eleven
"Wake up."
"Just five more minutes." I mutter into my pillow, turning over in bed only to be attacked by a bright light.
"Come on Belle we have a big day." I can hear Theo's voice as he gently tries to rock me awake.
I shake off his hands and bury myself deeper into the crisp sheets. "Please?" The desperation in Theo's voice surprises me, he really wants me awake?
"Why d-do you even want me a-awake?" I ask timidly still facing into my pillow. Breathing in the feathers and escaping Theo's soft gaze.
"Because I want to spend time with my mate." His answer, was so blunt I sat up in bed.
Turning my head to gaze straight into Theo's eyes the questions start to poor out, "b-but aren't you busy with A-Alpha stuff?" "D-don't you g-go to school?" "Don't I-I h-have to go school?" "D-."
"I've cleared my schedule for the next week so we can spend more time together." Theo smiles weakening my resolve. Maybe I should spend some time with him? Or maybe he'll start hitting me?
"N-no." I say shaking my head. This week was going to be about me trying to get to a point with Theo where I will be comfortable leaving him. Where we can part and I can be sure he'll be fine. Spending time together will only strengthen the bond.
"Please Belle. Look the other night you said how I barely know you and vice versa so now I'm giving both of us a chance to get to know each other as friends." My ears perk up at the word 'friends.' Mate's aren't exactly friends at least that's what I thought.
"A-as friends?" I repeat.
"Yes Belle. It's obvious you're not ready for an emotional relationship and that's okay." Theo says choking on his words.
"It is?" I look up into Theo's green eyes, it's obvious he had been hoping for me to dismiss his use of the word 'friend.' But in truth it is the only word in that sentence I can cling to.
"Yes." He croaks out the word as if it's hurting him just to act like we're not made for each other.
I throw the covers off my body and stand up weakly, "I'll need fifteen minutes to get ready and then I'll meet you downstairs." I say my words invigorated.
Theo gives me an odd look before shutting my bedroom door.
I take a deep breath shuffling over to my ensuite.
This is what it's like to be respected. To have people give you eye contact and even smile when they see you.
Wow.
I've never experienced anything quite like it.
My eyes land on the assortment of bottles sitting on the shelf inside the shower. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, is this all for me? Sure I've used shampoo before but I was only ever given the last drops out of everyone else's bottles. This right here, this is a brand new bottle of shampoo. Assuming Theo doesn't already have girlfriend these must've been bought for me.
I take a deep breath and continue to shower, letting the hot water wash away all of my worries.
Stepping out of the shower my fingers run along the softest towel I've ever felt. The beautiful soft pink feels like I'm wrapped in a marshmallow.
I continue in a dazed state to a small closet that had been filled with clothes in my absence. My fingers run across the soft fabrics and beautiful colours. All these clothes for me, I can't except these. Maybe just one, I close my eyes grabbing the first garment my fingers lay on.
It just happens to be a pale blue sundress with a skater skirt.
"Are you ready Belle?" Theo's voice sends shivers down my spine.
"Just a minute."
Spinning around in front of a full length mirror I smile at my reflection, I actually look good.
"We're going to be late." I here Theo's voice and open the door a large smile on my face.
He goes to take my hand but I pull away instinctively, "I'm not ready." I repeat.
Theo just nods a sad smile on his face as he guides me down the stairs and out the door.
"I want to get to know you Belle." His voice is skeptical and I nod reassuringly.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything." He replied in a breathy voice.
"Um." I bite lip, where do I start?
"Let's start with something simple, what's your favorite colour."
"Red." I say with no hesitation.
"Why?" Theo says eyeing me curiously.
"No one's ever asked me that." I look up to see Theo smiling down at me, "I guess I never really put much thought into it."
"There has to be some reason?" Theo replies encouragingly.
"B-because it's the colour of love, of passion, and anger." I add quietly. Theo nods his head thoughtfully opening his mouth to say something but I beat him to it, "what's your f-favorite colour?" I cover my face waiting to be punished but instead my ears are filled with the sound of my mates laughter.
"I'm a green person." Theo replies a large smile on his face. "I hate to cut this Q&A short but we're here."
I look around at the small bar Theo has brought me to.
"For you madam." I smile blushing slightly as my feet hit the cold concrete. I hadn't worn shoes because in all honesty there were very few occasions where I had ever been allowed to.
"Can I ask why you aren't wearing shoes?" Theo gives me an amused look.
"Umm I've never really be able to wear them before." I say quietly keeping my head down.
"Belle."
"Yes." I say staring at my small feet beneath the table.
"Look at me."
"I- um." I begin before finally meeting his gaze. It is fruitless to even try and argue with an Alpha especially Theo.
"You don't have to be ashamed of your past."
"B-bu."
"You're my mate I would never reject you." I eye Theo suspiciously, is he telling the truth? Could it be possible for someone to actually love me? I shake the thought off in seconds, he must be lying to make me feel better.
When I don't reply Theo takes it upon himself to call a waitress.
The young women seems to be able to make walking look graceful. She eyes up my mate and I feel the need to punch her in the face.
"What would you two like today?" She bats her eyelashes flirtatiously at Theo and even though he doesn't even spare her a glance I still feel outraged.
"I'll have the chicken burger with a side of fries." Theo says still staring at his menu intently.
After what seems like forever the waitress finally turned back to me, "and for you?" She uses the same voice adults use when they're talking to five year olds.
"I-I'll just have a salad." I say nervously.
The waitress writes down our orders departing with an eye roll and a fake giggle.
We sit in silence until our food comes.
"Belle please I really do want to get to know you." I don't respond, I don't even look up from my food because I know the minute my eyes met his I'll do anything. "Please?"
I hesitate for a moment, "what's your favorite food?"
"Steak." Theo says without hesitation. "Medium rare with a tiny bit of basil." I bite back a smile, that's exactly what my father used to eat every night. He stopped after my mother convinced him it was bad for his heart but it was always his favorite meal.
"What about you Belle?" Theo's voice is cautious and soft as if he's talking to a wild deer trying to coax it of hiding and into the open.
"Probably salad."
"Salad?" Theo repeats.
"It's all I've really eaten."
"We'll have to change that."
"Theo?"
"Hmmmmm."
"Would you ever consider r-rejecting me?" I ask in a small voice.
"Why would you even ask such a question I will never reject you Isabelle."
"B-b."
"But what? You're to weak for me? To brittle? I don't care you're mine Isabelle and that's enough for me."
I stare wide-eyed at man painted as a monster. The one who women feared because of his cold streak, the man who kills for fun, the big bad Alpha. Theodore Blue, a ruthless, heartless, killing machine just said the sweetest thing in the world.
It must be a set up, he's probably cheating on me and just buttering me up.
"It's true though." I reply after a while. "I didn't even think the Moon Goddess would give me a mate because I'm worth nothing to anyone."
"Stop it!" Theo cries. "Just stop Belle." He shakes his head at me, "nothing you're saying is true. You are worth everything to me, my whole world my light and I'm not letting you go."
"Theo, I'm not worth it." I whisper my hands shaking.
"Yes you are." Theo says taking my hand in his. The sparks that run through my body are incredible and for a moment I want to accept everything he's saying. I want to run into his arms and stay there, the moment passes.
"I can't." I say shaking my head.
"You can't what?"
"Do all of this."
"Belle I took you out today as a friend, and I intend to get to know you as one."
"I c-."
"Just give me a chance. You seemed happy about it this morning."
That's because I didn't realize how hard it would be. I want to say but instead I settle on a simple, "okay." I say keeping my eyes trained on the ground, how can I run from a man who is nothing but kind? "Theo?" I ask weakly,
"yes Belle." He replies an encouraging smile on his lips.
"Tell me about m-mates." I say in almost a whisper; not only did I just stutter but I just told my mate what to do. What if he doesn't want to tell me? "D-."
"Mates are something that all loving creatures on this earth have." Theo begins before I can take back my question. His eyes lock with mine, "the bond between two werewolves is incredibly strong, stronger than the bond between most other species. That's just to stop werewolves from getting side-tracked the way humans do. Never making up their mind always vying for what they can't have." The pauses for a moment to look up at me. "The bond was created because wolves need their mates, in order to function properly and work well in a pack a mate is necessary. While it is possible to live happily without your mate it makes it much harder to perform duties as a wolf such as being an Alpha, Beta etc." He looks at me again, "are you getting this?"
"Y-yes." I say staring right back completely spellbound by his tale.
"Your mate is your soul-mate your other half, the person put on this earth just for you. Many people try to fight the mate bond believing they are better suited to someone else but the Moon Goddess doesn't make mistakes."
I suck in my breathe at this, if she doesn't make mistakes why am I mated to Theo? A kind man not to mention an Alpha!
"If a werewolf finds their mate and doesn't instantly form a relationship with them their wolf becomes anxious. You see unlike us our wolves only follow passion if they are lead to another wolf, no matter who they become attached. If the bond isn't followed through both wolves slowly begin to deteriorate, in extreme cases the wolves conscious has disappeared completely." Theo says sadly. "When rejected the mate bond is severed and both wolves are able to continue living their lives as if they had never met their mate. However, the rejection is only final if the wolf being reject accepts the rejection, after that they can no longer be together. Rejections are permanent and can't be undone." Theo breathes out, "of course rejection isn't that common. As you probably know werewolf relationships move extremely fast."
I blush bright red. "You sound like a teacher." Instantly I clap my hand over my mouth, did I say that out loud? To the Alpha?
I look up cautiously waiting for him to blow up, instead Theo just laughs, "that's because I am one, well I was."
"Y-you were a teacher?" I ask eyeing Theo unsurely; he doesn't exactly look like a teacher.
Theo nods his head, "I taught supernatural history."
"B-but you're only twenty." I stutter it may be a werewolf school but you still need a degree to teach, I think?
Theo shrugs in response, "it was only ever a temporary being an Alpha is a full-time job after all."
"W-wait how did t-this happen?" I say avoiding his gaze, surely Theo is bored of my questioning.
"They were down a teacher and being the future Alpha, who better to teach his peers about werewolf hierarchy." Theo's tone was bitter as he spat the word Alpha out like poison.
As soon as Theo finishes a smile creeps onto my face, I don't where it came from but something about listening to him talk makes me happy.
"What about you?" Theo's questions catches me off guard as my fork clatters to the floor.
"W-what about m-me?" I repeat as an Omega people don't exactly care about anything except when you can clean their floor and tidy their room. Yeah you heard me, I tidied almost everyone's room.
"I want to know about you Isabelle, anything and everything. I want to know what you think about just before you fall asleep, I want to know about all your crazy habits. I want to know all your pet hates and everything that makes you smile; I want to know about you Belle." I gasp taken back by Theo's words that could be found on the pages of any great romance.
"You r-really do?" I mumble turning red.
Theo nods encouragingly.
"Um ahh well err-."
"Start small, what do you like doing?"
"M-me?"
"Yes you, Belle." Theo mummers a smile on his face.
"W-well I like movies, m-mainly comedies or romance. Anything with Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston is great. I ummmm like to read as well, all the classics, Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick ummmm fantasy novels are good to. I d-don't like all the v-violence and e-end of the w-world stuff but yeah ummmm. I write sometimes, it calms me down b-because I c-can choose the ending. W-write a happy story." I look expecting Theo to be bored out of his brain but instead our eyes met, and just like that I know he's heard every word.
"I like c-cooking, I c-can make lots of different dishes." Everyone from old pack ate something different and if it wasn't cooked perfectly I got hit.
I closed my eyes for a moment forcing the memories down, "s-steak and desserts I c-can do. Ummm." I look up to once again see Theo's loving smile and encouraging eyes.
Maybe this isn't so bad after all.
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