A Warrior's Love

K’aalógii: butterfly in Navajo/ pronounced: Ah-loogie).

Gary nodded in agreement as he said, “Alright. All I ask is that you don’t rush her. Even though she is the mate of a wolf, she is still human, with human thoughts and ideas. She may not be comfortable with everything we take for granted as wolves. I’d also ask that you remember that she’s had a lot of heartbreak in her young life.” He frowned then added, “I tried my best to teach her about werewolves and mates, but I’m not sure how well she really listened because she...”

“Because what?”

“Let’s sit down, this could take a while,” Gary said.

So, walking over to the biggest couch, Gary removed a dust cover, and they sat down.

“Becky was eight when I came across that accident and found her. I don’t know how it occurred and neither does she because she was asleep. All I know, is when I ripped that door off to get her out, I knew she was mine. My wolf instantly claimed her making me feel as if she were my own flesh and blood. When the doctor had to take her leg, I cried,” Gary said quietly. He then bowed his head and wiped at his eyes.

Wyatt waited.

After a moment Gary cleared his throat and said, “The first year was the hardest. Between her grief for her parents, and the loss of her leg, she sank into a depression. The only way she would eat sometimes was if Jeff or I held her and fed her. Julie kept saying babying her would make it worse but... I was afraid she would starve to death, and I didn’t want to lose her. She also battled learning to walk using her prosthetic leg, she hated it and would scream and cry when Julie forced her to wear it and walk. Next, there was the cold, she was always cold. Even in ninety-degree weather she would be wearing sweats and a long-sleeved shirt.”

“I did notice she had sweats on today and wondered why,” Wyatt murmured.

Gary nodded, saying, “Yeah, the doctor would tell me it was in her head because of all the trauma she’s been through. I don’t say anything though, and some days she’ll wear short sleeves. Anyway, as she got older, I noticed she didn’t seem to have any friends, so I questioned her about it, worrying about her. She said the wolves wouldn’t be her friends because she was human, the humans wouldn’t be her friends because she was crippled. So, who did that leave?”

“She has friends now though.”

Gary laughed then said, “Demi, that girl is a character. She’s a good friend to Becky and includes her even when she spends time with her mate. Demi and Jake are her only friends that I know of though.”

“She told me she’s never had a boyfriend. I found that unusual for a human,” Wyatt stated then, holding back his wolfs urge to growl at the thought of someone else with his mate.

“Yes, well, unfortunately there is a sad story behind that also,” Gary said with a heavy sigh as he rubbed his hand along his jaw. “It seems Becky had a crush on a boy named Chad in the eighth grade. She would come home gushing over him with Demi teasing her. Demi kept telling her she should talk to him, but she was to shy. Finally, one day she came home and told her mom about a dance they were having at school, but the girls were to ask the boys. She told her mom that now was her chance to talk to Chad. Now even though she wears, a prostatic leg Becky can do most everything. Once she learned to walk, she didn’t stop there. Jeff taught her to run, climb trees, and to dance.”

“Good for her,” Wyatt said, feeling pride for his sweet K’aalógii.

“Yeah, Julie and I even thought at one point that perhaps Jeff might be Becky’s mate because they were so good with each other and Jeff’s wolf would do anything for her,” Gary murmured. Then, shaking his head, he continued, “Anyway, Becky plucked up her courage and asked Chad the next day to the dance. He laughed in her face, telling her she was a nobody and that nobody wanted an ugly duckling with a peg leg. He broke her that day, and she ran all the way home from school to cry in her brother’s arms for hours. Jeff wanted to tear Chad apart he was so angry, and so was I.”

“Is Chad a wolf?” Wyatt asked, snarling as he felt his own wolf rise to the surface.

“No. We found out after everything that had happened that he’s human. After that was when he became one of Becky’s biggest tormentors, him and his girlfriend. Demi keeps them away as much as she can, but sometimes Becky comes home with bruises where the girl has run her into a wall or knocked her down. I tried talking her into being home schooled, but she said if she did that then they would have won.”

Wyatt smiled slightly with pride at the courage and strength of his mate. Then, his smile was gone at the thought of her being hurt. That was going to be something that would stop, even if he had to see to it personally.

“My Becky is a brave and beautiful girl Wyatt, but she still needs someone strong to hold her in her weak moments. I also think if you let her, she could give you a happiness that will make you both a better man, and a better warrior,” Gary said quietly.

Wyatt turned his gaze to look out the window, knowing Gary was right. He knew all about being sad and lonely and had built walls around his heart to protect it from those things. He had never dated, never fooled around with the she wolves who flirted with him. They weren’t his mate, so he had no interest in them whatsoever. Then he’d met Becky, his sweet K’aalógii, and those walls he’d built had come crashing down in her presence. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. For her, and her alone, he would do anything.

Gary standing up pulled him from his thoughts and caused him to glance up at the man.

“Come on, I’m sure our mates are wondering where we are,” Gary mentioned.

Wyatt stood.

Gary held out a key saying, “You’ll be needing this.”

Wyatt went to take it from him, but Gary held tight. This caused him to look back into the man’s eyes.

“Just one more thing. I know how strong the pull is, I mated Julie the day I met her, but I’m not quite ready to see my little girl swelled with child just yet,” Gary said softly, a slight flush on his cheeks.

Then, for the first time in his life, Wyatt felt his own face flush with heat. Not because of what Gary had said, or from any embarrassment, but because of the images it placed in his head. It was an image of his mate swollen with his child as his hands roamed her naked skin.

After saying that, Gary quickly handed him the key before heading for the door.

They walked in silence to Gary’s truck and left the little house behind.

When Wyatt and Gary returned to the Bormon house, they could hear shouting all the way to the curb. It was Becky and her mom.

The men looked at each other as they hurried inside to see what was going on.

“I don’t care Becky, you’re only seventeen!” Julie yelled.

“It isn’t fair Mom, and the only reason you’re doing this is because you don’t like him!” Becky yelled back.

“That isn’t true...” Julie countered.

“Yes, it is, and you know it,” Becky argued. “You won’t even give him a chance!”

“Becky, you don’t know him!” Julie spat as her voice full of disgust. She then said, “There are things you should know about a person before you move in with them...”

“Fine, be that way but Papa will let me go, I know he will!” Becky said, cutting Julie off.

The men heard Julie growl as they walked into the kitchen where the women stood at a standoff.

Julie was standing hands on her hip, snarl on her lip while Becky stood arms crossed with a pout on hers. Julie snarled low, saying, “Don’t play your papa and me against each other young lady!”

“Julie, we can hear you all the way outside. Why are the two of you yelling?” Gary asked.

Julie’s face was red with anger.

It was Becky’s face that concerned Wyatt though. Her eyes were red, her face splotchy and tear streaked. He held out his arms and she threw herself at him crying softly.

“I’m sorry Dad, Wyatt,” Jeff said softly from the corner of the room where he was standing. “Becky asked where Wyatt was at, so I told her you had taken him to look at a house to rent. She got upset thinking he was leaving her and started to cry saying he didn’t want her. I had to tell her that he planned take her with him, so she’d calm down. Mom heard us talking and blew up.”

“He is not taking my seventeen-year-old daughter off to live with him!” Julie spat out with a growl.

“Now honey, you know for us wolves it’s normal for the female to go with her mate, even if they’re young,” Gary said as he stepped close and began to rub Julie’s arm to calm her.

“Yes, but she isn’t a wolf Gary, she’s human. So, as far as I’m concerned that wolf rule doesn’t apply in this instance. Becky will be eighteen in roughly three weeks, he can move her in with him then if she still wants to go with him after she gets to know him better,” Julie huffed as she frowned at Wyatt.

Gary just gave a heavy sigh, rubbing a hand across his face.

Wyatt growled at Julie. He was normally a man of few words, despite his temper, and rarely raised his voice in anger. The disrespect he was receiving at this moment though had him wanting to yell at the top of his lungs at Julie while he ripped her to shreds for her blatant disrespect.

“You know, if he wasn’t staying for the training, he would be taking her back to his pack right now,” Gary calmly stated then.

Wyatt knew Gary was trying to make his mate understand that this was the way things were, even if they weren’t the way she wanted them to be.

Julie puffed up then, her anger returning as she began to yell once more, saying, “No, he wouldn’t be! She’s human, which means their bond isn’t as strong as two wolves bonding. This means he would be just fine without her for that short time until she’s eighteen! He could return for her then.”

Wyatt gave a window rattling snarl. He’d had enough of Julie, so he placed Becky behind him as he stepped forward. His wolf rose to the surface and growled out, “You will not keep me from my mate! Human she may be, but my bond to her is strong, and I will NOT leave her for five minutes, much less for three weeks! She will move with me now, and there is nothing you can say to change that. If you have a problem with that, or with me, then take it up with your Alpha.”

Julie’s eyes widened as she felt the sting of wrath from Wyatt’s wolf. “This is why you are no good for her. She needs someone gentle not...” Julie whispered before breaking off.

Wyatt’s wolf surged forward then, taking over completely and he felt his claws come out. He knew his eyes would now be yellow as he grabbed Julie by the neck. A snarl left his mouth as he said, “I am, and always will be, the best thing for her. She was chosen by the fates to be mine and I will fight anyone to the death for her, you included!” He turned to look over his shoulder at Becky then, who stood wide eyed looking at him. He gently murmured, “Becky, go with your brother now and pack.”

“O-okay but first... are y-you Wyatt’s wolf?” Becky asked in a whisperer as she moved forward a bit.

Wolf Wyatt gave her a nod as he said, “Yes, I am. I am sorry you had to see me for the first time angry.”

Becky smiled. She then moved closer to pull his hand gently away from her mom’s neck. She then held his hand as she informed him, “You have the prettiest eyes, all glowing gold and stuff." She then sighed before saying, "I know you’re upset with my mom, I am to, but don’t hurt her to badly ’cause she’s the only one I have.”

“Don’t hurt her too badly, or not at all?” Wolf Wyatt questioned her curiously. Although, his voice still held a growl, he spoke gently to his precious mate.

Becky looked over at her mom then said, “Well, see, here’s the thing. I felt like smacking her, but I have too much respect to do that, and she probably wanted to smack me just as badly. Then, there is the fact that wolves do a lot of things differently than humans do. I know enough to know it’s a very bad thing to disrespect a ranking wolf, which she did, sooo... I guess my answer is, take care of it as one of your rank would, just try not to draw blood. I really don’t like blood.”

Wolf Wyatt heard Becky’s mom huff at that. He turned to smirk at the woman a bit before turning back to his mate. He said, “She did disrespect a ranking wolf, and a guest one at that. Perhaps we should take this to the Alpha.”

“No, don’t do that please,” Julie whispered behind him.

Wolf Wyatt looked back at her.

“I’ll back off and allow her to go,” Julie conceded, her shoulders slumping. “All I ask is that she visits often, and she continues her schooling, it’s only a few weeks until graduation.”

Wolf Wyatt nodded as he backed off. He then put his arms around Becky as he kissed her forehead. He then said, “Go with your brother now.”

Becky stood watching him for another minute before turning and following Jeff out of the room.

With a heavy sigh, Wyatt felt his wolf recede, feeling as if he’d done what was needed. He then turned back to face her parents. His voice was hard as he said, “I think somehow we have gotten off on the wrong foot, although I have actually said very little to you Julie. So, starting now this is how it will be. I will stay out of your way, and you will stay out of mine and Becky’s relationship. If you try to turn her against me, or hinder our relationship again in any way, I will speak to your Alpha. Do you understand?”

Julie nodded.

“I apologize for my mate’s actions Wyatt. She will not interfere again,” Gary said with a hard look at his mate.

Turning, Wyatt left them behind, heading for the stairs and his beautiful mate. As he neared the top of the stairs, he heard Jeff and Becky talking, so he paused to listen.

“So, you weren’t scared of his wolf? Not even just a little bit when he grabbed Mom by the throat?” Jeff asked, sounding surprised.

“No, not really. As I told Wolf Wyatt, I know it’s a bad thing to disrespect a ranking wolf. Add that to her coming between mates, even I know that’s bad business brother. I also know that as his mate he wouldn’t hurt me,” Becky declared.

“Oh? Do tell me how you know that oh wise one,” Jeff demanded.

Becky laughed and said, “Well, this one-time Demi got really mad at Jake, and threw her drink in his face. I don’t think she even thought about what she was doing and how mad it might make him. You know how impulsive she is.”

Wyatt heard Jeff snort then say, “Yeah.”

“Anyway, they hadn’t been together long, and Jake went nuts. He was howling, and shaking, and you could almost see steam coming out of his ears as he yelled at her about how she had disrespected him. I whispered to Demi that we should leave, give him time to calm down. She told me that it would be alright and because he is her mate, he wouldn’t hurt her. I didn’t believe her because I’d seen a wolf extremely mad before, it wasn’t pretty. She walked right up to him though, pulled him into a hug, and then she apologized.”

“So, from that one incident, you know that mates don’t hurt mates?” Jeff asked.

“Well... yeah,” Becky told him.

Wyatt walked in then causing Jeff and Becky to both turn and look at him.