The Mating Rules

Isaac’s POV

Raelyn’s frown deepens at my words, and I fidget awkwardly under her confused stare, ‘the claiming?’ I offer tentatively, ‘you are here alone, I assumed that if you were answered . . ‘

‘Oh’ she breathes, ‘OH! Yes! The claiming, of course! Yes, no mate for me’ she babbles forcing out a laugh, ‘it sucks but what can you do?’

‘There is always next month’ I agree as I study her, wondering why she won’t quite meet my eye.

‘Ahh, I don’t think that’s an option, I think I’m done now, I’m over thirty’ Raelyn replies waving a hand dismissively, ‘I’ll probably have to buy a cat or something, really fill out the role of old maid.’

She laughs again as I stand beside her, staring. I must make her uncomfortable because she keeps rambling.

‘You never know, maybe the Alpha will auction me off’ she muses, laughing again, ‘Raelyn, sold to the highest bidder, could the most desperate werewolf come on down and collect their prize.’

She blushes deeply and turns away from me, still clutching her penny tightly as I war with myself. Selfish me is thrilled that she wasn’t claimed, the practical side of me feels the pain behind the she wolf’s words, does she really believe that only a desperate wolf would want her?

‘So tell me more about this fountain’ I offer, changing the subject, ‘what is the point of the penny?’

Raelyn turns back to me, her shoulders relaxing as she laughs again, ‘have you never heard of a lucky penny?’ she asks in amusement.

I shrug, ‘sure, you find one on the ground and it supposedly brings you luck if you keep it’ I offer.

She giggles, ‘well this is a bit like that, but instead of keeping the penny, you place a wish on it and throw it into the fountain. We have a gardener who tends the flower maze, he empties is regularly and the money gets donated to a charity that meant a lot to the Luna who had it planted.’

I raise an eyebrow, enjoying seeing her light up with her story. ‘So you just come down here, throw in a penny and get what you want?’ I tease.

‘No’ she scolds me back, smiling widely, ‘this is a special fountain, you have to really really want your wish for it to be granted. Your wish has to be like the most important thing you can ever want in your life. Just coming here and going ‘hey wishing fountain, give me a Porche’ isn’t going to cut it. You need to be desperate for it to work.’

She holds out her penny to me as I take a step back, ‘what?’ I utter uncertainly.

‘Make a wish’ Raelyn replies, advancing on me as I stumble back another step.

‘What? no, that’s your wish’ I argue immediately.

Raelyn tilts her head cutely, ‘I think you might need it more than me Beta’ she replies with a cheeky wink.

I try to push it back into her palm, but she wards me off, shaking her head, ‘make your wish Beta’ she orders.

Huffing out a breath, I turn toward the fountain and lift my hand.

‘Close your eyes’ Raelyn’s voice whispers beside me and I instinctively follow her words, closing my eyes, the rough edge of the penny rubbing against my skin.

‘Concentrate Isaac’ Raelyn’s voice washes over me, and I like the way my voice sounds from her lips. ‘dig deep into your soul and find what it is you truly want.’

An image floats into my mind, red hair twisted in my grip, deep green eyes staring up at me as I capture the sweetest lips ive ever tasted with my own. I can almost feel the connection inside of me as my brain shows me dancing slowly with the woman beside me, her white dress trailing across the floor as I hold her to me tightly.

‘What is it you want Beta? What is the most important thing to you? Can you see it?’ she asks softly.

‘Yes’ I whisper softly.

‘Hold on to your dream Isaac’ Raelyn murmurs in my ear, ‘hold it tightly and throw your penny, if your wish is strong enough, you will be rewarded.’

I suck in a deep breath and throw the penny blindly, hearing the sound of it hitting the water.

Opening my eyes, I turn toward Raelyn who is smiling up at me, reaching out a hand to touch my arm. ‘Now we wait and if your wish was strong enough, it will come true.’

She glances at the fountain, a flicker of sadness in her eyes as she murmurs, ‘will you do something for me’ she asks, ‘will you tell me if it comes true?’

‘Of course’ I reply immediately and I’m awarded with another one of those smiles that warms me from the inside out. She then digs into the pocket of her jeans, pulling out another penny and turning toward the fountain, her eyes closed tightly for a second before she throws it in. Opening her eyes again, Raelyn grins up at me before we head back out of the flower maze together.

‘So, what did you wish for?’ I ask as we emerge from the entrance, and head back toward the pack house.

‘Nuh uh’ she replies immediately, giving me a small shove as I chuckle. ‘I’m not telling you! It won’t come true!’

I shake my head in amusement, ‘I never would have pegged you for that type’ I muse.

Raelyn stops walking beside me, and turns to glare at me as I face her, ‘what does that mean?’ she huffs, ‘what type?’

I shrug good naturedly, ‘you know, the type who would buy into silly superstition and believe in wishes’ I say, my smile growing as I see her temper rising.

‘It is not silly to believe in wishes’ she growls, hands going to her h**s as her eyes narrow into slits.

I can’t help myself, she’s so cute when she’s angry, ‘well it is a little’ I murmur, ‘it’s the kind of thing that children believe in not adults.’

Raelyn’s shoulders are rigid as she points a finger at me, ‘do you know what’ she snarls, ‘humans think that our existence is for children and that no adult should believe that we are real, yet here we are, walking and talking! Just because YOU are too narrow minded to understand that maybe there are things out there that you haven’t experienced, doesn’t mean that they don’t exist.’

She turns on her heel, intent on storming away again but I wrap my fingers around her wrist and pull her back again, causing her to fall against m, her hands landing against my chest, burning through the cotton of my tshirt as I suck in a breath.

‘I’m just teasing you’ I whisper into her hair as I place my hands over hers, holding her to me, ‘I can’t help how much I love seeing you get riled up.’

I feel the shiver that runs through her, before she pulls back from me, and I reluctantly let her go aware that it would be improper for anyone to see me holding on to an Omega she wolf who is not my mate.

Stepping back, she grumbles at me, and I’m pretty sure it was the word ‘a*****e’ which makes me smile even wider. It can’t be normal to enjoy being berated by someone as much as I enjoy Raelyn’s barbs at my expense.

‘That’s not nice Rae’ I growl, my voice coming out husky to my own ears as her eyes widen slightly.

Against my better judgement, that seems to leave me every time she’s near, I step into her again, crowding her as her eyes move up my torso slowly like a light caress until she reaches my eyes.

‘Do you call all higher ranking werewolves assholes?’ I ask softly, my hand itching to reach out and tuck the stray hair that has fallen in front of her eye, behind her ear.

‘Only those that deserve it’ she replies in a breathy voice that tugs on something deep within me.

‘Beta!’ comes the voice of one of my warriors, and with a muttered curse I step away, turning toward the she wolf who is eyeing Raelyn curiously.

‘Yes Elena?’ I ask curtly, drawing her attention to me again.

The she warrior, seeing my raised eyebrow at her obvious intrigue about the situation, drops her gaze immediately, blushing slightly at being caught.

‘Alpha Grant has asked if you would be available for a meeting, Beta’ she replies quickly, straightening her shoulders under my gaze. ‘Alpha Jasper stopped me to relay the message, the Alpha has said that as he doesn’t know how soon you will want to head back to Diamond Star, he thought it would be prudent to sort out the members who will be coming with us and those that will be staying here immediately.’

I nod my understanding, keeping my eyes on Rae as she avoids my gaze again, ‘I shall be there immediately’ I say, before touching Raelyn’s arm so she has to look at me.

‘Apologies Miss’ I say formally, ‘I need to get going, but thank you for taking the time to explain the fountain to me.’

Rae’s stares at me for a second, mouth parting slightly before she shakes her head slightly. ‘Of course Beta Isaac, it was my pleasure, if you have any further questions or require help packing, please do not hesitate to call on one of the Omega’s, we would be honoured to serve you.’

Nodding, I bite back the urge to touch her again, instead turning to follow my warrior who has the good sense not to ask me about Raelyn.