathering.

“Just open it, Zara. It’s not the real thing yet, but one day, when I make senior guard, it will be.” His hazel eyes search mine, as if he is hoping to never talk about last night again. “Until then, I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

The way he says the last part makes me take a sharp breath. It should be comforting, right? He wants everyone to know we are together. So why does it feel like there is more to his tone?

I open the box slowly and find a gold necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. The pendant has a diamond in the middle. There is an ‘L’ engraved on one half and a ‘Z’ on the other.

“Oh, Liam… it’s beautiful!” I gasp, holding up the necklace to the light. The little diamond sparkles brilliantly. “Can you put it on for me?”

“Of course, Z.” I hand him the necklace and turn around. He secures the necklace and wraps his arms around me from behind, leaning over to kiss my neck. He takes a deep breath in, taking in my scent. It’s something he’s done a thousand times before. Why does it feel uncomfortable now? “I can smell your wolf waking up, Z. I bet she’s going to be just as beautiful as you.”

“Thank you.” I turn around in his arms and give him a soft kiss. “You and Mark are picking us up tonight, right? We are all going to walk from here?”

“Yeah,” he caresses my cheek and admires me, “we’ll be here before sundown.”

“Okay.” I relax a little and let myself put my arms around him in return. “Thank you for the gifts. You didn’t have to.”

“You deserve it, Z.” He kisses me again and steps back. “I have to get going. Have fun with Sylvie today.”

“Okay. Thank you.” I smile and watch him leave, stopping to talk to Sylvie for a moment. I put the flowers in water and wait for him to leave.