The Mating Rules

Isaac’s POV

I literally had to tear myself away from Raelyn because if I didn’t I don’t think I’d have been able to restrain myself. Those sweet little m***s she made against my lips had my already aching c**k straining against my zipper.

I knew I had to get away from her but I couldn’t force my body to comply until I at least got her to agree to see me again.

I walk down the corridor, trying to discreetly rearrange myself to make my situation a little less obvious to everyone else in the pack house.

I hurry up the stairs to my room, unlocking the door before belatedly remembering that I’ve left my half of my mother’s leftovers on Raelyn’s coffee table.

I can’t risk heading back down to get them, so I just leave them there, I’m sure Raelyn will enjoy them.

Shutting the door behind me, I immediately head toward the bathroom because nothing but a cold shower has got any chance of sorting out my situation right now.

Just as I’m about to turn the dial, a loud banging from my door jerks me back. Racing back into my room, I yank the door open ready for bad news only to find my sister there, hands on h**s.

‘Jamie-Lee’ I greet her, standing in the door frame so she can’t push past me.

‘Let me in’ she growls back angrily.

I shake my head, ‘no’ I reply simply, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the doorframe.

My sister blinks, ‘I’m your Luna’ she bites out.

I raise an eyebrow at her, ‘are you here on official Luna business?’ I retort.

A light flush crawls up her neck and I smirk, ‘no, you’re here as my sister to stick your nose where it isn’t wanted and as such I can tell you quite respectfully to go away’ I continue.

‘Isaac’ she hisses, ‘you can’t be with . . ‘ she glances around us, before dropping her voice, ‘with the Omega, you know that.’

I nod, keeping my expression neutral, ‘I am aware Jamie-Lee’ I reply, ‘you don’t have to keep reminding me.’

‘You brought her to mum party Isaac’ she mutters accusingly.

‘Yes, because she’s my friend’ I bite back, an edge to my voice. ‘She’s new here and has no mate to show her around. I am the only person she really knows so I invited her to our mother’s so she could get out of the pack house for a bit.’

I can see that Jamie-Lee doesn’t believe me and I really don’t care anymore. I’m sick and tired of everyone telling me what I can’t have! I can’t have my fated mate, I can’t wait any longer for her to turn up, I can’t be alone and now I can’t even pick my own damn chosen mate, not really, they pretend I have a choice but I don’t because the weight of the job limits who I can have, it’s all bullshit.

I glare at my sister, my temper building, ‘you know’ I snap out suddenly, ‘there was a time when you were told that you couldn’t have two mates, I don’t remember you being so bothered about the rules then. And just as a reminder, when you were told to choose, did I ever tell you to pick one? Did I ever say you couldn’t have both? I was the one that encouraged you to get to know each of your mates, I stood by you when you made your decision, I never once made you think that what you wanted was wrong.’

Not waiting for her reply, I step back and slam the door in her face, clicking the lock for good measure before storming back to my bathroom and turning on the jet.

Dragging off my clothes, I look down realising that at least that conversation dealt with one of my problems tonight, looks like I’ll be getting a hot shower after all.

******************************

Getting up in the morning, I head downstairs for breakfast, ignoring my sister as I grab my plate and pile it with food. I have no desire to listen to her tell me yet again why I can’t have Raelyn, nor do I need Caden and Hadley to back her up.

I walk away from the head table where the three of them are sat, and take a seat on my own, bac to them as I eat my meal. I feel Raelyn before I see her, my senses prickling, drawing my attention behind me where she’s just stepped out of the kitchen with a loaded dish of sausages that she pours into the serving dish under the hot counter.

I note her gaze flicker to me for a second before she hurries back through the door and out of sight.

‘You, me, sparring’ suddenly comes Caden’s voice beside me.

Jumping, I twist the other way to find my best friend looking down at me, ‘don’t make me order you’ he adds gruffly, ‘I’ll meet you out on the field.’ Without another word, he turns on his heel, and heads back to my sister, placing a soft k**s on her cheek, whispering something in her ear before moving to Hadley, kissing him firmly and leaving the room.

I finish up my meal, taking my plate to the cart and placing it on top of the other dirty dishes before heading out of the dining room and upstairs to change into my training gear.

Once ready, I stomp down to the front door, shoving it open and stalking outside into the daylight, growling at the two guards as they quickly straighten up nervously.

Making my way to the field, I find Caden already there, stretching his arms over his head as he waits for me.

‘I don’t want to talk about it’ I huff as soon as I’m close enough.

Caden looks at me, ‘no talking, just sparring’ he replies curtly, dropping his arms and waiting for me to warm up before we both take our places across from each other.

‘Ready?’ he asks, a smirk crawling over his face.

‘What? To make you eat dirt Star?’ I retort aggressively.

Caden lunges for me, claws sliding out smoothly as I barely have time to dodge him.

‘Getting slow’ the Alpha remarks idly, ‘I used to not be able to get near you for the first couple of tries.’

‘Just spar’ I snarl back angrily, my own claws coming out as Indigo raises his head, taking interest in the match.

We circle each other for a few minutes, each looking for a weakness and I can’t help but growl at the other man as he seems so relaxed compared to the ball of anger tightening within me.

I retract my claws just so I can throw a punch, my fist swinging wildly as Caden easily steps out of my way. Retracting his own claws, his fist connects with my ribs, I don’t even see it coming.

I snarl furiously, swinging for him again, but my best friend merely dodges to the side so I again can’t make contact.

A full on Beta rage overtakes me and I launch myself at the Alpha, the two of us falling to the ground as my best friend stands his ground and accepts my attack rather than avoiding it again.

We grapple with each other, rolling over and over as I try to get the upper hand.

‘Come on Beta’ Caden growls at me, ‘is this all you have? All the fight that’s in you? Fight! Fight for what you want!’

My claws are out again, I don’t even remember it happening and I’m digging them into the Alpha’s shoulders as he gets on top of me, pinning me with his knees.

‘Get off!’ I roar, ‘let me up and fight fair!’

My best friend gives me a s**t eating grin, ‘there is nothing fair about fighting Isaac’ he replies quietly, ‘there is only giving everything you have to win. How much do you want to win Beta? Do you want it? More than anything?’

‘I want to beat you’ I snap furiously, ‘I want you to lose, for once in your life I want you to f*cking lose!’

‘And why is that Beta?’ Caden demands, his voice getting louder ‘why do you want me to lose?’

Pain rips through me as suddenly tears start to run down my face, ‘because you always get what you want’ I shout. ‘Everyone gets what they want but me! Why do you get to break the rules? Why is it you get not one but two mates and I can’t have one? Why am I the only one who doesn’t get their mate?’

I suck in a shuddering breath, my whole body trembling. ‘What did I do wrong?’ I finally croak out, looking up at my best friend as he slowly drags my claws from his shoulders and climbs off me, settling beside me as he drags me up and throws his arm around me. ‘Why does the Goddess hate me, Caden?’ I ask brokenly, ‘how many months did we sit and wait? I did everything I could to make sure I would be a good mate, everything! But she never called me, why didn’t she call me?’

My best friend holds me tightly to him, his voice sad as he shakes his head, ‘I don’t know mate’ he replies, ‘I wish I did because Goddess knows, no one deserves a mate more than you.’

‘I really like her’ I whisper suddenly, staring down at my hands that are now clasped in my lap. ‘I shouldn’t, but I do, and it’s ripping me apart that I can’t have her either.’

The Alpha’s grip tightens on me as he stares out across the empty grounds, ‘sometimes the Goddess has a plan’ he murmurs. ‘We don’t always think it’s going to work out but we have to keep faith that she knows what she is doing.’

I force my gaze to him, ‘how did you keep believing that though?’ I ask.

Caden shrugs, ‘I had to’ he replies quietly, ‘because there was no other outcome that I could accept. I had to believe that Leeway would pick me, then I had to believe that we would find Hadley and then I had to believe that the Council would accept that we were meant to be a trio.’

He looks at me sternly, studying me as I absorb what he’s saying, ‘so the question is, what can you accept? Can you accept that you are meant to be mateless for the rest of your life or do you believe that maybe the Goddess has a plan for you?’