Warring Mates

“Lexi?” Slow strokes caressed my hair, soothing the hurt in my chest. “Are you all right?”

The concern in my mom’s voice did not go unnoticed by me, and I felt bad for worrying them like this.

“I’m fine,” I said, my voice hoarse as my eyes fluttered open.

“You laid passed out on the ground!” Her voice raised with each word, and I cringed when she spoke the next part. “Do you have any idea how worried we were?”

My dad embraced my mom, kissing her temple. “Let’s not raise our voice, feathers,” he murmured, his eyes wandering to me.

I pushed myself from the bed, hugging the blanket close to me. “I’m sorry if I worried you. But I am fine. I mean it.”

A sigh had my eyes darting to my dad. “If you do not want to talk with us, then at least talk to Lachlan.”

“No!” I cried out, alerting my parents, and I looked away, finding the clouds in the sky more interesting. “I don’t want to talk to him.”

“Did something happen between the two of you?” my mom inquired, grabbing my hand in hers as she added in a softer tone, “you know you can talk to us?”

With my eyes still on the sky, I shrugged my shoulders. “Nothing happened.”

“Lexi...” The warning clear in her voice. She was losing her patience with me. And I didn’t have to look at her to know how the disapproval gleamed in her eyes.

“Can you leave me alone now?” I asked as I laid down again, my back to my parents. Their pity… I didn’t need it.

“Don’t forget to eat,” my dad said before closing the door.

Covered with my fuzzy blanket, I tried not to dwell on my parents' words. Though no matter how much I tried not to think about it, I knew… they were right. I should just talk to him. Maybe he had a good reason to hang around her. But the voice in my head still filled me with doubt. Lachlan only had a handful of friends besides me, and that girl wasn’t one of them. I was sure of it.

A loud bang echoed through the corridors, the windows of my room rocking in their frames. With my heart in my throat, I jumped out of bed; the blankets sprawling over the ground and ran towards the commotion.

Once there, my eyes widened, my mouth half open. Guards fought a creature—one I had never seen before. It reminded me of a lizard, scales, claws as fingers, no ears. But its features didn’t scare me as much as its skills.

The creature swept its tail through the air, cutting the guards. They fell to the ground, screaming out in pain. By what I did not know… Though something else was clear. Its strength was unmatched—its speed comparable with that of a vampire.

It turned around on its feet, its eyes connecting with mine.

A shiver ran down my spine.

Endless pools of darkness stared right into my soul and before I could blink, the creature charged at me. Though it never came far. Ryan tackled it to the ground, slamming into the side of its body. His hands reached for the sedative, but the creature was quicker. It grabbed a dagger from the ground and smashed it into its chest—its eyes never leaving mine.

“You will not capture me alive,” it lisped in its dying breath.

I trembled in my place, my stomach churning. Blood poured out of the creature—black as its eyes. And a small yelp left my mouth when someone placed a hand on my lower back.

“Are you okay?”

My eyes met with his pools of amber, and I shrugged his hand off, crossing my arms. “Yeah, I’m fine.” My voice wavered—weak. Something that wasn’t me.

“You don’t look lik—”

“I said I am fine!” I roared, baring my canines at him.

His hand grabbed my arm, leading me to a quiet spot as people were already glancing at us. “Did something happen yesterday?”

“What the hell don’t you understand about the words I am fine!” Magic crackled through my body, small lightning bolts flowing over my arms.

“Yo—”

“Lachlan, it is best if you leave for now,” Zak interrupted him, and the small twitch in Lachlan’s jaw did not go unnoticed by me.

“Bu—”

“You heard the man.” Ryan clasped Lachlan’s shoulder, his other hand clutching his side. “Leave.”

With a low grumble and much reluctance, Lachlan left us alone, and I took this as my chance to leave. However, Zak was faster. He grabbed my arm, dragging me along with him.

“You are coming with me.”

“Let me go!” Trying to rip my arms from his hold, only caused him to hold on tighter, his fingers digging into my skin. “I said let me go!”

Finally, doing as he was told, he pushed me into the training room, his mouth open to speak. But I wouldn’t have it. I threw a fist at him. One he caught with ease, and he swept my legs from beneath me. With a loud thud, I fell to the ground, the vibrations of it making me groan out.

“Calm down or I will keep this up all day.”

My chest heaves as I struggled to control my breathing, and I scrambled off the ground, charging at him again. I gave him a roundhouse kick and just like before; he caught it as he hit my knee with his fist.

Fallen to the ground yet again, I clutched my knee, my face contorted in pain. “That freaking hurts!”

“Then you should have thought better and kept that anger of yours at bay,” Zak said sternly as he kneeled beside me.

I wiped my tears away, breathing in deeply. “I’m calm now.” Well, as calm as I could be.

Zak quirked a brow, obviously not believing me. “Are you?”

“Yes!”

“Doesn’t seem like it to me.” A chuckle vibrated in his chest and he dropped down next to me. “Care to tell me what happened back there?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

An arm wrapped around my shoulder, tugging me to a chest.

“Lexi, you are not doing well,” Zak said, his breath fanning my hair. “Everybody can see that and if you keep refusing to talk, you will only hurt yourself.”

“I...” Doubt clouded my mind, and I shook my head. The truth seemed better than to lie—for now. “Something happened yesterday… and I don’t know what to think about it.”

“Has it to do with the reason why your parents found you passed out on the ground?”

Biting my lower lip, I nodded my head—slowly. “But I don’t want to talk about it.”

“How about this,” he started, standing up from the ground. “If you win against me, I will let this subject rest, but if you lose...”

“Let me guess, I have to tell you what is bothering me.” I wasn’t stupid. There was no way I would accept this deal. Winning against an eight century fae was impossible.

“And if you do not accept, I will go straight to Nikai and tell him what happened,” he finished.

“That’s not fair,” I argued. “I will never win against you.” No one could win against him. Well, maybe my dad. But still… He was the right hand of the king, for Goddess’ sake.

“You are stronger and smarter than you think, Lexi—even when you haven’t shifted yet.” He ruffled my hair and strode over to the weapon wall.

Even with those qualities, I still wouldn’t win against him. Though I had gotten stronger when meeting my mate. He awakened my beast and now I could use a part of her hidden strength. But it wouldn’t be enough… Not against him. Unless…

“Can we use our abilities?” I asked. “Just to even the playfield a little.”

“No,” he clipped before my hopes went up. “We can’t have you destroy half of the castle, can we?”

“Then how am I supposed to win?” Yes, I had trouble controlling my magical abilities. And yes, I may have destroyed a couple rooms in the past, but that was a year ago. I had grown. Well… A little.

“By using your brain, smarty-pants.” He grabbed two daggers from the wall, balancing them in his hand. “Now grab your chosen weapon.”

With a roll of my eyes, I walked over to the wall. By now everyone knew my favourite weapon. A weapon that became second nature to me. I even made one of my own, personalizing it.

“You’re lucky my weapon is in my room,” she said as I passed him by, grabbing my favourite weapon—the spear.

Zak chuckled and walked to the middle of the training room. “Shall we?”

Shifted into my defence stance, my spear clasped in my hand, I charged at him. I swung my spear, hoping to hit him—hard. But it was in vain. Zak ducked in time, rolling away from me before swiping his dagger across the flesh of my arm.

A hiss escaped my mouth. The wound burned—adding fire to the already burning desire of defeating him.

I used a roundhouse kick, barely hitting his chest. “Damn it,” I muttered and followed my action with another swipe of my spear. Why couldn’t I hit him?!

Zak dodged my every move, his eyes calculating the steps of my feet—the twitches in my muscles. He was a pro. No move was unread for him and soon I tired herself out.

This was his chance.

He kicked the spear out of my hands, a chuckle resonating in his chest. “You are just as impatient as your mom.”

A low growl vibrated in my chest. That bastard! Who was he calling impatient?

I charged at him again, dodging his left hook, and pivoted around him. With a hard kick, I kicked him in the chest as soon as he turned around; the daggers falling out of his hands as his back collided with the ground.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he called out, jumping up from the ground, and I saw him grabbing a dagger from the ground before throwing it at me.

I scoffed out, dodging it with ease—a rookie mistake. Never throw a dagger so obviously. But one thing I hadn’t accounted for…

Zak had me right where he wanted me and kicked me in the stomach—brutally. I fell to my knees, clutching my stomach and to finish it off he pushed me on her back, placing his knee on my chest.

“I can’t breathe,” I rasped, pushing against his knee.

“Do you surrender?”

“Y-yes,” I wheezed, and Zak let go of me. Coughing loudly, my eyes glanced at the wound on my arm. The skin already weaved together. Too bad that didn’t mean it hurt less. “Thank you for the cut.”

“No problem,” he joked as he sat opposite from me. “You know, you have improved a lot. Though that patience of yours could use some work.”

With my eyes on the ground, I puckered at the mats. Now I had no other choice than to tell him. After all, deal was a deal.

“Everything became too much for me yesterday,” I said in one breath, ripping the band-aid off.

Beside me, I could hear some shuffling and not long after I could feel a hand on my knee.

“Did it have to do with the rejection of your mate?”

“Yes, but also with Lachlan.” I sighed, closing my eyes. “I saw him with this girl yesterday and I know she isn’t family of him or a friend. It’s just...”

“It made you insecure and scared,” he finished for me, and I nodded her head. “That’s understandable. Your mate rejected you. It would be strange if it didn’t hurt you at all. But let me give you one advice, Lexi… Talk to him.”

“Will you tell my parents?” Though perhaps it would be a good idea, he told them. Goddess knows I wouldn’t. But in the end, he shook his head, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Thank you… I mean it.”

“It’s not a problem.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Now, do you already have a plan for the Spirit Fest?”

My brows furrowed on their own accord. No one ever told her you needed a plan for the Spirit Fest. “I thought you didn’t need one?”

“You don’t.” He bumped my shoulder, his eyes boring into the side of my head. “But if you’re smart, you do your research about your competitors.”

I met his gaze, confidence surging through me. “I’m going to be one of the strongest competitors there. I’m sure I will win.”

Zak shook his head, a smile gracing his lips as if he reminisced about something of his past. “Do you think you will win against Lachlan in the last round?”

“I... I don’t know,” I breathed out. “He is smart and evenly matched with me… Though I have the advantage of my height and gift.”

“Yes, but he has the advantage of you not able to shift,” he countered. “You are not at your full strength.”

“You don’t have to rub it in. I know I am weaker than the rest of you.” Everyone knew that, and it frustrated me to no end. As long as I could not shift I would not have my full power. “But it isn’t my fault that I can’t shift.”

“I know.”

“I just don’t understand it.” I sighed, rubbing my eyes. “Mom, could feel hers when she was eighteen and I am almost twenty-one and only felt her when I met my mate. Even Eros says it is strange for me not to be able to feel her.”

“It could be the rejection of your mate that caused her to pull back,” he thought out loud.

“Great.”

He nudged my leg with his foot, causing me to look at him. “This does not mean you can’t shift at all. Your beast just needs time. She has a personality of her own and it could be she is shy.”

“I know.” Eros had told me that much. Every beast had their own unique personality. “Do you think my relationship with Lachlan might push her further away?”

“I don’t think so.” He stretched himself out, leaning back on his elbows. “But maybe if we know which events make you feel her, we can draw her out. Though that also means you will need to pick someone to mate with. Your beast needs an other half.”

With my mouth wide open, I stared at him. I had completely forgotten about that. My beast would turn feral the longer we stayed away from our mate, but she wouldn’t be the only one...

“I don’t mind the mating part. And for your question, I’ve only felt her when I was around Co—my mate,” I stuttered, my heart quickening as I almost made a fatal mistake. A mistake that was enough for him to piece it all together as his brows shot up.

“Do not tell me Col—”

I smashed my hands on his mouth. “He is not my mate,” I hissed, tears brimming my eyes.

The look in his eyes softened as he pulled my hands away from his mouth, and he pulled me in for a hug. “Come here.”

“Zak!” My dad barged into the training room, his eyes landing on us. “Meeting. Now...”

Zak let go of me and scrambled from the ground, while I still sat on the ground, my mind racing with questions. “Is it that bad?”

“Yes, now get your ass moving.” My dad moved for the door, and the lock on my muscles disappeared as I scrambled off the ground.

“Can I come too?”

“No.” A short and curt answer. One where the power hidden in his voice rolled off it.

“But if I am go-”

“I said no, Lexi,” he said—each word slow and careful. “You’re still too young.”

I crossed my arms, a look of determination swirling in my eyes. “I’m twenty. I think I am old enough.”

“As long as you’re acting like a child, you aren’t,” he argued with me.

“I’m not acting like a child!”

My dad pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing out harshly. “I am not going to argue with you about this. Now if I see you anywhere near my office, I will not hesitate and send you to the dungeon for the night.”