The Mating Rules

Lauren’s POV

I spent the rest of the day dodging a certain warrior, every time I spotted him, I hid behind something which got me some very weird looks, especially from the huge warrior that happened to provide a perfect cover as Tyler walked past.

I once again joined Jessica and the others at training, the girls continuing to act as a protective barrier around me that I was grateful for as the Elites were also training nearby. Keeping my head down, I went through the moves, returning to my room as soon as Eleanor said I needed to take a break, instead of waiting for the others to spar.

This morning, I dawdled in my room, refusing my friends well meaning attempts to get me to join them for breakfast.

Instead, I waited until everyone had most likely eaten before heading down to the dining room on my own.

Piling food onto my plate, I take a seat in the corner of the room, facing the door so I can see who enters.

As I’m slowly chewing the bacon in my mouth, not even tasting it, Jamie-Lee enters the room, looking around quickly before her gaze falls on me and she moves into the room. Approaching me, my sister gives me a small smile, sitting down across from me and reaching over to steal a piece of my toast

“You are eating late’ she murmurs, ‘I thought you’d be out with the lower warriors, training!

My gaze snaps to hers in shock as I quickly swallow, Eleanor wasn’t breaking rules, I only practiced moves and didn’t do any one on one, she also checked on me repeatedly and made me sit out as soon as I started to get tired.’

Jamie-Lee smiles, giving me a wink, ‘1 know’ she replies, ‘do you really think Eleanor would risk allowing you to train without Caden or my approval? She linked us as soon as you ran off to join in. The doctor said you could do light training, that you needed to build up your body again but still protect your head, so working with the lower warriors was a really good idea.’

I nod, ducking my head and shovelling another mouthful of food between my lips, waiting for my sister to tell me the real reason she’s here.Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.

It’s the Claiming tomorrow the Luna suddenly says, my gaze flicking to hers as I raise an eyebrow. Picking up a paper napkin, Jamie-Lee shreds it with her fingers nervously as she studies me.

‘Just spit it out Lee’ I sigh, ‘what have you all been talking about behind my back.’

Thankfully, my sister doesn’t try to deny that the family has been discussing me whilst I am not there.

‘Caden, Hadley, Mum, Dad, Me and Philip have been talking the she wolf mutters, we’re wondering if it’s better for you to skip the claiming tomorrow night she adds with a rush

My eyes widen as I drop my fork, straightening up to stare at the woman across from me, ‘what?’ I demand, ‘it’s my first Claiming! I’m old enough to go! It’s the law that I go!’

My sister nods anxiously, ‘Caden already contacted the Council’ she admits, ‘we explained about your accident, the memory loss, we’re worried about putting you in the forest while you are still suffering’ she whispers.

I frown, ‘1 banged my head Lee, I didn’t break my spine l growl,

‘I can still defend myself if I need too.’

Jamie-Lee nods, meeting my gaze as she reaches for my hand, ‘I know Lauren’ she murmurs earnestly, ‘and it’s not your ability to protect yourself that worries us.. ‘ She bites her l*p, dropping her gaze for a second before meeting mine again, we’re worried that Laila’s scrambled mind will make her feel threatened if approached by someone she doesn’t know, that she won’t recognise her mate if he comes. She might attack her own Mate Laur, she could kill him.’

I reach out to my wolf instinctively, ‘could that happen?’ I ask, ‘could you not recognise our Mate?’

Laila shrugs, ‘1 don’t know, I’ve never called for our Mate before she replies. “I will protect you at any cost if someone tries to hurt you though’ she adds with a growl.

My eyes clear, and my sister worried face comes back into view, ‘what did she say? she asks quickly

I pull my hand from hers, wrapping them around my fork and starting to eat again. ‘She said that won’t happen’ I lie finally, avoiding her gaze, ‘my wolf will recognise her Mate no matter what’

Jamie Lee nods reluctantly, forcing a smile, ‘oh, OK she replies, ‘well that’s good … ‘ She stands up hesitating by the table for a second before adding, ‘don’t forget you have to be at mum’s by six tomorrow then, if you aren’t there, she will hunt you down, head injury or not.’

I force out a laugh, nodding, I’ll be there, let her know I won’t be late so she doesn’t send out the search party early for me.’

Smiling, my sister waves before heading back out of the room, leaving me alone to eat my breakfast in peace.

Once finished I head out of the packhouse, wondering if I can catch the girls on their way back from training, see if they want to try and redo that game day. Stepping out into the sunlight, I suck in a deep breath of the cool breeze that flutters past me, allowing my shoulders to relax as I exhale.

Opening my eyes, I glance over to see all the warriors stretching, warming down from their training session. I try to keep my eyes on the low levels, but the traitorous orbs are drawn like magnets to the Elite group that have just finished, everyone heading in different directions dependant on what they have to do today

I pick out Tyler immediately, It’s like my whole body is aware of his presence whenever he’s near me. He’s crouched down, tying his shoe, giving nods to the other warriors as they pass him, his body language tense.

A low growl crawls up my throat as I watch Ellie approach him, pushing her 1**s out and pulling down her tight workout top slightly.

Tyler glances up, and from the straightening of his spine, it’s obvious he’s not happy to speak to her.

The wind brings over a whisper of their conversation as I walk slowly toward my friends, trying not to draw anyone’s attention as low level warriors now start to stroll past me, heading back toward the pack house.

I don’t know what you mean Ty ..I.. I never said we were dating ..’I hear Ellie stumble.

‘Are you saying that Lauren lied?’ Tyler demands, arms crossed over his chest as he glares at the woman in front of him.

‘No! of course not, but her head .. maybe she misunderstood .. ‘ Ellie tries to backtrack.

‘I don’t care Ellie, even if she misunderstood you should have put her straight’ Tyler growls angrily. We are not a couple, we have never been a couple and we never will! | don’t like you like that.’

Ellie’s face flushes as she glances around them and I duck my head, hurrying my steps toward Jessica and the others, pretending I couldn’t hear them

‘1 know we aren’t dating Ty’ Ellie replies, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her reach for the warrior as he stands up, dragging his arm away as she grips his bicep. 1. .. it’s the claiming tomorrow, my first one’ she adds, ‘you don’t know…

The warrior snarls, and I can feel his fury from here, ‘1 am not your Mate Ellie, I already know I’m not, and you need to stop f*cking bothering me, it’s f*cking annoying. If we were Mates, I would have felt something when you touch me, craved to be around you.’ He stops, shaking his head before continuing, It’s not my job to hang photos for you or listen to you whine about your sister. I’ve tried being a nice guy to you, to let you down gently, but you just won’t take a hint, I’m not interested!’

Ellie’s voice trembles, her hand reaching out for Tyler again as he steps back, out of her reach. ‘But you might not find your Mate’ she objects desperately, ‘not everyone does, and if you just gave me a chance ..

“I will not be taking a chosen Mate either, I will wait until my last breath if I have to for my fated Mate to come to me. He gives the she wolf a look of such disgust, even I feel a tiny twinge of sympathy for the woman. You need to leave me alone, and you need to leave Lauren alone. She is not your competition, getting her to walk away from me isn’t going to make me crawl into your bed.’ He takes a deep, shuddering breath, his shoulders falling, just… leave me alone Ellie, find someone else to fixate on.’

He turns on his heel, storming toward the forest, leaving Ellie staring after him. Jessica, the girls and I all stand in a small group, unable to look away as Ellies gaze suddenly finds ours, her face flaming before it contorts into one of pure hatred and she stalks toward me.

I feel Inaya step around me, hands on her h**s, growling low as she glares at the approaching she wolf.

‘1 hope you’re happy’ Ellie spits as she stops in front of me, slightly closer than necessary. ‘You have twisted up Tyler so badly he doesn’t know what he’s saying!’

Behind me Taiga snorts, ‘I think he knew exactly what he was saying, you just didn’t want to hear it’ she mutters, but it’s loud enough for the elite warrior to hear her.

“You got something to say? Low level?’ Ellie snarls, her eyes flicking to my friend who immediately averts her gaze. My friends might have my back, but they all know that Ellie could take all four of them down easily with her training.’ Didn’t think so’ she snaps, ‘you four trash dogs couldn’t fight your way out of a queue. I have no idea why the Alpha even bothers to let you stay, you are all more of a hindrance than a help to this pack.’

Inaya straightens up as Taiga’s eyes fill with tears, ‘you better watch it she b***h’ she growls, ‘just because you are so desperate that you throw yourself repeatedly at a man who obviously doesn’t want you, doesn’t mean you get to be an a*****e to us when he puts you in your place.’

Ellie’s bitter expression turns toward Inaya, and I instinctively place my arm across my friend, taking a protective stance.

‘Remember your place, low level’ the she wolf snaps, you are nowhere near my position in this pack and I will remind you of that if I have too.’

Inaya opens her mouth to respond, but I cut across her, watching Ellie with resignation. ‘Let’s be honest here Ellie, your issue isn’t with these girls, its with me’ I sigh, ‘just leave them alone, they haven’t done anything too you.’

The she wolf sneers, ‘they disrespected me’ she huffs, her eyes flashing as her wolf surfaces, scanning the women behind me as they shift uncomfortably. ‘I have the right to challenge anyone who does so’ she adds, ‘that’s ingrained into wolf law. By disrespecting me, they are questioning my position within the pack and I need to defend that position.’ Her gaze sweeps to Inaya and I can feel the worry seeping out of the she wolf, realising that she might well be in more trouble than she can handle.

1 Ellie Holloway, challenge you, Inaya Narala to a …

Stepping forward, I block Ellie’s view of my friend, foreing the woman to look at me, loathing and jealousy evident.

1 Lauren Sparks, challenge you, Ellie Holloway to a fight of rank’ I thunder over her, squashing out her challenge before nshe can complete it. As a Beta ranked wolf, Laila will fight in place of Inaya and her wolf Isla, her strength being more a match to your own. As the grievance you have with her is directly a result of my own actions, and because a fight between her wolf and yours would be unfair, I invoke the right to overturn your challenge and issue one of my own.

You will not be allowed to challenge Inaya once our fight is complete regardless of the victor as per werewolf law. Do you accept?’

I stare at the woman in front of me, holding her gaze as she takes half a step back. A higher ranking wolf can step in on a fight between two wolves of different strengths if they have a legitimate reason to do so. It rarely happens, but when it does, the original challenger has to accept or suffer the embarrassment of being labelled as a bully, only willing to fight wolves weaker than themselves.

Ellie’s gaze flicks around each of us before she slowly nods, I accept she replies, licking her lips nervously.

Raising her voice slightly, she adds ‘but I want to fight right now.’