The Human Mate

MAX

As we headed home with Estella, Patrick mind-linked his dad to fill him in, and I did the same with my folks.

I “forgot” to mention that the little girl was my mate, just saying she’d need looking after for a few days.

I figured it was best not to freak them out. They’d figure it out eventually.

Estella hadn’t moved until I said her name. When she finally lifted her head and looked around, she seemed a bit out of it but not upset or uncomfortable.

That was good for now, but I knew it wouldn’t last. The funeral was tomorrow, and her new reality would eventually hit her.

But for now, she was here with me, safe.

When we got home, Patrick said he had to go report to his dad in person.

He was about to get chewed out for skipping his training and for exposing us to humans.

But knowing Uncle Brian, he’d then praise his son for not leaving the human child behind.

I walked toward my house with Estella still in my arms. I could have set her down, but… well…

I thought it was best to keep her as sheltered as possible, given how tightly she was clinging to me.

When we walked into the house, my parents were standing awkwardly in the hallway.

While Alpha Brian and other pack members were used to dealing with humans in their world, none had ever crossed our doorstep.

But I knew they weren’t upset. We were a pretty human-friendly pack.

“What’s the little girl’s name?” my mom asked softly.

She must have thought Estella was asleep, curled up in my arms, but she wasn’t, so it was a pointless precaution.

“Estella,” I answered, walking toward them.

~“Why is she here, Max?”~ my dad mind-linked me, his tone a bit scolding. ~“She should be with child services.”~

~“I couldn’t let her. She’s scared. She lost her family, Dad. You know that.”~

~“I do, but she can’t stay long. We have to keep our secret. You know that, Max.”~

~“They’re taking her in three days,”~ I said, trying to keep my voice steady. ~“As for the secret…”~

~“She already knows,”~ my mom chimed in calmly.

~“What? How does she know?”~ my dad snapped.

~“Max?”~ My mom smiled.

How the hell did she know? How do moms always know when you’ve done something wrong?

Not that I was a troublemaker, but sometimes stuff just happened.

~“We shifted in front of her,”~ I confessed, feeling embarrassed. ~“A few times.”~

My dad was mad at me for being reckless but tried to hide it from the already confused Estella, who was now looking at us without understanding what was going on.

She just clung to my T-shirt.

~“Dad, can we talk about this later when we’re alone?”~ I pleaded, still on mind-link.

He nodded, and I let out a sigh of relief. This was not the time to argue about the secrecy rule. I looked at him, and he seemed calmer as he walked toward us.

I stood still, frozen as I heard my wolf growling in my head.

“Don’t let him touch our mate!” he yelled at me.

I tried to calm my wolf down. My dad was a doctor, and he had already found his mate in my mom. There was no need to overreact.

So, I watched my dad’s outstretched hand with as much composure as I could muster.

But the moment he touched her hair, I lost it and pushed him away so hard that he stumbled and almost fell.

“She’s mine!” I shouted. “Mine!”

My dad was completely taken aback, and Estella shrunk in my arms. I could feel her fear. Fear of me… and it was making everything worse, this sudden loss of control.

I had never yelled at my dad. I had never been aggressive or disrespectful. It was this damn mate bond that was doing this to me.

My wolf was doing this to me, and I was letting him. Like with Patrick, I immediately regretted my behavior. But I still backed away a bit to keep my girl out of his reach.

It was instinct.

She was still trembling in my arms. She looked totally shaken, looking up at me in terror. I never wanted anyone to be scared of me.

I’m going to be a doctor, for heaven’s sake! I’m not supposed to be scary.

~“What have you done, you idiot!”~ I scolded my wolf, and he retreated silently, sad for upsetting Estella.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized, cupping her cheek. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s been a weird day for me too, okay?”

She shook her head. “Your parents are here,” she whispered.

I didn’t know what to say to that.

I was totally ashamed, but there was nothing I could say that would make sense to a six-year-old whose entire family had been reduced to ashes just a few hours ago.

My problem was nothing compared to her grief.

I swallowed hard, trying to find something to say as I gently stroked her cheek. I avoided her accusing gaze until she poked me in the chest with her tiny finger.

“They’re here,” she said again with her sad eyes.

“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry,” I whispered.

My dad had recovered from his surprise, but when I looked at my mom, I saw that she was totally shocked, hand clutching her heart.

She was staring from me to Estella in disbelief. She couldn’t process this, and I didn’t blame her. I was having a hard time too.

She hadn’t seen this coming and tried to find something to say, but looking at Estella, she decided to stay quiet.

She stood there for a few more moments, and calming her features, she finally walked toward us.

“Mom…,” I started, but she cut me off.

“Catch you later, Max. But first, we need to make our little visitor feel at home.” She managed a smile.

Poor Mom… She was so hopeful for me to find my mate and have pups that she could shower with love. I did bring home a pup, didn’t I?

The thought was bitter, and my heart was sinking slowly, watching my usually upbeat mother so lost. It hurt to see her avoiding my gaze, speaking to Estella instead.

“What’s your name again, sweetheart?” she asked her gently.

“Estella.”

“Beautiful! I’m Leslie, Max’s mom, and that over there is Howie, my husband.”

The child nodded.

“Would you like a warm bubble bath?”

“Very much,” Estella said shyly.

“Great, sweetheart. Now Max is going to put you down so you can come up with me, okay?”

I complied, not commenting on this unusual indirect command my mother gave me. As soon as the warm little body was gone, my wolf whimpered faintly. I ignored him.

I ignored the feeling of emptiness that had suddenly washed over me as well.

I just stood there, watching my mother holding my mate’s tiny hand, leading her up the stairs.

I knew my father was still in the room, watching everything, but I wasn’t ready to face him yet. What could I possibly say?

UNKNOWN

Estella obediently followed Max’s mother to the upper floor. They walked into the cozy bathroom, and the woman helped her sit while she started filling the tub.

“How old are you, sweetheart?” Leslie asked.

“Six.”

“So young!” She sighed, and the girl gave her a curious look.

Poor Max… She knew her son didn’t believe he needed a mate like the other wolves, but Leslie knew better.

She often prayed to the Moon Goddess to bless him with a mate soon so his life could be complete.

And she did… Was this her idea of a joke? To give Max a human mate twelve years his junior?

Leslie swallowed her anger and despair and helped Estella into the tub.

The little girl was innocent, and she wouldn’t take it out on her, especially since she was in such a state. It was a miracle that she’d survived the accident virtually unscathed.

She watched Estella carefully as she took on the task of cleaning her up. She was a cute child.

She hadn’t seen a smile yet, which was understandable, but she could bet that Estella would grow to be a very charming creature in her own way.

She had long brown hair and matching eyes. Her eyes were big and expressive. Leslie liked that. Her nose was straight, and she had a small mouth.

When Leslie washed the smoke off her face, her fair skin was revealed, making the girl even cuter.

She sighed once more and focused on getting Estella clean.

While Leslie was lost in her thoughts, Estella was observing her too. She looked a lot like Max, only her hair was different.

She was blonde where his hair was light brown, and he had his father’s build. He was tall, but then again, everyone was tall. Despite the strange and scary scene downstairs, she liked them all.

And it felt nice to be with a family. She felt a little less lonely. The bath had relaxed her, and she was beginning to feel sleepy by the end of it.

Even when Leslie started drying her with the fluffiest towel in the world, she couldn’t keep herself awake.

She sleepily followed the woman into another room that was connected to the bathroom.

“Wait here, sweetheart. I’ll try to find something your size to wear,” Leslie said, knowing this would be impossible.

She’d have to buy her something later or ask around the pack for spare clothes since the child wouldn’t stay with them for long.

Estella was left alone, but she didn’t mind. She felt the fluffy towel dropping, but she didn’t mind that either.

She dragged her little feet to the nearby bed and started climbing up. The effort caused her eyes to open reluctantly. When she was finally there, she felt exhausted.

Through her drooping eyelids, she saw a large gray T-shirt thrown carelessly on the bed. She pulled it close. It smelled so nice.

She struggled a bit to crawl into it, but as soon as she did, she let her body drop on the soft mattress, and she was instantly asleep.

Leslie found her like this when she returned. She smiled and moved the child’s body so her head was resting on the pillow.

After covering her up with a spare blanket, she walked out, shutting the door quietly.

MAX

When my mother left with Estella, my father and I stayed awkwardly silent for a while. That was a new one. Yet he was the first to break it.

If it were up to me, we would remain that way.

“When I first met your mother and recognized her as my mate, I beat the shit out of your Uncle Brian just because she was holding his hand.

“It was before he became the alpha. When she told me he was her brother, I felt like the biggest jerk in the world.

“That means I understand how you felt when I tried to touch Estella. The bond does that to us. I still feel possessive over Leslie often.

“Having said that, I warn you I will not tolerate such behavior again.”

“Yes, Dad,” I mumbled.

“Good. What do you plan to do now that you’ve found her?”

“Throw a fucking party?” I laughed without humor.

“Max…,” he warned.

“What, Father? I’m sure you understand I can’t accept her.”

I had realized it as soon as she’d left my embrace. It was impossible to accept her as my mate. She was so young. There was no way.

Besides, she would soon be taken away by her next of kin. I had to be realistic about it. I made up my mind to reject her when the three-day period passed.

She was young and a human. She would never feel it. She would forget me sooner or later. She’d grow up, find a human boy…

The thought made my heart ache, but I ignored it. I tried to convince myself I didn’t need a mate since I could have any girl or woman I wanted.

If I found that I wanted to mate, I could choose anyone I pleased. I didn’t have to stick to a predestined mate that I could never have. It would never work.

“You don’t understand, son. Rejecting a mate—it’s not just about you. It affects her too. You both…”

His words trailed off as my mother entered the room, alone. I shot her a questioning look, but she just offered a sad smile.

“She’s asleep in your bed,” she told me. “She’s such a sweet girl.”

“I’m going to check on her,” I said quickly, and took the stairs two at a time.

~“So, you’re really going to reject your mate, huh?”~ my wolf taunted.

“Shut the fuck up!” I snapped back.

I paused at the door to my room, suddenly unsure. Was it right to be near her when I planned to push her out of my life?

But she was just a kid, a kid who’d lost so much. She needed someone to care for her.

There was nothing wrong with caring for a child. And no, that wasn’t just an excuse to be near her.

I chose to follow in my father’s footsteps because I cared about people. I wasn’t a romantic, no matter what Patrick said, but I cared.

I felt a deep need to protect, to keep people safe and well.

I opened the door quietly, careful not to wake her. She didn’t stir as I approached the bed. She was beautiful, just like my mother had said.

Now I could really see her face, except for her closed eyes. I was so caught up in studying her features that it took me a full five minutes to realize she was wearing my shirt. I couldn’t help but smile.

She looked so small in my oversized T-shirt, her tiny body curled up in a fetal position.

I adjusted the blanket around her and stood to leave. On impulse, I leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly.

A pleasant shiver ran through me. It was the bond, nothing more. Nothing sexual, I swear to the Goddess who’d put me in this situation.

I fought the urge to stay with her and quickly left the room, closing the door behind me.

As I descended the stairs, I could hear my parents’ voices coming from the kitchen. I didn’t go in. I wasn’t ready to face them yet.

But I moved closer, curious to hear what they were discussing. It wasn’t hard to guess.

Their voices were so low I wouldn’t have heard them without my enhanced hearing. I almost wished I hadn’t.

“What are we going to do, Howie?” my mother asked, sounding lost.

“We support him. That’s all we can do. The decision is his,” my father replied, his voice weary.

“But he can’t accept her. She’s human.”

“You’ve never been prejudiced, Leslie. We can mate with humans. It’s rare, but…”

“Ever wonder why it’s rare?” my mother cut in, her voice sharp.

“Humans are unpredictable. More often than not, they’re afraid of us. They reject us, not caring about the bond or the consequences of rejection.

“To us, the bond is everything. To them, it’s nothing.”

“They want true love too, though,” my father pointed out.

“Yes, they do. But are they ready for it? No. They can’t handle us. They can’t handle the kind of commitment we offer.

“I’m not saying everything’s perfect in our world, but the risk is higher with them. Forever is just a pretty idea to them. To us, it’s reality.”

“Not all humans are the same, sugar.”

“I know. And believe me, I already like Estella. But she won’t stay, Howie. The moment she goes back to her world, our son is doomed.”

“Are you suggesting we kidnap the child?”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. But I don’t see a future for them. For one thing, she’s only six years old. I’ve seen this before, Howie.

“Mating with humans isn’t common in our pack. It wasn’t in yours either. But it was in other packs.

“I’ve heard the stories, and let me tell you, none of them ended well. Humans always leave us in the end.”

Their words spun around in my head as I stood there, listening.

I had to get away. So I did.